The Town of Fort Myers Beach has received a formal letter from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) detailing findings from the Community Assistance Visit (CAV) conducted from July 15, 2025, to July 17, 2025. The purpose of the visit was to assess the Town’s compliance with the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and evaluate steps taken since the beginning of this process in April 2024.
The letter highlights areas of improvement and deficiencies in the Town’s floodplain management practices. FEMA also acknowledged the Town’s recent regulatory updates, including Ordinance 24-03, and found that while it meets the minimum NFIP requirements, further enhancements and corrections are needed by August 8, 2025, to maintain compliance and support the Town’s reinstatement in the CRS program by April 1, 2026.
Enhancements and corrective actions needed include:
- Provide Standard Operating Procedure that documents the Substantial Damage/Substantial Improvement Determination Process and the permitting process
- Provide revised permitting process procedures and any supporting documentation that addresses failure by the Private Providers to meet the Town’s requirement for submittal of the Under Construction Elevation Certificate.
- Remove the non-compliant temporary structures
Additionally, FEMA provided a site-specific list of 252 properties requiring mitigation, further documentation, or removal of non-compliant structures. Town staff are currently reviewing these items and will be coordinating outreach and corrective actions immediately.
“We are committed to addressing FEMA’s findings and improving our floodplain management efforts,” said Town Manager Will McKannay, “Our goal is to ensure full compliance with NFIP regulations and to better protect our residents and infrastructure moving forward.”
The letter and more information on the Towns efforts, can be found at www.fmbgov.com/NFIP.