Waterways and communities
Brookhaven stretches across the Island. On the south side, the Great South Bay and Bellport Bay meet the Moriches canals at Mastic Beach, Shirley and Center Moriches. On the north side, Port Jefferson Harbor, Mount Sinai Harbor and Stony Brook Harbor open onto Long Island Sound. The Town also covers part of Fire Island, which has its own bulkhead height rule.
- Mastic Beach
- Patchogue
- Port Jefferson
- Bellport
- Shirley
- Mastic
- Center Moriches
- East Moriches
- Blue Point
- East Patchogue
- Brookhaven Hamlet
- Mount Sinai
- Miller Place
- Stony Brook
- Setauket
- Old Field
- Poquott
- Belle Terre
Local permits in Brookhaven
Town wetlands and waterways permit (Chapter 81)
Chapter 81 regulates work in and near the Town's wetlands and waterways, including docks and bulkheads. Applications go through the Director of the Division of Environmental Protection. For Category A permits, the Town Board holds a public hearing.
- The chapter's stated policy is to use non-structural erosion control wherever it's practicable and effective, and to design any structural shore protection to minimize harm to beaches, wetlands and other natural features.
Source: Town of Brookhaven Code Ch. 81: Wetlands and Waterways (ecode360).
Bulkhead standards (§ 81-14)
South Shore: new bulkheads and other structural shore protection are prohibited unless the Director of Environmental Protection deems them necessary to protect public health and safety or prevent significant damage to property, and they must sit at or above the apparent high-water mark.
- New or reconstructed bulkheads can't be built on Town-owned underwater land unless the Town Board first issues an encroachment agreement.
- South Shore bulkheads can be no more than 3 feet high, measured from the apparent high-water mark to the top of the wall.
- On the north shore of Fire Island, new or reconstructed bulkheads may go to 6 feet above the apparent high-water mark (higher if a licensed engineer justifies it).
- After construction, a 10-foot-wide buffer without turf grass or non-native plants must be established behind the wall.
Source: Town of Brookhaven Code § 81-14 (ecode360).
Residential dock standards (§ 81-14)
Brookhaven sets specific limits on residential docks:
- Only one residential dock per lot with riparian rights, and no more than two boats tied to it.
- Outside the Port Jefferson Harbor Complex, the dock may be no longer than needed to reach 3 feet of water below the apparent low-water line, and never more than 150 feet or 15% of the waterway's width, whichever is less.
- No part of the dock, and no boat tied to it, within 10 feet of the seaward extension of any property line.
- Catwalks, docks and ramps to a float can be at most 4 feet wide. Over vegetated wetlands or buffer areas, they must be at least 4 feet above grade with open-grate decking.
- Floats: at most 8 feet wide and 20 feet long, no more than two per dock, and always at least 6 inches off the bottom at any tide.
- Using the bulkhead itself as a dock: no more than two boats, none within 10 feet of the property-line extensions, and boats tied perpendicular can't stick out more than 15% of the waterway's width.
Source: Town of Brookhaven Code § 81-14 (ecode360).
Villages: Villages including Patchogue, Bellport, Port Jefferson, Old Field, Poquott and Belle Terre run their own permits. The unincorporated hamlets file with the Town.
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.
What drives the price in Brookhaven
Because the code effectively limits new South Shore bulkheads, replacing an existing, lawful wall is the realistic path for most owners, and the 3-foot height cap and 10-foot buffer shape the design. The dock rules (open-grate decking over wetlands, float size limits) affect material choice and cost. North Shore harbor jobs face more wave energy and often need longer piles than a Moriches canal.
Island-wide ranges: bulkhead cost guide & calculator.
Services in Brookhaven
Brookhaven bulkhead & dock FAQ
Can I put a bulkhead where there isn't one now?
On Brookhaven's South Shore, new bulkheads are prohibited unless the Director of Environmental Protection finds one necessary to protect public health and safety or prevent significant property damage (§ 81-14). DEC review applies too.
How high can my bulkhead be?
On the South Shore, no more than 3 feet above the apparent high-water mark, measured to the top of the wall. On the north shore of Fire Island, up to 6 feet, or higher if a licensed engineer justifies it.
What are the rules for my dock?
One dock per lot, at most two boats, 4 feet wide maximum, kept 10 feet off the seaward extension of your property lines, and no longer than 150 feet or 15% of the waterway's width. Over vegetated wetlands it must be at least 4 feet above grade with open-grate decking.