It’s a no-go for the temporary trailers at the Wyndham property on the south end of Fort Myers Beach. Property owner John Callis was hoping to open a temporary setup with 5 trailers as he worked his Development Order, for a larger project, through the process.
There appears to be a lot of support from south end residents and visitors for the temporary setup which included food and drink trucks and an area for live entertainment. However, In August of 2025, the town adopted a resolution to end any new Temporary Placement Permits and gave Town Manager Will McKannay the authority to extend permits that already existed. To get the extension, property owners had to prove they were on a solid path to rebuild their business. There are currently 12 businesses with Temporary Placement Permits that are being reviewed by the Town Manager. The Wyndham was never issued a Tempoarary Placement Permit.
On our Facebook page this week, we asked for feedback about the temporary setup on the property. A majority of the responses were in favor. Barbara Kompelien writes, “Yes definitely. The south end needs some food resources and some entertainment. You now have to leave by 1:30 to get north at a decent time.” And from Luke Williams: “Yes. The south end needs this. Regardless of what could have happened better in the past and what could possibly happen in the future this is a venue that we need right now.” The south end has been in desperate need of restaurants since Hurricane Ian. Before the storm The Wyndham was one of several popular locations on the sand that residents and visitors on that end of the island could hang out at without having to travel to the north end or to Bonita.
There is also opposition to the Temporary Permit, especially to a parking lot with over 100 spaces. Again, from our Facebook survey: Rainy Ingle Kitkowski wites, “I live on Bay Beach Lane / full time resident and the Town Manager should NOT issue a temporary permit for this ever! No large paid parking lot and mobile restaurants. Build a permanent structure /something that contributes to the tax base. If they can’t afford to do that, sell the property to someone that can. Don’t ruin the south end of the island.” And from Diane Mary: No! Too many food trucks! So you can pay too much to sit at a picnic table in the sun with no atmosphere and listen to the smelly generators. No thank you.”
Several LPA members also voiced concern over the project this week during a meeting on Tuesday. Jim Dunlap said there was “suspicious concern.” It took several years, and a lot of pushing and prodding to get the Callis family to demolish the Wyndham building, which was absolutely hammered by Hurricane Ian and left unsecured for a very long time. LPA Chair Anita Cereceda says these Temporary Placement Permits are “a huge mistake for the town. They just just keep delaying us so dramatically. It doesn’t help us push forward.”
The town issued a statement to Beach Talk Radio yesterday about the Temporary application the Wyndham submitted. “We are grateful for the Wyndham’s contributions to the town’s recovery and value them as an important part of our community. We also understand why residents want to see them host food trucks. However, we want to be clear, we’re not authorized to issue a temporary permit there. Those permits were only available to properties that already had one during hurricane recovery. Wyndham didn’t, so there’s nothing to reopen or extend. Any new activity on that site is considered new, and new means it goes to the Town Council in a public meeting where the whole community gets a say.”
“It is important to note that the food truck park (across from the old Town Hall property on the North End) submitted an extensive commercial development plan. The process took months of work, and they followed the proper procedures by filing the necessary paperwork and required amendments. They met the appropriate standards. We’re happy to help Wyndham navigate that process. But we can’t skip it.”
The bigger plan, which takes longer to wind its way through the permitting process, is a Development Agreement for a mobile restaurant, a 7,200 square foot tiki structure, 18,000 square feet for up to 9 trailers and a commercial parking lot. That parking lot would be paved with 58 of 260 spots set aside for restaurant customers, and a recreational area on the beach.
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I think a lot of people are misinformed about what they want to do with the Wyndham property. I was at the town counsel meeting this week and learned a little more than I knew. The situation with the food trucks and Tiki Bar is only temporary. They are planning a brick and mortar building and hotel. They{the family that owns the property} are paying taxes and have been invested in fmb for years. They are finding a temporary fix for a very wanted island need. I hope they get some cooperation and do something for income while they are getting their ducks in a row to build the permenant structure. PS There are not going to be generators running as the have stated all the utilities are still there and if they do need something like that, they shut down at 9:00 pm. I’m sure there will be more information forthcoming.
We are not residents, much to our disappointment, but we rent at Sandarac each November. When we read of this proposal, we were very disappointed. The thought of all of those generators and the people flooding the beach made us hesitant to book for November 2026. We’re glad now that we did book!
As a homeowner at the Sand Caper for over 40 years, I have witnessed the evolution of the south end of Estero Island. While I support the revitalization of the Wyndham property, the current proposal for high-density, transient-focused beach access poses a significant threat to the infrastructure, environment, and quality of life for long-term residents.
