Living shorelines and living seawalls
Shoreline protection that leaves room for mangroves and marine life.
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Riprap planted with mangroves in front of a wall, and seawalls with textured, pH-neutral panels that marine life can grow on.
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- Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach and the Keys
The short answer
Coral Gables cuts city permit fees by 20% for living seawalls built with pH-neutral cement or modular retrofit panels under Resolution 2025-342 (City of Coral Gables). Rock riprap in front of a wall, which can host mangroves, may extend up to 10 ft waterward of mean high water under SPGP VI.
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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.
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.[2][3]
Frequently asked questions
What is a living shoreline?
Shoreline protection that uses natural materials, such as rock and mangroves, instead of only a vertical wall. Living seawalls add textured or pH-neutral panels to a wall.
Is there an incentive for living seawalls?
In Coral Gables, yes: a 20% reduction in city permit fees under Resolution 2025-342.
Sources
- Solar, Open Air Dining, and Other Permits, City of Coral Gables. Accessed October 27, 2026.
- Department of the Army State Programmatic General Permit VI (SPGP VI), SAJ-2015-2575, State of Florida, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District (document hosted by Florida DEP). Accessed October 27, 2026.
- Class I Permit Application for Coastal Construction and Mangrove Trimming within Miami-Dade County (Revised May 2025), Miami-Dade County RER, Division of Environmental Resources Management (DERM), Coastal Resources Section. Accessed October 27, 2026.
- Construction Industry Licensing Board: Archives (HB 1383 / SB 1142 specialty licensing changes), Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR), Construction Industry Licensing Board. Accessed October 27, 2026.
- Florida Statutes 2026, Section 489.105 Definitions, The Florida Legislature (Online Sunshine). Accessed October 27, 2026.
- Environmental Resource Permitting: Coordination, Assistance, Portals, Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP). Accessed October 27, 2026.
- Standard Manatee Conditions for In-Water Work (2011), Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). Accessed October 27, 2026.
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