Waterways and communities
Babylon's waterfront is a dense grid of residential canals running south to the Great South Bay, from Amityville and Copiague through Lindenhurst and West Babylon to Babylon Village, plus the barrier beach at Oak Beach and Gilgo. Canal-front houses share walls and returns with their neighbors. DEC filings here include replacing failed bulkheads and closing old boat slips with new bulkhead and fill.
- Amityville
- Copiague
- Lindenhurst
- West Babylon
- Babylon Village
- Oak Beach
- Gilgo
Local permits in Babylon
Town rule: barges, cranes and floating equipment (§ 86-8C)
It's unlawful to store, tie or moor a barge, crane or floating equipment at any dock or bulkhead on residentially zoned property in the Town unless it's being used for work under a Town building permit, a dredging permit (Town Clerk), or a NYSDEC or Army Corps permit.
- In practice, a contractor can't stage equipment at your bulkhead until the permits are issued. Ask for the permit numbers before the barge arrives.
- The rule was added in 2019 (L.L. No. 12-2019).
Source: Town of Babylon Code Ch. 86, Boats, § 86-8 (ecode360).
Docking permits for Town structures (§ 86-8A–B)
Tying up at a Town-owned bulkhead or dock needs a permit from the Commissioner of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs. So does letting someone else's boat dock at a bulkhead on vacant residential property.
- This matters if you plan to keep a boat elsewhere while your own bulkhead is being rebuilt.
Source: Town of Babylon Code Ch. 86, Boats (ecode360).
Villages: The villages of Amityville, Lindenhurst and Babylon have their own building departments. Confirm whether your local permit comes from the village or the Town before work is scheduled.
State layer: most replacements here can use DEC's bulkhead general permit (in place or landward, up to 18 in. higher, no application fee) unless the site is near vegetated tidal wetlands or eelgrass or in an erosion hazard area. Check if you qualify.
Flooding and wall height in Babylon
These canals are low and tidal, and a wall that's lower than its neighbors lets water through at every high tide. DEC's general permit allows a replacement up to 18 inches higher than the existing wall, so a canal where several neighbors raise together fixes more flooding than one house raising alone.
What drives the price in Babylon
Equipment staging is the hidden cost on Babylon canals. Narrow canals, low bridges and the § 86-8C barge rule can all affect access and timing, and that gets priced in. Closing an unused boat slip adds new bulkhead footage and fill, but it can remove a failing return and give back yard space.
Island-wide ranges: bulkhead cost guide & calculator.
Services in Babylon
Babylon bulkhead & dock FAQ
Why can't the contractor leave the barge at my bulkhead before the job starts?
Town Code § 86-8C bars barges, cranes and floating equipment at residential docks and bulkheads unless they're working under a building, dredging, DEC or Army Corps permit. Permits first, barge second.
Can I fill in my old boat slip when I replace the bulkhead?
It's been done in Babylon. DEC has reviewed applications to close slips with new bulkhead and fill. It needs state tidal-wetland and navigable-waters review, so plan on the individual-permit timeline, not the general permit.
My neighbor's bulkhead is failing. What can I do?
Talk to them early. Canal walls are tied together at the returns, and a joint replacement is cheaper per foot and gets permitted together. If they won't act, a contractor can design a return that protects your side.