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April Permits Strong But Not Another Record
May 4, 2005 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FORT MYERS, Fla. (May 4, 2005) - Lee County's Community Development Department issued 790 single-family home permits in the month of April - not a record for the fifth straight month but a 25 percent increase over April 2004's mark of 632. The 400 mark was broken in April 2003; 500 mark in August 2003; 600 mark in April 2004; 700 mark in January 2005; and 800 mark last month. In the first four months of 2005, the county already has permitted $1.6 billion in construction activity, compared to $884 million in the first four months of 2004. Lee County's Community Development Department released its April statistics today. The totals are for unincorporated Lee County, City of Bonita Springs and Town of Fort Myers Beach. Both Bonita Springs and Fort Myers Beach contract with the county to do their permitting services. The value of the 790 single-family home permits was $173.8 million. The county also issued permits for 188 duplex units and 438 multi-family units. Permitting value in Lee County experienced a record increase in 2004, surging $1 billion to hit the $3 billion mark. In 2003, permit value was $2 billion; in 2002 it was $1.5 billion. Single-family permitting for the last 25 months is: 2003 2004 2005 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 230 people and has a fiscal year 2005 operating budget of $23.4 million. To learn more about the department and its services, visit http://www.lee-county.com/dcd/. |