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Indian Bayou · Your waterfront project

Indian Bayou bulkhead repair on both banks

Indian Bayou bulkhead repair depends on which bank you own. County maps place the west bank in Destin and the Kelly Plantation side in unincorporated Okaloosa County.

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Indian Bayou waterfront mapNorth is up. The accent marker identifies the selected community. Choose a community label to open its local guide. Nearby guide links also appear below the map.Indian BayouJoe’s BayouKelly PlantationIndian BayouIndian Bayou waterfront mapNorth is up. The accent marker identifies the selected community. Choose a community label to open its local guide. Nearby guide links also appear below the map.Indian BayouJoe’s BayouIndian Bayou
Land and water: U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb, 2026. Reference points: USGS GNIS, NOAA CO-OPS and Okaloosa County GIS. General orientation only; not a survey, flood map or service boundary.

Indian Bayou at a glance

Who permits it
West bank: City of Destin. East bank, the Kelly Plantation side: Okaloosa County.
Call first
Destin, (850) 654-1119, or Okaloosa County, (850) 651-7180
The water
Indian Bayou, which federal maps class as a stream
Local rule to know
Neighbors who face each other across the water file with different governments under different rules.

Get to know your waterfront

Federal maps class Indian Bayou as a stream, not a bay like nearby Joe's Bayou. County planning layers put its west bank inside Destin and the Kelly Plantation shore to the east in unincorporated Okaloosa County. Neighbors who face each other across the water file with different governments under different rules. Destin's own building office is on Indian Bayou Trail.

GNIS Domestic Names, Florida (published 2026-09-29), feature 284482 · Okaloosa County GIS: evacuation and storm surge zones · Okaloosa County GIS: city limits and county zoning · Building Division

What to check on an Indian Bayou bulkhead

First settle which bank you are on, then inspect the wall with that government’s rules in mind. County planning layers show the west bank as city land and the Kelly Plantation side as county. County evacuation and surge layers County city-limit layer

  • Runoff and silt at outfalls, culverts and swales near your wall.
  • Soil loss behind the cap where yard drains or downspouts discharge.
  • Marsh plants along the toe on the city side, which limit where walls and rock can go.
  • The dock-to-wall connection: loose bolts, rot at the piles and gaps under the cap.
  • Your neighbors’ wall line, since an infill wall must follow it.

Local records that shape the questions

  • Destin’s marsh rule names Indian Bayou. No seawall may be placed in coastal marsh, and riprap must stay 5 feet away from it. Destin LDC 11.01.06.B
  • On the city side, Destin requires written notice to owners across the water when a water body is under 100 feet wide. Destin LDC 11.05
  • On the county side, bulkheads are exempt from the 50-foot setback from mean high water. A 25-foot natural buffer still applies along natural water bodies. County LDC 2.19.00 County LDC 6.05.05
  • Indian Bayou was a focal area of a $2.8 million city stormwater grant that paid for swales, exfiltration systems and culvert repairs. NFWF grant summary
  • County maps put both sample points, one per bank, in a Category 3 surge zone. County evacuation and surge layers

For a wall that is losing soil, start with the drainage and soil loss guide. Dock owners should read docks and boat lifts, since the dock and wall often share loads. East-bank owners can follow the Okaloosa County permit guide.

What could the work cost?

Ask each bidder which government’s permit they priced, because the city and county differ in fees, reviews and contractor registration. If a barge cannot reach your lot, ask for the cost of working from land instead.

These per-foot figures are 2019 City of Destin bids for a 325-foot public park seawall. They are not a residential quote or a 2026 market average; your written, itemized scope sets the real price.

Compare quotes and plan a budget →

Find the relevant permits and records

Indian Bayou researched starting points
Starting pointWhat to resolvePrepare and look up
City of Destin Building Division (west bank)
Bulkhead, seawall and dock permits for lots inside city limits.
Apply through the MGO portal with a survey and drawings; the contractor must be city-registered. (850) 654-1119, option 2.
Building Division · How Do I Submit A Permit Application? (Building Division brochure) · Destin Code of Ordinances Ch. 13, Art. IV Local Licensing of Contractors
Okaloosa County Growth Management (east bank)
Building permits for unincorporated lots, including Kelly Plantation.
File online through the county CSS portal. Shalimar office: (850) 651-7180.
Permitting (Growth Management, Building) · Permitting
FDEP Northwest District
State exemption or permit for work at or below mean high water.
Existing wall line, proposed line and any marsh at the toe. (850) 595-8300.
Northwest District · Operating Agreement Concerning Regulation Under Part IV, Chapter 373, F.S., Between NWFWMD and DEP
Army Corps, Pensacola Permits Section
Federal authorization for the in-water part of the job.
A copy of what you sent FDEP, plus dock and lift details. (850) 470-9824.
Jacksonville District Regulatory Office Locations

Prepare the questions for the responsible office.

A two-bank permit checklist for Indian Bayou

These steps sort out jurisdiction first, then the shoreline rules that follow from it.

