If you’re considering or bought a single-family home that backs up on a canal, you’ll have a water view and the house may even come with a dock.
But if you’re new to South Florida, know before you plan your backyard that canals belong to the Lake Worth Drainage District that manage water flow in most of southeast Palm Beach County. The district maintains 500 miles of canals to make sure no debris interferes with their access. Here’s the district’s advisory on “outdoor aesthetics”:
“Any people in Palm Beach County who live along a LWDD canal, in order to enhance their landscapes or properties, may plant vegetation or place other encroachments such as swing-sets, fences and sheds on the LWDD rights-of-way. Encroachments can cause canal blockages, obscure sightlines for visual inspections, slow the progression of drainage and impede access for maintenance and emergency response.
Some encroachments such as fences or boat docks may be permissible depending on the location and size of the canal. These encroachments must be permitted or licensed by the LWDD in strict adherence to the LWDD Right-of-Way Operating Policies Manual.
Do not waste your time or money by planting in the wrong place. Residents adjacent to an LWDD canal can contact us at info@lwdd.net to verify the location of property lines before installing any landscape enhancements.”
Included in the district’s boundaries are the following municipalities: Atlantis, Boca Raton, Boynton Beach, Delray Beach, Golf, Greenacres, Haverhill, Lake Clarke Shores, Lake Worth Beach, Palm Springs, Royal Palm Beach, Wellington and West Palm Beach.
