Roundup: Parking, beach access in Boca Grande and on Gasparilla Island

Chronology of the parking issue

Below, a list of some stories on the issue, both recent and historical, in addition to official documents and letters relating to parking on the island. News stories are in reverse chronological order:

Sept. 26: Charlotte adds parking to legislative agenda
Sept. 26: County map shows 441 new island parking signs
Sept. 18: Lee Commission creates 15-member parking panel
Sept. 16: Lee County to recast parking committee (Video)
Sept. 11: Charlotte passes resolution on beach access
Aug. 22: Parking steps outlined by Lee County
Aug 8: Parking not enforceable without signage on island
Aug. 5: Boca Grande beach parking restrictions pass unanimously
Aug 4: Details for Lee County meeting, including video and in person
July 31: Renourishment shortfall with parking ordinance
July 25: Lee County releases final parking ordinance (includes agenda, ordinance)
July 11: Parking petition now has over 3,000 respondents
July 11: Surfrider Foundation: Prioritize public parking solutions
June 27: Responses to parking survey
June 27: Beacon obtains supporter signatory list of over 1,000
June 19: Boca Grande Chamber parking survey
June 19: Details of proposed parking ordinance
June 16: Ordinance (video) regarding Boca Grande parking
June 6: Parking draft differences in Men’s Club email
June 6: Lobbyists to Lee County on Parking Ordinance
May 31: A chronology of parking in Boca Grande
May 16: Maps detail island parking
May 13, 2025: Public forum on parking at Lighthouse United
April 25, 2025: Beach parking may change beach renourishment formula
April 17, 2025: Parking code change allows Health Clinic project
April 4, 2025: Boca Grande takes parking discussion to Ft. Myers
April 1, 2025: Video of Boca Grande Residents Addressing Parking Issue
March 30, 2025: Details on Proposed Boca Grande Parking Ordinance
March 28, 2025: Parking Ordinance on April 1 agenda
March 21, 2025: Parking ordinance delayed after promise for hearing
March 21, 2025: Newest draft version of parking ordinance
March 19, 2025: Boca Grande residents, attorneys, speak at Commission meeting (video)
March 7, 2025: Draft Gasparilla Island Parking Ordinance, dated 2-24-25
March 4, 2025: Church attorney, residents speak at Lee Commission meeting
March 1, 2025: Parking for God scheme resolved San Francisco mistrust
Feb. 21, 2025: Parking issue rises again at Lee County
Feb. 21, 2025: Churches speak out on parking after meeting
Feb. 19, 2025: Lee raises parking issue again (video YouTube link)
Sept. 20, 2024: Lee County wrote its own waiver for Community Center
July 26, 2024: Parking documents indicate downtown parking areas
July 19, 2024: Firm two-hour limit in draft parking docs in Public Records request
July 18, 2024: Q&A on public beach access from UVA professor
July 12, 2024: Draft parking docs include digital sign board and vendor run ‘lot management’
July 11, 2024: Merchants hold impromtu meetup on parking
June 28, 2024: Parking Panel members resign from committee
June 21, 2024: Tourist guide to public parking on Gasparilla Island
June 13, 2024: Retailers fear more parking restrictions will drive away customers
June 7, 2024: Lee Commissioners vote, add last minute discussion of parking changes
June 7, 2024: Major parking rule changes discussed at Tuesday Lee meeting
June 4, 2024: Lee County pursues public parking restrictions across Boca Grande (Inside story, link to YouTube video of Lee County Board).
May 31, 2024: Officials consider new regulations on town parking
April 25, 2024: Churches send unified message on need for daytime parking
April 25, 2024: Timeline of parking discussions in Boca Grande
Feb. 15, 2024: Fifth Street beach access remains closed
Nov. 17, 2023: Parking Panel to meet again with Ruane
Sept. 22, 2023: County says Fifth Street beach access closed as a precaution
Oct. 26, 2023: Meeting between Ruane and Parking Panel scheduled for November 2
Oct. 19, 2023: Gilchrist parking is back, Parking Panel attends Lee Commissioners October meeting
April 19, 2019: Lee County updates parking ordinances
Oct. 28, 2018: Lee County Commissioners uphold parking on the median
March 23, 2018: Parallel parking mandated on beach access streets
March 10, 2017: New signage proposed on beach access parking
Dec. 16, 2016: GICIA assists with palm tree planting on Gilchrist Avenue
Dec. 2, 2016: New Gilchrist plantings ahead of schedule
Oct. 28, 2016: Lee Commissioners strike Gilchrist from agenda
March 16, 2016: Advisory board meeting at Community Center
Dec. 4, 2015: A Gilchrist Avenue parking timeline, 2003-2015
July 24, 2015: GICIA advisory board formed to investigate ordinance revision
April 24, 2015: Gilchrist Neighborhood Association stance on Gilchrist parking
April 10, 2015: Parking prohibited on two southern-most median strips by GICIA

