Marine construction projects in Florida often require several detailed surveys to meet environmental and regulatory standards. Because the state closely protects its waterways, it’s common for at least one survey to be needed before project approval. The most frequently requested surveys for marine construction projects include Boundary Surveys, Seagrass Surveys, and XY Surveys. These are the three we’ll focus on in this post.

However, depending on your project, your engineer, environmental reviewer, or local building department might request additional surveys. Some of these may include Topographic Surveys, Hydrographic Surveys, or As-Built Surveys, among others. Each of these surveys plays a key role in ensuring your marine construction project in Florida meets all permitting requirements while protecting the surrounding environment.

Boundary Survey

A Boundary Survey is almost always required for marine construction projects in Florida. It defines the exact property lines of a specific area, showing what portion of land is owned by an individual or entity. The information gathered from a boundary survey helps reviewers understand the existing site conditions, which is essential for engineers to create accurate plans and establish control points for the project.

In marine construction, these surveys also include riparian right lines, which indicate where the property ends as it meets the waterway. In Florida, riparian rights refer to the rights held by property owners whose land extends to the normal high-water line along navigable waters. This means that if a property directly borders a body of water, the owner has certain protected riparian rights associated with that waterfront access.

Seagrass Survey

As we’ve mentioned in a previous article Seagrass Surveys in South Florida, that seagrasses play a vital role in Florida’s environment and economy. Because of their importance, these habitats are highly protected by agencies such as the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). Each agency has its own set of regulations designed to ensure these underwater ecosystems remain healthy and undisturbed.

When a proposed project site includes areas with seagrass, a Seagrass Surveying is usually required. This survey helps document the current coverage and condition of seagrasses within the project area. Both the FDEP and USACE typically request these surveys for projects located in or near known seagrass habitats.

During a seagrass survey, all submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) within the project’s area of influence is carefully examined, identified, mapped, and described. This process ensures that any construction activities comply with environmental guidelines and minimize potential impact on Florida’s protected marine ecosystems.

XY Survey

An XY Survey helps pinpoint the exact location of a proposed structure using X and Y coordinates, the horizontal and vertical points that define its position in a two-dimensional space. In marine construction, these coordinates are especially important because they show how far a structure will extend into a Florida waterway.

For most marine construction projects in Florida, XY Surveys are commonly requested by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), particularly by their Navigation Department. These surveys help confirm that new structures, such as docks, piers, or boat lifts, are properly positioned and do not interfere with navigation routes or neighboring properties.

When you’re ready to move forward with an XY Survey, you’ll usually share your project plans with your surveyor. Using those plans, the surveyor will calculate and include the precise XY coordinates of your proposed structure. This ensures your marine construction project permitting in Florida meets all regulatory requirements before approval.

Survey Coordination

Breezy Permits is able to handle the complete survey coordination permits process for marine construction projects from start to finish! With that being said, if a particular survey is being requested during the approval process for your project, our team can easily coordinate for this to be made out with one of our trusted vendors.

Hire our team for your marine construction permitting needs and experience the breeze of having our team by your side!

Seagrasses play a vital role in Florida’s coastal environment, offering both ecological and economic value to the state. According to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP), as outlined in their Guidance on Surveys for Potential Impacts to Submerged Aquatic Vegetation, seagrasses are considered essential to Florida’s oceans, gulfs, estuaries, and shorelines under Section 253.04(3)(a) of the Florida Statutes (F.S.).

Because of their importance, seagrasses are highly protected by regulatory agencies such as the FDEP and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). Both organizations have specific regulations in place to help preserve and maintain these critical underwater habitats.

Why Seagrass Surveys Are Required

When seagrasses are present at or near a proposed project site, a seagrass survey is typically required. This survey helps identify and map the current coverage of seagrass in the area before any marine construction work begins.

The FDEP requires reasonable assurance that permitted activities will not harm habitats essential to fish, wildlife, or listed species, including submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV). By submitting a seagrass survey, applicants provide the data regulators need to review potential project impacts. This allows agencies to determine if the project will have minimal environmental effect or if design changes are necessary to reduce harm.

A comprehensive survey must include all SAV resources that could be directly or indirectly affected by construction. Based on the survey results, regulatory agencies can recommend practical steps to avoid or minimize damage. In cases where impacts are unavoidable, mitigation measures may be required to ensure there is no net loss of vital environmental functions.

Seagrass Mapping and Environmental Health

Across Florida, state agencies regularly conduct seagrass mapping to better understand where seagrasses are located and how healthy they are. For example, the Southwest Florida Water Management District conducts mapping projects “as a way to take the pulse of the estuary.”

