The Lee Board of County Commissioners voted April 7 to approve an interlocal agreement with the town of Fort Myers Beach for restoration and nourishment of approximately 5.2 miles of beach on Estero Island. The county portion is based on a percentage not to exceed $9.2 million, funded through tourist development tax.

The goal of the project is to address chronic and acute erosion, provide storm protection, environmental benefits, such as improved sea turtle nesting, and recreational opportunities, county officials said. The project area is designated by the state as critically eroded shoreline.

Lee County previously nourished a northern section of the beach, from Bowditch Point to Crescent Beach Family Park, in 2011. The current project has an expanded scope and is managed by the town, which has divided the work into two segments.

The North-Central project segment will extend from Bowditch Point to near Lanark Avenue. The South segment will extend from near Creciente Condominium to Sun Caper Condominium. This will supplement the sand trucking project funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and Florida Division of Emergency Management. 

The Town has obtained funding from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection for 100% for the South Segment and 41.7% of the North-Central Segment.  

The county’s contribution from the tax on short-term lodging is to offer storm protection for County beach parks and recreational benefits for shorelines accessible to the general public according to Florida DEP standards. 

The work is expected to begin in June and be completed by the end of October.