Pretty Bayou and Robinson Bayou seawall planning

Get to know your waterfront

Pretty Bayou, Robinson Bayou and Posten Bayou open onto North Bay on the north side of Panama City. Bay County's address layer codes nearly every Pretty Bayou street as unincorporated county land, while Calabria Road in Venetian Villa sits inside the City of Panama City. Hurricane Michael pushed an estimated 4 to 6 feet of surge around Panama City and St. Andrew Bay in 2018.

GNIS Domestic Names - Florida (DomesticNames_FL.txt) · BayView map service, address points layer (0), CITY field · AdministrativeAreas map service, municipal boundaries layer (0) · Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Michael (AL142018)

Who permits a seawall on Pretty Bayou or Robinson Bayou?

Bay County Building Safety permits almost every seawall on Pretty Bayou. The county codes nearly all of these streets as unincorporated, yet every address on them carries a Panama City mailing name. Bay County address points

Table sources: Pretty Bayou street counts Calabria Road check Address points are not parcel lines, so confirm your own lot on the county map. The Bay County permit guide walks through the lookup.

What the county asks for on an unincorporated bayou lot

Bay County reviews dock and seawall work on Form B36, its Dock and Seawall Plan Review Submittal. Form B36

• Engineered design specifications for the seawall.
• A site plan showing setbacks and easements.
• A notarized permit application.
• A certified Notice of Commencement when the job tops $5,000.
• A city Development Order if the lot turns out to be inside Panama City.

A county permit stays valid only if an inspection passes within each 180-day period. Form B03 rule Do not let a half-built wall sit through storm season with no inspection on the books.

If your lot is one of the few inside Panama City

Panama City will not review a building permit until its Planning and Zoning division issues a Development Order, and plans go through the Cloudpermit portal only. Panama City permit path For a dock, the city charges a $100 application fee and wants every federal, state and local permit with the file. Panama City dock guide

Sewer and water mains are going in on these streets

Panama City runs the utility here even though most homes sit on county land. A state grant for the Kings Bayou and Pretty Bayou sewer and water expansion grew to about $8.5 million after a $1.5 million amendment in early 2026. FDEP grant LPA0035

• Phase III, the final phase, adds about 16,000 feet of low-pressure sewer, 15,400 feet of water main and 35 fire hydrants. Grant amendment 6
• In June 2026, city staff recommended a contract of about $1.2 million for new lines, pavement, curb and sidewalk on Queen's Circle, Foxworth Drive and Longleaf Road. Bid PC26-011 agenda item
• All eight bids opened April 1, 2026 came in over budget, so the city cut the scope. Bid PC26-011 agenda item

Ask your contractor how trucks or a pile rig will reach the yard while streets are open. If the wall job touches yard drains, settle the tie-in with the utility crew before backfill.

Public shoreline work nearby

• Robinson Bayou Bridge: in September 2026, city staff asked to accept a $700,000 state grant and a city match of about $150,000. The money would refurbish the bridge and add a pedestrian span. Bridge grant request
• Carl Gray Park: the city's North Bay park on Collegiate Drive has a boat ramp. City park page Bay County received a RESTORE Act award of about $500,000 for that ramp in 2018. RESTORE Act award list
• Venetian Sunset Park: a small bayfront city park at the end of Calabria Road. City park page

If soil is washing out behind the wall, start with sinkholes and soil loss. Across North Bay, Lynn Haven runs its own permit office, and the city's downtown bayous are covered in Downtown Panama City.

What could the work cost?

Public records here show utility bids, not private seawall prices. Ask each bidder to price site access on its own line while streets are torn up, and to list engineered plans, the Notice of Commencement and county inspections separately.

No public record found in Bay or Gulf County shows what a private homeowner paid per foot for a seawall. This guide shows real public bids, FEMA worksheets and fee schedules instead, each with its year, place and scope.

Find the relevant permits and records

Prepare the questions for the responsible office.

Pretty Bayou lot checks before you ask for bids

Five checks that sort out jurisdiction, wall history and site access on a Pretty Bayou or Robinson Bayou lot.

1. Read the jurisdiction, not the envelope

   Look up the parcel with the Bay County Property Appraiser or on the county map. On Robinson Bayou Circle, 2 of 15 addresses are inside the city.

   BayView map service, address points layer (0), CITY field · Bay County Property Appraiser

2. Pull the wall's permit history

   For a county lot, search the Bay County portal by parcel number. Dock and seawall permits use the prefix PRDC. Older permits may be numbered differently, so a blank search is not proof.

   How to search permit information in Unincorporated Bay County

3. Ask about the utility schedule

   Find out whether sewer or water work is planned on your street and where crews will stage. Phase 3 covers Queen's Circle, Foxworth Drive and Longleaf Road.

   Agenda Item Request: Award of PC26-011 Pretty Bayou Improvements Phase 3

4. Budget for a Florida engineer

   Bay County wants engineered seawall design specifications with the application, so line up the engineer before bids are final.

   Dock and Seawall Permit Packet (Forms B36, B03; B03 revised 09/30/2026)

5. Keep inspections moving

   Plan the job so an inspection passes in every 180-day window. Record the Notice of Commencement first if the work tops $5,000.

   Dock and Seawall Permit Packet (Forms B36, B03; B03 revised 09/30/2026)

Keep planning

Nearby waterfront guides

Lynn Haven & North Bay, Downtown Panama City, Massalina & Watson Bayous, Historic St. Andrews

View the local guide directory.