Inground pools in Copley, Ohio

Copley Township covers about 20 square miles in western Summit County, with Bath to the north, Akron to the east, Norton to the south and Medina County to the west. The 2020 census counted 18,403 residents. It shares its school district with Fairlawn, which runs one high school, Copley High School. The township includes Montrose along its northern edge and the Pigeon Creek area in the northwest.

Housing here ranges from farm-era homes on township roads to newer subdivisions, some with homeowners associations. The township's own advice is to check your HOA standards and deed restrictions before you apply for anything, and we agree. Some Copley subdivisions have their own rules for pools and fences that go further than the zoning resolution.

The Centennial History of Summit County describes a great swamp, Copley Swamp, that once covered a large part of the township before farmers drained most of it. Part of what remains is the Panzner Wetland Wildlife Reserve, now owned by the University of Akron. Copley Community Park sits on an old gravel quarry that 3M donated to the township, and its designers noted the sandstone and conglomerate boulders running through the site.

USDA soil data from around the township shows the same range. Near Copley Circle and in many subdivisions we see Canfield silt loam, a till soil with a fragipan and a perched water table that can rise to 10 to 21 inches from November through April. Toward the northeast there is well drained Chili soil on old outwash gravel. In low spots along the creeks there is Holly silt loam, a floodplain soil where the USDA puts the seasonal water table anywhere from a foot above the surface to a foot below it, October through June, and notes it can flood. On the steeper ground in the southeast, Dekalb sandy loam is a moderately deep soil over sandstone, so rock can turn up within a few feet of the surface.

Each one changes the dig. On Holly ground we check the flood map first and talk honestly about whether that spot should hold a pool at all. On Dekalb slopes we may hit rock, and a retaining wall often makes the yard work. On Canfield, it is the familiar Northeast Ohio routine of spring pumping and pressure relief. Summit County builds footings to a 38 inch frost line, so decks, walls and steps around the pool are built to that depth.

Fiberglass is where we start for most Copley families. The shell comes finished from Liberty Composites, it goes in fast, and the smooth surface does well through freeze-thaw winters. Packages start at $68,400 installed for a Dignity 10x20 or Enrichment 9x17. Larger families often look at models like the Anthem 14x30 at $90,200. Every package includes Pentair lighting, a variable-speed pump, a DE filter, a pool heater, a 4 foot concrete wrap deck, startup chemicals, a cleaning kit, installation and electrical hook-up at the equipment.

Because Copley requires a cover whenever the pool is not in use, we plan for one from the start. An automatic cover is the easiest way to live with that rule, because closing the pool becomes a turn of a key instead of a chore with a tarp. It is an upgrade, as are the barrier fence, extra decking, spoils haul-off, dewatering and the electrical run from your panel to the pad. We show each line on the quote so you can see what the complete project costs and decide what matters to you. Financing through our lending partners is available.

On wooded or sloped lots, an ICF concrete pool is worth a look. The insulated walls can be built to any shape and hold heat, which helps under shade trees. Latham vinyl liner pools are the third option when a custom size matters most.

Every pool in Copley, inground or not, starts with a Residential Construction Application to the township, which issues a zoning certificate. The township's published requirements:

• The pool must sit entirely behind the house and at least 15 feet from the rear and side lot lines.
• On a corner lot you have two front yards, and the rear yard runs parallel to the street where the lot is narrowest.
• Pools, hot tubs and spas holding more than 24 inches of water must be completely surrounded by a fence or barrier at least 48 inches high, measured on the outside.
• Gates must be self-closing and self-latching. If the latch is under 54 inches from the bottom of the gate, the release goes on the pool side, and the gate must close and latch on its own from 6 inches open.
• The pool must be covered whenever it is not being used.

The application needs a plot drawing with the setbacks measured to the pool. If your home is on septic, Summit County Public Health must approve before the township will issue the permit, and if you are on a township road you also need a road opening permit. Copley does not issue fence permits, but fences are capped at 6 feet and must stay 10 feet back from the road right-of-way, on both streets for a corner lot.

The township's FAQ says a building permit from the Summit County Building Department is also required, so we file with the county once the zoning certificate is in hand. When a lot cannot meet the 15 foot setback, the Board of Zoning Appeals hears variance requests, and pool setback variances do come before it. We would rather design around the setback than count on one.

Two offices means two approvals, plus a health department sign-off on septic lots. A complete plot plan with the barrier, gates and cover shown keeps the township review short. After that, weather and soil decide the pace. Canfield lots dig best once spring dries out, and rock on a Dekalb slope can add a day or two of excavation.

Copley is about 21 miles from our Ravenna shop. We also build in Fairlawn, Bath, Wadsworth, Akron and Cuyahoga Falls, so the whole west side of the county gets the same crew.