Planning Board approves seawall and dock amendment at 4203 Tranquility Drive despite neighbor opposition

The Highland Beach Planning Board on Oct. 9 approved an amendment to a previously granted special exception for the property at 4203 Tranquility Drive that increases seawall height and cap width, enlarges the dock area and increases the number of dock piles.

Town planner Ingrid Allen explained the application was an amendment to the board's Dec. 12, 2024 special-exception approval (PZ-24-15). The requested changes included raising the seawall from 6.5 feet NAVD to 6.83 feet NAVD, increasing the seawall cap width from 36 inches to 45 inches, changing the dock configuration and increasing dock piles from nine to 13, increasing the dock area from 297.5 square feet to 362 square feet, and extending an approved 16,000-pound capacity elevator boat lift waterward from 21 feet to 22 feet 6 inches measured from the wet face of the seawall.

Allen said staff received an FDEP authorization and that the Army Corps of Engineers approval was not required for the amendment. She said the revised dimensions remain within the town's combined cap-and-dock-width maximum of eight feet and within the waterward extension limits (25 feet or 25% of waterway width) for accessories in single-family zoning.

William Thomas, the applicant's agent (Unlimited Permit Services), said the seawall height was raised about 4 inches to match the pool deck and the seawall cap was increased slightly to create a straighter alignment. "While that dock was getting built, the owner realized that he'd like a lower dock section. So in order to do that, we made it just a little bit wider and added some additional piles," Thomas said.

Neighbor Mike Thorsen, a resident of 4206 South Ocean (Ocean Air Condominiums), told the board his principal concern was the increase in dock mass and the visibility of additional piles from across the canal. "Our main concern is expanding that dock anymore," Thorsen said, asking the board to deny the application.

Darren Dunley, the builder, said the large appearance is partly due to temporary formwork and that much of the extra apparent mass will be reduced when formwork is removed: "Once all that form work is removed, it's not gonna look as big as it is." Thomas and Dunley said additional piles are mostly interior to the dock to support the lower section and would not be readily visible from across the canal.

The Planning Board voted to approve the amendment. Roll call recorded Yes votes from Chairperson Mendelson, Vice Chairperson Rosen, Member Bobby, Member David, Member Axelrod and Member Powell.

The board noted public comment but did not add additional conditions to the amendment; building permits and inspections will follow per town procedures.