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June 12, 2023 / Issue #2023-8
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CongratulationsLee Board of County Commissionersfor the start of the Big Carlos Pass Bridge Project celebrated with a groundbreaking on Thursday, June 15
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Thanks to all who participated
The waterway cleanup of the Fort Myers Beach Yacht Basin and Estero Bay was a huge success! Volunteers picked up 8,367 pounds of trash and debris using 30 kayaks, 10 boats, and 40 walkers and shoreline helpers. |
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Restrooms, showers closing at Beach Baptist at 10 a.m. Monday, June 19130 Connecticut Street
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Use of the site has been declining steadily.
Laundry facilities will remain in place until 10 a.m. Wednesday, June 28. Anyone who is experiencing homelessness and in need of permanent housing is asked to call Lee County Human & Veteran Services at 239-533-7996.
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First days of Bay Oaks Summer Camp, held at Mound House this year, are in the books!
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We went fishing off the observation pier and caught some fish, including a Spanish mackerel which is rare.
Thank you very much to Beach Talk Radio for the fishing poles. The kids are having a blast with them.
MERTF was kind to provide us with educational activities about the environment and different animals that live among us. Kids learned about fishing to go along with fishing off the pier, followed by fun activities from the MERTF booklet.
Adam, the Mound House Manager, gave the kids a tour of the Mound House to teach them the history and culture of the Calusa Indians followed by a journaling session about what they learned.
We have had so much fun and love having the kids back for camp! We are very excited for the rest of the summer with them. |
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BE HURRICANE PREPARED
Know your home. Know your zone. Knowing your evacuation zone and being aware of your hurricane risk is the first step in creating your hurricane plan. Visit Lee County Hurricane Preparation Guide |
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Lee County Solid Waste encourages residents to follow these simple tips to minimize the risk of damage from high winds and flying debris during storms:- Trim trees and branches: Cut back any trees or branches that make contact with your house, pool cage, shed or other buildings. This creates a safe distance, preventing potential damage during severe weather.
- Thin foliage: Improve wind flow and reduce the chances of plants becoming uprooted by thinning the foliage in your yard. This step allows wind to freely pass through branches, minimizing the risk of damage to your property and nearby structures.
- Proper yard waste disposal: Place trimmings at the curb on your regular collection day. Containerize or securely tie bundles of yard waste, ensuring they weigh no more than 50 pounds and do not exceed 6 feet in length. Up to 50 pounds of unbundled palm fronds may be placed at the curb.
- Remove potential projectiles: Prioritize safety by thoroughly cleaning your property and removing any items that could become projectiles in high winds. Place these objects at the curb on your regular waste collection day for proper disposal or storage.
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Fertilize smart Doing your part helps protect our waterways, quality of life and economy. For more information, visit fertilizesmart.com. |
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Concrete piles on Estero Boulevard picked up by Lee County
We are grateful to the Lee Board of County Commissioners and particularly Commissioner Ray Sandelli for the decision to perform a “last pass” pick up of any currently existing concrete debris piles on Estero Boulevard that have been left there by private property contractors/owners.
Lee County’s debris vendor CrowderGulf already has begun making a single pass along Estero Boulevard to pick up the existing piles. Inspectors are monitoring the collection and confirming present street conditions.
PLEASE NOTE that no more debris can be pushed curbside on Estero Boulevard or on the Town’s side streets for pick up.
The free programs that were operating by Lee County on Estero and by the State on the Town’s side streets have ended. Any piles that are pushed curbside from now on are the responsibility of the property owner and subject to code violation actions.
Below are the links to the board meeting and the agenda item where the Commissioners amended the contract with Crowder Gulf to add concrete removal services for rights of way, including Estero Boulevard, to protect the health and safety of the general public.