Since seagrasses are highly sensitive to environmental conditions, their presence and health serve as key indicators of overall estuarine health. By monitoring changes in seagrass coverage over time, scientists and regulatory agencies can track the well-being of Florida’s marine ecosystems.

Best Time to Conduct Seagrass Surveys in Florida

Even though Florida enjoys warm weather year-round, the FDEP has clear guidelines on the best time to conduct seagrass surveys to capture the most accurate data. Surveys should be performed during peak growing season, which typically falls between June 1 and September 30. This timeline aligns with federal monitoring standards.

Under certain conditions, however, the FDEP may accept surveys conducted between April and October in most parts of the state. For Monroe County and southern Miami-Dade County, surveys may be accepted year-round due to the consistently warm climate and stable marine conditions in those areas.

Below is a list of 3 Companies Who Conduct Seagrass Surveys in South Florida: 

Ardea Environmental Consultants

Based in Fort Pierce, Florida, Ardea Environmental Consultants is a small, women-owned firm offering a wide range of environmental services. Their team brings over 50 years of combined experience across Florida, Alabama, and Texas.

Their specialties include Seagrass and Benthic Resource Surveys, Wetland Delineations, Mangrove Assessments, Uniform Mitigation Assessment Method (UMAM) Analysis, Shorebird Surveys, and Dune Vegetation Surveys. Ardea’s extensive background makes them a reliable choice for projects that require detailed environmental documentation and regulatory coordination.

Waters Edge Marine Inspections

Waters Edge Marine Inspections is privately owned and operated by Norma Jean Jalovec, who personally conducts every dive. With more than 20 years of experience in marine construction, building, and construction law, Norma offers clients specialized insight into both the technical and regulatory aspects of marine projects. Her hands-on approach ensures accurate and thorough underwater inspections, including seagrass surveys.

Hydros Marine Construction

Known for their expertise in seawall repair and marine construction services throughout South Florida, Hydros Marine Construction also provides seagrass surveys upon request. Their practical field experience and understanding of local permitting requirements make them a convenient option for property owners looking to complete both construction and environmental compliance through a single provider.

Seagrasses play a vital role to our Florida aquatic systems. Not only do they provide habitat and food to a plentitude of marine species but they also help ensure our waters remain clear by capturing and filtering out tiny sediments found in the water. Because of both the ecological and economical role that seagrasses play in our ecosystems, regulations are set in place by regulatory agencies such as the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the United States Army Corps of Engineers in order to ensure that they stay protected for now and for future generations. Regulations come in the form of specialized criteria for construction being completed in these areas, and also for the boating community to ensure that extra precaution is taken in these areas. If you’re a marine contractor in the industry and you have completed a project in an area that is surrounded by seagrasses then you’re likely familiar with the extent to which seagrasses are protected and how strict regulatory agencies can be  when a project is being completed in an area that seagrasses are found.. Throughout this article we will discuss both the economical and ecological role that seagrasses play along with some examples of guidelines enforced by regulatory agencies to make sure seagrasses stay protected. 

ECONOMICAL ROLL OF SEAGRASSES IN FLORIDA 

Sea grasses are important to the Florida economy because of the habitat, nursery grounds, and food source that they provide to economically important species along our coastlines. There are a plentitude of species that rely on seagrasses which some of these including: 

• West Indian Manatee 
• Spotted Sea Trout 
• Common Snook 
• Pink Shrimp 
• Striped Hermit Crab 
• Parrot Fish
• Green Turtle 

Not only do protected species such as manatees rely on seagrasses as a major food source, but “Seagrasses are typically considered a nursery habitat that provides structure for various life stages of commercially and economically important fish (such as drums and trout), crustaceans (stone crabs, shrimp, etc.), and shellfish (scallops, etc.) species” as stated by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commision. Our Florida coastlines are blessed with an abundance of marine wildlife that attracts hundred of thousands of tourist yearly and the FDEP directly states in their ERP Online Help Resource that “In 2006 alone, seagrass communities in Florida supported an estimated harvest of $71.4 million for stone crab, spiny lobster, yellowtail snapper, gray snapper, shrimp and blue crab.” With that statistic alone it is evident that seagrasses are vital to our economy and we can begin to understand why they are so protected by regulatory agencies throughout the state of Florida. In an effort to highlight this economic importance and showcase why their protection is vital, the FDEP estimates that each acre of seagrass has an economic value of $20,500 per year. With Florida being home to an estimated 502,000 acres of seagrass, we can estimate that seagrasses along our Florida coastlines hold an economic value of $1,029,000,000. 

