FORT MYERS BEACH, Fla. — Fort Myers Beach town council has unanimously voted to extend the September 23rd deadline for removing trailers and RVs from the island until June 2027, but only for those who can prove hardship.
Watch as Fort Myers Beach Community Correspondent Anvar Ruziev explains the new resolution:
The extension applies to businesses that existed before Hurricane Ian or similar replacements, providing relief to many local business owners still recovering from the storm's impact in our Southwest Florida community.
"It felt like they weren't talking out of both sides of their mouth. They were actually sincere about it, trying to keep hundreds of jobs, millions of dollars of revenue on this island," said Fred Mallone, owner of Buffalo Grill.
To qualify for the extension, property owners must demonstrate hardships such as construction delays, financing issues, or insurance disputes. They must also comply with FEMA flood regulations.
Mayor Dan Allers emphasized that the original intent was to help existing businesses recover.
"The intent was to allow people to operate business and to allow people to get people back to work. Obviously some people have embellished on that intent," Allers said.
Some council members expressed concerns about food trucks and new businesses that have appeared after the hurricane, clarifying that these operations weren't the intended beneficiaries of the extension.
Currently, there are 51 commercial and 158 residential permits on file. Town leaders made it clear that "bad actors" or those violating regulations won't qualify for extensions.
While the town has moved forward with the resolution, it has not yet received confirmation from FEMA regarding the extension's compliance with federal regulations. When asked if this could create problems, Town Manager Will McKannay expressed confidence in the plan.
The deadline to submit hardship applications remains September 23rd. Applicants must provide documentation of their hardship and a plan for resolving it.
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Fort Myers Beach extends deadline for temporary structures to September 23
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