WallDockDeck
Manalapan · Palm Beach County

What are the deck setback and railing rules in Manalapan?

25 ftfrom the seawall or Lake Worth mean high water for structures; pools 13 ft

Manalapan keeps structures 25 ft back from any seawall, bulkhead line, fill line or mean high water line of Lake Worth on the west side of A1A. Pool decks count as accessory structures and may stand no more than 1.5 ft above grade; pools sit 13 ft from a seawall with an engineer's certification.

Source: Town of Manalapan Code Ch. 151 Secs. 151.058, 151.064 (R1-A; Supp. 9); Florida Building Code, Residential, 8th Ed. (2023) R312.1.1-R312.1.3 (ICC Digital Codes) · Verified 2026-10

The detail

Lake Worth sideNo structure (other than docks, beach/lake houses, shelters and pool cabanas) unless set back at least 25 ft from any seawall, bulkhead line, fill line or mean high water line of Lake Worth (including Spanish River), whichever is closer (west of A1A); ocean side 55 ft. Code Sec. 151.058(A).
Pool decksPools, pool patios and decks, spas and anything attached to them are accessory structures; maximum pool deck elevation 1.5 ft above grade; spas, balustrades, railings and planters max 3.5 ft above the pool deck. Sec. 151.064.
PoolsAt least 13 ft from any side or rear lot line, bulkhead or seawall, measured from the wet edge, provided a Florida-licensed marine, structural or mechanical engineer certifies no harm to the seawall. Sec. 151.064.
Screens and gazebosScreen-enclosed pools and any gazebo or swim-up bar roof on the pool deck must meet the district's side and rear accessory setbacks. Sec. 151.064.
Where it livesChapter 151 Zoning, R1-A Residential Low Density district, Sec. 151.058 'Rear setback' (last amended by Ord. 367, 2019) and Sec. 151.064 'Swimming pool/spa regulations'.
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 town's code.

Your city's height sheet

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The county rule behind this

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

Palm Beach CountySeawall requirements county-wide

The same question, nearby

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

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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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