Frequently Asked Questions

The Community Development Department is responsible for planning and zoning, building and inspections, and development engineering and environmental reviews. These services help assure that buildings and other structures within our city are planned, designed and built in a way that is safe and compliant with all codes and regulations. Our mission is to provide citizens and the development community with a high level of professional, customer-focused service.

You can call us at 239-444-6150.  The permit counter office hours are 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday to Friday.  Planning, Zoning and Development Services office hours are 8 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Monday to Friday.  Click here for a staff listing.

The City of Bonita Springs controls and manages the community development department function, just as it does for any other City department. The City will make decisions on fee structures, provide contract oversight and control, and work with department staff to establish key performance measures. The community development department will deliver day-to-day community development services, operating as an extension of the City. It is committed to providing a seamless transition and excellent customer service.

Sunshine Plaza and Professional Center, 9220 Bonita Beach Road, Suite 111, Bonita Springs, FL 34135.  The permit intake counter will be located at 9220 Bonita Beach Road Suite 111.  All planning, zoning, and development services appointments will continue to use Suite 109.  Click here for a map.

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Construction plans are reviewed and buildings are inspected in accordance with the following codes: 2007 Florida Building Code (with 2009 amendments): Building (Structural), fuel Gas (LP/Propane), Mechanical, Plumbing, Swimming Pools; 2008 edition National Electrical Code as published by NFPA or NFPA 70A State of Florida: Energy, Accessibility; 2007 Fire Prevention Code: Fire, Life Safety; City of Bonita Springs: Coastal Construction Code, Flood Plain Management Ordinance. For Building Code Information visit these sites online: www.floridabuilding.org & www.iccsafe.org & www.boaf.net.

Permits are required for sheds, window and exterior door replacements, including garage doors and the replacement of air-conditioning units, water heaters and roofing (including shingle-over-shingle).  Kitchen and bathroom remodels require a permit only if any plumbing, electrical, mechanical or gas is added or relocated.

Any licensed contractor registered with the City of Bonita Springs and/or an “Owner-Builder” when the owner-builder affidavit is signed and rules are followed.  For a commercial property, an owner can do an owner-builder permit if the project is valued less than $75,000.00.

We accept cash, check with a valid driver’s license, and credit card (Master Card and Visa).

Yes, a home owner may apply for a building permit without the need for a contractor.  However, an Owner/Builder affidavit will need to be completed and notarized.  Additionally, all construction will need to conform to Florida Building Code standards.

If you are an existing business owner changing only the name of your business, not the location or type of business OR if you have purchased a business and are not making any changes (i.e. name, location, or type) you do not need to apply for a USE permit. Please proceed to the Lee County Tax collectors office to apply for your business tax receipt.  For more information click here. 

All contractors licensed by the state of Florida or who hold a Lee County Competency License, doing work in the City of Bonita Springs, must register with the City of Bonita Springs Community Development  office.  They must show proof of current license as well as liability and Workers Compensation coverage.  A $10.00 registration fee is due at the time of registration and with each subsequent renewal. 

Go to http://www.cityofbonitaspringscd.org/Permit_Status and enter the Permit/Case Number or other information in the appropriate fields as the example shows and hit enter. 

The City of Bonita Springs Inspectors are located at 9220 Bonita Beach Road, Suite 111. The office hours are Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm. 

Inspectors are available by phone and in person from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. and on their cell phones from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. 

Certificates of Occupancy and Certificates of Compliance are obtained at the Community Development Department (239-444-6150).  Please have your permit number and site address available. 

Threshold Buildings require a Final Threshold Letter to be submitted to the Inspection Office provided by a Threshold Engineer registered with the City of Bonita Springs. For more information on the 2007 Florida Building Code (with 2009 amendments) reference Section 109.3.6.4.1 regarding language, go to the ICC Online Library at www.iccsafe.org/Store/Pages/eCodes.

Temporary/Permanent Power Letters are required for release of temporary/permanent (temp/perm) power.   If you have any questions, please call the inspection office at 239-444-6173.

Restaurants with an ASSEMBLY Occupancy use will require approval from the Department of Business & Professional Regulation Hotels and Restaurants Division.

For more information, call 850-487-1395 or click www.myfloridalicense.com/dbpr/index. Please also call Bonita Springs Utilities regarding grease trap requirements at www.bsu.us/contact-us.

The Division of Environmental Health, which issues permits for septic systems, is located on the second floor of the Regional Service Center, 2295 Victoria Avenue, in downtown Fort Myers. The phone number is 239-690-2100; fax is 239-690-2101. The office is a division of the Florida Department of Health. To schedule inspections, please call their office.

Well inspections are completed by the Natural Resources Wells Department. Please call, 239-543-8540 for more information.

Residential and Commercial driveway permits and inspections on city maintained roadways are conducted through the City of Bonita Springs Public Works Department at 239-949-6262.   Residential and Commercial road right of way permits on county maintained roadways are handled by the Lee County Department of Transportation. Please contact them directly at 239-533-8520 for more information.

