Below, we summarized some of the issues surrounding the Kings Forest pool and the pros and cons of replacing it with a recreational area. An alternate plan being investigated is to convert it to key access only, eliminate the lifeguards (for a yearly savings of $17,000), and allow residents to swim "at their own risk."
Mike Woehst of the Revitalization Committee talked to Ethel McCormick (KSA) about the insurance implications of transitioning to key access. Many apartment and smaller community pools use key access only, and costs of insurance are not excessive: approximately $1500, she said.
Guidelines would need to be determined for pool usage, including the stipulation that no one swim alone. Other communities have published their rules, so a quick search gives us lots of ideas for what our guidelines might contain.
Here's one neighborhood website, where the community established rules for hours of use, number of people, pool etiquette, adult supervision and other restrictions.
Another community pool site provides insight into the kinds of questions people may have about guests and other issues. This website has the curious stipulation that the key cannot be "handed over the fence" to non-residents.
And this homeowners association site carries a User's Agreement that must be signed by residents. If Kings Forest were to implement such an agreement, signature would be required at the time the resident obtains the physical key.
So there's certainly precedent -- and demonstrated feasibility -- of this approach.
