Can I build a dock or seawall on my Miami waterfront property?
Answered by AskBaily Editorial · Updated
Short answer
Most waterfront work triggers a combined permit stack: Miami-Dade DERM (Environmental Resource Management), Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP submerged lands authorization), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and — in Biscayne Bay Aquatic Preserve — an ERP from the state. Timelines run 6-18 months. Seawall elevation under new sea-level-rise mandates frequently increases design freeboard by 1.5-2 feet over legacy seawalls.
In detail
Most waterfront work triggers a combined permit stack: Miami-Dade DERM (Environmental Resource Management), Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP submerged lands authorization), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and — in Biscayne Bay Aquatic Preserve — an ERP from the state. Timelines run 6-18 months. Seawall elevation under new sea-level-rise mandates frequently increases design freeboard by 1.5-2 feet over legacy seawalls.
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