Environmental Rules in Miramar, FL

If you live in Miramar or are thinking about moving there, environmental rules are one of those things you probably won't think about until they affect you directly. Miramar has 3 specific rules on the books covering different aspects of environmental rules, and some of them might surprise you.

Boat Dock Permits

Miramar requires building department approval before anyone builds a dock, caps how far a dock can extend onto public waterway property at 15 feet, and orders owners to keep docks in constant repair or remove them within 15 days of notice. The rule is codified at City Code Sec. 22-172.

Key details: Permit required: Building department approval before construction. Max protrusion: 15 feet onto public property. Maintenance duty: Constant state of repair. Removal notice: 15 days to remove if noncompliant. Governing chapter: City Code Ch. 22, Art. VI.

A dock that is improperly constructed or falls out of repair must be removed within 15 days of the building department's written notice; failure to remove it exposes the owner to code enforcement action under the city's general nuisance and unsafe-structure remedies, including cost recovery and liens if the city has to act.

Stormwater Management

Every parcel in Miramar pays a stormwater management utility fee scaled to its Equivalent Residential Units under Code of Ordinances Section 21-252, and Section 21-254 bans dumping or discharging any non-stormwater material into the city's drainage system without prior written approval. The public works/utilities department inspects construction and industrial sites for compliance, and violators face a minimum $500 penalty per offense, with each day of noncompliance counted as a separate violation.

Key details: Fee basis: Equivalent Residential Units (ERU). Minimum penalty: $500 per offense. Fee appeal window: 90 days from notice. Septic inspection: Required before property sale. Enforcing official: Public works/utilities director.

Under Section 21-254(o), the city can assess a minimum $500 penalty per offense for a stormwater violation, plus additional charges tied to the extent of environmental damage, required mitigation, and remediation costs, all billed to the violator. Each day a violation continues is a separate offense that can draw its own penalty, and the violator also bears all clean-up and enforcement costs the city incurs.

Flood Zones

Miramar regulates every form of development inside a mapped flood hazard area under Chapter 6 of its Land Development Code, the Floodplain Management Ordinance. Section 601.2 sweeps in subdivision, filling, grading, construction and pool installation, and Section 604.1 requires a permit from the floodplain administrator before any of that work can begin.

Key details: Governing law: LDC Chapter 6, Floodplain Management Ordinance. Flood maps used: Broward County FIS/FIRMs dated July 31, 2024. Permit required for: Filling, grading, construction, pools in flood areas. Substantial improvement trigger: Cost equals 50%+ of pre-work market value. Floodplain administrator: Building, Planning & Zoning Director.

Undertaking development in a flood hazard area without the floodplain development permit Section 604.1 requires, or without documentation of the lowest floor elevation and other required design certifications, is presumed a violation under Section 608.1 until the missing documentation is provided. The floodplain administrator can issue a notice of violation or stop-work order under Section 608.2, and Section 608.4 sends enforcement and penalties to Section 2-330 et seq. of the City Code of Ordinances, with each day of continued unlawful work a separate offense under Section 608.3.

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Miramar actively enforces its flood zones requirements.

The Bottom Line

Miramar's environmental rules rules are a mixed bag. Some areas are strict, others are relaxed, and the details matter. The best approach is to check the specific rule that applies to your situation rather than assuming Miramar is broadly strict or permissive.

Keep in mind that Miramar can amend these rules at any council meeting. For the most current version of any rule mentioned here, check the specific ordinance page, where we track updates as they happen.