San Jose and Epping Forest seawall planning
San Jose fronts the open St. Johns south of downtown, with Christopher Creek and historic estates along the river. Long-fetch waves make this classic bulkhead shoreline.
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Get to know your waterfront
San Jose lies on the east bank of the St. Johns River south of downtown and includes the mouth of Christopher Creek. Epping Forest, on Christopher Point, has been on the National Register since 1973, and houses in the San Jose Estates group are individually listed. The city’s shoreline model treats this reach as bulkhead shoreline because long fetch drives chronic erosion.
USGS GNIS Streams (Mouth) and Other Hydrographic Features, Duval County · NPGallery: Epping Forest; House at 3325 Via de la Reiva · Living Shoreline Suitability Model (LSSM) report
Waves and storms set the design
Normal tides are small here, about 1 foot at the Buckman Bridge, but wind-driven waves and storm surge are not. Irma’s storm tide reached 5.26 feet above normal high water at the Buckman Bridge. Ask the assessor about toe scour, cap height and anchor condition, not just visible cracks. NOAA Tides & Currents datums, I-295 Buckman Bridge · Post Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Irma (PSHJAX), Section E
Christopher Creek and local drainage
The city dredged Christopher Creek east of San Jose Boulevard as part of its University Point Pond project and coordinated with a special taxing district on dredging west of the boulevard. If you are on the creek, ask whether that district covers your reach. The city is also designing fixes for closed drainage systems where San Jose Boulevard meets Heaven Trees Road, Gadsden Court and San Jose Lane. COJ Capital Projects layer · COJ Capital Projects layer
National Register listing alone does not trigger the city’s Certificate of Appropriateness; San Jose is not one of its three local historic districts. Certificate of Appropriateness Process
What could the work cost?
Long riverfront lots often pair a tall wall with a long dock; price dock reconnection with the wall.
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. |
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 San Jose checklist
Use these steps to prepare.
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.
Creek lot? Ask about the dredging district
Find out whether the special taxing district’s dredging covers your reach of Christopher Creek.
Plan your San Jose & Epping Forest seawall project
Tell us where your San Jose & Epping Forest 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.
San Jose & Epping Forest project questions
Is San Jose a local historic district?
No. Epping Forest and San Jose Estates houses are on the National Register, but the city’s Certificate of Appropriateness applies only in its three local districts.
NPGallery: Epping Forest; House at 3325 Via de la Reiva · Certificate of Appropriateness Process
Keep planning
Nearby waterfront guides
Show sourcesHide sources
- USGS GNIS Streams (Mouth) and Other Hydrographic Features, Duval CountySource reviewed 2026-10-24
- NPGallery: Epping Forest; House at 3325 Via de la ReivaSource reviewed 2026-10-24
- Living Shoreline Suitability Model (LSSM) reportSource reviewed 2026-10-24
- NOAA Tides & Currents datums, I-295 Buckman BridgeSource reviewed 2026-10-24
- Post Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Irma (PSHJAX), Section ESource reviewed 2026-10-24
- COJ Capital Projects layerSource reviewed 2026-10-24
- Certificate of Appropriateness ProcessSource 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