Seawall Repair in Oakland Park, FL

Seawall repair in Oakland Park

Need seawall repair in Oakland Park? The homes on the Middle River and its canals are on tidal water, so the walls age the same way as walls on the coast. We assess the wall on site and coordinate the repair with a licensed local seawall contractor.

Common seawall failures in Oakland Park

• Cracked or spalling caps. See seawall cap repair.
• Joints leaking soil, with settling or sinkholes behind the wall. See leaks, soil loss and sinkholes.
• Walls that sit low during the highest tides.
• Older panels with horizontal cracks. See crack repair.

How the on-site assessment works in Oakland Park

We come out, walk the wall from the yard and, where we can, look at it from the water at low tide. We photograph cracks, joints, the cap line and the toe, probe soft ground behind the wall, and note what the repair will likely involve. Smaller canals can limit barge access, so we look at how equipment would reach the wall. Oakland Park requires a permit for structures in waterways, so the licensed contractor we line up will include it in the quote.

For the repair options behind each problem, see seawall repair methods and costs and the cost per linear foot guide.

Oakland Park is mostly inland, but its eastern neighborhoods include homes on the Middle River and the canals that feed into it, upstream of Wilton Manors and Fort Lauderdale. These are tidal waters, so private seawalls here face the same salt, tide and age problems as walls closer to the coast.

Oakland Park's seawall rules

Quick answers for Oakland Park: Oakland Park Seawall Height Requirement: What Sec. 14-1 Requires; Oakland Park Seawall Raise Deadline: 60 Days, 365 Days and 2035; Do You Need a Permit to Repair a Seawall in Oakland Park?.

Oakland Park adopted the regional standard on June 1, 2022 with Ordinance O-2022-015, which amended Section 14-1 of the city code, "Provision for construction of seawalls" (Ordinance O-2022-015, Oakland Park Code, Ch. 14):

• Height. New or substantially rehabilitated seawalls, caps, canal banks and berms must perform as tidal flood barriers with a minimum elevation of 5 feet NAVD88. Applications submitted before January 1, 2035 may be permitted at 4 feet NAVD88 if designed and built to accommodate 5 feet by January 1, 2050.
• Substantial repair. Work along more than 50 percent of the length of your shoreline, or repairs and improvements, including to docks and other mooring structures, costing 50 percent or more of the structure's fair market value before the work.
• Citation clock. A barrier that lets tidal water flow through or over it onto a neighbor or the right-of-way is presumed to be in disrepair and is citable. The owner must show progress within 60 days of notification and finish within 365 days of the citation, including design and permits if the fix is a substantial repair.
• Nuisance walls. Barriers below 5 feet NAVD88 that let tidal water onto other property are a public nuisance, and the building official can require a seawall or other approved revetment to abate a nuisance or a condition that threatens the neighborhood or navigation.

Seawall permits in Oakland Park

Section 14-3 makes it unlawful to build docks or other structures in waterways without a permit from the building official, plan approval from the Department of Planning and Environmental Protection, and written approval from other agencies where the water is navigable (Sec. 14-3). The city's seawall permit checklist asks for (city checklist):

• a Broward County Uniform Building Permit Application for the structural trade, reviewed by engineering, structural and zoning,
• documented proof of cost and site plans,
• signed and sealed seawall and pile plans by a Florida licensed architect or engineer meeting Chapter 14,
• signed and sealed surveys showing existing and proposed elevations, and a final survey after completion,
• a special inspector form from a Florida licensed engineer,
• a Notice of Commencement if the job is over $5,000, and the Broward County Property Appraiser's assessed valuation.

Building and Permitting Services is at 1100 Park Lane East and takes calls at 954-630-4350 or building@oaklandparkfl.gov (City of Oakland Park). Confirm the exact rule for your address with the city or your contractor.

Downstream, seawall repair in Wilton Manors falls under a stricter rule: Sec. 11-27 requires 5 feet NAVD88 with no 4 foot option before 2035. For the work itself, see seawall repair and seawall cap repair.

Not every waterfront property in Oakland Park is on tidal water. If you are not sure what kind of wall you have, a photo and your street name are enough to start.

Call or send photos. We connect you with a licensed, insured contractor who serves Oakland Park for an on-site look and a written quote, free and with no obligation.

Planning work? Read our seawall rules by city, what to do after a seawall citation, seawall permits and who to call and the seawall cost guide.

Sources

1. City of Oakland Park Ordinance O-2022-015, amending Code Sec. 14-1 (adopted June 1, 2022)
2. Oakland Park Code of Ordinances, Chapter 14: Seawalls and Docks (Municode)
3. City of Oakland Park Building Department: Seawall Permit Application Checklist
4. City of Oakland Park: Building and Permitting Services
5. Broward County 311: Do I need a license to replace or repair my dock or seawall?