Inground pools in Massillon, Ohio

James Duncan platted Massillon on the east bank of the Tuscarawas River in 1826, along the planned route of the Ohio and Erie Canal. Wheat, then coal, then steam engines and steel built the city, and it reached about 32,000 people by 1970, roughly where it sits today. The Towpath Trail still runs through town, and the Massillon Tigers of Washington High School carry the city's name into every high school football conversation in Ohio.

The river matters for a pool because it split the ground into two types. The valley floor and the terraces along it are glacial outwash: sand and gravel dropped by meltwater. The USDA soil survey maps much of central Massillon as Chili silt loam or a Chili and urban land complex, a well drained soil over gravel. Climb out of the valley and the soils change to till, with Ravenna silt loam, which the USDA rates somewhat poorly drained, on the flatter uplands east of the center and steep Wooster silt loam on the bluffs south of it. In one low spot north of downtown, the survey maps Willette muck, a very poorly drained organic soil.

On the gravel terraces, a pool dig is about as easy as Northeast Ohio gets. Water drains down through the outwash instead of sitting in the hole, and the spoil is usable for grading. On Ravenna silt loam up the hill, we expect a slower-draining clay subsoil, so we plan for pumping during a wet spring and for hauling spoils. On the steep Wooster slopes, the challenge is grade: a flat pool on a sloped lot means cutting into the hill on one side and holding it back with a retaining wall.

Muck is its own case. An organic soil compresses and holds water, and a pool shell and deck need firm bearing. If a site survey or our first test hole turns up muck, we tell you before you sign, and we talk through excavating to firm ground and replacing the fill, or moving the pool.

Frost is the same citywide. Massillon's building department lists a 36 inch frost depth in its climate design criteria, so footings for pergolas, walls and similar structures around the pool go down at least that far.

Massillon's private pool rules are in Section 1187.14 of the codified ordinances, and the building department reprints them in its swimming pool handout:

• Private pools are allowed in the rear yard only.
• The outside of the pool wall must be at least 10 feet from the adjoining property line or alley right-of-way. If the zoning district's side yard setback is greater than 10 feet, the larger number applies on the sides.
• At least 4 feet between the outside pool wall and any building on the same lot.
• At least 35 feet from any front lot line.
• No pool in an easement.
• In-ground pools must be completely enclosed by a fence at least 4 feet high, with self-closing, latching gates. The latch goes on the inside, out of a child's reach, and gates must lock when the pool is not in use for extended periods. If the whole residence property is enclosed, the building inspector may waive the separate pool fence after inspection.
• No pool within 20 feet, vertically, horizontally or diagonally, of any overhead power lines or poles.

The power line rule is the one to check first. Where electric service runs overhead along a back lot line or an alley, a 20 foot circle around those wires and poles can take a big bite out of a backyard. We map the lines on the site plan before we draw a pool, and if the service drop to your house crosses the yard, we talk with you and the utility about moving it or burying it.

The alley rule matters too. On an alley lot, the 10 feet is measured from the alley right-of-way, not the pavement edge.

The Massillon Building Department, at One James Duncan Plaza, issues pool permits inside the city. According to its handout, the contractor submits a building permit application with a plot plan showing the pool's location and its distances to the property lines and the house, and pulls the permit before work starts. Pool contractors must be registered with the city as home improvement contractors. The department says review takes 1 to 3 days once the paperwork is in.

Electrical and gas work are separate permits. The handout lists the basics: no direct burial, wiring in conduit at least 18 inches deep, gas line at least 12 inches deep, 36 inches of separation between the two, and a ditch inspection before the trench is covered. It places the electrical and heating permits with the homeowner. In practice we line those up with you and the licensed trades so the ditch inspection happens before backfill.

Fiberglass is our first recommendation on most Massillon lots. A Liberty shell goes in fast, which suits a city lot where the yard is also the kids' play space, and its smooth, nonporous finish is easy to keep clean. Our installed packages start at $68,400 and include the Pentair pump, DE filter, a pool heater and LED lights, a 4 ft concrete deck, startup chemicals and the hook-up at the equipment. The required fence, any extra patio, hauling spoils off a tight lot, pumping a wet dig and the electrical run from your panel to the pad are extra and depend on the site. We also work with lenders to find a loan rate that suits you, so financing can be part of the plan from the first meeting.

On a hillside lot, we often pair the pool with a retaining wall and a raised patio, and on a larger yard with room to spare, an ICF concrete pool with insulated walls is worth a look for anyone who wants to swim into September.

From Massillon we also build in North Canton, Canal Fulton, Canton, Green and Uniontown. The quick permit turnaround here means a Massillon pool often moves from signed design to dig faster than in towns with board reviews, so the season you swim depends mostly on when you start.