The Town of Fort Myers Beach has reconsidered the permit process for placement of temporary structures and decided to suspend the $100 permit fee until further notice.
If a property owner has already paid the fee, they should contact the Town for a refund at 239-765-0202 during business hours, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
“Temporary structures” include trailers, manufactured homes and other temporary units that people are living in, working in, or using for storage on their properties while they rebuild from the damage caused by Hurricane Ian.
In June 2023, the Town Council passed Ordinance 23-05 for placement of temporary structures that some residential and commercial owners are using, including FEMA and FDEM temporary structures.
The council took action after Hurricane Ian to allow temporary structures to be registered with the Town to assist property owners to rebuild and to help keep track of the number of temporary structures and their locations.
Property owners -- residential or business — who are using temporary structures now need to apply for a Temporary Placement Permit.
The registration that was required for currently registered structures and future applications at that time has now been formalized as a permit process.
Ordinance 23-05 says:
- This applies to Commercial, Institutional, or Residential Zoning District for displaced owner-occupants or tenants if their existing living unit(s) has/ have become uninhabitable due Hurricane Ian.
- The Temporary Placement permit shall be issued in increments of 6 months by resubmitting a new Temporary Placement Permit application.
- The permit shall not be issued for a period exceeding eighteen months.
- The Town may grant an extension if the permit holder demonstrates that a significant hardship exists by showing that they have exercised all due diligence in obtaining permits for either repair or replacement of the affected structure meaning that you would have to eventually apply for a building permit for the destroyed dwelling unit.
- The temporary unit shall be removed from the site within thirty (30) days after issuance of a certificate of occupancy or certificate of use associated with the approved permit, or at the time of the expiration of the TPP, whichever is earlier.
- TPP shall not be used for the purpose of placing and operating a Short Term Rental.
Please refer to the Temporary Placement Permit application for submittal requirements, regulations and restrictions.
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