Sailfish Point waterfront planning
Seawalls and armoring at Sailfish Point and Bathtub Beach: the MacArthur Blvd buried seawall, St. Lucie Inlet exposure, CCCL rules and county permits.
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Get to know your waterfront
Sailfish Point occupies the southern tip of Hutchinson Island at the St. Lucie Inlet, reached by MacArthur Boulevard past Bathtub Beach. Martin County’s resilience project raised the 1,100-foot stretch between Bathtub Beach and Sailfish Point from about 2.5 to 5.25 feet and buried a sheet-pile seawall under the dune.
MacArthur Boulevard Resilience Project · MacArthur Blvd (Resilient Martin)
Inlet exposure and a buried seawall
The county project cost about $5.4 million in total and placed the new seawall cap at elevation 10.0; erosion exposed part of it in October 2025. Bathtub Beach’s worm reef breaks waves in calm seasons but not in fall, nor’easters or hurricanes.
During Nicole, MacArthur Boulevard between Santa Lucea Beach and Bathtub Beach endured significant flooding. Oceanfront work needs FDEP CCCL permits; lagoon-side work faces preserve and seagrass rules. $5.4 million Bathtub Beach project in Martin County passes first weather test · Bathtub Beach · Tropical Storm Nicole: Live updates, what to know Thursday about storm's impact to Martin County (Nov. 10-11, 2022)
What could the work cost?
Association projects should separate inlet, lagoon and ocean frontage; each has a different permit route.
Published examples are attributed context from Treasure Coast and nearby South Florida sources, not a Port St. Lucie average or a quote. Your wall needs a property-specific written scope.
Compare quotes and plan a budget →Find the relevant permits and records
| Starting point | What to resolve | Prepare and look up |
|---|---|---|
Martin County Building Department | Repair or replacement of a previously permitted seawall; docks, lifts and pilings. | Survey dated after Oct. 4, 2002 with NAVD elevations, sealed drawings, DEP permit or exemption. 772-288-5916. |
FDEP Coastal Construction Control Line program | Construction, armoring and excavation seaward of the CCCL on the Atlantic side. | Post-storm cap and tieback repairs need local authorization under an emergency order; replacement needs a CCCL permit. 850-245-8570. |
FDEP Southeast District | Permit or exemption the county bases its approval on. | 3301 Gun Club Rd, West Palm Beach. 561-681-6600. |
A Sailfish Point checklist
Use these steps to gather records and prepare a property-specific conversation. Public records and project references do not describe the condition of your wall.
Pull the permit history
Search the address on the city or county permit portal for seawall, dock and lift permits and their final inspections before the first site visit.
Separate the frontages
Inlet, lagoon and ocean walls follow different rules.
Find the CCCL
Ocean-side work seaward of the line needs a CCCL permit.
Note road access
The single access road floods in storms; plan staging accordingly.
Get help with your Sailfish Point seawall
Tell us what has changed and how to reach you. We’ll help you work out the next step; photos and measurements can follow later.
Sailfish Point project questions
Why is there a buried seawall at Bathtub Beach?
The county built it under the dune to protect MacArthur Boulevard, then raised the road.
Which manatee zones apply?
Martin County’s Rule 68C-22.024 zones.
Keep planning
Nearby waterfront guides
Hutchinson Island (Martin), Sewall’s Point, Port Salerno & Manatee Pocket
Show sourcesHide sources
- MacArthur Boulevard Resilience ProjectSource reviewed 2026-10-25
- $5.4 million Bathtub Beach project in Martin County passes first weather testSource reviewed 2026-10-25
- Bathtub BeachSource reviewed 2026-10-25
- Tropical Storm Nicole: Live updates, what to know Thursday about storm's impact to Martin County (Nov. 10-11, 2022)Source reviewed 2026-10-25
- Residential Seawall ChecklistSource reviewed 2026-10-25
- Apply - Coastal Construction Control Line (CCCL) PermittingSource reviewed 2026-10-25
- Post-Storm Guidance: Coastal Construction Control Line (public handout)Source reviewed 2026-10-25
- Coastal Construction Control Line Emergency PermittingSource reviewed 2026-10-25
- Dock-Boatlift ChecklistSource reviewed 2026-10-25
- St. Lucie InletSource reviewed 2026-10-25
- Fla. Admin. Code R. 62B-26.021 - Description of the St. Lucie County CCCL (and R. 62B-26.015, Martin County)Source reviewed 2026-10-25
- Chapter 68C-22 Manatee Protection Rules (rule list)Source reviewed 2026-10-25