Docks in Islamorada

Gazebos and tiki huts on docks

Since Ordinance 24-15, non-enclosed gazebos and tiki huts up to 15 ft high are allowed on docks parallel to the shoreline on canals and basins, inside the 10 ft setback from the mean high water line.[1]

Turtle nesting beaches

On beaches known to serve as turtle nesting areas, nothing other than pile-supported docks may be built within 50 ft of the landward toe of the beach berm, or 100 ft from mean high water where the berm cannot be found.[1]

The Lignumvitae Key Aquatic Preserve

The 6,700 acre Lignumvitae Key Aquatic Preserve lies inside the Village between Upper and Lower Matecumbe Keys, with seagrass meadows and three navigable channels between Florida Bay and the Atlantic. It is recognised as an outstanding water resource of the state, which brings the smaller 500 sq ft dock exemption used for Outstanding Florida Waters.

Grass and hard bottom decide where the dock can go and how high it sits.[2][3]

Sanctuary water from the high tide line

The Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary begins at the mean high water mark, so any dock, lift or pile work in Islamorada is Sanctuary work and needs the matching state and federal approvals. Monroe County waters carry FWC boating restricted areas under rule 68D-24.144 and the state manatee conditions.

Pilings are the part of a dock most often replaced, so the piling rule matters as much as the deck.[4][5][6]

What makes Islamorada different

Principal buildings sit 20 ft from the mean high water line on altered shorelines such as canals, 30 ft on open water with conditions, and 50 ft on unaltered shorelines. Docks, lifts, davits, seawalls and riprap are water-dependent structures that may sit inside that setback under the Village's standards.[1]

Sanctuary and manatee layers

The federal small-project permit, SPGP VI, required Sanctuary sign-off before any Islamorada project in Keys waters, and crews follow the state manatee conditions on every in-water job.[7][6]

Permits for docks in Islamorada

• Islamorada, Village of Islands, Planning and Development Services: Docks, lifts and shoreline structures under Village Code Chapter 30.
• Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary: Sanctuary waters surround every Islamorada key from the mean high water mark; we confirm what Sanctuary approval each project needs.
• Florida DEP or South Florida Water Management District: State permit or exemption; part of the Village's water is the Lignumvitae Key Aquatic Preserve.
• US Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District: Federal authorisation for work in the Sanctuary waters around the Village.

How big can my dock be?

It depends on where you are. Florida's statutory exemption covers private docks up to 1,000 sq ft of over-water area, or 500 sq ft in Outstanding Florida Waters, with one exempt dock per 65 ft of shoreline. Over-water area includes roofs, boat canopies, elevated platforms and decking. In Miami-Dade a single-family dock on the short-form permit may not protrude more than 25% of the waterway width.[3][12][13]

Docks over state-owned water

Most of Biscayne Bay and its natural tributaries, including the Miami River, Little River, Oleta River and Arch Creek, are state-owned submerged lands. A dock there needs the state's consent, which DERM can grant on the state's behalf for qualifying projects. FDEP requires structures to sit at least 25 ft inside riparian lines (10 ft for marginal docks), with exceptions.[13][12]

Frequently asked questions