Fla. Stat. § 161.55 — Florida Code / Title XI / Chapter 161 / Part III / Section 161.55
161.55 Requirements for activities or construction within the coastal building zone.
Status: in_force

The following requirements shall apply beginning March 1, 1986, to construction within the coastal building zone and shall be minimum standards for construction in this area:

(1) REGULATION OF COASTAL MINOR STRUCTURES. — Minor structures shall be designed to produce the minimum adverse impact on the beach and the dune system and adjacent properties and to reduce the potential for water or wind blown material. Construction of a rigid coastal or shore protection structure designed primarily to protect a minor structure shall not be permitted.

(2) REGULATION OF COASTAL NONHABITABLE MAJOR STRUCTURES. — Nonhabitable major structures shall be designed to produce the minimum adverse impact on the beach and dune system. All sewage treatment plants and public water supply systems shall be flood proofed to prevent infiltration of surface water from a 100-year storm event. Underground utilities, excluding pad transformers and vaults, shall be flood proofed to prevent infiltration of surface water from a 100-year storm event or shall otherwise be designed so as to function when submerged by such storm event.

(3) LOCATION OF CONSTRUCTION. — Construction, except for elevated walkways, lifeguard support stands, piers, beach access ramps, gazebos, and coastal or shore protection structures, shall be located a sufficient distance landward of the beach to permit natural shoreline fluctuations and to preserve dune stability.

(4) APPLICATION TO COASTAL BARRIER ISLANDS. — All requirements of this part which are applicable to the coastal building zone shall also apply to coastal barrier islands. The coastal building zone on coastal barrier islands shall be the land area from the seasonal high-water line to a line 5,000 feet landward from the coastal construction control line established pursuant to s. 161.053, or the entire island, whichever is less. For coastal barrier islands on which a coastal construction control line has not been established pursuant to s. 161.053, the coastal building zone shall be the land area seaward of the most landward velocity zone (V-zone) boundary line fronting upon the Gulf of America, Atlantic Ocean, Florida Bay, or Straits of Florida. All land area in the Florida Keys located within Monroe County shall be included in the coastal building zone. The coastal building zone on any coastal barrier island between Sebastian Inlet and Fort Pierce Inlet may be reduced in size upon approval of the Land and Water Adjudicatory Commission, if it determines that the local government with jurisdiction has provided adequate protection for the barrier island. In no case, however, shall the coastal building zone be reduced to an area less than a line 2,500 feet landward of the coastal construction control line. The Land and Water Adjudicatory Commission shall withdraw its approval for a reduced coastal building zone if it determines that 6 months after a local government comprehensive plan is due for submission to the state land planning agency pursuant to s. 163.3167 the local government with jurisdiction has not adopted a coastal management element which is in compliance with s. 163.3178.

(5) PUBLIC ACCESS. — Where the public has established an accessway through private lands to lands seaward of the mean high tide or water line by prescription, prescriptive easement, or any other legal means, development or construction shall not interfere with such right of public access unless a comparable alternative accessway is provided. The developer shall have the right to improve, consolidate, or relocate such public accessways so long as the accessways provided by the developer are: (a) Of substantially similar quality and convenience to the public; (b) Approved by the local government; (c) Approved by the department whenever improvements are involved seaward of the coastal construction control line; and (d) Consistent with the coastal management element of the local comprehensive plan adopted pursuant to s. 163.3178.

History: s. 36, ch. 85-55; s. 3, ch. 86-191; s. 8, ch. 2000-141; s. 34, ch. 2001-186; s. 3, ch. 2001-372; s. 31, ch. 2025-8.