Primary Concerns:
Transient Traffic Surge: The shift from a multi-day hotel model (where guests stayed on-site) to a high-turnover “day-use” parking model will create a traffic bottleneck worse than Lynn Hall Park. With over 100 spots, the daily “trip count” will exponentially exceed historical levels.
Infrastructure Deficit: Replacing 109 hotel-room bathrooms with only six public stalls for hundreds of daily visitors is a recipe for a sanitation crisis. Furthermore, placing high-volume restaurant dumpsters just 75 feet from our residential BBQ patio creates a direct health and odor nuisance.
Environmental Strain: Our proximity to the Little Estero Island Critical Wildlife Area (CWA) makes this density dangerous. We already see unauthorized activity in the lagoon; tripling the foot traffic without a management plan will devastate this preserve.
Recommendations for a More “Enthusiastic” Community Fit:
Rather than a “high-impact/low-amenity” parking lot and trailer park concept, we believe the following uses would better serve the south end and earn the support of the neighborhood:
Boutique Low-Density Lodging: A return to a traditional hotel or “cottage-style” resort. This ensures guests are invested in the property for multiple days, reducing traffic “churn” and ensuring a higher level of environmental stewardship.
Neighborhood-Centric Dining: A permanent, sit-down restaurant with indoor/outdoor seating that caters to the “South End” residents. We welcome food and drink, provided it includes adequate permanent facilities (bathrooms, cooling, and sound buffering) rather than a transient “festival” atmosphere.
Wellness or Community Space: A small-scale fitness/wellness center or a multi-use “South End Hub” that provides services currently missing from this end of the island, reducing the need for residents to drive North for basic amenities.
Enhanced Nature Buffer: Instead of maxing out parking, a “Living Shoreline” or educational boardwalk area would buffer the lagoon, protect the CWA, and add value to the surrounding properties.
We respectfully request a Traffic Impact Study, an Environmental Impact Study, and a Services Impact Study before any permits are moved forward.
We desire a neighbor that adds value, not just volume.
So that project is dead in the water. What’s going on with the South Beach Grill.? Doesn’t seem to be any progress going on. Is it town permit nonsense?
Please excuse my ignorance, but is the South End under the 4 story restrictions.
Seems as though with the already multi story structures it wouldn’t accomplish much and would only further restrict new construction.
Recall Cabal’s recipe for island stagnation …
Extremely high , prohibitive property costs post-Ian.
The unfortunate reality that density (and height) are absolutely necessary for financial feasibility.
Absence of long term vision.
A futile, delusional and unrealistic desire for only pre-Ian type buildings & developments that fit the quaint island style the cabal demands.
Any councilor that disagrees with the recall cabal will be badgered, ridiculed, harassed and personally attacked.
Any councilor not in agreement with the Cabal will risk being recalled.
Result: Empty lots, slow growth, slow recovery, developers not developing their prime location properties.
Interesting comments ….
Totally agree with “C” …
Developers are vultures, swept in after the devastation, didn’t care how much they paid —- “assuming” they would get “Carte Blanche” on anything asked for given this Islands’ state….
What they paid is not our concern – it’s their problem !
For once, instead of hurry up and build, consider the consequences on the infrastructure long term – instead of fast-forward to only backtrack and fix the problems you created !!!
Totally agree with C, the Island cannot have these mammoth projects. It’s not just an infrastructure concern it’s also an environmental concern.
London Bay should be ashamed of proposing for the residential south end a tent city with food truck.Chaos of traffic and noise. No concern for residents, just profit.
They wouldn’t dare present such a horrible plan for their Vanderbilt Beach or other ritzy properties.
This is about the developer seeking to profit with no investment on the back of our community.
That’s not London Bay. London Bay owns outrigger property. The owners of the Wyndham are the ones that want the tent city
Thank God it’s a no go!! I live on the south end and I sure don’t want to see food trailers on the beach. It’s time to get over the height issue and move on so that the island looks nice!! Enough is enough with these people that are complaining of height. There is no way around it and we need to move forward not settle for a food truck park!!!!
Correction taxable land value is capped at 10% maximum per year to 16 million dollars.
2025 taxable land value almost 33 million–tripled since 2022–2025 property taxes over $300,000—-think thats fair?
Speaking from experience, you don’t want a food truck park in your neighborhood. They’re loud, they stink, and there are ongoing traffic & parking problems — that is unless a cheap, transient look is what you’re going for.
So the “bigger plan” is just trailers in a mobile restaurant? Not even a brick and mortar building like a motel/hotel or restaurant? I thought that was the temporary plan.
It’s amazing how prime beachfront property on Estero is sitting undeveloped and unsold (Gulfview Manor, Strandview).
Property owners are in a tough position. They suggest anything over two or three stories and the people freak out and it goes nowhere.
