​​​​​The Planning Section is part of the Department of Community Development and is responsible for guiding growth and development throughout unincorporated Lee County.

Key Responsibilities

🔹 Comprehensive Plan (Lee Plan)

The Planning Section updates and maintains Lee County's Comprehensive Plan, known as the Lee Plan, to align with the Board of County Commissioners’ strategic goals and Florida state requirements.

The Lee Plan serves three primary purposes:

• Policy Consistency: Ensures public and private activities align with the plan's adopted goals, objectives, and policies.

• Regulatory Authority: Provides the foundation for land development regulations, capital improvement programs, and discretionary government actions.

• Community Vision: Represents Lee County’s long-term vision for growth and development through the planning horizon.
  

🔹 Lee Plan Implementation

• All development must remain consistent with the Lee Plan. The Planning Section helps enforce plan policies across planning, zoning, and development reviews.

🔹 Interpretations

• Processes Administrative and Legislative Interpretations under Lee Plan Chapter XIII and Lee County Administrative Code 13-2.

• Administrative Interpretations include:
  

  • Determining the applicability of the Minimum Use Determination.

  • Clarifying Future Land Use Map boundaries, including Wetlands designation.

🔹 Lee Plan Amendments

• Handles processing of Lee Plan Amendments, including both publicly and privately initiated changes.

• View Current Applications Under Review 

Planning Tools & Programs

🔹 Land Use Inventory

• Maintains a current inventory of land uses within unincorporated Lee County, organized by Planning District.
  

🔹 Bonus Density Programs

• Affordable Housing Program
• Transfer of Development Rights (TDR)

🔹 SHIP Program

• Oversees the State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP) program to support affordable housing and community development initiatives.