The Florida Senate

403.813  Permits issued at district centers; exceptions.--

(1)  The secretary shall adopt procedural rules providing for a short-form application for, and issuance at the district centers of, permits for:

(a)  Projects which affect less than 10 acres of jurisdictional area and are within the landward extent of waters of the state that are directly impacted by dredging or filling, including other areas severed from or connected to waters of the state as a result of dredge and fill activities.

(b)  Docking facilities of less than 10 wet slips, which facilities do not provide commercial or marine supplies or services.

(c)  New seawalls or similar structures which do not exceed 500 linear feet of shoreline.

(d)  The installation of subaqueous transmission and distribution lines laid on, or embedded in, the bottoms of waters of the state carrying water, electricity, communication cables, oil, and gas, except as exempted by paragraph (2)(m) or paragraph (2)(n).

(e)  Other similar projects that are limited in scope as specified by rule.

(2)  No permit under this chapter, chapter 373, chapter 61-691, Laws of Florida, or chapter 25214 or chapter 25270, 1949, Laws of Florida, shall be required for activities associated with the following types of projects; however, nothing in this subsection relieves an applicant from any requirement to obtain permission to use or occupy lands owned by the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund or any water management district in its governmental or proprietary capacity or from complying with applicable local pollution control programs authorized under this chapter or other requirements of county and municipal governments:

(a)  The installation of overhead transmission lines, with support structures which are not constructed in waters of the state and which do not create a navigational hazard.

(b)  The installation and repair of mooring pilings and dolphins associated with private docking facilities or piers and the installation of private docks, piers and recreational docking facilities, or piers and recreational docking facilities of local governmental entities when the local governmental entity's activities will not take place in any manatee habitat, any of which docks:

1.  Has 500 square feet or less of over-water surface area for a dock which is located in an area designated as Outstanding Florida Waters or 1,000 square feet or less of over-water surface area for a dock which is located in an area which is not designated as Outstanding Florida Waters;

2.  Is constructed on or held in place by pilings or is a floating dock which is constructed so as not to involve filling or dredging other than that necessary to install the pilings;

3.  Shall not substantially impede the flow of water or create a navigational hazard;

4.  Is used for recreational, noncommercial activities associated with the mooring or storage of boats and boat paraphernalia; and

5.  Is the sole dock constructed pursuant to this exemption as measured along the shoreline for a distance of 65 feet, unless the parcel of land or individual lot as platted is less than 65 feet in length along the shoreline, in which case there may be one exempt dock allowed per parcel or lot.

Nothing in this paragraph shall prohibit the department from taking appropriate enforcement action pursuant to this chapter to abate or prohibit any activity otherwise exempt from permitting pursuant to this paragraph if the department can demonstrate that the exempted activity has caused water pollution in violation of this chapter.

(c)  The installation and maintenance to design specifications of boat ramps on artificial bodies of water where navigational access to the proposed ramp exists or the installation of boat ramps open to the public in any waters of the state where navigational access to the proposed ramp exists and where the construction of the proposed ramp will be less than 30 feet wide and will involve the removal of less than 25 cubic yards of material from the waters of the state, and the maintenance to design specifications of such ramps; however, the material to be removed shall be placed upon a self-contained upland site so as to prevent the escape of the spoil material into the waters of the state.

(d)  The replacement or repair of existing docks and piers, except that no fill material is to be used and provided that the replacement or repaired dock or pier is in the same location and of the same configuration and dimensions as the dock or pier being replaced or repaired.

(e)  The restoration of seawalls at their previous locations or upland of, or within 1 foot waterward of, their previous locations. However, this shall not affect the permitting requirements of chapter 161, and department rules shall clearly indicate that this exception does not constitute an exception from the permitting requirements of chapter 161.

