Environmental Rules in Margate, FL (2026)
5 verified environmental rules for Margate, Florida, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Stormwater Management
The City of Margate, Florida, charges a stormwater management utility fee on all developed property, meaning any parcel with impervious area. Chapter 34 of the Margate Code sets one ERU at 2,382 impervious square feet citywide, or 2,328 in the Cocomar Water Control District, with a minimum fee of one ERU.
Margate FL Stormwater Utility Fee Rules
Some RestrictionsMargate Code §§ 34-2, 34-3, 34-4 and 34-5
Equivalent residential unit (ERU) shall mean the statistical average impervious area of residential developed property per dwelling unit within the city. The numerical value of one (1) ERU shall be two thousand three hundred twenty-eight (2,328) impervious square feet within the specified Cocomar Water Control District. For the remainder of the city, the numerical value of one (1) ERU shall be ...
Erosion Control
In the City of Margate, fill in a flood hazard area must be designed to stay stable during rapid rise and drawdown of floodwaters and to protect against flood-related erosion and scour. Land-disturbing work in a regulatory floodway is barred unless an engineering analysis shows no increase in the base flood elevation. The operative text is Margate Code § 17-12(4) and (5).
Margate Erosion Control for Fill and Grading
Some RestrictionsMargate Code § 17-12(4)-(5)
(4)Limitations on sites in regulatory floodways. No development, including, but not limited to, site improvements, and land-disturbing activity involving fill or regrading, shall be authorized in the regulatory floodway unless the floodway encroachment analysis required in subsection 17-5(3)(a) of this chapter demonstrates that the proposed development or land-disturbing activity will not resul...
Flood Zones
In the City of Margate, any development wholly or partly in a flood hazard area needs a floodplain permit. Flood hazard areas rest on the Flood Insurance Study for Broward County dated August 18, 2014, and ground below base flood elevation counts as a flood hazard area even where the map shows none. See Margate Code § 17-2.
Margate Floodplain Development and Flood Zone Rules
Some RestrictionsMargate Code § 17-2
(2)Areas to which this chapter applies. This chapter shall apply to all flood hazard areas within the City of Margate, as established in subsection 17-2(3) of this chapter.(3)Basis for establishing flood hazard areas. The Flood Insurance Study for Broward County, Florida and Incorporated Areas dated August 18, 2014, and all subsequent amendments and revisions, and the accompanying flood insuran...
Boat Dock Permits
In the City of Margate, docks, boat ramps and canal retaining walls on public waterways need a permit from the Department of Environmental and Engineering Services, with plans by a Florida registered professional engineer. A dock cannot extend more than ten percent of the canal width or cover more than 1,000 square feet, and finger piers and floating docks are banned. See Margate Code § 11-20.
Margate Boat Dock Permit and Size Rules
Significant RestrictionsMargate Code § 11-20
All improvements such as docks, canal retaining walls, boat ramps and other related structures which are made or placed upon or abut such public property or public waterways by a private person or entity shall be constructed by permit obtained from the City Department of Environmental and Engineering Services. ... (c)Minimum requirements.(1)No dock, pier or piling on any canal, lake or waterway...
Flood Elevation Requirements
In the City of Margate, Broward County, Florida, a new single-family or duplex home needs a lowest floor at least 18 inches above the highest crown of the abutting street and no lower than the South Florida Water Management District minimum finished floor elevation. Section 17-10(2) sets these floors for every zone, including AH, AO, AE and X.
Margate FL Minimum Floor Elevation and Flood Rules
Some RestrictionsMargate Code § 17-10
(2)[Basic requirements.] The basic requirements for minimum elevations in all areas of the City of Margate, including zones AH, AO, AE and X, are hereby established as follows:(a)Single-family and duplex residential structures must be constructed so that the lowest floor is located no lower than the minimum finished floor elevation permitted by the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD...
Looking for Broward County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Margate city rules.
Environmental Rules in Broward County →