Full removal
Full pool removal in Elk Grove, CA
[REWRITE. Open on the homeowner. Draft: You are planning an addition, an ADU, a garage or a shed on a slab, and the pool is in the way. Elk Grove’s rules treat that plan differently from a yard that will stay a yard.]
When the city requires full removal
Elk Grove’s policy applies the full-removal track when a building is planned over or within 5 feet of the pool. The city lists these steps:
- Obtain a demolition permit.
- Remove the entire pool and all utilities.
- Backfill the cavity under the supervision of a qualified soil engineer, with a minimum compaction of 90% relative density.
- Submit a compaction report. The city must approve it before final.
- Any alternative to complete removal must be proposed by the soil engineer, reviewed and approved before the permit is issued.
Source: City of Elk Grove, Policy and Procedure No. B-26-41.
Timing matters: an alternative to complete removal has to be approved before the permit is issued, so the soil engineer needs to be involved at the start.
What to settle before you hire anyone
- Ask each installer who arranges the soil engineer and the compaction report, and whether that is part of the quote.
- Ask the installer to confirm in writing which track the permit is being pulled under.
- If you are weighing a partial removal instead, read about abandoning a pool in place, which leaves a building restriction on the property.
[REWRITE. Add your own paragraph on how full removal differs from filling in a pool you will never build on. Stay with the city’s wording; do not add prices, timelines or durations.]
Frequently Asked Questions
What counts as “a building” under the policy?
The policy does not list examples. For a specific structure, such as an addition, ADU or detached garage, ask Elk Grove’s Building Division which track applies.
What is a compaction report?
The city requires one to be submitted and approved before final for full removal. The policy does not describe its contents. The soil engineer can explain what goes in it.
Can I propose an alternative to complete removal?
Only through the soil engineer. The policy says any alternative has to be proposed by the soil engineer and approved before the permit is issued.
Is a soil engineer required for every pool removal?
No. The abandon-in-place track says no soil engineer is required for the fill. Full removal requires one to supervise the backfill.
What if I am not sure whether I will build?
Abandoning a pool in place puts a building restriction on the property, so it is worth deciding before the permit is pulled. The full-or-partial check can help organize the question.
This site connects homeowners with independent local installers.