(f)  The performance of maintenance dredging of existing manmade canals, channels, intake and discharge structures, and previously dredged portions of natural water bodies within drainage rights-of-way or drainage easements which have been recorded in the public records of the county, where the spoil material is to be removed and deposited on a self-contained, upland spoil site which will prevent the escape of the spoil material into the waters of the state, provided that no more dredging is to be performed than is necessary to restore the canals, channels, and intake and discharge structures, and previously dredged portions of natural water bodies, to original design specifications or configurations, provided that the work is conducted in compliance with s. 370.12(2)(d), provided that no significant impacts occur to previously undisturbed natural areas, and provided that control devices and best management practices for erosion and sediment control are utilized to prevent bank erosion and scouring and to prevent turbidity, dredged material, and toxic or deleterious substances from discharging into adjacent waters during maintenance dredging. Further, for maintenance dredging of previously dredged portions of natural water bodies within recorded drainage rights-of-way or drainage easements, an entity that seeks an exemption must notify the department or water management district, as applicable, at least 30 days prior to dredging and provide documentation of original design specifications or configurations where such exist. This exemption applies to all canals and previously dredged portions of natural water bodies within recorded drainage rights-of-way or drainage easements constructed prior to April 3, 1970, and to those canals and previously dredged portions of natural water bodies constructed on or after April 3, 1970, pursuant to all necessary state permits. This exemption does not apply to the removal of a natural or manmade barrier separating a canal or canal system from adjacent waters. When no previous permit has been issued by the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund or the United States Army Corps of Engineers for construction or maintenance dredging of the existing manmade canal or intake or discharge structure, such maintenance dredging shall be limited to a depth of no more than 5 feet below mean low water. The Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund may fix and recover from the permittee an amount equal to the difference between the fair market value and the actual cost of the maintenance dredging for material removed during such maintenance dredging. However, no charge shall be exacted by the state for material removed during such maintenance dredging by a public port authority. The removing party may subsequently sell such material; however, proceeds from such sale that exceed the costs of maintenance dredging shall be remitted to the state and deposited in the Internal Improvement Trust Fund.

(g)  The maintenance of existing insect control structures, dikes, and irrigation and drainage ditches, provided that spoil material is deposited on a self-contained, upland spoil site which will prevent the escape of the spoil material into waters of the state. In the case of insect control structures, if the cost of using a self-contained upland spoil site is so excessive, as determined by the Department of Health, pursuant to s. 403.088(1), that it will inhibit proposed insect control, then-existing spoil sites or dikes may be used, upon notification to the department. In the case of insect control where upland spoil sites are not used pursuant to this exemption, turbidity control devices shall be used to confine the spoil material discharge to that area previously disturbed when the receiving body of water is used as a potable water supply, is designated as shellfish harvesting waters, or functions as a habitat for commercially or recreationally important shellfish or finfish. In all cases, no more dredging is to be performed than is necessary to restore the dike or irrigation or drainage ditch to its original design specifications.

(h)  The repair or replacement of existing functional pipes or culverts the purpose of which is the discharge or conveyance of stormwater. In all cases, the invert elevation, the diameter, and the length of the culvert shall not be changed. However, the material used for the culvert may be different from the original.

(i)  The construction of private docks and seawalls in artificially created waterways where such construction will not violate existing water quality standards, impede navigation, or affect flood control. This exemption does not apply to the construction of vertical seawalls in estuaries or lagoons unless the proposed construction is within an existing manmade canal where the shoreline is currently occupied in whole or part by vertical seawalls.

(j)  The construction and maintenance of swales.

(k)  The installation of aids to navigation and buoys associated with such aids, provided the devices are marked pursuant to s. 327.40.

(l)  The replacement or repair of existing open-trestle foot bridges and vehicular bridges that are 100 feet or less in length and two lanes or less in width, provided that no more dredging or filling of submerged lands is performed other than that which is necessary to replace or repair pilings and that the structure to be replaced or repaired is the same length, the same configuration, and in the same location as the original bridge. No debris from the original bridge shall be allowed to remain in the waters of the state.

