Plan the bulkhead work around the operating marina
Define the structure, then map what must keep working beside it. Vessel movements, utilities and environmental conditions belong in the first project brief.
Show the marina as it operates
Mark the wall sections, docks, slip access, fuel systems, shore power and water lines on the latest plan. Identify commercial activity and the spaces a contractor could actually use for staging. Ask the designer to distinguish retaining-wall work from changes to docks or other marine facilities.
Prepare a vessel-movement and customer-access plan with the operator. Record busy periods, available closures and who authorizes changes. A construction schedule that ignores marina operations cannot provide a reliable handover date.
Resolve the sanctuary submission early
NOAA lists work on marinas with ten or more slips, dredging and riprap among common activities requiring sanctuary authorization or a general permit. Its list is not exhaustive; a smaller marina is not automatically exempt.
Ask the permitting professional to identify the complete project, habitat survey needs and applicable state and federal approvals. Keep temporary access and construction methods in the discussion. Do not assume receipt of one permit authorizes every part of the proposed marine operation.
NOAA common construction activities · NOAA nearshore construction authorizations
Assign a contact for each approval
DEP’s Marathon office administers its Monroe County regulatory programs, including submerged-lands and dredge-and-fill matters. The local building route depends on the parcel: county OPAL or Islamorada’s CityView.
Use a short approval register with agency, application reference, current drawing revision, unresolved questions and conditions affecting construction. Ask who is responsible for keeping that register current. If the scope changes, have the responsible professional determine which agencies need revised material before the contractor proceeds.
DEP Marathon branch and submerged lands program · Monroe County online permitting · Islamorada Building Services and CityView
Price the operating constraints explicitly
Request separate allowances for temporary services, restricted access, vessel relocation, sediment controls and restoration where applicable. Define who protects equipment and communicates closures. Ask the contractor’s insurance adviser to address the specific marine operations; Monroe County publishes a work-over-water notice for relevant permits.
Before returning a work zone to use, collect the specified inspections, final drawings and operating instructions. Keep unresolved defects and future monitoring separate from completion. The cost guide helps compare scope without substituting a residential rate for a commercial waterfront.
What belongs in each construction phase?
Have the operator and project team review each work zone against day-to-day marina activity. A phase should state how work starts, how it remains isolated and how the area returns to use.
| Record | What to include |
|---|---|
Work boundary | Wall reach, docks, utilities and temporary access included in the phase. |
Operations | Vessel moves, customer routes, deliveries and services that must remain available. |
Change response | Who handles a shifted closure, unforeseen condition or affected service. |
Return to use | Required inspections, operating checks, records and the person authorizing handover. |
Price temporary arrangements explicitly. Moving vessels, maintaining services or restoring a staging area should not appear only as an assumption in the construction schedule.
Keep the phased drawing consistent with the submitted environmental and building scope. If the method or disturbance footprint changes, the project coordinator should resolve the approval implications before the revised phase proceeds.
Show sourcesHide sources
- NOAA common construction activitiesSource reviewed 2026-10-25
- DEP Marathon branch and submerged lands programSource reviewed 2026-10-25
- Monroe County online permittingSource reviewed 2026-10-25
- Islamorada Building Services and CityViewSource reviewed 2026-10-25
- Monroe County work over water noticeSource reviewed 2026-10-25
Prepare a marina project brief
Include the affected structures, operating constraints, existing permits and proposed work. A qualified project team must confirm design, approvals and construction sequencing.