I built a dock in my back yard without a permit.

[KB]

I live in Tampa on Rocky Creek. (Tampa Bay). Last weekend I built a dock.
Yesterday a guy from the E.P.C. came to my house & left his card w/ a person's name on the back of it, said to call him at Tampa Port Authority.
Somebody turned me in.
I think I have 2 option's, tear it down or get it permitted.
Basically what I put in the water is 4 telephone poles (in a square)to put boat in middle & tie it off.
And then built a 3 foot wide boardwalk along side 2 of the phone pole's to get in & out of boat.
It's a real basic dock , nothin fancy, not way out in the water, actually my neighbor's on both sides go out farther than mine.

 Has anyone been thru this w/ a dock before ?

[Smoknbanshee]

nope, but i would recommend contacting them.  maybe someone has some input, but if i was in your situation, i would probably play that I didn't fully understand that you had to permit for something so minor.

[Ida_Mann]

hey, that's my defense with the rangers in ONF ;-)

Id@

[MadMudder]

Wow. Do people have anything better to do then sit around and stick their nose where it doesnt belong? My god I hate when this kinda crap happens. I would just have it permitted and then take one of those telephone poles and cram it somewhere the sun dont shine....

[Young Gun]

I hate people who turn you in for the simplest things.  Just call the number and here what they have to say, dont want something like this to get into a big uproar since its so simple.  We dont have a permit for our dock but we live on a lake and that must have something to do with it.  Now if the dock was out very far and in other boat's way then its ok to turn someone in.

[Anoriginal]

I've been through it with several clients in the past. It is not something to scoff at. They can levy fines on you that are enormus. Depending on the location, certain environmental concerns (like radon, etc.) can be implicated when setting posts.

You better call them and work it out. It can get real expensive when you cross the DEP and EPC.

Now please don't beat me up for replying. lol

[jpease]

call them up. be very nice and play dumb. 

[KB]

 No there isn't any mangrove's on my property only further up the creek. The only thing we have growing in our backyard is some weed's and Australian pine tree's which aren't native.
 I'm gonna call/ go to Tampa Port Authority on Monday.
 I was on their web site this morning & can't believe how much they have control of. Even lake's around here. (Lake Thonotossassa & Lake Keystone) weird why the Port Authority has to do w/ lake's.

 I'll get it taken care of, just a little bit of time & money, I sure would like to know who turned me in though.
 Oh well, what come's around go's around.

[Mudneck]

I built a dock @ my old place in Lake Worth, PBC east coast without permit.I just needed to pay the fee show rough set plans on a survey from property. It took a couple weeks made me change a few things & it was done.Call them work it out.
I

[KB]

 Thank's everybody. It's turning out like Bushwacker said, just gotta replace a few of the P.T.4"x4"'s w/ pole's. Also 150.00 permit fee. They give you plenty of time to fix it. I'll try to post some pics. .

[MedicMudder]

There is a saying we use at the Fire Sta, "It is better to ask for For Forgiveness Than Permission".