Fort Myers Beach Comprehensive Plan Archives

Residents created the Town of Fort Myers Beach (FL) in 1995 to take control of land-use decisions from Lee County. Spikowski Planning was the lead consultant in preparing an entirely new comprehensive plan.

The complete archives of the comprehensive planning process remain on-line here, including early drafts of each element of the new plan, summaries of public participation, details of the adoption process, and amendments to the plan up until the 2005 evaluation and appraisal report.

2010 Comprehensive Plan Amendments

During 2010, two amendments to the Fort Myers Beach Comprehensive Plan were considered and adopted on April 19, 2010:

Application 2010-01-MAP: Amend the Future Land Use Map to change the designations of 821 and 831 Estero Boulevard from Mixed Residential to Pedestrian Commercial, which was approved by Ordinance 10-02.
Application 2010-02-TEXT: Annual update to the five-year schedule of capital improvements, replacing page 11-28, which was approved by Ordinance 10-07.

Click here for replacement pages to update a printed copy of the entire plan.

2008-2009 Comprehensive Plan Amendments

During 2008 and 2009, thirteen separate amendments to the Fort Myers Beach Comprehensive Plan were considered and adopted. All of these amendments were initiated by the Town of Fort Myers Beach after completion of the Evaluation/Appraisal Report, which was adopted in January 2007.

Final adoption hearings were held on June 15, July 20, and August 17, 2009. Click here for a copy of Ordinance 09-03 which adopted all thirteen amendments, and click here for replacement pages to update a printed copy of the entire plan. Click here for a copy of the full package of materials sent to the Department of Community Affairs, including Ordinance 09-03 and all adopted amendments. Or click on each item below to review the full background material on just that item:

Application 2008-01-TEXT: Update the Capital Improvements Element to comply with new statutory requirements, including the annual update to the five-year schedule of capital improvements
Application 2008-02-TEXT: Add a new Public Schools Element to the comprehensive plan and make corresponding policy changes to the Intergovernmental Coordination and Capital Improvements Elements.
Application 2008-03-TEXT: Revise Policy 4-D-1 and revise or repeal Policy 5-C-7 regarding "repetitive loss" properties under the National Flood Insurance Program
Application 2008-04-TEXT: Clarify Policy 4-E-1 to maintain the original intention of pre-disaster buildback and to provide additional incentives
Application 2008-05-TEXT: Clarify Policy 4-C-6 so that it unquestionably applies to all guest units, not just to motel rooms
Application 2008-06-TEXT: Amend the Future Land Use Element to establish as town policy the desirability of retaining a wide variety of short-term lodging establishments that support the town's economy and walkability, and to specifically allow condominium ownership of lodging establishments provided they will be operated as hotels or motels
Application 2008-07-TEXT: Amend Policy 7-B-3 to make its second clause permissive rather than mandatory and to reference the potential for other reasons that might cause the town to negotiate turnover of maintenance responsibility for Estero Boulevard; amend Objective 7-E in a corresponding
Application 2008-08-TEXT: Delete Policy 7-H-3 regarding left-turns on Estero Boulevard as northbound traffic passes Times Square
Application 2008-09-TEXT: Modify Policy 7-J-2 to set a new date for modifying the land development code to require a useful traffic impact analysis for new developments
Application 2008-10-TEXT: Revise Objectives 9-E and 9-F to set a realistic timetable for the completion of a stormwater master plan
Application 2008-11/12-TEXT: Revise Policy 8-C-6 to delete references to the Public Service Commission and Florida Cities Water Company; update the text of the Utilities Element to reflect the town's acquisition of the potable water distribution system from Florida Cities; modify the Utilities Element to reflect the latest ten-year water supply plan; and make corresponding policy changes to the Conservation, Intergovernmental Coordination, and Capital Improvements Elements
Application 2008-13-TEXT: Modify the Coastal Management Element to reflect the state’s new definition of “coastal high-hazard area”
Application 2008-14-MAP: Modify the Future Land Use Map, Policy 4-B-2, and Chapter 1 to depict the state’s new definition of “coastal high-hazard area”

OTHER PLAN AMENDMENT DOCUMENTS: Earlier transmittal letter to reviewing agencies; interim response from Department of Community Affairs; formal report from Department of Community Affairs; memorandum responding to DCA report

2004-2005 Comprehensive Plan Amendments

Final public hearings were held on December 20, 2004 and January 3, 2005 to adopt Ordinance 04-13 to add the latest five-year schedule of capital improvements into the Fort Myers Beach Comprehensive Plan. Replacement pages that reflect this ordinance are now available. Background material can be downloaded. The LPA public hearing originally scheduled for September 14 was held on September 21 and the earlier Town Council public hearing was held on September 27, 2004 concurrently with annual budget hearings. Background material for both earlier hearings can also be downloaded.

