FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:            Mary Gibbs, Lee County Community Development
                        (941) 479-8345            

LEE HAS ANOTHER $1.5 BILLION PERMIT YEAR
DESPITE SOFTENING IN MULTI-FAMILY MARKET

FORT MYERS, Fla. (January 8, 2003) – Permitting value in Lee County remained fairly stable in 2002 compared to the record-breaking year in 2001, according to annual data released today by the county’s Community Development Department.

The county issued permits totaling $1.48 billion in value during 2002, just a slight 3.4 percent decrease from 2001.  However, the number of single-family home permits broke a record at 3,763 – the third consecutive 3,000-plus-permit year.  Permits pulled and value was significantly down for multi-family (apartments, duplexes and condos).

The activity is for unincorporated Lee County, the City of Bonita Springs and the Town of Fort Myers Beach.  Both Bonita Springs and Fort Myers Beach contract with the county to do their permitting services.

“Despite a softening in the economy and construction markets in other parts of the country, this is an indication that Southwest Florida is still going strong,” said Mary Gibbs, county community development director.  “It’s a huge volume for this office to process and we’re pleased that we’ve been able to keep up with it and continue to provide quality service to the building industry and residents of the community.”

The seven-year unit totals are (total values include all other construction, including commercial):

• 2002 – Single Family (3,763), Multi-Family (2,872), Total Value ($1,483,203,935)

• 2001 – S.F. (3,565), M.F. (3,765), T.V. ($1,533,532,447)

• 2000 – S.F. (3,053), M.F. (3,814), T.V. ($1,375,370,432)

• 1999 – S.F. (2,876), M.F. (2,772), T.V. ($1,075,174,580)

• 1998 – S.F. (2,433), M.F. (3,088), T.V. ($975,046,849)

• 1997 – S.F. (2,252), M.F. (2,498), T.V. ($1,022,062,818)

• 1996 – S.F. (2,536), M.F. (1,968), T.V. ($747,081,850)

Lee County Community Development oversees planning, zoning, and development services such as permitting, development review, code enforcement and building inspections in the unincorporated areas of the county and for Bonita Springs and Fort Myers Beach.  It employs 188 people and has a fiscal year 2003 operating budget of $18.4 million.

To learn more about the department and its services, visit http://www.lee-county.com/dcd/.