WallDockDeck
Lauderdale-by-the-Sea · Broward County

How high does a seawall have to be in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea?

5.0ft NAVD88

New, substantially repaired or substantially rehabilitated seawalls in Lauderdale-By-The-Sea must reach at least 5.0 ft NAVD88. Applications filed before 1 Jan 2035 can be approved at 4.0 ft NAVD88 if the wall is designed to be raised to 5.0 ft by 2050. The town code sets no maximum seawall height.

Source: Lauderdale-By-The-Sea Code of Ordinances Ch. 9, Art. XI, Sec. 9-63 (Ord. No. 2022-01); Sec. 9-14; ULDR Secs. 30-221, 30-242 · Verified 2026-10

The detail

Minimum5.0 ft NAVD88 - Code Sec. 9-63(a)
InterimApplications submitted before 1 Jan 2035 may be permitted at 4.0 ft NAVD88 if designed and constructed to accommodate 5.0 ft NAVD88 by 1 Jan 2050 - Sec. 9-63(a)
Applies tonew tidal flood barriers and substantial repair/rehab; not oceanfront seaward of the CCCL - Sec. 9-61
Enforcementfailure to maintain is a civil infraction under Ch. 6.5; repairs due within 365 days - Sec. 9-63(b)
Docksdock deck may not be higher than the abutting seawall - Sec. 30-311(3)
AdoptedOrd. No. 2022-01, 22 Feb 2022 - Sec. 9-60 to 9-64
Setbacks from the wallIn the RD-10 duplex district, a lot backing onto the Intracoastal or inland waterways needs a 15 ft rear setback from the seawall; on RM-25 lots 60 ft wide or less south of Pine Avenue, a side abutting the waterway is set back at least 12 ft from the seawall - Sec. 30-221(c)(3), 30-242(b)(2)
Who administersThe Town Engineer is designated floodplain administrator under Ch. 9 - Sec. 9-14
Self-raising barriersBarriers that rise on their own ahead of high tides are permitted, as long as the automation does not depend on someone operating it every day - Sec. 9-63(f)

Your city's height sheet

The elevation your city requires, the datum it is measured in, and the section of code that says so. One page.

Available for the cities whose rule we have verified and sourced.

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The county rule behind this

What applies across Broward County, and where each city departs from it.

Broward CountySeawall requirements county-wide

The same question, nearby

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

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Other questions about Lauderdale-by-the-Sea

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Twelve signs a seawall is failing

What to look for, where to look for it, and what it means when you find it. Walk your wall in twenty minutes.

A screening sheet for owners, not an engineering inspection.

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