Fort Myers Beach

Lee County as a whole had its property values raise 6 percent over last year. For Fort Myers Beach it was 48 percent.

Destroyed by Hurricane Ian almost two years ago, the popular Fort Myers Beach pier will be rebuilt, but this time as a wider, longer, costlier — and more sturdy — attraction.The Lee Board of County Commissioners voted Tuesday to direct staff to rebuild the pier to 1,000-feet-long and 12-feet-wide — nearly twice the original 585-foot length longer and 50% wider than the 8-foot-wide pier destroyed by Hurricane Ian.

Lee County's Board of County Commissioners approved an agreement Tuesday for the restoration and nourishment of more than 5 miles of Estero Island beach. The county's portion of the interlocal agreement with the Town of Fort Myers Beach is based on a percentage not to exceed $9.2 million, funded through tourist development tax.

Design contracts have been awarded for two popular Fort Myers Beach sites that were destroyed by Hurricane Ian in September 2022.At the Lee Board of County Commissioners meeting Tuesday, the board voted to award contracts for the Fort Myers Beach Fishing Pier and nearby Lynn Hall Memorial Park, both just off the Times Square area.

A flood insurance issue that could end up costing millions for residents in unincorporated Lee County and several of the county's cities will be aired Tuesday at the Board of County Commissioners meeting.At stake is federal flood insurance community ratings in unincorporated Lee County and multiple municipalities in the county. FEMA confirmed Monday that unpermitted work, lack of documentation, and failure to properly monitor the rebuilding of properties in flood hazard areas in the post-Hurricane Ian world is why the federal government has chosen to significantly downgrade those ratings.That means federal flood insurance policy holders — there are more than 51,000 in unincorporated Lee County alone — will lose their 25 percent discounts on flood insurance premiums come Oct. 1. Some 64,000 policy holders in Bonita Springs, Estero and Cape Coral will no longer quality for the discounts until possibly spring 2026.The matter will be discussed in further detail when the Lee County Board of County Commissioners meet for their regular board meeting at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday.

The Fort Myers Beach recovery is well underway. Publisher Karen Moore recently got the latest updates at a gathering of local business owners and professionals.

The blessing of the historic shrimping fleet is an annual tradition on Fort Myers Beach. After the devastation of Hurricane Ian, the shrimping fleet could use some blessings for even more hurdles ahead.

New trailers for the Fort Myers Beach Town Hall will open Monday, March 4 at 7:30 a.m.

Local and state officials reviewed their experiences and lessons learned recently. Here are some of the takeaway notions from Karen Moore, publisher of Southwest Florida Business Today.

Approximately 50 to 200 trucks are expected to deliver sand to help restore sections of beach on Estero Island affected when Hurricane Ian ravaged Fort Myers Beach in 2022.