The game of chicken has started between the Town of Fort Myers Beach and FEMA. Despite a July letter that demanded the town make sure all trailers and containers are off the beach by November 18th, the town is now moving forward with its code violation process.
Businesses like La Ola and The Goodz and the Beach Baptist Church all received Notice of Violation letters from the town last month and now have two choices; either get off the island or go before a Special Magistrate and plead their case.
The problem with the town’s process is it’s unclear if FEMA cares and will eventually penalize residents that are in the National Flood Insurance Programs. FEMA wants the trailers and containers off the island to prevent the possibility of future property damage from severe weather. The town has tried to argue for an extension now that hurricane season is coming to an end and these businesses need a strong spending season to help recoup some of their financial losses from recent storms. FEMA has made it clear that the ecomonic situation of Fort Myers Businesses is none of their concern.
The town has contracted with a 3rd party Special Magistrate who will hear the cases and rule whether the trailers and containers can stay. The town has also issued itself a notice of violation for the trailers town hall operates out of. One of the additional goals of setting a Special Magistrate process was to buy businesses more time to get into this upcoming season. It’s unclear when the first hearing will be. Trailers that cannot be hooked up to a light pickup truck and moved off the island quickly were given until November 18th to be removed completely.
The town previously told businesses as long as they had a plan in permitting to rebuild a brick-and-mortar they could remain in their trailers or containers until September of 2025. That plan was upended when FEMA notified the town of the November 18th deadline back in July.
Vice Mayor Jim Atterholt is hopeful that an administration change will alter the way FEMA acts toward Fort Myers Beach especially with Senator Rick Scott on the committee that oversees the beleaguered organization. We have not heard of any changes as a result of the upcoming change in the administration as of yet. All of the national changes officially take place in January.
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