Meeting:Fast forward in to 1 hour and 36 minutes. Agenda:go to Tuesday, June 6, and click on the online agenda. It’s Administrative Agenda Item 8. |
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Traffic signal is being installed Downtown Night traffic might be impacted Construction was scheduled to start this week The Lee County Department of Transportation (DOT) asks motorists to use caution in the Town of Fort Myers Beach at Estero Boulevard and Crescent Street just south of the Matanzas Pass Bridge while a contractor will be working to install a traffic signal this summer. Construction is scheduled to start the week of June 12, and completion is expected by September. The signal installation is part of a longtime plan to help address congestion in the vicinity of the bridge on Fort Myers Beach. Lee DOT has been working closely with the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), which is planning improvements to San Carlos Boulevard and Estero Boulevard. These plans include reconfiguration the traffic flow at the foot of the bridge and construction of two traffic signals. They will be at the intersections of Estero Boulevard and Fifth Street and at San Carlos Boulevard and Main Street. For additional information about FDOT’s project, visit www.swflroads.com/project/433726-2. Once all signals are installed, DOT will ensure coordinated timing between signals to help traffic flow, including a signal that the Town of Fort Myers Beach previously installed at the intersection of Old San Carlos Boulevard and Fifth Street. The pedestrian crosswalks that are part of the signalized intersections will enhance safety and complement the pedestrian overpass that is part of Margaritaville, which is located between the FDOT and Lee DOT signal projects. For Lee DOT’s signal at Crescent Street, the Board of County Commissioners approved a contract award at a regularly scheduled meeting on April 19, 2022. The contract timing was set up prior to Hurricane Ian to ensure project work would begin after the 2023 tourist season. Initial work will include the installation of the foundations for the signal poles, which will require detouring the northbound off-island traffic from Estero Boulevard to Crescent Street. This part of the project is scheduled for Tuesday, June 13, and Thursday, June 14. Detours will be posted, with traffic flow altered 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. Flaggers will be on-site. For the remaining stages of construction, minimal traffic impacts are anticipated. Any future lane closures will be intermittent and/or scheduled at night. The contractor will take measures to ensure that lighting used on the project site for nighttime work will be directed away from the beach to comply with sea turtle nesting season regulations. The work is weather-dependent. For updates, follow the project on Lee DOT’s Roadwatch at www.leegov.com/dot/roadwatchupdate. Lee County DOT information is available at www.leegov.com/dot. |
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The Town’s emergency bermProject is continuing to restore sand to the beach that was displaced by Hurricane Ian in September 2022. Visit www.fmbgov.com/beach to learn more. Residents are particularly encouraged to sign easements ASAP as the beach renourishment project will be starting soon.
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Do you need someone from the Town to address a utilities, street, beach, permitting, zoning, code, public record, or other issue? There's a button on the top of the Town's website that helps you submit an electronic form that goes directly to the Town employee who is responsible for your particular concern. You can also click the link below.
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STAY INFORMED AND AWARE Sign up to receive urgent texts or emails from the Town.
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You can also text 99411 to enroll.Want to unsubscribe? |
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REMINDER
It's sea turtle nesting season
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It’s time now to remind all property owners about the lighting that is required to help protect turtles and hatchlings during nesting season. Conventional lighting scares females from nesting and disorients hatchlings away from the Gulf, leading to exhaustion, dehydration, and death from falling into storm drains, passing cars, and predators. Long wavelength amber bulbs in downward directed fixtures that shield the bulb from the beach are encouraged everywhere on the island, not just beachfront, because so many structures and vegetation that previously shielded light from the beach are gone due to Hurricane Ian. Besides lighting, it is also just as important to draw curtains closed at night. When it comes to windows and glass slider doors, the Town adopted new rules in 2022 for Sea Turtle Conservation. Windows and doors/sliders are required to have a light transmittance of 45% or less AND have a window cover installed. Read the Sea Turtle Conservation Ordinance. Need professional help with bulbs and fixtures? The Sea Turtle Conservancy recommends Frontier Lighting and Synergy Lighting. Long wavelength amber bulbs can also be found online. Search for “sea turtle amber LED” and the bulb type that you need. It’s important to verify that the spectrum specifications of the bulb indicate 560 nm or greater. One of the cheapest FWC certified wildlife lighting options that staff have found online is the FEIT A19 Red Bulb that screws into classic Edison fixtures. Please note, filter wraps, gels, and colored party bulbs are not compliant because sea turtles are sensitive to their light. The Town will monitor lights on the beach during season. Efforts will focus on educating property owners on solutions. Property owners are encouraged to walk on the beach to see if their property’s lighting is visible from the beach and install wildlife friendly lighting. The Town’s Environmental Projects Manager Chadd Chustz is available for questions and light inspections. Contact him by email at chadd@fmbgov.com. For more information about lights and keeping turtles and hatchlings safe during nesting season, visit https://www.fortmyersbeachfl.gov/963/Sea-Turtle-Information. Learn more about turtles and nesting season at www.turtletime.org
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Fort Myers BeachDistance: 7 milesNests: 35NNE*: 101Nests Hatched: 0*NNE stands for Non Nesting Emergence which means that the turtle crawled ashore but did not nest. |
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PROTECTING SHOREBIRDSis our dutyLEASH DOGS ALL OF THE TIME- Birds see dogs as predators, no matter how small the dog.