On June 21, 2004, the Town Council adopted Ordinance 04-10 amending the Comprehensive Plan. Four applications for small-scale amendments to the Future Land Use Map were considered; two were approved and two were denied. Click here for a map showing the two amendments that were approved; click here for a revised Future Land Use Map for the entire town. Replacement pages for the Comprehensive Plan are available here and also from the town's web site.

On December 15, 2003, the Town Council held its final public hearing on a single 2003 amendment to the Fort Myers Beach Comprehensive Plan: Application 2003-1-TEXT, annual updating of the five-year schedule of capital improvements (Table 11-7, page 11-22). This amendment was adopted by Ordinance 03-13. Revised pages for the Comprehensive Plan can be downloaded by clicking here.

The Local Planning Agency discussed next year's comprehensive plan amendments and the upcoming Evaluation & Appraisal Report at its meeting on October 21, 2003. The Town Council will discuss these same subjects on November 17, 2003.

On June 2, 2003, the Town Council considered whether to accept applications for "small-scale development amendments" to the Comprehensive Plan more often than the current annual cycle for considering all other amendments. A memorandum providing background information on that issue can be downloaded by clicking here.

Three amendments were considered to the Comprehensive Plan on 2002; all were requested by the Town of Fort Myers Beach. The first public hearings were held on April 16, 2002, before the Local Planning Agency. The LPA recommended approval of the first and third applications; the public hearing on the second amendment was continued until May 21, 2002, when a formal recommendation was made. The next step in this process was a public hearing before the Town Council, which was held on June 17, 2002. At that public hearing, application 2002-2-TEXT was denied, the other two applications were tentatively approved and were transmitted to state and regional agencies for their review. Final public hearings were held on the two remaining applications on September 9 and 23 and both were approved; click here for a copy of the adopting ordinance, Ordinance 02-07. Revised pages for the Comprehensive Plan can be downloaded by clicking here; these pages will update previous printings of the Comprehensive Plan.

Copies of the background material on these proposals can be downloaded by clicking below:

Application 2002-1-TEXT: Annual updating of the five-year schedule of capital improvements (Table 11-7, page 11-22).

Application 2002-2-TEXT: Reconsider plan amendment 2000-2-TEXT, which had tightened the plan’s Chapter 15 provisions guaranteeing perpetual development rights on most substandard platted lots. (THIS APPLICATION HAS BEEN DENIED; NO FURTHER PUBLIC HEARINGS ARE SCHEDULED

Application 2002-3-TEXT: Revise the Recreation Element to establish policies regarding public acquisition of beachfront land.

Two previous amendments to the Comprehensive Plan were adopted by Ordinance 01-07 on September 24, 2001 (effective date November 21, 2001). Click here to download the final ordinance as adopted. Click here to download replacement pages for the Comprehensive Plan.

Copies of background material on these amendments can be download by clicking below:

Application 2001-1-TEXT: Annual updating of the five-year schedule of capital improvements (Table 11-7, page 11-22).

Application 2001-2-TEXT (requested by the Town of Fort Myers Beach): Consideration of amending Comprehensive Plan Policy 4-C-6 to encourage landowners along both sides of Old San Carlos Boulevard (see inset map) to build second and third stories over their storefronts without being limited by the current motel-room equivalency factor. Click here for a comparison of previous, current, and pending regulations along Old San Carlos, and click here for the final ideas on revising 2001-2-TEXT.

Application 2001-3-TEXT & MAP (requested by Seafarer’s 2000, Inc. & Seafarer’s 1997, Inc.): Consideration of amending Comprehensive Plan Policy 4-C-2, 4-C-5, 4-C-6, and/or the Future Land Use Map to increase the number of hotel rooms that can be built on the second and third stories of the properties near Times Square known as Seafarer’s Village and Helmerich Plaza. NOTE: this amendment was withdrawn by the applicant.

