How Do I rebuild a pier (attorney, construction, contractor)

[Randyneedshelp]

I'm moving to the St John's river. The property used to have a pier. What are the steps I need to follow and who do I contact to rebuild the pier? How do I get the original permit records?

[mawipafl]

Originally Posted by Randyneedshelp

I'm moving to the St John's river. The property used to have a pier. What are the steps I need to follow and who do I contact to rebuild the pier? How do I get the original permit records?

I know there a number of hoops to jump through even when a pier used to exist and some remnants of it are still there.

I wish I had an exact answer for you. But perhaps you could call the city and start your asking there.

To find the history of the pier, you could do a deed search on the property. You could start with the Duval County Property Appraiser site
Property Appraiser - Basic Search

and/or go to the Duval County Clerk of Courts site
Duval County Public Records Search Engine

Somewhere in those documents and deeds you might find a reference to the original permitting process.

(Apologies that the insert URL may not be working, so the above may not be links and must be copy/pasted into your browser.)

[EricBoyd]

Your best bet is to contact a local contractor who has dealt with this issue on likely numerous occasions. Here are a few results from a quick search of Google:

Ashcraft Marine: Ashcraft Marine - Docks, Boat Lifts & Bulkhead Construction
Barefoot Marine Construction: www.barefootmarineconstruction.com

[63SeaRay]

Number one is don't touch anything. Just because it once had a pier doesn't mean you can replace it. LOL


Lots of considerations. Start with the building department of the county. Then go from there. There might be al litany of other processes now that are required that weren't required when it was initially built !


Also, you might get a break on some requirements - I don't know. The reason is that there might be some "grand-fathering" provisions that you might qualify for that might eliminate some of the newer requirements !But beware ! the county might not tell you that voluntarily in order for them to impose newer requirements that bring in more fees to the county. For that reasons and others, I could contact an attorney in your area that specializes in construction and compliance. It's the best money you'll ever spend !


For instance, years ago you could use a certain kind of pilings (treated, a particular diameter, sinking depth etc). The types of decking and how it was fastened was more liberal (such as nailed, not screwed, etc)


You also might be able to simply rebuild using still standing and solid pilings....I don't know. The county might "urge" you to replace with the newer materials, although not legally REQUIRED to do so....I don't know.


Also, there might be new requirements given the pervasive use of non-wood, composite (plastic really) decks.


There might be newer requirements such as water clearance height that you might or might not have to comply with, which might be cheaper if there's a grand-fathering provision.


In essence, there might be a lot of moving parts here...get informed, get stuff in writing....let your attorney navigate the nuances of what might be a real liability.


Lots of water-located built fixtures have evolved, not only in materials, but materials used viz the "ecology", pollution,
and safety (such as railings, steps, gates, etc).


Again, don't TOUCH anything until you get ALL of your ducks in a row. If you do make unauthorized changes, it might void a gran-fathering provision if one exists.




ALSO < DO NOT ACCEPT WHAT A DOCK BUILDER TELLS YOU WITHOUT LEGAL VERIFICATION !!!

[mawipafl]

Along with the city, doesn't the Army Corp. of Engineers get involved, too? Many waterways are sovereign right up to the high water mark.

63SeaRay - excellent to emphasize not to touch anything.

[ShakenStirred]

Originally Posted by Randyneedshelp

I'm moving to the St John's river. The property used to have a pier. What are the steps I need to follow and who do I contact to rebuild the pier? How do I get the original permit records?

Whatever you do, don't consult with the City of Jax Beach!!


SS