Living shorelines in Miami Beach

Who this is for

Owners replacing a wall who want a softer edge, owners with mangroves along the shore, and Coral Gables owners who want the fee incentive.

The Private Property Adaptation grant

The City's PPA program reimburses 50% of eligible costs up to $20,000, including a $2,500 assessment, and qualifying low to moderate income households need no match up to $17,500. Homes built at least 1 ft above base flood elevation are not eligible, and seawall applications are taken on a rolling basis until funds run out.

That incentive can offset part of the cost of habitat features.[1]

Bay-side lots and the aquatic preserve

Lots that face open Biscayne Bay rather than a dredged canal sit on the Biscayne Bay Aquatic Preserve, which counts as Outstanding Florida Waters. There the state dock exemption is 500 sq ft of over-water area, and the preserve says manatees move into the bay in the cooler months.

Planting and rock placement stay off existing grass.[2][3][4]

What makes Miami Beach different

The city has about 55 miles of seawall, of which only about 5 miles are publicly owned, so most of it is the responsibility of private owners. Its seawall ordinance dates from Resolution R2016-4009 in May 2016, was strengthened in January 2021 and amended again in July 2025.[5][6]

Groundwater and flooding

The city notes that groundwater rises through the porous bedrock under Miami Beach, so a seawall alone cannot stop flooding. A raised wall stops tidal overtopping; drainage and flood protection handle the rest.[7]

Permits in Miami Beach

• City of Miami Beach Building Department: Building permit with a site plan, structural plans and an elevation certification.
• Miami-Dade DERM, Coastal Resources Section: Class I permit or exemption for seawalls, docks and lifts on the island canals and the bay, issued alongside the City permit. Phone (305) 372-6575.
• Florida DEP or South Florida Water Management District: State review where a dock or wall reaches open Biscayne Bay, part of the aquatic preserve, where FDEP's free online self-certification is not available.
• US Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District: Federal authorisation for work in Biscayne Bay and Indian Creek; we confirm the small-project route since SPGP VI's stated July 2026 expiry.

Permits for living shorelines

Riprap follows the riprap rules: up to 10 ft waterward under SPGP VI and a state general permit for up to 100 linear feet at 2:1. In Miami-Dade, mangrove permits are valid for 3 years and limerock boulder riprap on a 2:1 slope gets an expedited authorisation after a DERM inspection.[11][8]

Frequently asked questions