St. Joe Beach seawall and dune planning

Get to know your waterfront

St. Joe Beach, Beacon Hill and WindMark line the Gulf-front mainland of Gulf County east of the Bay County line. Exposure changes fast along this shore. Michael’s water reached +21.2 feet NAVD88 at the west end of Beacon Hill, but only about +11 feet at WindMark, which St. Joseph Peninsula shelters. Most shoreline work here is dune and CCCL work rather than bulkhead work.

GNIS Domestic Names, Florida (DomesticNames_FL.txt) · Hurricane Michael Post-Storm Beach Conditions and Coastal Impact Report (April 2019) · Hurricane Michael Post-Storm Beach Conditions and Coastal Impact Report (April 2019) and Strategic Beach Management Plan: Panhandle Gulf Coast Region (August 2026)

Read your lot’s Michael record before choosing protection

Two lots a couple of miles apart had very different storms in 2018. USGS high-water marks reached +21.2 feet NAVD88 near US 98 and SR 386, and +12 feet at the east end of Beacon Hill. NAVD88 is the national survey baseline for elevations. Along WindMark they fell to between +10.6 and +11.2 feet. USGS marks in DEP’s Michael report

Table sources: High-water marks DEP erosion ratings

DEP counted 588 major structures with major damage and 149 destroyed on the Beacon Hill and WindMark segment, the worst toll in the county. Most buildings seaward of US 98 were lost, yet newer pile-supported homes built under state permits seaward of the CCCL generally held up. DEP damage survey

Why a new seawall is a long shot here

Gulf County’s comprehensive plan prohibits new vertical seawalls in coastal areas outside port, bridge and commercial or industrial water-dependent uses. Policy 1.4.5 The county also wants DEP’s CCCL permit in hand before it issues a building permit, and it bars altering beaches or primary dunes without a County Commission finding. Coastal management policies

The state test is strict as well. DEP may approve armoring only for an eligible building that is vulnerable, meaning direct waves or 25-year storm erosion would reach its foundation. The other path is filling a gap of up to 250 feet between existing armoring. Rule 62B-33.0051

DEP’s preserve plan says Gulf County has no coastal armoring of significance except the rock revetment at Stump Hole. DEP coast description That leaves few armored neighbors to tie into, so the Gulf-front armoring guide is worth reading before you ask for a design.

The 2010 control line moved inland on hundreds of lots

Gulf County’s CCCL (coastal construction control line, the boundary seaward of which DEP permits most building and dune work) starts at the Bay County line. Its current version took effect January 21, 2010. Rule 62B-26.016 DEP’s notice said the new line moved inland of the 1986 line on 241 properties. DEP 2009 notice

A house that sat inland of the old line may now be seaward of the new one. Ask the surveyor to plot the 2010 line on any survey used for dune or wall work, and see the permit guide for the state steps.

Dune care falls to owners on the mainland beach

DEP places this beach in its Middle Barriers subregion, whose only critically eroded beach is 0.9 mile at Mexico Beach. DEP beach management plan The county sand projects in our research are on St. Joseph Peninsula, not here. Peninsula nourishment record

Sand on this coast drifts east, because the peninsula and the cape shelter it from the southeast. DEP sand transport note

• Rebuild dune plants and sand fence after each storm season.
• Cross the dune on an elevated walkover instead of a cut path.
• Ask DEP before any dune or fence work seaward of the CCCL.
• Photograph and date the dune line every spring for permit and insurance files.

NOAA describes living shorelines as tools for sheltered bays rather than open beaches. NOAA living shoreline guidance The living shoreline guide fits your bay-side neighbors in Port St. Joe better than this beach. The county-wide picture is on the Gulf County guide, and the peninsula across the bay mouth has its own page at Cape San Blas.

Isaias put the warning line at the county line

In October 2026, the Hurricane Warning for Isaias ran east only to the Bay/Gulf County line, with a Tropical Storm Warning beyond it. Forecast surge for this coast was 4 to 7 feet above ground. NHC Advisory 13A NWS Tallahassee later reported beach erosion and seawall damage in both counties. NWS Isaias report

What could the work cost?

Expect most of the money on this beach to go to elevation, dune rebuilding and walkovers rather than a wall. Price the DEP application, a survey showing the 2010 line and any engineering study of the building’s vulnerability as separate items before you compare bids.

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.

A Gulf-front checklist for Beacon Hill and WindMark

Use these steps to learn what your beachfront lot can and cannot do before you pay for design.

1. Place your lot on the Michael record

   Compare your location with the reported marks: +21.2 feet at the west end of Beacon Hill, +12 feet at its east end and +10.6 to +11.2 feet at WindMark. A neighbor a mile away may have had a very different storm.

   Hurricane Michael Post-Storm Beach Conditions and Coastal Impact Report (April 2019)

2. Plot the 2010 CCCL on a current survey

   The line was re-established in 2010 and moved inland on 241 properties. Use a surveyor who plots the current line, not the 1986 one.

   62B-26.016 Description of the Gulf County Coastal Construction Control Line · Notice of Proposed Rule 62B-26.016 (FAR Vol. 35/44, 11/6/2009)

3. Check the flood zone at FEMA

   Gulf County flood maps took effect March 9, 2021. The Property Appraiser warns its own flood layer is preliminary, so confirm the zone on FEMA’s Map Service Center.

   National Flood Hazard Layer (MapServer layers 3 FIRM Panels, 19 LiMWA, 25 Primary Frontal Dunes) · Gulf County Property Appraiser - Notice Regarding FEMA Flood Maps

4. Apply to DEP first, then the county

   Gulf County will not issue a building permit for work seaward of the CCCL until DEP has approved it. Build that order into the schedule.

   Gulf County Comprehensive Plan, Chapter 5 Coastal Management Element (Objective 1.1, Policy 1.4.3)

Keep planning

Nearby waterfront guides

Port St. Joe & St. Joseph Bay, Cape San Blas & St. Joseph Peninsula, Mexico Beach

View the local guide directory.