Construction

(a)

General. Each waterfront improvement shall be permanent in nature, and the character of its soil or fill shall be accurately determined, as shall also its weight and angle of repose. Gravity structures may be constructed of a combination of rocks and concrete, and the minimum percentage of cross sectional area of concrete to the total cross sectional area of the structure shall be 40 percent, excluding concrete used for copings or decorative purposes.

(b)

Alignment. The alignment of a bulkhead or seawall shall be closely controlled. The bulkhead or seawall shall be constructed entirely on privately owned property unless otherwise approved by the entity or agency controlling the property upon which the bulkhead or seawall is to be constructed, and the alignment shall not deviate more than two inches from the designated alignment. The face of the bulkhead or seawall shall not in any case protrude beyond the established bulkhead line or the line shown on the plan approved by the building department.

(c)

Supporting piling. Supporting piles on any improvement constructed shall be driven to a bearing capacity as shown on the plans. These bearing capacities shall be computed in accordance with the driving load formula given in the Florida Building Code.

(d)

Concrete anchors. Concrete anchors shall be used only where approved by the building department.

(e)

Precast concrete piles. Precast concrete piles shall conform to the requirements of the Florida Building Code.

(f)

Steel sheet piles. Steel sheet piling shall be of the continuous-interlock type of approved form. All steel sheet piling and accessories shall conform to the requirements of the Specifications for Steel Sheet Piling of the American Society for Testing and Materials, ASTM A328. The minimum thickness of web and flange metal shall be three-eighths of an inch, unless effectively protected from corrosion in the area extending from one foot below mean low water to the top of the exposed steel.

(g)

Wood piles. Wood piles shall conform to the requirement of the Florida Building Code.

(h)

Caps. Bulkheads and seawalls shall be capped. The cap shall be reinforced concrete. The use of the cap as a street curb shall be avoided, but if such function is permitted by the building department, the cap shall be designed for a live load of 500 pounds (minimum) per lineal foot of cap, applied laterally, in addition to any other loads, dead or live, that may come upon it, and shall have a guardrail where required by the building department.

(i)

Special piles or special conditions. The use of types of piles or conditions not specifically covered herein may be permitted, subject to the approval of the building department, upon the submission by the engineer of acceptable test data, calculations or other information relating to the properties and load-carrying capacity of such piles.

(Code 1967, § 27-31; Code 1980, § 29-51; Ord. No. 13315, § 2, 3-8-12; Ord. No. 13676, § 2, 4-27-17; Ord. No. 13980, § 3, 3-25-21)