Why Wilton Manors is stricter than its neighbors
Fort Lauderdale downstream and Oakland Park upstream both allow 4 feet NAVD88 for applications before January 1, 2035 if the wall is designed to reach 5 feet. Wilton Manors' Section 11-27 goes straight to 5 feet. On the North and South Forks of the Middle River that means a substantial rehabilitation is designed and built to the final number the first time, with no interim step.
What the rule covers
- seawalls and seawall caps,
- canal banks and berms, which matters on lots with a sloped or natural bank instead of a vertical wall.
When you have to raise
The city summarizes it in two lines: residents must raise seawalls to 5 feet whenever new construction or substantial renovation takes place, and if no renovation is underway but unimpeded tidal flooding or erosion is causing flooding on adjacent property or roadways, the wall must be raised (City of Wilton Manors). The city also points out that its seawalls are almost entirely privately owned, so it depends on owners to build them up.
Erosion counts in Wilton Manors
Section 11-27's definition of disrepair is broader than the county model's. A wall is presumed to be in disrepair if it lets the yard erode, lets soil wash through the wall, or lets tide water flow through or over it onto a neighbor or the street (Wilton Manors Code, Ch. 11). Soil loss behind the wall is a code issue here, not just a maintenance one.
Designing a 5 foot wall on the Middle River
- Start with a survey in feet NAVD88 so you know how many inches you are adding.
- New barriers should tie back to the neighbors' walls where practicable and must stop tide water while relieving water pressure from the yard side.
- A new vertical seawall where none existed before needs natural limerock rip-rap or another approved habitat feature on the water side.
See the Wilton Manors seawall permit page for the city checklist and the Wilton Manors raise deadline page for the citation clock.