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Expert testimony: missing as-built surveys and contractor practice at center of Lighthouse Point seawall dispute
Summary
A state-licensed marine contractor told the Planning & Zoning Board that the likely cause of the Snow family's seawall discrepancy was industry practice and the absence of an as-built elevation requirement at the time; he urged the board to deny the variance and allow time-limited repairs.
John Petrowski, a state-licensed general contractor and marine contractor who said he owns Dock Experts, told the Lighthouse Point board he had reviewed the packet and the construction history and could explain how the wall ended up out of compliance. Petrowski said plans submitted to the city indicated the seawall was to be built to 4.0 feet but that final inspections at the time lacked a mechanism to verify finished elevation, which allowed the discrepancy to go unnoticed.
"The assumption would have been that it was at 4.0," Petrowski said, explaining that many cities now require as-built elevation surveys before final inspections and that current best practice is for contractors to verify finished elevation. Petrowski told the board the seawall work performed in 2017 likely triggered the code requirement because the work met the substantial-improvement threshold and that industry quality-control gaps and inspection practices contributed to the dispute seen in this case.
Board members and staff discussed contractor responsibility, warranties and whether CTEC (the contractor named in correspondence) followed plans and inspection expectations. Several board members said contractor remedies might be available but that the P&Z's decision must follow the variance criteria and the city's code. The testimony informed the board's deliberations and its subsequent denial of the variance while recommending a limited extension to the administration so repairs can proceed.
The expert testimony highlighted two policy fixes frequently discussed at the meeting: requiring as-built elevation surveys at final inspection and clearer permit/contractor documentation for waterfront work. Petrowski and other industry speakers said those steps would reduce future disputes.
