Bulkheads in Coral Gables

Who this is for

Owners and associations with a bulkhead that leaks, leans or sits below the local height standard.

6 ft NGVD, built to carry 7.5 ft

Zoning Code 3-706(C) sets the minimum top of bulkheads and seawalls in Coral Gables at 6 ft NGVD 1929, and the structure must be able to support a wall of 7.5 ft. The City Attorney's 2022 opinion fixed a drafting error that had named NAVD 1988 instead, which matters because the two datums give different numbers for the same height.

Bulkheads meet the same height rule as seawalls.[1]

Mangroves on the plans

Coral Gables dock and wall plans must show existing mangroves, and any trimming falls under Miami-Dade's Class I permit for coastal construction and mangrove trimming. DERM's mangrove permits run 3 years, against 2 years for a short-form structure permit, so a job that touches mangroves is scheduled differently.

Bulkheads go landward of mangroves where possible.[2][3]

Fee breaks for living seawalls

Under Resolution 2025-342, Coral Gables cuts city permit fees by 20% for living seawalls that use pH-neutral cement or modular retrofit panels, and waives fees for existing homes making seawall improvements to address sea level rise.

Bulkheads are often paired with riprap at the toe.[4]

What makes Coral Gables different

Dock, mooring and wharf plans must show dimensions across the waterway, existing mangroves and the installation method, and carry DERM's preliminary approval; revised plans need a DERM stamp again. Properties in Cocoplum Section II must include a copy of the Cocoplum dock plan. The City also asks for a notarised Public Works permit application, colour photos of existing conditions and a survey.[2]

Fee incentives

Under Resolution 2025-342, living seawalls with pH-neutral cement or modular retrofit panels qualify for a 20% reduction in city permit fees, and a separate fee waiver applies to existing homes making seawall improvements to address sea level rise.[4]

Permits in Coral Gables

• Miami-Dade DERM, Coastal Resources Section: Class I permit, plus the preliminary approval the City asks to see before it looks at any dock or wall plans. Phone (305) 372-6575.
• City of Coral Gables Development Services and Public Works: Building and Public Works permits for seawalls, bulkheads and docks, after DERM preliminary approval.
• Florida DEP or South Florida Water Management District: State permit or exemption for docks and walls on the Gables canals and the bay, where aquatic preserve rules apply to open bay frontage.
• US Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District: Federal authorisation for bayfront and canal work, confirmed for each job since SPGP VI's stated July 2026 expiry.

Where state exemptions stop

Florida exempts restoring a seawall at its previous location or within 18 inches waterward, and allows seawalls in artificial waterways. The exemption does not cover new vertical seawalls in estuaries or lagoons unless they sit inside an existing manmade canal already lined with seawalls.[8]

Frequently asked questions