Fort Myers, FL Environmental Rules: Erosion Control (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit authority
- City public works administrator
- Fine
- Up to $300 per violation
- Jail time
- Up to 30 days
- Contractor penalty
- License suspension up to 60 days
- Covers
- Canals, ditches, culverts, pipes, bridges
Summary
Fort Myers requires a written permit before filling, altering, or relocating any drainage canal, ditch, or easement, or installing culverts, pipes, or bridges in city drainage ways.
(a)No drainage canal, ditch or easement of any kind, located in or upon any public street, alley or easement, shall be wholly or partially filled, reduced in size, relocated or altered in any manner which would in any way affect drainage, without a written permit being issued as hereinafter authorized.(b)No culvert, pipe, bridge or similar water drainage facility or equipment shall be constructed, placed, located or inserted in any drainage ditch, canal or easement without a written permit being issued therefor as hereinafter authorized.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 60).
Full Breakdown
Before altering, filling, reducing, or relocating any drainage canal, ditch, or easement within a public street, alley, or easement in Fort Myers, a written permit is required. The public works administrator issues it only if the work will not retard, obstruct, or slow natural drainage (Sec. 122-252). The same permit requirement applies to installing culverts, pipes, or bridges in a drainage ditch or canal. Violating this article carries a fine of up to $300, up to 30 days in jail, and license suspension of up to 60 days -- or revocation for one year on a second conviction -- for licensed contractors and subcontractors. This applies inside Fort Myers's Lee County corporate limits, not unincorporated Lee County.
Violations & Fines
Violating this drainage article carries a fine up to $300, up to 30 days in jail, and contractor license suspension up to 60 days, or revocation on a second offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to put a culvert in a drainage ditch in Fort Myers?
What happens if I alter a drainage canal without a permit in Fort Myers?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Fort Myers
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Erosion Control in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Lee County handle erosion control.