Panama City Beach – About two dozen local pool companies and public pool owners met Thursday to discuss the new ADA handicapped regulations, and they are worried about the upcoming March 15, 2012 deadline.

“Being forced into it in such a timely manner, I mean it’s the time issue probably more than anything else” said Marti Thompson, Raccoon River Campground.

There are 33,000 public swimming pools in Florida, an estimated 18,000 are not currently handicap accessible. The stricter guidelines apply to any public swimming pool which includes motels, hotels and condos that operate like a hotel, which rents units for less than 30 days.

Public pools are defined as pools open to the public at any time or receiving funding or revenue from the government or membership dues. Apartment complexes with pools are considered private because of the long-term rentals, unless they allow the general public to use the pool or accept government funding such as section 8 funding then they must be ADA compliant.

Some public pool owners are not sure if they have to comply and other pool owners are concerned about the costs.

“To be ADA complaint, all of our will have to have a lift put in” said Lester Whitehead, Horizon South Beach Resort.

Horizon South Beach Resort manager Lester Whitehead has multiple pools property. Each pool needs to be handicap accessible. Carey Martin finds himself in a similar situation.

“..that’s one of my biggest concerns, having to buy so much equipment with all my pools in one small area” said Carey Martin.
Chair-lifts are the cheapest option for pool owners, but even they average $3,000 to $7,000 dollars, depending on your needs.

“We have a condo association so all the expense will probably be issued between the owners of the condos” said Martin.

“We’ll just have to see how we can raise the money and put in the budgets” said Whitehead.

Many public pool owners agree the cost of the chair-lifts are far less than the fine or lawsuit for not complying.

“Based on hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines or having to go to court over something so it would work out very well to get the equipment” said Martin.

“Even though it’s going to be a challenge for us to comply with this law, it’s really a good thing” said Barbara Gudgel, Cox Pools.

For more information about the ADA pool compliance law visit: http://www.ada.gov/pools_2010.htm