Two minor amendments to this comprehensive plan became effective on November 21, 2000. Download a copy of the replacement pages by clicking here. These amendments were in response to the following applications:

Application 2000-1-TEXT: Annual updating of the five-year schedule of capital improvements (Table 11-7, page 11-22).

Application 2000-2-TEXT: Reconsidering the plan’s Chapter 15 provisions for guaranteeing perpetual development rights on substandard platted lots.

Original Comprehensive Plan Archives

For this interested in background on the new Comprehensive Plan, click on any item below to review the complete archives of documents about comprehensive planning activities that have been undertaken by the Town of Fort Myers Beach since 1996:

Meeting of July 9, 1996
Meeting of July 23, 1996
Meeting of August 20, 1996
Meeting of September 3, 1996
Joint Meeting with Town Council on September 10, 1996
Outline on Land-Use Issues of Immediate Concern
Memo on Land Development Trends by Bill Spikowski
Memo on Option to Create a C.R.A. by Carol Cunningham
Memo on Option to Create a Stormwater Utility by Bill Spikowski
Memo on Level-of-Service Standards by Bill Spikowski
Meeting of September 17, 1996
Techniques for Land Development Regulations by Victor Dover
Meeting of September 24, 1996 on interim development regulations
Background report on Accessory Apartments by Bill Spikowski
Proposed Public Participation Plan by Carol Cunningham
Background report on Motel Densities by Bill Spikowski
Memo on Initial Approach on Accessory Apartments by Bill Spikowski
Background report on Effects of Mandatory Flood Regulations on Future Rebuilding by Bill Spikowski
"Work-in-Progress" Vision Statement by Carol Cunningham
Meeting of December 17, 1996
Proposed Public Participation Procedures dated 12/10/96 by Carol Cunningham
Proposed Vision Statement dated 12/10/96 by Carol Cunningham
Background report on Stormwater Management by Michael Heyl
Meeting of January 7, 1996
Initial Draft of Goals by Bill Spikowski and Carol Cunningham
Meeting of January 21, 1996
Announcement of "Designing Our Town" community design workshop
Review of Previous Community Design Studies by Carol Cunningham
Summary of Input From "Designing Our Town" Workshop by Carol Cunningham
Trend Toward Commercialization at Fort Myers Beach by Bill Spikowski
Meeting of March 4, 1997 (announcing traffic calming presentation by Walter Kulash)
Summary of Input From "Enhancing Our Resources" Workshop by Carol Cunningham
Transportation Element Proposals by Bill Spikowski
Proposed Policy on Accessory Apartments by Bill Spikowski
Remaining Public Participation Activities by Carol Cunningham
Review of Proposed Core Area Improvements by Carol Cunningham
Alternate Transportation Element Proposal by Bill Spikowski
Meeting of May 20, 1997
Meeting of June 3, 1997
Joint Workshop, LPA and Town Council, June 17, 1997
Discussion paper on Mother-in-Law Apartments by Bill Spikowski
Transportation subcommittee meeting of July 18, 1997
Meeting of September 2, 1997
Meeting of September 16, 1997
Meeting of October 7, 1997
Meeting of October 21, 1997
Meeting of November 25, 1997
Meeting of December 2, 1997
Meeting of December 16, 1997
Meeting of January 27, 1998
Meeting of February 3, 1998
Meeting of February 3, 1998
Meeting of February 17, 1998
Meeting of March 3, 1998
Meeting of March 19, 1998
Public comments from workshop of March 25, 1998
Meeting of April 7, 1998
Changes made by LPA prior to public hearing draft
Results of LPA public hearing of April 21, 1998
Supplement A for meeting of May 18, 1998
Supplement B for meeting of May 18, 1998
Supplement C for meeting of May 18, 1998
On February 22, 1999, the Florida Department of Community Affairs issued a notice of intent to find the new Comprehensive Plan in compliance with Florida's growth management laws and rules. A copy of the town's Response to DCA is also available here, in PDF format. This response summarizes most of the changes that were between the transmittal version of the plan and the final adopted version.

For everything else you might want to know about the Town of Fort Myers Beach, visit their web site.