Marine construction in Jupiter

Half the waterway stays open

Jupiter keeps a centreline channel of 50% of the waterway width unobstructed, or at least 15 ft where that is impossible, and allows only rectangular, T and L docks unless the Director approves another shape. Piles for docks and lifts are laid out against that channel line first.

Piling rules apply to every structure we drive into the bottom.[1]

Two aquatic preserves meet at Jupiter

The Loxahatchee River-Lake Worth Creek Aquatic Preserve (1,800 acres, 1970) borders Jupiter and Tequesta, and the Jensen Beach to Jupiter Inlet Aquatic Preserve (23,000 acres) has been Outstanding Florida Waters since 1979. On those waters the state dock exemption falls to 500 sq ft, and SFWMD approval is needed for structures in natural waterways.

Grass beds decide where barges can anchor and where piles can go.[2][3][4][5]

Manatee zones on the river

Jupiter's waters are in Palm Beach County's manatee protection zones under state rule 68C-22.009. Pile driving and seawall work on the Loxahatchee and the Intracoastal follow the 50 ft shutdown rule and use turbidity curtains that cannot entangle a manatee.

Marine construction is mostly in-water work, so the manatee rules set daily routines.[6][7]

What makes Jupiter different

Town Code 27-2626 keeps half of every waterway clear: a centreline channel of 50% of the waterway width must stay unobstructed, or at least a 15 ft channel where that cannot be met. Only rectangular, T and L shaped docks are allowed unless the Planning and Zoning Director approves another shape.[1]

Who approves what

The Town's checklists ask for FDEP self-certification or exemption verification, Army Corps approval if not included in the DEP decision, and SFWMD approval for structures on submerged lands or in natural waterways such as the Loxahatchee River, the Intracoastal Waterway and Sawfish Bay.[5][8]

Permits for marine construction in Jupiter

• Town of Jupiter Building and Planning and Zoning: Marine structure permits; dock waivers under Town Code 27-2626.
• Florida DEP or South Florida Water Management District: FDEP self-certification or exemption verification for canal docks; SFWMD approval for structures in the Loxahatchee River, the Intracoastal and Sawfish Bay.
• US Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District: Army Corps approval where the FDEP decision does not include it, as the Town checklists note.

What is a marine contractor?

A marine contractor builds structures in, on or over the water: seawalls, bulkheads, docks, pilings and davits. In Florida, specialty contractors' scope is limited to a particular phase of construction, while a general contractor's scope is unlimited as to work requiring licensure under chapter 489. Always check a contractor's licence category on the DBPR licence search before you sign.[10][11]

Permits for work in the water

Most work needs a county environmental permit (in Miami-Dade, a DERM Class I permit), a city building permit, a state decision from FDEP or SFWMD and, where it applies, federal authorisation from the Army Corps of Engineers. Permits attach the state's manatee conditions to all in-water work.[12][13][7]

Frequently asked questions