Riverside and Avondale seawall and bulkhead planning
Riverside and Avondale front the St. Johns River and the Willowbranch and Fishweir creeks. A local historic district and a zoning overlay add steps other neighborhoods do not have.
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Get to know your waterfront
Riverside and Avondale run along the west bank of the St. Johns River south of downtown, with Willowbranch Creek and Big and Little Fishweir creeks cutting inland. Both are National Register historic districts reaching to the river, and Riverside Avondale is one of only three locally designated historic districts in Jacksonville, where exterior and site work needs a Certificate of Appropriateness.
USGS GNIS Streams (Mouth) and Other Hydrographic Features, Duval County · NPGallery: Riverside Historic District · NPGallery: Avondale Historic District · Certificate of Appropriateness Process
River walls, creek walls and historic review
The city’s own Willowbranch Creek bulkheads, between Riverside Avenue and Sydney Street, were built decades ago of concrete block, and the city says many areas are failing; a replacement is in design. If your creek wall is of similar age and construction, have it assessed for cracked block, open joints and lost fill. COJ Capital Projects layer
In Nicole, surge flooded Memorial Park, Margaret Street and Riverside Avenue, reached Osceola and Oak streets mid-thigh deep, and flooded the ground floor of the Park Lane condos. Irma rescues concentrated in Riverside, San Marco and downtown. Post Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Nicole (PSHJAX) · Post Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Irma (PSHJAX)
Historic district and overlay
The city requires a Certificate of Appropriateness for exterior and site work in Riverside Avondale. Its review matrix has no seawall, bulkhead or dock item, so call Historic Preservation (904-255-7800) before designing. The Riverside/Avondale zoning overlay also applies. Certificate of Appropriateness Process · 2026 COA Matrix Criteria · Historic Preservation Section · Ordinance 2011-363 (withdrawn) text amending Subpart O
What could the work cost?
Add time and design cost for historic review, and price creek-wall access separately: small creeks limit equipment.
Published prices are attributed planning context from contractors’ own pages, not a measured Jacksonville average or this website’s quote. Ranges differ about five-fold between publishers; your written, itemized scope decides the real number.
Compare quotes and plan a budget →Find the relevant permits and records
| Starting point | What to resolve | Prepare and look up |
|---|---|---|
City of Jacksonville Building Inspection Division | Building permit through JaxEPICS after zoning, drainage and any flood or historic review; inspections. | Signed and sealed drawings, survey and site plan as unlocked PDFs. 214 N. Hogan St.; 904-255-8500. |
City Historic Preservation Section | Certificate of Appropriateness for exterior and site work in the Riverside Avondale local historic district. | Ask whether your waterfront scope needs a COA; apply through the city’s LUZAP portal. 904-255-7800. |
Florida DEP Northeast District (Jacksonville) | State environmental resource permit or exemption, and state-lands consent for work at or below the high-water line. DEP handles single-family docks and shore protection not tied to a larger development. | Survey with the existing wall face and high-water line, the proposed alignment and photos. DEP Northeast District: 904-256-1700. |
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District | Federal authorization for work in tidal and navigable waters, often verified by DEP through the state programmatic general permit or covered by a nationwide permit. | Ask DEP whether its review includes federal verification for your scope, or which nationwide permit applies. |
A Riverside & Avondale checklist
Start with the steps historic-district owners often miss.
Call Historic Preservation first
Ask whether your seawall, bulkhead or dock work needs a Certificate of Appropriateness; JaxEPICS will route historic review based on location.
Historic Preservation Section · Common Permit Statuses in JAXEPICS
Pull your permit and parcel history
Search past permits in JaxEPICS (guest sign-in) and look up your parcel with the Duval County Property Appraiser before the assessment.
Services Provided: Violation or Permit Record Search · Duval County Property Appraiser
Ask for your flood zone and elevation certificate
The city’s floodplain coordinator (904-255-8366) provides flood zone determinations and copies of available elevation certificates.
Track the city’s creek projects
The Willowbranch Creek bulkhead replacement and the Riverside Avenue drainage study are in design; ask how they affect your frontage.
Plan your Riverside & Avondale seawall project
Tell us where your Riverside & Avondale property is, what you have noticed and what you want to decide. We will help you plan the next step.
Local guidance. A clearer plan for your waterfront.
Riverside & Avondale project questions
Do I need historic approval to repair my seawall in Riverside?
Possibly. A Certificate of Appropriateness covers exterior and site work in the district, but the city’s matrix does not list seawalls. Confirm with Historic Preservation before you apply.
Certificate of Appropriateness Process · 2026 COA Matrix Criteria
What happened to the Fishweir Creek restoration?
A city and Army Corps restoration to dredge sediment and restore habitat was approved in 2018 at an estimated $6.5 million. Ask the city for its current status.
Keep planning
Nearby waterfront guides
San Marco, Ortega, Lakeshore & Cedar River, Southbank & Downtown
Show sourcesHide sources
- USGS GNIS Streams (Mouth) and Other Hydrographic Features, Duval CountySource reviewed 2026-10-24
- NPGallery: Riverside Historic DistrictSource reviewed 2026-10-24
- NPGallery: Avondale Historic DistrictSource reviewed 2026-10-24
- Certificate of Appropriateness ProcessSource reviewed 2026-10-24
- COJ Capital Projects layerSource reviewed 2026-10-24
- Post Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Nicole (PSHJAX)Source reviewed 2026-10-24
- Post Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Irma (PSHJAX)Source reviewed 2026-10-24
- 2026 COA Matrix CriteriaSource reviewed 2026-10-24
- Historic Preservation SectionSource reviewed 2026-10-24
- Ordinance 2011-363 (withdrawn) text amending Subpart OSource reviewed 2026-10-24
- Online/Electronic Permit SubmissionSource reviewed 2026-10-24
- Building Inspection DivisionSource reviewed 2026-10-24
- Northeast DistrictSource reviewed 2026-10-24
- Operating Agreements ERP Permitting: DEP District Offices and the Water Management District OfficesSource reviewed 2026-10-24
- Operating Agreement Concerning Regulation Under Part IV, Ch. 373, F.S., Between SJRWMD and DEP (eff. 07/01/07)Source reviewed 2026-10-24
- Federal Permits and Coordination Agreements Between DEP, WMDs, and the U.S. Army Corps of EngineersSource reviewed 2026-10-24
- SPGP VI – 1. Shoreline Stabilization, Activity descriptionSource reviewed 2026-10-24
- Reissuance and Modification of Nationwide Permits (91 FR 768, Jan. 8, 2026)Source reviewed 2026-10-24
- Services Provided: Violation or Permit Record SearchSource reviewed 2026-10-24
- Duval County Property AppraiserSource reviewed 2026-10-24
- Floodplain ManagementSource reviewed 2026-10-24
- City Council Set To Approve Plan To Restore Fishweir CreekSource reviewed 2026-10-24