Official Documents

View looking north, public parking at Gasparilla Island State Park’s Range Light, mid island.

Aug. 5, 2025 Ordinance, as filed with Florida
Lee County Parking Ordinance (old)
Lee County Plan (amended May 2024)
Boca Grande Community Plan (Sept. 30, 2004)
Waiver for Boca Grande Community Center (July 12, 2024)
2024 Gilchrist Parking Study

Public Records Requests Documents

2025 Draft Ordinance (unadopted and circulated, but not official)
Administrative Code 11-9 (an unadopted draft code, referenced in our July 19, 2024 story)
Draft ordinance (a proposed update of a parking ordinance, referenced in our July 26 story)
Parking Panel resignation letter (June 28, 2024)

Position Letters

2025: Woman’s Club Statement/Letter To Members
2025: GICIA Statement on ordinance
2024 position letter from The Gasparilla Inn; May 14 memo regarding drafting of plan from The Gasparilla Inn
2025: Letter from The Gasparilla Inn to Commissioner Ruane
2024: Three Churches letter to Lee County regarding parking
2024: April letter to Lee County from The Gasparilla Inn
2023: Position letter from the Boca Grande Chamber of Commerce

Boca Beacon Editorials

Off to see the Wizard: Boca Grande goes to the Lee Commission, April 4, 2025
Welcome to the island that does not seem to be welcoming, March 21, 2025
The Gilchrist Potato Sticks, and other visual snacks, March 7, 2025
Parking passes needed for a sunset, Feb. 21, 2025
Questions before a possible October Surprise, Sept. 20, 2024
Where are the $igns to our $leepy little town?, July 12, 2024
Inventory of island parking needed, July 5, 2024
Let’s start by curbing the ‘curb lawns’ in Boca Grande, June 21, 2024
Quiet Gilchrist, overflowing Gasparilla Island State Park, June 13, 2024
The issue of parking raised again, June 6, 2024
Take down the fence on Fifth Street, May 30, 2024
Parking subterfuge and precedents, Oct. 19, 2023
Parking passes needed, for a sunset?, Feb. 21, 2025

State & Federal Resources

Florida Department of Environmental Protection map of officially defined state public access points. Also included are amenities for each access point, parking and ownership.
Justice Department, Place to Worship Initiative

Community Comment: A sampling of letters to the editor

South Beach weighs in on effect of restrictive parking, May 31, 2025
Temp, Hudson’s and Sisters on a beach visit, April 24, 2025
Taking the Christ out of Gilchrist: Churches respond to Gilchrist concerns, March 28, 2025
Input not sought from island businesses, Duane Zobrist, Gasparilla Adventures, March 13, 2025
Need for a parking plan, Feb. 28, 2025
Parking meters would destroy character of Boca Grande, Sept. 20, 2024
Boca Grande church access not just about Sunday mornings, July 8, 2024
Families need access to beaches, June 21, 2024
Questions on Boca Grande town residents and parking, June 14, 2024
Regional development and demand for parking, Oct. 26, 2023
Turning into Coney Island? Oct. 26, 2023
Why does the county allow Curb Lawns to occur? June 3, 2016

Florida and regional beach parking

Sarasota, Ft. Myers relax parking restrictions, Jun 21, 2024

Cleanups, beach renourishment & restoration

Beach parking may change renourishment funding, April 24, 2025
State Beach renourishment begins this week, Feb. 20, 2025
Bids out on Gasparilla Island State Park renourishment, June 21, 2024
Army Corps, Lee County agree on beach renourishment pact, May 19, 2022