AMEN!!!!!
I second that! What a horrible plan and eyesore. Can we please take some pride in the rebuilding of this beautiful island.
You can take pride in rebuilding if everything that you propose and is financially viable gets voted down. The developers are saying they need more density to make the numbers work. You typically gain the density by going up and like Chris mentioned everyone complains if you want to build anything over two or three stories so it will just have to sit empty or have parking lots and food truck parks on it.
The developers are the ones who overpaid for the property. The residents should not be the ones who pay for those mistakes. If the developers would put aside their requirement to profit from day one, and instead build to become a landmark of this unique community that profits handsomely over time, things would move a lot smoother. But the developers don’t give a sh!t about the community. You can tell by their ridiculous notions of what a public benefit is. They want to slap up whatever is going to boost their bottom line immediately, then laugh and say “suckers” as they look at FMB in their rear view mirror.
You are incorrect. Every commercial project that has been voted on by the Town has been approved, and they have all been either with increased density or height, or both. The lack of commercial rebuilding is not due to any refusal to approve by the Town.
You people down here are so NARROW~MINDED!!!!! Shame on you for not having any insight as to what the beach “could” look like, as opposed to right now! And it’s only going to happen with these baby steps! And, as far as you people at Bay Beach Lane, it seems to me that no one wants to purchase there, ANYWAY!!! There are a TON of condos for sale ~ for one thing, you’re not even CLOSE to the beach ~so, why are you all bent out of shape because of a few temporary trailers??!
Fort Myers Beach will always look like “the projects,” because of pull back from people like YOU!!!!! (but, I’ll bet you just LOVE that Santini is finally getting in shape! And, look how long THEY have had to wait!!!!!
Face it, people ~ this place is always gonna be a constant reminder of Ian, because you just won’t relinquish your pacifiers!!!!! GROW UP and accept new beginnings instead of whining about the processes that must happen, to accomplish this!!!
Michelle, asking questions about a proposal isn’t “narrow-minded” — it’s responsible when the future of the island is involved.
The current plan being discussed doesn’t even show where the five food trucks would be located. The site plan only identifies the bar, restrooms, storage, and office. That’s a fair and reasonable question for the community to ask before something is approved.
It’s also being described as “temporary,” yet the proposal includes a large tiki structure with a significant construction cost. That doesn’t exactly align with the idea of something short-term.
This property was once a hotel and restaurant contributing meaningful tax revenue to the town. Replacing that with a parking lot and food truck park would generate far less for Fort Myers Beach — and the town is already struggling financially. If we don’t want taxes increasing on residents, properties like this ultimately need to return to productive uses that support the tax base.
We’re also currently lacking the hotel rooms that once helped the south end thrive, even during the off-season. Those visitors supported local businesses year-round. Losing that kind of lodging capacity only makes the slow season slower.
And realistically, the south end is very quiet in the summer, with many surrounding condo owners being seasonal residents. That raises legitimate questions about whether this type of use makes sense there long term.
Everyone wants Fort Myers Beach to move forward. But asking for clear plans and thoughtful redevelopment isn’t negativity — it’s how strong communities rebuild.
The south end are not narrow minded people. They want actual buildings built back and support growth including buildings built over 4 stories. Nice resorts. The narrow minded people are the recall folks that won’t support the bigger projects. It costs money to run a town, which is collected in a variety of taxes. Outrigger and Wyndham are gone along with many other smaller vacation rentals. To build back to code on the beach in an high velocity zone and stay at 4 stories, it’s not feasible for a developer. If things are not built, current owner taxes will have to increase significantly to support the loss or the town will go broke without building back places that bring tax revenue in. Other county agency’s will slow walk or reduce town improvement projects such as roads, cross walks, lights, parks with the reduced bed tax brought in. Are you willing to have your taxes go higher to make up the difference? A food truck park does nothing to increase that revenue. Your comment about the beach looking like the projects is spot on with a trashy parking lot and roach coach trucks. Maybe you should educate yourself in economics. Yes there are many condos for sale on the south end due to extensive costs from hurricane Ian for repairs and many owners on fixed incomes or just aging out are driving many of the sales. Try educating yourself on facts before ranting.
Yes you are so right
Not open minded? LMAO. I am 46 years old and have owned in FMB for 6 years and lived in SWFL for 23…We don’t want dumpy ass temp buildings. Tides will turn and those who dont have the means to develop will sell to those who can.
Glad the town stuck to their guns and prevented tent city shanty town. Its 2026 not 2022….much different story if they immediately cleaned up the property after the storm and applied for temp permits to bring in cash flow and begin rebuilding plans immediately. This was a loophole money grab. Either you have the capital or loans to build now or you don’t…..