Environmental Rules in Lee County, FL (2026)
5 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 2 cities in Lee County, Florida.
Verified from official government sources
Stormwater Management
Every new development in unincorporated Lee County must control its own stormwater runoff, and the on-site system has to follow South Florida Water Management District design standards for attenuation and retention. A permit from SFWMD satisfies the County's own review, and subdivision streets carry their own minimum crown elevations to keep roads above the water table.
Stormwater Management Rules in Lee County
Some RestrictionsLee County Land Development Code § 10-321(a), (c); § 10-327 (drainage maintenance covenant)
A stormwater management system must be provided for the adequate control of stormwater runoff that originates within a development or that flows onto or across the development from adjacent lands. All stormwater management systems must be designed in accordance with South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) requirements and provide for the attenuation/retention of stormwater from the site...
Erosion Control
Construction disturbing more than one acre in unincorporated Lee County must have a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWP3) prepared by a licensed engineer, on file with the County before development order approval and kept on site throughout construction.
Construction Erosion Control Plans in Lee County
Some RestrictionsLee County Land Development Code §§ 14-476(b), 14-477
Submit an SWP3 for construction meeting the criteria set forth in Section 14-477, prior to development order approval. If a development order is not required, then the SWP3 must be submitted prior to building (or vegetation removal) permit issuance. ... For the purposes of this article, all SWP3s must: a.Comply with the requirements of 40 CFR 122.26; b.Use best management practices for sediment...
Flood Zones
Any development in a Lee County flood hazard area, filling, grading, subdivision, manufactured homes, pools, even utility work, needs a floodplain development permit from the County Floodplain Administrator before work starts. The rule reaches unincorporated Lee only, and it runs on the FIRM maps effective November 17, 2022, not on guesswork about where water rises.
Flood Hazard Area Development Rules in Lee County
Some RestrictionsLee County Land Development Code § 6-401 (Scope); §§ 6-411, 6-433, 6-434, 6-439
The provisions of this article apply to all development that is wholly within or partially within any flood hazard area, including, but not limited to, the subdivision of land; filling, grading, and other site improvements and utility installations; construction, alteration, remodeling, enlargement, improvement, replacement, repair, relocation or demolition of buildings, structures, and facilit...
Boat Dock Permits
No dock, boathouse, seawall or other shoreline structure can go up on unincorporated Lee County waters without a County permit. Applications need a site plan showing setbacks, slip counts and waterway width, plus a fee and, often, a Manatee Protection Plan slip determination.
Dock and Shoreline Structure Permits in Lee County
Significant RestrictionsLee County Land Development Code § 26-45
A permit is required prior to starting any work addressed by this article. Permit applications must be submitted in writing on an appropriate form to the Department of Community Development, and contain the following: The names, addresses, and telephone numbers of the property owners; ... A site plan, showing the following: The proposed location of the work relative to riparian property lines; ...
Flood Elevation Requirements
Land Development Code § 10-253 sets the elevation floor for building in Lee County's floodplain: the first habitable floor must sit at least 18 inches above the street centerline and never less than seven feet above mean sea level. No development plan clears review without proof the site can be built on safely.
Minimum Floor Elevation Rules in Lee County
Some RestrictionsLee County Land Development Code § 10-253(1)
In order to utilize property located within the 100-year floodplain, or property which is subject to inundation from overland flow on an average of once every five years or more frequently, the developer must submit a plan for adequate flood protection. Such lands may be developed or subdivided only after proper provisions are made for protection against flooding of sewage systems and building ...
Environmental Rules by City in Lee County
2 cities in Lee County have their own environmental rules rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
All Lee County ordinances
See every category we cover for Lee County: parking, noise, fences, fires, animals, pools, and more.
Lee County Ordinance Hub →