Seawall construction, replacement, and substantial repair in Palm Coast requires a city building permit issued by the Building Division under the Land Development Code, reviewed against the City of Palm Coast Technical Manual Section 5 — which contains Drawing 1100.A (Saltwater Canal Typical Seawall) — plus state and federal authorizations: a St. Johns River Water Management District Environmental Resource Permit (ERP), a US Army Corps of Engineers Section 10/404 permit, and a submerged lands authorization from the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund for any portion waterward of mean high water. Palm Coast's approximately 23 miles of ITT-era saltwater canals — dug by ITT Levitt in the 1960s-70s with fill used to elevate the surrounding quarter-acre lots — make seawall maintenance a citywide concern.
Seawalls are critical infrastructure on Palm Coast's Intracoastal Waterway frontage and on the ITT-era saltwater canal network (approximately 23 miles, with most canals 80 feet wide and direct access to the ICW). The canals were excavated by the ITT Levitt development team in the late 1960s and early 1970s — before the Florida Department of Environmental Protection was established in 1993 — with the dredged fill used to elevate the adjacent quarter-acre residential lots. Permitting follows the standard multi-agency framework: (1) The city building permit is issued by Building Division ((386) 986-3780) under the Palm Coast Land Development Code and the 8th Edition (2023) Florida Building Code; seawalls are reviewed against the City of Palm Coast Technical Manual Section 5, Section 1100 'Preservation and Protection of Shores and Channels' (Drawing 1100.A — Saltwater Canal Typical Seawall, and Drawing 1100.B — Saltwater Canal Typical Bulkhead) for cap, tie-back, and grading details. (2) Replacement of an existing seawall in the same footprint is typically eligible for an SJRWMD ERP exemption or self-certification under FAC 62-330.051, but new seawalls and any waterward expansion require a full Individual ERP. (3) USACE typically issues Nationwide Permit 13 (Bank Stabilization) or Nationwide Permit 3 (Maintenance) for seawall work in navigable waters. (4) State submerged lands consent is required from TIITF for any portion of the structure waterward of mean high water. Riprap and 'living shoreline' alternatives are increasingly favored and may qualify for streamlined Nationwide Permit 54 (Living Shoreline). Top-of-wall design elevation is driven by FEMA BFE plus wave run-up; after Hurricane Matthew (Oct 7, 2016, 6-7 ft surge near Matanzas), Hurricane Irma (Sept 2017), and Hurricane Ian (Sept 2022), many Palm Coast canal seawalls have been raised at replacement. The city's Standards Manual update of February 9, 2024 tightened FFE alignment to pavement edge for adjacent lot grading.
Building a new seawall, materially altering an existing wall, or operating in a known-failing condition without a permit violates the Palm Coast Code of Ordinances and Land Development Code and is enforceable through Stop Work orders, Code Enforcement notices, and Special Magistrate fines up to $500/day under FS 162.09. State and federal violations stack: SJRWMD/FDEP can assess up to $10,000/day under FS 403.121; USACE can issue cease-and-desist orders and require removal under the Rivers and Harbors Act and Clean Water Act. Unpermitted occupation of sovereign submerged lands exposes the owner to civil trespass damages to the State and possible after-the-fact lease fees plus penalties. A failing seawall that contributes to flooding of a neighboring property can also create civil liability under Florida nuisance and surface-water doctrines.
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