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Palm Beach · Palm Beach County

What are the storm and debris rules in Palm Beach?

Every 15 yearsengineer recertification of seawalls

Palm Beach requires all bulkheads and seawalls to be kept impervious, without cracks or holes that pass sand; a cited owner must submit an engineer's condition survey and repair plans, certify completion, and recertify the wall every 15 years. During a tropical storm or hurricane watch or warning for any part of Palm Beach County, construction materials and roof tiles must be secured, stored or removed.

Source: Town of Palm Beach Code of Ordinances Secs. 2-439, 18-1014, 62-77 (Municode) · Verified 2026-10

The detail

Seawall standardAll bulkheads and seawalls shall be maintained in good condition to protect upland and foreshore properties, limit wave overtopping, and be impervious without cracks or holes that would allow the passage of sand - Code Sec. 62-77
When citedA condition survey by a Florida professional engineer, with plans to implement the recommendations, must be submitted; on completion an engineer's certification is due, and recertification is required every 15 years from the original certification. The same survey applies when a new building or renovations over 50 percent of the primary structure's value are proposed - Sec. 62-77 (Ord. 17-99; 20-10)
FinesSec. 62-77 is a Class III violation: $250 first offence, $500 second and subsequent - Sec. 2-439
Storm watch or warningAll construction materials, including roof tiles, and debris on building and construction sites shall be secured, stored or removed; the owner and general contractor are jointly responsible - Sec. 18-1014(a), (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.

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The county rule behind this

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

The same question, nearby

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

Other questions about Palm Beach

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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