ECOLOGICAL ROLE OF SEAGRASSES

Although the economic role seagrasses play along our coastlines might seem like the primary driving factor to their protection by regulatory agencies, their ecological role throughout the state of Florida is also important to understand. The ecological role seagrasses play along our coastlines is highlighted with their importance as a food source, habitat, and the part they play in maintaining water quality. In an effort to showcase this, the FDEP states in their Management and Protection of Seagrasses article that “Seagrasses improve water clarity by stabilizing bottom sediments and absorbing nutrients from the water column. They reduce coastal erosion by helping to diffuse wave energy during storm events.” Every year tourists come from all over the world to enjoy the beautiful and clear water that we are blessed to have here in Florida and the protection of seagrasses is an important aspect to ensuring that our waters remain clear. Not only do they play a vital role in minimizing erosion and filtering out tiny sediments to ensure our water remains clear, but they’re also an important food source and habitat for a plentitude of species. 

WAYS TO PROTECT SEAGRASSES 

After reading this article you should begin to see why the protection of seagrasses is extremely important throughout the State of Florida. Because of this, regulatory agencies such as the FDEP and the USACOE have guidelines set in place for construction being done in any site where seagrasses are present. The FDEP directly showcases different ways to protect seagrasses in their ERP Online Help Resource by recommending the following: 

1. Build your dock, pier, marine or other structure away from seagrasses whenever possible. 
2. If a structure is proposed over seagrasses, include seagrass protection in the design.
   • Build your structure with material that allows light to penetrate (such as grating). 
   • Build a small structure instead of a larger one to prevent shading out seagrasses and do not include roofs, walls or other structures that block sunlight. 
   • Design your dock so that mooring areas and navigational access routes are in water deep enough to leave at least 1 foot between the top of vegetation and the bottom of your boat. 

The United States Army Corps of Engineers also showcases their criteria in their Dock Construction Guideline for Single Family Docks Article published in 2001, with some of their criteria for docks being constructed over submerged aquatic vegetation including the following: 

• The pier/dock should be aligned to minimize the size of the footprint over SAV beds. 
• The height of the pier/dock shall be a minimum of 5 feet above MHW/OHW as measured from the top surface of the decking.
• If possible, terminal platforms must be placed in deep water, water ward of SAV beds or in an area devoid of SAV beds. 
• The width of the pier/dock is limited to a maximum of 4 feet. 
• The gaps between deck boards must be a minimum of ½ inch. 
• The spacing of pilings through SAV beds shall be a minimum of 10 feet on center. 
• Pilings must be installed in a manner which will not result in the formation of sedimentary deposits around the newly installed pilings. Pile driving is the preferred method of installation, but jetting with a low pressure pump may be used. 

Permit approvals for marine construction projects can be a time consuming and oftentimes confusing process because of the multiple applications that are required to be submitted, with each entity having a different set of protocols for their applications and for correspondence. Because of this, contractors and homeowners might choose to skip obtaining a necessary permit and as a consequence, end up reaping a lot of negative consequences. From personal experience, I have witnessed that you should never skip obtaining all of your necessary permits for your projects, especially not your federal approval from the Army Corps. When you’re preparing for a marine construction project (i.e. commercial/residential docks, seawalls, riprap, boat lifts, ramps, & other associated structures) you should always keep in mind that anyone planning to work or discharge dredged or fill material within navigable waters of the United States must obtain a permit from the Corps of Engineers. Sometimes, your army corps approvals can be streamlined through the FDEP, but this is dependent on your project site and on if your project meets the Project Design Criteria’s (PDC’s) required to obtain SPGP approval. However, if your project is not a candidate for SPGP approval, then it is crucial to understand that you will need to obtain a separate approval from the cops. Then once you submit to the corps, your project will either be applicable for an individual or a general permit. Much like with the FDEP, an individual permit requires more in depth processing, and a general permit will be used to authorize minor activities without the need for individual processing. 

Regardless of if your project will qualify for a general permit, or if it will have to undergo individual permit processing, the main point that is important to understand is that you should never skip obtaining approvals from any agency when you fall within their jurisdiction. This is because when you move forward with a project without obtaining required approvals you will automatically be in violation of the law and could be forced to pay hefty fines or in some cases even be forced to restore the area back to the way it was pre-construction. For the purposes of this article, if you skip obtaining a permit with the Army Corps then you’ll be in violation of federal law. 

