The residential pool business is continuing to fight proposed size limits on new construction. However, it looks like they might be fighting a losing battle.
This past Thursday, the Southern Nevada Water Authority board of directors voted 7-0 in favor of a resolution to support limiting new pool construction at single-family residences to 600 square feet. This is following the lead of the Las Vegas Water District.
Clark County Commissioner Justin Jones said. “We’re in a water crisis. We don’t have the luxury of nonfunctional pools right now.”
The board of directors has already voted to approve a proposed service rule change. The board consists of three county commissioners—Justin Jones, Marilyn Kirkpatrick, and Jim Gibson. The board also consists of city council representatives from Las Vegas, North Las Vegas, Henderson, and Boulder City. This new ruling will go into effect on September 1.
Tuesday’s decision from the water district has an enforcement component, unlike Thursday’s resolution. Bronson Mack, water authority spokesperson, said that “the resolution is just reaffirming that the agencies making up the Southern Nevada Water Authority support this initiative moving forward.”
In the coming months, other member agencies of the SNWA will discuss code changes to reflect the 600 square foot limit, which is roughly the size of a three-car garage. Boulder City has plans to meet this August to discuss changing its codes to reflect Thursday’s resolution. North Las Vegas and Henderson have plans to do so in September.
One major concern that stakeholder groups expressed about the resolution was the lack of engagement they felt throughout the decision-making process.
The SNWA held three meetings with stakeholders between March and June and issued letters to over 100 pool builders and developers in early June about the proposed limit, but many pool builders felt those actions were merely a formality.
Developers were also concerned they wouldn’t have enough time to react to the Sept. 1 deadline by getting the necessary permits, since pool permits aren’t issued until after building permits.
CJ Hoogland, principal at Hoogland Architecture. “If we are not able to pull those pool permits before that September 1 deadline, then a lot of the work that we’ve done over the last year and a half goes away,”
Karey Zimmerman, architectural manager at Aspire Design Studio, said he had been negotiating a $35 million deal with a client. Once they heard about the regulations, the deal was off. “I don’t disagree with the things that we need to do,” he said. “It’s just the way it was done. It feels like it was slid under the table. “
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