WallDockDeck
Islamorada · Monroe County

What are the deck setback and railing rules in Islamorada?

10 ftfrom MHW or mangroves for elevated decks, pavers, gazebos and pool decks on canal lots

Islamorada lets elevated decks, pavers, open gazebos up to 15 ft and pools with their decks into the canal-lot shoreline setback if they keep 10 ft from mean high water or the mangroves and one canopy tree is planted per 50 ft of rear line. Houses stay 20 ft back, and structures may cover at most 60% of the setback.

Source: Village of Islamorada Code Sec. 30-1542 Shoreline Setback (municipalcodeonline); Florida Building Code, Residential, 8th Ed. (2023) R312.1.1-R312.1.3 (ICC Digital Codes) · Verified 2026-10

The detail

Principal structures20 ft from the MHWL along legally altered shorelines including manmade canals, channels and basins; 30 to 50 ft on open water and 50 ft on unaltered shorelines. Village Code Sec. 30-1542.
Decks on canal lotsElevated decks, pavers or non-enclosed gazebos up to 15 ft tall, and pools and spas with associated decks and screens, need a 10 ft setback from the MHWL or landward extent of mangroves plus at least one canopy tree per 50 ft of rear property line planted in the setback; combined structures max 60% of the upland setback. Sec. 30-1542.
Gazebos on docksNon-enclosed gazebos and tiki huts up to 15 ft on docks parallel to the shoreline are allowed within the 10 ft setback. Sec. 30-1542.
Open water and unaltered shoresAltered open water: 10 ft plus a 10 ft Class B bufferyard, 30% coverage; unaltered: pools, elevated decks and pervious pavers 20 ft plus bufferyard, 30% coverage. Sec. 30-1542.
Boat liftsCovered boat lift roofs max 12 ft above grade, may reach 2 ft into the setback, and may carry no decks or habitable space. Sec. 30-1542.
Sand on open waterLandscaping sand may go in the shoreline setback only 20 ft from MHW or mangroves, without raising grade more than 6 inches, behind filter cloth and berms no taller than 12 inches. Sec. 30-1542.
Water-dependent usesDocks, lifts, davits, ramps, slips, seawalls, elevated walkways, fish cleaning stations and dock master's offices (max 150 sq ft) may sit in the setback; launching or removing motorized watercraft is limited to lawfully existing dock and ramp facilities. Sec. 30-1542.
Guards (state rule)Florida Building Code, Residential, 8th Edition (2023), Sec. R312.1.1-R312.1.3: a guard is required on open sides of a walking surface located more than 30 inches above the floor or grade below at any point within 24 inches of the open edge; it must be at least 36 inches high; openings must not let a 4-inch sphere pass. No local guard amendment was found in this village's code.

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The county rule behind this

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Monroe CountySeawall requirements county-wide

The same question, nearby

The rule changes at the city line, not the county line.

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