Project Types
Resilience, renourishment and shoreline work, and the property interests they reach.
Florida has more coastline exposed to storm surge and erosion than any other state in the continental United States, and the public response to that takes property. Beach renourishment, dune restoration, seawall and revetment projects, stormwater and flood control improvements and shoreline armouring all require interests in private land.
These acquisitions are frequently easements rather than fee purchases, and they frequently affect waterfront parcels where a narrow strip carries a great deal of the value.
The short answer
Coastal and resilience projects take easements on the most valuable part of a waterfront parcel. The area is small, the effect on use, access and outlook rarely is.
Waterfront and near shore parcels.
Read moreWhat a shoreline easement permits.
Read moreA strip acquired on the seaward boundary.
Read moreEffects on the rest of the parcel.
Read moreHow the residue is valued afterwards.
Read moreBeach and water access routes.
Read moreOn a waterfront parcel a few feet of seaward boundary can carry a disproportionate share of the value.
An easement permitting public use of what was private ground is a different proposition from one permitting maintenance only.
Restrictions on structures, decking, dune walkovers and vegetation all narrow what you retain.
Existing seawalls, docks and access points may be affected by the project, and that belongs in the claim.
It is a property interest taken, and Florida requires full compensation for a taking. How a particular easement affects the value of a particular parcel is a valuation question, and one worth taking advice on.
Where an easement permits public use of ground that was private, that change belongs in the valuation of what you retain.
A taking must serve a public purpose under Article X section 6 and be within the authority granted. Coastal protection work is generally within that, which makes compensation rather than the taking itself the usual question.
Explore Florida resources matched to your property type, the project affecting it, and the stage you have reached.
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