Canals 100 ft or narrowerDocks 10% of the waterway width or 8 ft, whichever is less, measured from the recorded property line, without encroaching on the navigation channel - Zoning 30-311(c)(1)a
Finger piers on canals10% of the width or 20 ft, whichever is less (16% or 25 ft in a designated marina mooring area); no wider than ADA access requires; at least 25 ft apart (20 ft in a marina mooring area) - 30-311(c)(1)b
Lifts and dolphins on canalsLifts up to 25% of the width fully raised, with a reflective guide pole at least 6 ft above the water; dolphin piles up to 25%, at least 10 ft apart, with a 6-inch reflective band 2 ft below the top - 30-311(c)(1)c-d
Side setbackNo dock, finger pier, lift or dolphin within 5 ft of an extended side property line - 30-311(c)(2)a
Deck heightNot above the top of the abutting seawall - 30-311(c)(3)
Shared docking areasLots sharing a docking area need a recorded agreement approved by the Town; a court ruling on docking rights overrides these rules - 30-311(c)(4)-(5)
ProhibitedBoathouses, and boat canals dug into platted waterfront lots - 30-311(c)(7)
Intracoastal (over 100 ft)Docks a maximum of 15 ft from the recorded property line; finger piers 10% or 20 ft; lifts 20% or 20 ft fully raised; dolphins no further than the navigation channel boundary; commercial lots beside residential use keep a 10 ft side setback - 30-311(d)(1)
BoatsMoored only at an approved dock, pier or dolphin, inside the standard mooring area, at least 5 ft from the extended side line and out of the navigation channel; the Development Services Director may limit boat size or number for safety - 30-311(e)
PermitRequired Broward County permits or approvals first, then a Town building permit, plus Army Corps or other approvals where applicable - 30-311(b)
Marina mooring areasA marina in the B-1 district may ask for a designated marina mooring area as part of a conditional use application, subject to Sec. 30-271 - 30-311(f)
Upkeep and removalAny structure in a waterway must be kept in good repair; the Town may remove one it finds unsafe or a navigation hazard, at the owner's cost, after notice and a hearing - 30-311(c)(6)
ScopeThe section controls waterway development town-wide, marinas included, and structures not similar to those listed are prohibited - 30-311(a)
Broward County licenseWork in the county's regulated aquatic resources, which include canals and tidal waters, needs a Broward County Environmental Resource License - County Code 27-332, 27-333(a)(1). A new dock, floating dock or other over-water structure of 500 sq ft or less, measured from the seawall's wet face at mean high water, with no dredging or filling beyond the pilings, qualifies for a general license issued within 10 days of a complete application - 27-336(a)(1)e. A county ordinance that sets minimum environmental-protection standards prevails over city ordinances - Broward County Charter Sec. 11.01
State exemptionA private, non-commercial dock on pilings with 1,000 sq ft or less of over-water surface (500 sq ft in Outstanding Florida Waters), and the only exempt dock along 65 ft of shoreline (or one per lot if the lot is narrower), needs no state environmental permit - Fla. Stat. 403.813(1)(b). The exemption does not grant permission to use state-owned submerged lands and does not override city or county rules - 403.813(1)
FederalStructures in navigable waters need a Department of the Army permit, general or individual - 33 CFR 322.3(a)