Swimming pool accident in Glendale, Arizona: the city fence rule and who answers for the pool
Glendale's code requires any pool or pond 18 inches deep to have a barrier at least 5 feet high with a self-closing, self-latching gate. That duty falls on whoever possesses the land, including tenants. Public pool problems go to Maricopa County at 602-506-6616. A pool injury lawsuit generally has to be filed within 2 years.
Last checked November 9, 2026 · Official sources (35)
What does Glendale require around a swimming pool?
Glendale's own code goes first, and it is written in plain numbers. It applies to a swimming pool or other outside body of water used for swimming with a minimum depth of 18 inches.
| Part of the barrier | Glendale requirement |
|---|---|
| Height | At least 5 feet, measured on the outside |
| Gate | Self-closing and self-latching |
| Latch | At least 54 inches off the ground, or on the pool side with a release mechanism |
| Who must keep it up | Owner, buyer under contract, lessee, tenant or licensed user in possession of the land |
State law sets a similar floor of 5 feet, but it exempts homes with no young children and pools built before it took effect. The state law lets cities set equal or stricter rules. That is why the city code is the first thing to read after a backyard pool accident. Take photos of the fence, the gate and the latch before anyone fixes them.
Who is in charge of a public or apartment pool in Glendale?
Public and semi-public pools need an operating permit from Maricopa County Environmental Services. So do splash pads, special use pools and spas. Private residential pools do not. The state barrier law leaves public pools out, so they follow other rules.
The county's inspection reports are public records, free to search, and stay online for 3 years after the inspection. Look up the pool before you talk to anyone. Report an unsafe or poorly kept public pool to the county at 602-506-6616.
Federal law also covers drains. Pool and spa drain covers must meet the entrapment standard, and public pools with a single main drain need added protection.
What if the pool belongs to the City of Glendale?
The city runs two aquatics centers: Foothills Recreation & Aquatics Center at 5600 W Union Hills Dr and Rose Lane Aquatics Center at 5003 W Marlette Ave, (623) 930-4600. It also lists five splash pads, including Glendale Heroes Park at 83rd Ave and Bethany Home Rd.
An injury at a city pool is a claim against a public entity. You must file within 180 days, with a specific settlement amount, or the claim is barred. The Glendale City Clerk is at 5752 W. Glenn Dr. No Glendale claim form was published that we could find.
For a child, the 180 days start after the disability ends, meaning after the child turns 18. Do not rely on that. File early. After that, one year remains to file suit.
Where does a child go after a pool accident in Glendale?
Call 911 first. Phoenix Children's Arrowhead at 19007 N. 67th Ave. is listed as Level IV, and Banner Thunderbird at 5555 W. Thunderbird Rd. as Level I.
The CDC says nonfatal drowning can cause brain damage or permanent disability. Federal data count about 5,900 ER injuries a year in children under 15, and 71 percent of them were under age 5. For children 1 to 4, drowning is the leading cause of death.
How does a family handle a pool death in Glendale?
We are sorry for your loss. There is no rush to decide anything in the first days. Two dates still matter.
- If a public pool or city property is involved, note 180 days from the date of death.
- In Arizona, a wrongful death claim is brought by the surviving spouse, child, parent or personal representative.
- Ask the Maricopa County Medical Examiner for the report. Call 602-506-3322 for an appointment.
- Ask the county for the pool's inspection reports and the owner for the barrier and gate photos.
An unfenced pool can also raise an attractive nuisance question. The state recreational-use law does not always shield an owner in that case.
Questions
Can I sue a landlord over an apartment pool?
Possibly. The city barrier duty falls on a lessee or tenant in possession, and a landlord has a separate duty to keep shared areas safe.
Does a child have extra time to sue a private owner?
Arizona does not run the lawsuit clock while a child is under 18.
Do I need to show the fence was broken?
No, but it helps. Compare the fence to the five written requirements and photograph any gap.
Swimming pool accident in Glendale? See if you are owed money.
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See if I’m owed moneySources (35)
- Glendale Code of Ordinances, sec. 32-3, checked 2026-11-09. “Be entirely enclosed by at least a five (5) foot wall, fence or other barrier as measured on the exterior side of the wall, fence or barrier.”
- Glendale Code of Ordinances, sec. 32-3, checked 2026-11-09. “Be self-closing and self-latching with the latch located at least fifty-four (54) inches above the underlying ground”
- Glendale Code of Ordinances, sec. 32-3, checked 2026-11-09. “with a minimum depth of eighteen (18) inches”
- Glendale Code of Ordinances, sec. 32-3, checked 2026-11-09. “No person in possession of land within the city, either as owner, purchaser under contract, lessee, tenant or person licensed to use the property”
- Glendale Code Compliance, Frequently Asked Questions, checked 2026-11-08. “a public pool that is unsafe or not maintained, contact Maricopa County Environmental Services at 602-506-6616.”