  1. Confirm the bank and the government

    Look up the parcel on county GIS and note whether it falls inside Destin. A Destin mailing address does not prove city limits on this bayou.

    Okaloosa County GIS: city limits and county zoning · Census Geocoder, geographies by one-line address

  2. Pull the right permit history

    City lots: search Destin’s MGO portal. County lots: search the county CSS portal, and use the older system for permits issued through April 2025.

    How Do I Submit A Permit Application? (Building Division brochure) · Permitting

  3. Mark the riparian lines

    Extend your side lot lines into the water on the survey. The county will not permit a structure that crosses them without the neighbor’s ink-signed letter.

    Residential Dock Application/Requirements (Permit Form 12-0710)

  4. Check storm relief by bank

    Destin’s 60-day board-for-board dock exemption is a city notice. On the county side, the October 2026 storm guide says dock and seawall repairs generally need a permit.

    Building Permit Exemption for fence and dock repairs · Okaloosa County Storm Post-storm Permitting Guide/Plan

Start with what you know

Tell us about your Indian Bayou wall

Let us know which bank you are on, if you know, and what is wrong with the wall. We will help you plan the next step with the right office and a qualified marine contractor.

Every answer here links to the public record behind it.

Prefer to talk it through?(850) 904-4847

Getting your form ready…

Indian Bayou project questions

Who issues the permit on Indian Bayou?

It depends on the bank. Lots on the west bank that fall inside Destin get permits from the city’s Building Division. Kelly Plantation lots on the east side are unincorporated, so Okaloosa County Growth Management issues the permit. Check the parcel on county GIS first, because mailing addresses say Destin on both sides.

Okaloosa County GIS: evacuation and storm surge zones · Okaloosa County GIS: city limits and county zoning · Permitting (Growth Management, Building)

Can I put riprap in front of my wall on the city side?

Possibly, but not on or within 5 feet of coastal marsh plants. Destin’s marsh rule names Indian Bayou, and it also bars seawalls in marsh areas. Photograph the toe to show where marsh grows, and ask Planning before you design. FDEP and the Army Corps review the rock separately.

Destin LDC Sec. 11.01.06 Development activities within protected environmentally sensitive zones

Do I have to tell the neighbors across the bayou?

On the Destin side, sometimes. The city requires written notice to owners on the opposite shore when the water body is less than 100 feet wide. It also requires notice to adjoining owners for a dock or boat within 25 feet of a property line. Ask Planning which notices your plan needs.

Destin LDC Sec. 11.05.01-11.05.02

Keep planning

Prepare for an assessmentCompare repair and replacementReview the project scope

Nearby waterfront guides

Joe's Bayou, Kelly Plantation & Regatta Bay, Destin Harbor & Holiday Isle

View the local guide directory.

Show sourcesHide sources
  1. GNIS Domestic Names, Florida (published 2026-09-29), feature 284482Source reviewed 2026-10-27
  2. Okaloosa County GIS: evacuation and storm surge zonesSource reviewed 2026-10-27
  3. Okaloosa County GIS: city limits and county zoningSource reviewed 2026-10-27
  4. Building DivisionSource reviewed 2026-10-27
  5. Destin LDC Sec. 11.01.06 Development activities within protected environmentally sensitive zonesSource reviewed 2026-10-27
  6. Destin LDC Sec. 11.05.01-11.05.02Source reviewed 2026-10-27
  7. Okaloosa County LDC Chapter 2 Zoning Regulations, 2.19.00 Bulk Regulations FootnotesSource reviewed 2026-10-27
  8. Okaloosa County LDC Chapter 6 Development Design Standards, 6.05.05 and 6.06.09Source reviewed 2026-10-27
  9. Gulf Environmental Benefit Fund, Florida at a Glance: Destin Harbor, Joe's Bayou, and Indian BayouSource reviewed 2026-10-27
  10. How Do I Submit A Permit Application? (Building Division brochure)Source reviewed 2026-10-27
  11. Destin Code of Ordinances Ch. 13, Art. IV Local Licensing of ContractorsSource reviewed 2026-10-27
  12. Permitting (Growth Management, Building)Source reviewed 2026-10-27
  13. PermittingSource reviewed 2026-10-27
  14. Northwest DistrictSource reviewed 2026-10-27
  15. Operating Agreement Concerning Regulation Under Part IV, Chapter 373, F.S., Between NWFWMD and DEPSource reviewed 2026-10-27
  16. Jacksonville District Regulatory Office LocationsSource reviewed 2026-10-27
  17. Census Geocoder, geographies by one-line addressSource reviewed 2026-10-27
  18. Residential Dock Application/Requirements (Permit Form 12-0710)Source reviewed 2026-10-27
  19. Building Permit Exemption for fence and dock repairsSource reviewed 2026-11-05
  20. Okaloosa County Storm Post-storm Permitting Guide/PlanSource reviewed 2026-10-27
Plan your project(850) 904-4847