Lee County offers permit office in Boca Grande Oct. 31

FORT MYERS – The Lee County Department of Community Development continues to operate temporary, remote permit offices in the county’s most affected areas. These offices have proved successful in assisting residents in unincorporated Lee County to apply for permits to repair existing buildings damaged by Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton.

The locations are as follows:

• NEW – Boca Grande
  • 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 31, at Unit 6 – Railroad Plaza, 480 East Railroad, Boca Grande, FL 33921
• Pine Island
  • 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays through the end of October at the Pine Island Public Library, 10701 Russell Road, Bokeelia, FL 33922.
  • 79 residents have been assisted at this location as of Wednesday, Oct. 23.

These remote locations have staff readily accessible to help residents navigate the permit process. The last customer sign-in for each location is at 2:30 p.m.

Residents must live in these areas to use the temporary locations. Residents acting as their own contractor can submit permit applications, have them reviewed and – in some cases – issued from the remote office. The applicants need their address, a description of the damage, estimated cost to repair, material cost documentation, and, if available, a floor plan.

Hired contractors are asked to continue to use the existing electronic permitting process. Residents seeking a full demolition or complete replacement of a structure will need to visit the main Department of Community Development permitting office at 1500 Monroe St., Fort Myers, FL 33091, for a permit.

Lee County Government is reminding residents in unincorporated areas to pull permits for work on their homes to repair storm damage caused by Hurricane Helene or Hurricane Milton. 

Any unincorporated Lee County residents or businesses within the Special Flood Hazard Area with any damage to their homes or businesses, including water intrusion and all drywall repairs, must obtain a permit for all repairs. Email FIRMinfo@leegov.com for assistance with permit requirements and resources, and be sure to include the following information:

• Contact information
• Property address
• Type of damage
• Height of the water that entered the home

Residents also can find more information at www.leegov.com/dcd/BldPermitServ/disaster-recovery. Or they can call 239-533-8948.

It is a priority of the Lee Board of County Commissioners following storm events to help the communities most impacted – and part of commissioners’ goal is to ensure residents understand the National Flood Insurance Program requirements that permits are necessary for even minor repairs. This is particularly critical for residents in the Special Flood Hazard Area, which encompasses much of unincorporated Lee County. Pulling proper permits helps ensure the county’s compliance with NFIP, and that in turn ensures residents are afforded the benefits of the program such as eligibility for federal flood insurance and certain types of federal disaster aid. 

For additional information and updates on any future temporary permit office locations, visit www.leegov.com/storm.