For new residential development within the San Carlos Estates Drainage District, you will need to call Julie Keister, Morris-Depew Associates, Inc. at 239-337-3993, ext. 348 for guidance.

A sign permit, which is required for certain attached and detached signs, may be obtained at the Community Development office between the hours of 8:00 A.M. and 4:30 P.M. Certain areas of the City have special regulations (Bonita Beach Road, U.S. 41, Imperial, and East Terry Street). Information concerning procedures related to Sign Permits is available from the Planner on Call at 239-444-6150. The City of Bonita Springs LDC Chapter 6 is the Zoning Chapter and can be downloaded here (www.cityofbonitaspringscd.org/Documents).

Development Review site inspections (landscaping, parking, etc) are initiated by the Engineer of Record submitting a Letter of Substantial Compliance to Development Services. For more information, see LDC Chapter 3-183 or call Development Services at 239-444-6164.

Our Environmental Services staff enforces Sea Turtle compliance. Please call, 239-444-6142 for assistance.

Yes, for single family & duplex residences your building permit is your clearing permit. For all other construction, a Vegetation Removal Permit is issued to remove trees and vegetation.

Yes, a type 99 Limited Development Order is required to change the landscaping on a multi-family, commercial, or industrially zoned land.

No, a permit is not needed for minor repairs and maintenance such as redecking. If structural repairs are being made, then a permit is needed.

A FIRM is a flood map created by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) used by the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) for floodplain management, mitigation, and insurance purposes. Digital versions of these maps are called DFIRMs.

A FIRM will generally show:

• Roads and map land marks,
• a community's base flood elevations,
• flood zones, and
• floodplain boundaries.

As a property owner, you can use a FIRM to get a reliable indication of what flood zone you're in. However, maps are constantly being updated due to changes in geography, construction and mitigation activities, and meteorological events. Therefore, for a truly accurate determination, contact your insurance agent, insurer, or your community floodplain manager.

For more information about FIRMs, please visit the FEMA Map Service Center. For questions about flood insurance, how to locate an insurance agent, or flood map related issues, please visit www.floodsmart.gov

FEMA publishes maps indicating a community's flood hazard areas and the degree of risk in those areas. Flood insurance maps usually are on file in a local repository in the community, such as the planning and zoning or engineering offices in the town hall or the county building.

For more information about ordering maps, please visit the FEMA Map Assistance Center.  There is a minimal charge for maps for most users.

If the property is not in a high-risk area, but instead in a moderate-to-low risk area, federal law does not require flood insurance; however, a lender can still require it. It is also recommended since historically about one-in-four flood claims come from these moderate-to-low risk areas. Note that if during the life of the loan the maps are revised and the property is now in the high-risk area, your lender will notify you that you must purchase flood insurance.

For these reasons, flood insurance is required by law for buildings in high-risk flood areas as a condition of receiving a mortgage from a federally regulated or insured lender.

The City's Comprehensive Plan was adopted in 2002 in accordance with the requirements of the 1985 Growth Management Act, which is also known as the Local Comprehensive Planning and Land Development Regulation Act, and the rules of the Florida Department of Community Affairs. This plan, as amended, has provided the policy framework for growth management in Bonita Springs.

The City’s Comprehensive Plan provides the direction and guidance which enables the City to maintain and enhance those attributes that make the City a desirable place to live, work, learn and play. The Comprehensive plan is designed to preserve and enhance the public health, safety and welfare through the management of growth, provision of adequate public services and the protection of natural resources.

The City's Plan includes goals, objectives and policies for each of the State required elements. Some of the elements contain level of service standards requiring that development be managed to maintain the adopted standard (concurrency). The Bonita Plan and Future Land Use Map can and can be downloaded from www.cityofbonitaspringscd.org/Documents.

Zoning is the division of land into districts. These districts have uniform zoning regulations including those on land use, height, setbacks, lot size, density, coverage, and floor area ratio (FAR). Use the online zoning map to determine the zoning on your property. Zoning and its regulations help ensure a city will grow and change in a managed, predictable way to help safeguard the health, safety and welfare of the general public. You must have the appropriate Zoning before you may build on your land. If the lot you want to build on is not properly zoned for your proposed development, you must obtain the proper zoning.

The City of Bonita Springs Land Development Code Chapter (LDC) 4 is the Zoning Chapter and can be downloaded from www.cityofbonitaspringscd.org/Documents.

The Planner on Call can assist you in detailed information, including copies of these ordinances, at the Community Development office or by phone at 239-444-6150.

Zoning classifications for a specific piece of property can be viewed using the Zoning Map book located here. LDC Chapter 4 regulates the use and development standards for property.

No, each property has a unique zoning district designation. While properties may have the same zoning designation, the property development regulations are site specific. Please contact the Planner on Call at 239-444-6150 for further assistance.

The Planner on Call can assist you with the application, by phone at 239-444-6150 or visit the Community Development office between the hours of 8:00 A.M. and 4:30 P.M., Monday through Friday, for processing information, application requirements and fees.