Only restaurants in Santini Plaza generate more interest than the Fort Myers Beach pier. Everyone wants to eat on the South End and everyone wants to know when the new pier will be built. The answer to both has been elusive.
On Wednesday we were the first to reveal the new renderings of the pier from Lee County on our Facebook page. The new pier will be 1,000 feet long and 12 feet wide. That’s 71% longer and 50% wider than the pier destroyed by the storm. The Board of County Commissioners approved over $17 million to build the longer and wider pier back in June of 2024. $11 million for the project will come from Tourist Development Council reserve funds. The balance will be paid by FEMA.
While it’s been 3 years since Hurricane Ian a big part of the delay blame has been placed at the feet of FEMA for taking so long to obligate the funds, and the Army Corps of Engineers, who take a painstakingly long time to approve permits, 16 months for this permit. The original target date for completion of the pier was Summer of 2028. Lee County Commissioner David Mulick said back in February that after pressure from the county, an entire year was shaved off from that timeline and the pier would be ready to walk on in the Summer of 2027.
Here’s what might derail Mulicka’s new shorter timeline.
It’s anticipated that Lee County will go before the Fort Myers beach LPA for a special exception “to allow the like-for-like reconstruction of the pier with elevated walkways, shade structures, lighting and fish cleaning stations in the EC zoning district seaward of 1978 CCCL.” And while town staff recommends approval of the special exception it’s under a condition that no work be done at all during turtle nesting season which is May 1st through October 31st. And failure to comply would render the special exception “null and void.”
I’m confused as to why we need a bigger pier? The only time there are more than a handful of people fishing is during the 3 months of peak season. The other nine months, the pier is almost vacant. With that said, why didn’t TC appeal to Lee County/FEMA to divert some of those funds to local residents, businesses and infrastructure to help rebuild? We need money for that, we don’t need a bigger pier or higher property taxes.
Omg. The work cannot stop once it starts. That will increase costs astronomically. Having a company stop its workforce & relocate for 6 months then move the equipment & staff back again. Maybe twice. Ridiculous. Just get it done.