Outdoor Lighting in Fort Myers, FL (2026)

Dark Sky Rules

The City of Fort Myers is located inland on the Caloosahatchee River and does not have a Gulf-of-Mexico beachfront. It is therefore not subject to Florida Statute 161.163 sea turtle beachfront-lighting requirements and has not adopted a sea turtle lighting ordinance - the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) list of jurisdictions with adopted sea turtle ordinances does not include the City of Fort Myers. The neighboring (but separate) Town of Fort Myers Beach has a comprehensive sea turtle lighting ordinance under Chapter 32 of its Code. Within the City of Fort Myers, outdoor lighting for new and substantially redeveloped non-residential and multifamily projects is reviewed under the Fort Myers Land Development Code (Chapter 118) during site plan and building permit approval. The City has not adopted a stand-alone International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) ordinance.