How Doral Handles Environmental Rules: A Practical Guide

Doral maintains 136 local ordinances across all categories, and 5 of those deal specifically with environmental rules. Here is a breakdown of what the city actually requires, what is prohibited, and where Doral falls on the strict-to-permissive spectrum compared to other cities.

Erosion Control

Doral requires every construction site to keep the fronting roadway and rights-of-way clean of dirt, sediment and construction dust, and to maintain NPDES-compliant erosion and sedimentation best management practices under Code of Ordinances Sec. 30-4(3), including a construction entrance, storm drain inlet protection, and a staked silt fence.

Key details: Governing section: Doral Code § 30-4(3). Required BMPs: Gravel entrance, inlet protection, silt fence. Standard cited: NPDES erosion and sedimentation control plan. Who maintains BMPs: Responsible party for the construction site. Damage duty: Repair any swale/sidewalk damaged by construction.

Failing to maintain the required erosion and sedimentation BMPs, letting sediment or debris reach the roadway or right-of-way, or failing to repair a damaged swale or sidewalk is enforced under Sec. 30-5. Violations are handled through a code inspector's notice or citation, contestable before the special magistrate with appeal to the Miami-Dade County Circuit Court's appellate division; willfully refusing to sign a citation is a second-degree misdemeanor under F.S. §§ 775.082, 775.083, or 775.084.

Flood Zones

Any development activity in a Doral flood hazard area, from grading to new construction, needs a floodplain development permit before work starts. Section 23-104.1 requires the owner or an authorized agent to apply to the floodplain administrator and the building official and to satisfy the Floodplain Management Ordinance before any permit is issued.

Key details: Permit required: Before any development in flood hazard area (§23-104.1). Administered by: Floodplain administrator and building official. FIRM basis: Miami-Dade FIS dated 9-11-2009. Permit expires: 180 days if work not started (§23-104.5). Max fine: $500 per day (§23-109.4).

Section 23-109.4 makes failure to comply with the floodplain article a non-criminal violation punishable by a fine not exceeding $500, plus costs and expenses of the case, with each day the violation continues counted as a separate offense. Section 23-109.2 authorizes the floodplain administrator to serve notices of violation or stop-work orders on the property owner, the owner's agent, or whoever is performing the work, and a building lacking required elevation documentation is presumed to be in violation until that documentation is provided.

Compared to other cities, Doral takes a harder line on flood zones. The enforcement and penalty structure reflects that.

Flood Elevation Requirements

Buildings in a Doral special flood hazard area must be elevated at least one foot above whichever is highest of three benchmarks: the base flood elevation, the back-of-sidewalk elevation, or the crown of the abutting road. Section 23-301.2(1)a layers this local one-foot freeboard on top of the Florida Building Code's minimum elevation standard.

Key details: Freeboard in special flood hazard area: BFE + 1 foot minimum (§23-301.2(1)a). Alternate benchmarks: Sidewalk or road crown +1 ft, whichever higher. Residential, outside SFHA: Sidewalk/crown + 8 inches (§23-301.2(1)b). Nonresidential, outside SFHA: Sidewalk/crown + 4 inches (§23-301.2(1)c). Accessory structures below BFE: Must meet §23-301.3 conditions.

Building without meeting the elevation requirement, or without the lowest-floor elevation certification required by Section 23-106.1.2.1, is a violation under Section 23-109, carrying a fine of up to $500 per day plus costs of the case. A building lacking the required elevation documentation is presumed to be in violation until it is provided, and the floodplain administrator can require correction before final inspection or certificate of occupancy.

Compared to other cities, Doral takes a harder line on flood elevation requirements. The enforcement and penalty structure reflects that.

Stormwater Management

Doral runs a stormwater management utility under Chapter 47, Article II, billing every developed property a monthly fee based on impervious area. Single-family lots pay 1.0 equivalent residential units, multifamily units pay 0.6, and the fee is $4.00 per ERU. Unpaid fees become a lien after 60 days, with a 10 percent late charge and 8 percent annual interest.

Key details: Monthly fee: $4.00 per ERU. Single-family billing: 1.0 ERU per lot. Multifamily billing: 0.6 ERU per unit. Nonresidential ERU: 1,548 sq ft impervious area. Late charge: 10% plus 8% annual interest.

Nonpayment of a stormwater utility fee is treated as nonpayment of all other utilities on the same bill and can lead to termination of all billed utility services. A 10 percent late charge and 8 percent annual interest apply starting 60 days past due, and the unpaid amount becomes a special assessment lien against the property, ranking equal to an ad valorem tax lien, enforceable under F.S. ch. 173.

Boat Dock Permits

Doral requires a permit before building a residential dock under City Code Section 74-285, with plans and specifications showing the structure's relationship to the seawall, property lines and adjoining properties. Once built, docks are capped at two slips, a 50-foot length from the seawall, and 1,000 to 1,500 square feet of dock area under Section 74-287.

Key details: Governing section: Doral Code of Ordinances § 74-285. Permit requirement: Plans and specifications submitted before construction. Slip limit: Two slips per dock facility. Length cap: 50 feet from the seawall maximum. Area limit: 1,000 to 1,500 square feet of dock area.

Constructing, repairing or altering a residential dock without the plans-and-specifications submission required by Section 74-285, or without a permit, is a code violation enforced through the code compliance process. A dock that exceeds the two-slip count, the 50-foot length cap, the 1,000-to-1,500-square-foot area limit, or the five-foot side setback in Section 74-287 is subject to the same enforcement and can be required to be modified or removed.

The Bottom Line

Doral is tougher than many cities when it comes to environmental rules. Out of the 5 rules covered here, 2 are rated strict. If you are a homeowner, renter, or business owner in Doral, take the time to understand these requirements before they become a problem. Most violations come with fines, and some repeat violations can escalate.

These rules come from Doral's publicly available municipal code. For complete penalty schedules, exemption details, and answers to common questions, see the individual ordinance pages throughout this guide.