Planning board approves seawall, dock and boat lift for South Ocean Boulevard property; asks commission to revisit hardscape rule

The Town of Highland Beach Planning Board voted Aug. 14 to approve Development Order PZ-25-28, a special-exception request for 2564 South Ocean Blvd. that will allow installation of a 105-linear-foot seawall and seawall cap, a 275-square-foot concrete dock, two 10-foot seawall returns and a 33,000-pound-capacity elevator boat lift, and placement of approximately 1,360 square feet of fill behind the seawall.

Town planner Alan presented aerial photos, permit materials and plan sheets included in the packet. Alan told the board that the applicant holds authorizations from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; staff noted dimensional discrepancies between the FDEP/Army Corps approvals and the town permit plans, including a difference in seawall elevation (FDEP/Army Corps showing roughly 6.26 ft vs. the town plans at 7.0 ft) and a reduced dock footprint under the town’s January 2025 accessory marine regulations (the federal permits showed an 8-foot-wide dock totaling 440 square feet while the town plans reflect a 5-foot dock totaling 275 square feet).

Staff findings and conditions

Staff found the proposed plans consistent with…