Getting a permit approved can be tricky, especially when you aren’t completely sure what you need in order to do so. This can lead to the back-and-forth dance where you believe your permit is ready, only to get hit with necessary revisions over and over again. Wouldn’t it be nice if you could simply get it approved on the first attempt? It’s not impossible, even when it might seem that way. Here are three tips to get your permit application accepted the first time.
Expedited Review Process
A sure-fire way to ensure your permit application gets accepted the first time you apply is by going through the expedited review process. This essentially equates to a list of criteria that you must meet, and if you check all the boxes the first time around, your application will get accepted with this approval. Some of the common requirements include your projects not exceeding 1,000 square feet over water within a canal or 500 square feet in open water, the height should rest five feet above the average high water tide line, access walkways to docks cannot exceed four feet in width and must be equipped with handrails, new seawalls should be built at the mean-high waterline, and much more.
Design Your Project Carefully
There is a lot to consider when designing your project, specifically in regard to the environment. You don’t want your project to disrupt any wetland vegetation that could potentially derail your plans. This includes mangroves, buttonwoods, any wetland species outside the general jurisdiction, and much more. It’s far easier to design your job around all these things so you don’t have to worry about interfering with factors that would prevent your permit application from being accepted the first time.
Other than the environment, there are plenty of other regulations that you could violate while designing your project. For instance, you don’t want to have more than one dock per property. In more specific terms, you can’t have more than one dock within 65 feet of another, otherwise, you can bet it won’t get approved through the expedited review. Be sure that no part of your project is within 25 feet of your neighbor’s property lines as well, unless you have your neighbor’s written approval, or it will also be denied. There are countless other factors to consider, such as having your contractors plan for piles to be installed with a vibratory pile driver, having half-inch spacing on your decking, not exceeding 25% of the canal—allowing for 25% on your neighbor’s side and 50% for boat passage—and much more.
Maintenance Dredging
Maintenance dredging refers to the act of removing sediments and deposits from canals, channels, and basins to maintain an appropriate water depth for travel, construction, or other purposes. A permit is also needed for maintenance dredging, and having the correct parameters planned out will save you time in the permitting process. For example, you cannot dredge seagrass or corals, as it is harmful to the ecosystem. The area must also have been dredged in the past, so no new dredging is allowed and you must be able to prove that it was dredged prior. It also cannot exceed 5,000 square feet, otherwise, you won’t qualify for the expedited review. Understanding the dredging process and standard procedures will prevent delays in your project and get your permit approved faster.
Get Your Permit Application Approved Fast
These tips are crucial for anyone looking for a speedy permit process without the hassle of making changes to their existing plans and eating up more time. Do you need to get a permit application approved fast and don’t have time to learn all these requirements on your own? Not to worry. At Rapid Permits and Engineering, we’re here to help. We’ll ensure that your project checks every box and that your permit is all but guaranteed to get approved as quickly as possible so that your Florida Keys project can begin.
Give us a call at 365-916-1400 or contact us via email at info@rapidpermitting.com to schedule an appointment today!
