The City of Prescott’s new pool/fence ordinance was sent back to the city council’s ordinance committee for fine-tuning last Monday night.

The proposed ordinance has been discussed in the ordinance committee for several months, and similar ordinances from other communities were used to develop Prescott’s ordinance.

The version of the ordinance that was sent for council approval calls for a permit for all pools to be fenced. There were questions raised whether that permit would be annual or a onetime fee and how much time would be granted to existing pool owners to put up fences.

The only pools exempt are “storable children’s swimming or wading pools, with a maximum dimension of 15 feet and a maximum wall height of 15 inches and which are so constructed that it may be readily disassembled for storage.”

Previous city ordinance required fencing only for in-ground pools. Now the proposed ordinance reads that “all pools except for the exempt pools require a fence.”

“All swimming pools shall have a fence or other solid structure not less than four feet in height completely enclosing the pool with no opening therein (other than doors or gates) larger than three inches square,” the proposed ordinance states. “All gates or doors opening through the enclosure shall be kept securely closed and locked at all times when not in actual use.

Pools without fences now that are “not satisfactorily fenced shall comply with the fencing requirements of this section when water is placed in the pool.”

The proposed ordinance called for the permit fee to be annual.

Council members brought up questions from constituents and questioned enforcement and the permit fee.

No fee amount was set, but it was suggested that it would be $25.

“So an inspector has to go out?” council member Maureen Otwell asked, about the permit review process.

“I don’t think anyone will go out. It will be a drive-by probably. We’re not going to go in their yards and measure,” said City Administrator Jayne Brand.”

Said Mayor David Hovel: “It will be more complaintbased. We can still check that they have a fence.”

“I’ve had some people reach out that do have pools,” said council member Bailey Ruona. “They’re concerned about the cost of putting up a fence. They’ve had a pool for years. They don’t understand why we have to permit yearly. Other communities are a one-time basis.”

Otwell predicted enforcement issues with an annual permit.

“I don’t see an annual permit as necessary,” she said. “I think for those pools which are going to be above ground and that also have to have a permit to be put in, those would have a one-time fee, and the fence would be included in that.”

Council member Tom Oss recommended brining the matter back to committee. That motion passed unanimously. The ordinance committee will meet at 5 p.m. Nov. 15.