Below are questions and answers for for local governments
and property owners within Florida regarding beach
restoration and coastal construction.
What is the Department’s role in protecting and
managing Florida’s coastline?
Along with regulating construction along Florida’s
coastline, the Department plans and manages beach
restoration projects to restore eroded shoreline in
coordination with the federal and local governments.
Subsequent maintenance of restored shorelines, referred to
as nourishment, is also administered by the Department.
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What activities does the Department regulate and
permit along Florida’s shoreline?
The Coastal Construction Control Line (CCCL) Program
regulates construction waterward of the Coastal Construction
Control Line and landward of mean high water to protect
beach and dune systems, dune vegetation and sea turtles.
Regulated activities include the construction of homes,
condominiums, hotels and seawalls.
The Joint Coastal Permitting Program regulates
activities waterward of the mean high water line to protect
beach and dune systems, natural resources and water quality.
Regulated activities include beach restoration and
nourishment, jetty and breakwater construction, inlet
dredging and any other dredging or filling below mean high
water.
Local governments ensure that coastal building structures
are constructed to withstand storm impacts through local
building permits.
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What actions is the Department taking to restore and
protect Florida’s shores following Hurricane Dennis?
Following Hurricane Dennis, the Department:
- Issued a 60-day Emergency Final Order on July
11, 2005 to provide local governments, businesses and
property owners with regulatory relief for debris
removal and structure repair and dune restoration
landward of the mean high water line, within the
impacted counties.
- The emergency relief authorizes repairs without notice,
for 60 days following the hurricane but does not waive
permits for beach restoration or beach nourishment.
- Engineers are conducting damage assessments to
identify impacts to the beach and dune system and upland
structures seaward of the Coastal Construction Control Line.
A damage assessment report will document storm
impacts to beaches and coastal development, and recommend
repair activities.
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What structural repairs does the DEP’s Emergency Final
Order authorize?
Under the Emergency Order, residents or local governments
in Monroe, Bay, Franklin, Wakulla, Gulf, Escambia, Santa
Rosa, Walton and Okaloosa counties can repair or restore the
following structures to the authorized configuration without
a DEP permit, but may require a local building permit:
- Public roads, utilities, and beach access ramps.
- Components of major structures such as windows, roof
sheathing, studs and roof trusses.
- Minor ancillary structures and service utilities
associated with existing habitable structures, such as
access stairways, stair landings and on-site utilities.
Emergency permits can be authorized by the Department for
replacement of substantially damaged structures.
The Emergency Order expires on September 7, 2005.
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What action can local governments take to mitigate
storm damage?
Under the Emergency Order, seaward of the Coastal
Construction Control Line and landward of mean high water,
local governments and utilities in Monroe, Bay, Franklin,
Wakulla, Gulf, Escambia, Santa Rosa, Walton and Okaloosa
counties can authorize:
- Removal of hurricane-generated debris, leaving
beach-compatible sand on site.
- Removal of sunken vessels or structural remains,
leaving beach-compatible sand on site.
- Repair of public utilities, roads and beach access
points, including repair of surviving beach/dune
walkovers.
- Return of sand deposited upland by the hurricane to
the beach and dune system.
- Restoration of damaged dune systems using compatible
sand. The sand may not be obtained from the beach or
below the mean high water line, seaward of the CCCL.
- Restoration of damaged dunes using beach-compatible
sand from upland sources.
Any removed debris should be deposited landward of the
CCCL.
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Is beach scraping authorized?
Beach scraping is not authorized under the Emergency
Final Order. Emergency permits may be issued by the DEP,
where there is a threat to upland development, and where
sufficient sand can be scraped without adversely affecting
the beach.
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Can sand be dredged from offshore and pumped under
structures?
No. A Joint Coastal Permit would be required to dredge
sand from offshore.
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What can private property owners do?
The Emergency Final Order authorizes local governments to
issue permits for activities seaward of the Coastal
Construction Control Line to private and public property
owners to temporarily secure structures, remove safety
hazards and prevent further damage or collapse of
foundations, and repair damaged structures.
Property owners should contact the building department of
their local government to obtain permits. Local governments
can provide the DEP with a statement of intent to issue
permits by calling (850) 488-7708 or faxing (850) 488-5257.
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Can I build a new seawall?
Property owners and local governments may not
construct structures or armoring that did not exist before
the emergency without the necessary permits, including new
seawalls. A DEP Administrative permit is needed for new,
reconstructed or repaired bulkheads, seawalls, revetments or
other rigid coastal armoring.
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Is armoring allowed under emergency conditions?
Under emergency conditions, local governments may
authorize temporary armoring to immediately protect
public and private infrastructure like homes, utilities and
roads if those structures are threatened. In order to
consider the armoring permanent, the property owner must
submit a complete CCCL permit application to the Department
within 60 days of installing the armoring. Otherwise, the
property owner must remove the temporary armoring structure.
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What about repairing beach and dune erosion caused by
the hurricanes?
Local, state and federal agencies will work together to
provide short and long-term beach repair. The Department’s
coastal engineers began conducting aerial and ground beach
assessments from Wakulla to Escambia County on July 12,
2005.
These detailed assessments will document the impact of
the storm on the Panhandle shoreline. While many impacted
beach and dune systems will recover naturally with time,
intermediate actions may be necessary to accelerate the
natural process and provide coastal communities with storm
protection. The Department will use the beach assessments to
identify needed local beach projects ranging from dune
restoration to beach restoration and nourishment.
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Where can I get more information?
| AREA SERVED |
CONTACT |
PHONE NUMBER |
| Statewide |
Tony McNeal |
(850) 921-7745 |
| Statewide Coastal Armoring |
Sri Tammisetti |
(850) 921-7846 |
| Bay County |
Rolando Gomez |
(850) 921-7841 |
| Escambia County |
Fritz Wettstein |
(850) 921-7780 |
| Franklin and Gulf counties |
Valerie Jones |
(850) 921-7849 |
| Monroe County |
Fritz Wettstein |
(850) 921-7780 |
| Okaloosa County |
Rolando Gomez |
(850) 921-7841 |
| Santa Rosa County |
Fritz Wettstein |
(850) 921-7780 |
| Wakulla County |
Fritz Wettstein |
(850) 921-7780 |
| Walton County |
Jim Martinello |
(850) 414-7772 |
Information on emergency relief and post-storm permit
requirements is available at
www.floridadep.org/beaches. The Bureau of Beaches &
Coastal Systems’ damage assessment report will be posted
upon completion.
2010 State of Florida