“Any person, firm, or agency planning to work, or discharge dredged or fill material within navigable waters of the United States must first obtain a permit from the Corps of Engineers.”

The United States Army Corps of Engineers directly states that “Any person, firm, or agency (including Federal, state, and local government agencies) planning to work in navigable waters of the United States, or discharge (dump, place, deposit) dredged or fill material in waters of the United States, including wetlands, must first obtain a permit from the Corps of Engineers.” 

For marine construction projects multiple applications are required to be submitted, with these applications typically consisting of local, state, and federal approvals. Sometimes there are delegation agreements between either local or state governments and the Corps that allow them to issue approval on behalf of the USACOE but if your project is not applicable for this it is important to remember that you’ll still have to go through the process of obtaining a permit through the Army Corps themselves and you will be responsible for submitting an individual application directly to the Corps. Even if you’ve already obtained your local and state approvals, you are still responsible for obtaining a separate approval from the Army Corps if the scope of work for your project requires this. 

Designing your Project to Eliminate United States Army Corps of Engineers Approval

If you would prefer to eliminate the need for army corps approval for your project then there are some ways that you can design your project to eliminate the need for a Corps permit. For example, if your project is in an area of tidal waters, the best way to avoid the need for a permit is to select a site that is above the high tide line and avoids wetlands or other water-bodies. If your project is within fresh water, then you can avoid the need for a permit with the corps by staying above the ordinary high water line and avoiding wetlands adjacent to the stream or lake. 

Why should I even apply if my application will probably be denied?

The likelihood of your application submitted to the Army Corps being denied is 1% (likely even less). The Army Corps directly states that nationwide less than one percent of all requests for permits are denied and those who have been denied usually have refused to change the design, timing, or location of the proposed activity. With that being said, if for some reason your project design is one that will be denied for approval then the project manager that is handling the approval process for the project will assist you in navigating your project design to one that is applicable for approval. It is important to comply with any regulations and requirements given by your project manager in order to ensure that the design of your project won’t negatively impact the surrounding ecosystems and environment. Typically the USACOE takes 3-4 months for permit processing therefore make sure to get those applications in as soon as possible so that you can get your approvals and projects started as soon as possible. 

Obtaining Army Corps Approval for Your Projects 

Our process here starts with seeing if your project is applicable for State Programmatic General Permit (SPGP) approval which streamlines your Corps approval through the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP). If your project is further than 300 ft from any federal channels then we go ahead and attempt to obtain SPGP approval for your project, providing everything that your FDEP project manager will need to process this approval if your project is applicable. In order to make sure we are streamlining the process and are as efficient as possible, we always also go ahead and sent an individual application to the Army Corps for processing in case your project ends up getting denied for SPGP approval that way we can make sure to cover all bases and have your application assigned to a project manager since the Army Corps does tend to take the longest to process approvals. When/if we do end up obtaining SPGP approval for your project, we will also always make sure to let the USACOE proejct manager assigned to your project know that we have obtained this approval so that they can delete the application and stop further processing.

It’s no secret that one of the greatest luxuries of living in Florida is being surrounded by our beautiful coastlines, which I think we can all agree is one of the top driving incentives that is pushing more and more people to move down here, especially those looking to build or improve waterfront properties that require the proper permits! Well, that and the fact that we pretty much completely skip the winter season while other states throughout the country are quite literally frozen during that time of the year.This idea behind a year-long summer is one that people have been increasingly romanticizing, and after living in Florida my whole life I have personally witnessed an increase in the amount of people moving here with an attempt to get closer to the ‘tropical’ lifestyle it provides compared to that of their home states.

With such a high increase in the number of people moving down to Florida, and a large number of these individuals being part of the higher class, there is a direct correlation with the increase in purchasing waterfront properties. Since there is such an increase in the amount of waterfront properties looking to be bought, there is also a constant demand for marine contractors to build docks, seawalls, and boat lifts for properties along the coastline. But, it is important to note that before any Dock Construction or Seawall Construction project is able to start, you must obtain the proper permits for your project. This can become tricky when you’re dealing with marine construction, but it is a crucial step that should never be overlooked—the consequences are just not worth it.

Permitting Requirements for Dock Construction and Seawall Construction Projects

Although the permitting process is a crucial component of completing a new marine construction project, the different approvals required for every project can make it very time-consuming for a contractor with multiple projects or for a homeowner who does not understand the ins and outs of the process. Because of this, outsourcing this part of the process to a qualified marine permit expeditor who specializes in Dock Construction and Seawall Construction can significantly streamline your approvals!

