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Lee's Permitting Pace Slows in 2006
Jan 4, 2007 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FORT MYERS Fla. (Jan. 4, 2007) – Builders in unincorporated Lee County, Bonita Springs and Fort Myers Beach pulled 292 permits for single-family houses in December, about 18 percent less than in November and 53 percent less than in December 2005. It is the lowest December total since 2001, when 76 single-family permits were issued. For the year 2006, permits were pulled for 7,449 single-family houses. That's down 40 percent from the previous year and is the lowest number since 2003, when about 6,800 permits were issued. Commercial permitting was valued at nearly $15 million in December. For all of 2006, commercial permitting was valued at $432 million, up 40 percent from 2005. In 2006, residential permitting returned to a more traditional pace after soaring to all-time highs in 2005. The total value of single-family permits in 2006 nearly reached $2 billion, compared to almost $2.3 billion in 2005. Also in December, permits were issued for 120 duplex and apartment units with a combined value of $21.7 million. For the year, permits were issued for 4,076 duplex and apartment units valued at $737 million. That's down from 2005's 7,391 units valued at $1.3 billion. Lee County issued a total of 46,271 building permits valued at approximately $3.9 billion in 2006. The record increase in 2005 hit the $4.7 billion mark for the year. 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. It also provides permitting services for Bonita Springs and Fort Myers Beach. To learn more about the department and its services, visit This release and its distribution were prepared by:
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