Repairing or rebuilding a dock after a storm

The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30. Based on the 1991 to 2020 period, an average season produces 14 named storms, 7 hurricanes, and 3 major hurricanes, according to the National Hurricane Center. A dock on Hilton Head's tidal water sits in the path of whatever surge and wind a storm brings.

Hurricane Matthew showed how far that can reach. The storm made landfall as a category 1 hurricane just south of McClellanville, SC, on October 8, 2016. The Hurricane Center's report says a National Weather Service survey found storm surge reached the Harbour Town Golf Course on Hilton Head, more than 500 feet inland from the small harbor and more than 1,000 feet from the coast. Several marinas on the island took damage from surge and waves together.

After a storm, the state's rules give you three paths, depending on how much of your dock is left.

Path 1: Maintenance and repair

SCDES says basic maintenance and repair may not require a new critical area permit. If you're unsure whether new deck boards or a new handrail count as basic repair at your dock, describe the work to the Bureau of Coastal Management before you start.

The Town of Hilton Head Island's flood protection guidance says to get a Town permit before you build, retrofit, or repair your home or business. Ask the Town whether your dock repair needs one. Any electrical work, such as rewiring a lift motor or dock lights, also needs a Town permit.

Path 2: Reconstruction of an intact dock (GP-25-DR)

SCDES created a general permit, GP-25-DR, for reconstructing previously permitted private recreational docks that are "generally intact and functional." It also covers joint-use docks and community docks that don't count as marinas.

• Fee. $250, non-refundable.
• Term. The permit is valid for 18 months.
• Notice. You notify all adjoining property owners and the local governing body by certified mail, and you run a public notice in a newspaper published in the county. SCDES can't issue the permit until the comment period ends.
• Placard. You must receive a Construction Placard from the Bureau of Coastal Management before work begins.

The notice steps take time. Gather your original permit number and drawings before you file.

Path 3: Rebuilding a destroyed dock

R.30-12 says a destroyed dock may be rebuilt to its previous configuration as long as reconstruction is completed within five years of the event, unless extenuating circumstances justify more time. A bigger pierhead or a new lift goes beyond the previous configuration, so the five-year rebuild rule won't cover that part. R.30-12 also says a grandfathered or previously permitted dock larger than current limits cannot be enlarged.

Count the time for drawings, permits, and a contractor's schedule before you decide five years leaves room to wait.

What to document right away

• Photos of the whole dock from the shore and from the water, before any cleanup.
• Your original permit number, drawings, and any later permits for additions.
• The date of the storm, which starts the five-year clock for a destroyed dock.
• A written assessment that separates the piles, the framing, the decking, and the hardware, so you know which parts can stay.

Community rules may also apply. In Sea Pines, the ARB guidelines make owners responsible for maintaining approved docks and say no dock may be built without ARB approval. Ask the ARB how it treats a rebuild.

Before the next storm

Hurricane season returns every June 1. A little preparation in spring makes the paperwork easier if a storm hits.

• Keep your records together. Store a copy of the original SCDES permit, the drawings, and any Town permits somewhere you can reach from off the island.
• Take baseline photos. Photograph the dock from the shore and the water each spring. Those photos show what the dock looked like before any damage, and they help show the previous configuration if you need to rebuild.
• Check your flood zone. On Hilton Head Island, the Town runs a flood hazard zone search, and its Floodplain Administrator answers questions about the flood maps. Beaufort County points owners elsewhere in the county to FEMA's flood maps.
• Know your lift. Read the manufacturer's instructions for storm preparation, and keep them with your records.

After a storm, shut off power to the dock before anyone inspects a damaged lift or dock lights, and have an electrician check the circuit before you turn it back on. The Town requires a permit for electrical work.

Choosing who does the work

In South Carolina, anyone offering contracting work above $10,000 for general contracting needs a state license, and the Marine classification covers docks. The guide to hiring a dock contractor explains how to check.

For the full permit sequence on a new dock, see the dock permit guide. To describe your damage and what you want to rebuild, send a request.