(m)  The installation of subaqueous transmission and distribution lines laid on, or embedded in, the bottoms of waters in the state, except in Class I and Class II waters and aquatic preserves, provided no dredging or filling is necessary.

(n)  The replacement or repair of subaqueous transmission and distribution lines laid on, or embedded in, the bottoms of waters of the state.

(o)  The construction of private seawalls in wetlands or other surface waters where such construction is between and adjoins at both ends existing seawalls; follows a continuous and uniform seawall construction line with the existing seawalls; is no more than 150 feet in length; and does not violate existing water quality standards, impede navigation, or affect flood control. However, in estuaries and lagoons the construction of vertical seawalls is limited to the circumstances and purposes stated in s. 373.414(5)(b)1.-4. This paragraph does not affect the permitting requirements of chapter 161, and department rules must clearly indicate that this exception does not constitute an exception from the permitting requirements of chapter 161.

(p)  The restoration of existing insect control impoundment dikes which are less than 100 feet in length. Such impoundments shall be connected to tidally influenced waters for 6 months each year beginning September 1 and ending February 28 if feasible or operated in accordance with an impoundment management plan approved by the department. A dike restoration may involve no more dredging than is necessary to restore the dike to its original design specifications. For the purposes of this paragraph, restoration does not include maintenance of impoundment dikes of operating insect control impoundments.

(q)  The construction, operation, or maintenance of stormwater management facilities which are designed to serve single-family residential projects, including duplexes, triplexes, and quadruplexes, if they are less than 10 acres total land and have less than 2 acres of impervious surface and if the facilities:

1.  Comply with all regulations or ordinances applicable to stormwater management and adopted by a city or county;

2.  Are not part of a larger common plan of development or sale; and

3.  Discharge into a stormwater discharge facility exempted or permitted by the department under this chapter which has sufficient capacity and treatment capability as specified in this chapter and is owned, maintained, or operated by a city, county, special district with drainage responsibility, or water management district; however, this exemption does not authorize discharge to a facility without the facility owner's prior written consent.

(r)  The removal of aquatic plants, the removal of tussocks, the associated replanting of indigenous aquatic plants, or the associated removal from lakes of organic material when such planting or removal is performed and authorized by permit or exemption granted under s. 369.20 or s. 369.25, if:

1.  Organic material that exists on the surface of natural mineral soil shall be allowed to be removed to a depth of 3 feet or to the natural mineral soils, whichever is less.

2.  All organic material removal pursuant to this subsection shall be deposited in an upland site in a manner that will prevent the reintroduction of the material into waters in the state except when spoil material is permitted to be used to create wildlife islands in freshwater bodies of the state when a governmental entity is permitted pursuant to this section to create such islands as a part of a restoration or enhancement project.

3.  All activities are performed in a manner consistent with state water quality standards.

The department may not adopt implementing rules for this paragraph, notwithstanding any other provision of law.

(3)  The provisions of subsection (2) are superseded by general permits established pursuant to ss. 373.118 and 403.814 which include the same activities. Until such time as general permits are established, or should general permits be suspended or repealed, the exemptions under subsection (2) shall remain or shall be reestablished in full force and effect.

History.--s. 7, ch. 75-22; s. 143, ch. 77-104; s. 4, ch. 78-98; s. 1, ch. 78-146; s. 86, ch. 79-65; s. 1, ch. 80-44; s. 8, ch. 80-66; s. 3, ch. 82-80; s. 6, ch. 82-185; s. 65, ch. 83-218; s. 69, ch. 83-310; s. 43, ch. 84-338; s. 39, ch. 85-55; s. 12, ch. 86-138; s. 44, ch. 86-186; ss. 1, 3, ch. 89-324; s. 4, ch. 96-238; s. 3, ch. 97-22; s. 3, ch. 98-131; s. 163, ch. 99-8; s. 1, ch. 2000-145.