- Leash dogs on the beach at all times. You are responsible for your dog’s actions.
- No Dogs Allowed in the Critical Wildlife Area (CWA) on the beach from the Wyndham to Carlos Point Beach
GIVE BIRDS THEIR SPACE- Do not flush birds, they need the energy to fly 100’s of miles away
- Walk around resting birds on the beach, giving them 50+ feet.
- Stop children from running through birds.
- When birds are aggravated, you are too close.
- Never enter areas posted with shorebird/seabird signs.
- Properly dispose of trash to keep predators away.
- Do not fly kites near areas where birds may be nesting
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Kayak tours on Saturdays at Mound HouseExplore the winding mangrove creeks and hidden backwaters of the Estero Bay Aquatic Preserve with Mound House. This unique tour offers a rare opportunity to experience the abundant life within an estuary. Mound House kayak tours are conducted in accordance with Florida Society for Ethical Ecotourism guidelines. All paddling and safety equipment provided. Ages 12 and up. Weather permitting. COST: $50 per person (MH Members $20) Museum admission included. Maximum of 12 paddlers per tour. Shoes required.
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Jim volunteered on several Town advisory boards over the years, as an inaugural member of each:- Anchorage Advisory Committee (AAC) Nov. 2003 thru Oct. 2008 (AAC Chair 2007/2008)
- Community Resource Advisory Board (CRAB) Mar. 2009 thru May 2011 (CRAB Chair for the length of his service)
- Audit Committee Nov. 2011 thru Oct. 2019 (Audit Chair for the length of his service)
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Visit MOUND HOUSE Grounds are open Monday through Saturday from 7:30am to 4 p.m. and Sunday from 7:30am to 3 p.m.
Museum and Museum Store are open Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
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The Pickleball courts at Bay Oaks will be unavailable over the next few months as the gym and grounds are under reconstruction due to damage caused by Hurricane Ian.
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Keep up on the schedule of Town Council and advisory committee meetings
Meetings are at DiamondHead Resort, 2000 Estero Boulevard, unless otherwise noted
Live and recorded meetings can also be viewed on the
Town of Fort Myers Beach YouTube channel. View the meeting calendar on the Town's website
Upcoming meetings
Tuesday, June 20 / 9 a.m. - Town Council Meeting (moved from Monday due to the Juneteenth holiday) - DiamondHead Beach Resort, 2000 Estero Blvd. Thursday, June 22 / 9 a.m. - Town Council Management and Planning Session (RESCHEDULED from June 9) - DiamondHead Beach Resort, 2000 Estero Blvd.
Please refer to the agendas posted on the Town's website.
Town Hall is open for walk-in service from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Appointments are strongly encouraged to minimize wait times. Call 239-765-0202 to schedule an appointment with the appropriate department.
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Status of bids and proposals
The Town has partnered with DemandStar which is open and accessible to all businesses and gives instant access to RFPs, RFQs, and ITBs
Read more about bids and proposals
Currently open for bid:RFP-23-17-PW Road Signs RFP-23-14-PW Disaster Debris Monitoring RFQ- 23-16-TC General Legal Representation Under Review:
ITB-23-12-PW Town Maintained Road and Sidewalk Repair RFP-23-13-CR Partial Re Roofing of Mound House ITB-22-26-UT Tier 1 Side Streets Water and Stormwater Improvements |
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