A marine construction permitting expert will fill out applications on your behalf, walk you through all the required submissions for your project, and connect you with the right contacts to get things done. In this post, we’ll highlight the 9 common requirements you may need to meet to obtain a permit for a dock, seawall, or boat lift in Florida. After reading this, you should have a clear understanding of what these requirements involve and why they are necessary for your Dock and Seawall Construction project.

1. Survey

A survey is an important document you’ll be required to provide for all your dock, seawall, or boat-lift permits. Your survey must be signed, sealed, and sometimes it can be requested for it dated within the last 6 months. Typically, the survey for marine construction surveys is a “boundary survey.” Not only do surveys provide valuable information to the city regarding whether or not your project meets local regulations by outlining boundaries and characteristics of the land, but they also help ensure that no state laws are being violated. 

2. Plans & Specifications 

Plans and specifications are important to make sure local and state codes are followed. These must also be signed and sealed, and it can be done digitally in this case. With plans & specifications of your seawall, dock, or boatlift project the city is able to get an idea of the scope of work that’s being done. The specifics on what you might be required to include in your plans can be different with each municipality and entity, and for that reason it’s usually a good idea to hire a qualified marine permit expeditor to help streamline this process for you and make sure you’re submitting everything that’s required correctly so your project can get started as quickly and seamlessly as possible.

3. Executed Contract

An executed contract is important to show that the contract for the project that you’re about to begin has been signed and is a legally binding contract. Both the contractor and the property owner must have their signatures on the contract for it to be official. This is important to show that both parties have come to an agreement on the project that’s planning on being done. 

4. Notice of Commencement 

The notice of commencement is an important document filled in county records (oftentimes at the courthouse) to show that a project is starting. This is an essential part of the permitting process, and without properly filling a Notice of Commencement you may even have to pay twice for improvements on the property. 

5. POA Approval

The POA Approval is an important document that you need to have when you’re planning on completing a new dock, seawall, or boat-lift project. This is because your POA Approval is State Certified by the Florida Building Commission, and as a result works as an important tool for builders, inspectors, architects, and for building department officials to be able to verify that your products meet the standards required by Florida Building Code. One example of this is with new boat lift installations in the City of Boca Raton. For example, when permitting a new boat lift with the City of Boca Raton, they request for the following to be provided: Product submittals and installation instructions for the boat lift.

6. Municipality Permit Application 

Every Florida Municipality has their own specific permit application that you’ll be required to submit. It is important to note that any contractor completing a new project must submit their contractor registration to be registered with that specific municipality. 

7. Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP)

This is one of the South Florida entities you may be required to submit to for your dock, seawall, or boat-lift permits. The purpose of this entity is to protect our Florida waters. Any project that will result in waste being discharged into water, or expects to be a source of any type of water pollution must make sure to obtain a permit with this department. 

8. United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACOE)

The United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACOE) is another one of the South Florida entities that you may be required to submit to for your dock, seawall, or boatlift permits. It is important to obtain a permit with the USACOE whenever your project is within navigable waters. 

9. South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD), if applicable 

This is another one of the entities that you might be required to submit to for your dock, seawall, or boat-lift permits depending on your project and location. The purpose of submitting to this entity is to protect the wetlands and other water sources, to ensure that water quality is protected from stormwater pollution, and to prevent flooding. 

After reading this article you should have a better idea of what the common requirements are and what the purpose behind each one is for obtaining a boat lift, dock, or seawall permit. There are a lot of technicalities and extra paperwork that’s required to be done when filling for marine permits vs other types of permitting projects. By finding a Qualified Marine Permit Expeditor like Breezy Permits you’ll be able to focus on the project that is being done rather than all the extensive technicalities that can come along with marine permitting! 

9. Lake Worth Drainage District (LWDD), if applicable 

The Lake Worth Drainage District is another entity you might have to obtain approvals from, depending on where your project site is located. The LWDD directly states all projects within LWDD boundaries, regardless of size or location, require review by the LWDD. In order to offer assistance to applicants who are wondering whether or not their project falls under a LWDD service area the LWDD has a published Lake Worth Drainage District Maintained Canal Elevations Map, with all LWDD service areas highlighted on the map.

Conclusion

In conclusion, when our team receives a submittal for a new project located within Palm Beach County, we always check if we need permits from the Army Corps (USACOE), Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) , South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD), and the Lake Worth Drainage District. By checking this in the beginning of the process, we can ensure that all applications are submitted as soon as possible, minimizing the likelihood of anything holding your project up from approval at the time of submitting to the city.