Development Services is a division of Community Development  

Responsibilities include administrative review and issuance of development orders for site work activities for all commercial, industrial, multiple-family developments, and residential subdivisions within unincorporated Lee County.  The division also reviews and processes applications for pre-application/informal meetings, limited development orders, property subdivision plats, vegetation permits, surety, and the formal vacation of easements and rights-of-way.  Throughout Lee County, including within the municipalities, all county maintained rights-of-way (ROWs) and Lee County Utilities infrastructure extensions are processed through this division.

eConnect is the online system used to:
  • Search and view development services cases
  • Submit applications
  • Upload (add) plans and other documents
  • View status
  • Download/print approved documents
  • Pay fees


Quick Links


The Development Services Application Process

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​Determine the Need and Collect your Documentation

​Review the Guides and Forms to determine the information needed for the application process.
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​Informal/Pre-Application Meeting

​Prior to the submission of a formal application for development order approval, applicants are encouraged to schedule an informal meeting with Community Development staff members to discuss details of the prop​osed project and to obtain general guidance on the application process.  In advance of the meeting, applicants will provide a site plan with as much information as available in order for staff to prepare for the meeting.

Request a meeting online; or dow​​​​​​nload and submit the meeting request via e-mail to informals@leegov.com or via fax to 239-485-8344.​  For additional information call 239-533-8585.
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​Get eConnect Access

​After using the guides to determine information needed for the application process, prepare to use the online system called eConnect. New users must register for an eConnect account. Instructions for New Users: Register for an Account are included on the eConnect login page. Once registered, the system is available for submittals and status checks. Users are required to use eConnect.  Review the eConnect User Guide for more details.
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​Submit the Application


Use eConnect to complete the online application and upload plans and other supporting documents as online attachments. Reference the appropriate Application and Permitting Guide as you go through this process.


​Pay Fees


​Payment is required prior to plan review. ​We will email you payment instructions. You can view any fees that are due and pay them using eConnect. Log into eConnect, locate your record number, select the menu option for Payments >> Fees, then click Pay Fees button and follow the instructions.  

​Plan Review


​Lee County Codes provides the review procedures and application requirements to obtain a Development Order.  This review is an administrative process involving other divisions and departments within the County. 

Completeness Check: When the application package is first received, it is reviewed for completeness and inclusion of all required documents, signatures, and seals are attached.   If the package is incomplete, the applicant must provide missing information before the application package can be forwarded for payment and review.
 
Application review:  After payment is requested and received, the application will be assigned to multiple functional areas for simultaneous review.  The review will check for compliance with The Lee Plan, Lee County Land Development Code, Lee County Administrative Codes, and Lee County Ordinances. 

Notice: The lead reviewer consolidates all comments and an email notice will be sent to the applicant. The email notice informs the applicant if their application was sufficient or insufficient.
  • Insufficiency Letter: An application may be returned to the applicant with:
    • A notice stating that the application does not meet state and local codes and may not be resubmitted if there are no options to correct non-compliance; or
    • list of insufficiencies to be addressed with a resubmittal.
      • Resubmitting an Application: Applicants have 30 days to address insufficiencies and resubmit.  To ensure correct versioning in eConnect, attachments that are resubmitted should have the same file name as the original. Request for Development Order resubmittal extension allowed to extend response time.
  • Sufficiency Letter: Once staff has found the project sufficient, concurrency and impact fee requirements will be assessed as needed, and the Development Order will be issued.

​Check Status


​At any point in the project, applicants can view status, conditions and record details by searching the record number within eConnect.
A Reports Search is available to review all received applications and approved applications by month and year. 


​Notice of Development Order Approval


​Once approved, an email will be sent to let you know your approved documents are available for download.  Log into eConnect, locate your record number, select Attachments to view/print the approved documents. The Notice of Approval is filed with the Lee County Clerk of Court, document type = NOT (Notice).


​Begin Site Work


​Once the Development Order has been issued and all stipulations of the development approval letter have been met, site work can begin.  The expiration details will be listed in the approval letter.


​Inspections


​Once site work is complete, the submission of Letters of Substantial Compliance will set the inspection process in motion.  Upload these documents into eConnect.  If you have any questions please contact Development Services Inspections at DevRevInspections@leegov.com.


​Get your Certificate of Compliance


​Once all inspections have passed, the permit is closed and the Certificate of Compliance is issued.  To pull certificate info, log into Development Review Search, type in your record number, select Search Content, then select Certificate of Compliance (CC) from the list of results.


​Case File Search


​Once the certificate is issued, the case is closed.  Approved or closed cases can be searched using the Development Review Search – these documents are stored outside of eConnect.




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