- A.R.S. § 12-542, checked 2026-11-08. “within two years after the cause of action accrues”
- Maricopa County Environmental Services, Swimming Pool Inspection Tool, checked 2026-11-09. “All inspection reports are public records.”
- A.R.S. 12-821.01, checked 2026-11-09. “within one hundred eighty days after the cause of action accrues”
- A.R.S. 12-821.01, checked 2026-11-09. “a minor or an insane or incompetent person may file a claim within one hundred eighty days after the disability ceases”
- A.R.S. 36-1681, checked 2026-11-09. “Be entirely enclosed by at least a five foot wall, fence or other barrier”
- A.R.S. 36-1681, checked 2026-11-09. “A residence in which all residents are at least six years of age.”
- A.R.S. 36-1681, checked 2026-11-09. “A swimming pool or contained body of water or barrier constructed prior to the effective date of this article.”
- A.R.S. 36-1681, checked 2026-11-09. “Political subdivisions which adopt ordinances after the effective date of this article provided that the ordinance is equal to or more stringent than the provisions of this article.”
- Maricopa County Environmental Services, Aquatic Health & Safety, checked 2026-11-09. “Operating permits are required for public and semi-public pools, wading pools/splash pads or special use pools, spas and artificial bathing lakes.”
- A.R.S. 36-1681, checked 2026-11-09. “Public or semi-public swimming pools.”
- 15 U.S.C. 8003, checked 2026-11-09. “each swimming pool or spa drain cover manufactured, distributed, or entered into commerce in the United States shall conform to the entrapment protection standards”
- 15 U.S.C. 8003, checked 2026-11-09. “each public pool and spa in the United States with a single main drain other than an unblockable drain shall be equipped”
- City of Glendale, Aquatics, checked 2026-11-09. “The City of Glendale has two Aquatics Centers.”
- City of Glendale, Aquatics, checked 2026-11-09. “O'Neil Park: 64th Ave. & Missouri Ave.”
- A.R.S. § 12-821.01, checked 2026-11-09. “The claim shall also contain a specific amount for which the claim can be settled and the facts supporting that amount.”
- Arizona Revised Statutes 12-821.01, checked 2026-11-09. “is barred and no action may be maintained thereon”
- City of Glendale, City Clerk, checked 2026-11-08. “623-930-2252, Option 1”
- A.R.S. 12-821, checked 2026-11-09. “shall be brought within one year after the cause of action accrues”
- Arizona Department of Health Services, Designated Trauma Centers, checked 2026-11-08. “19007 N 67th Ave, Glendale, AZ 85308 08/18/25 08/18/28”
- Arizona Department of Health Services, Designated Trauma Centers, checked 2026-11-08. “Banner Thunderbird Medical Center 5555 W. Thunderbird Rd, Glendale, AZ 85306 09/30/22 *09/26/26”
- CDC, checked 2026-11-09. “Nonfatal drowning has a range of outcomes or results, from no injuries to very serious injuries such as brain damage or permanent disability.”
- CPSC 2026 Pool or Spa Submersion report, checked 2026-11-09. “There were, on average, an estimated 5,900 pool- or spa-related, hospital emergency department (ED)-treated, nonfatal drowning injuries each year for 2023 through 2025”
- CPSC 2026 Pool or Spa Submersion report, checked 2026-11-09. “an annual average of 71 percent of the ED-treated nonfatal drowning injuries”
- CDC, checked 2026-11-09. “More children ages 1–4 die from drowning than any other cause of death.”
- A.R.S. 12-612, checked 2026-11-09. “surviving husband or wife, child, parent or guardian, or personal representative of the deceased person”
- Maricopa County Office of the Medical Examiner, checked 2026-11-08. “Please contact OME at 602-506-3322 for assistance or to schedule an in-person appointment.”
- Maricopa County Office of the Medical Examiner, checked 2026-11-08. “facility is appointment only; walk-ins will not be accepted.”
- A.R.S. 33-1551, checked 2026-11-09. “does not limit the liability that otherwise exists for maintaining an attractive nuisance”
- A.R.S. 33-1324, checked 2026-11-09. “Keep all common areas of the premises in a clean and safe condition.”
- A.R.S. 12-502, checked 2026-11-09. “the period of such disability shall not be deemed a portion of the period limited for commencement of the action”