[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6293689,"mediaKeyId","2522948-2a728d347359a08c944302f6b3c5aa1d","parentId",2522948,"title","Board approves January meeting minutes","audioSeconds",24,"startMs",121000,"endMs",145000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2522948-2a728d347359a08c944302f6b3c5aa1d&start=121&end=145","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2522948-2a728d347359a08c944302f6b3c5aa1d/thumbnail_121000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6293689/Fort-Myers-City/Lee-County/Florida/Board-approves-January-meeting-minutes","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6293689-d186d8f9b336c285939a2d01b07b19cd/orig.mp4?Expires=1771193536&Signature=Gq5987UVm7Uwmwxl~pX527z6aOY1c7n6yxVXO1AZgLoxVnb1WVG73YSH1U02lc9pc5u-rzEHxb1uh9lNk6F7IW-6PGogOAn8r11pJxXgcnLqZSrLVHkGst6jzGjJ46A6Kmtmd6Y4cCCQkTM7975DMXYiUtLhHmxfxW0ph6HbF1nnTsNv3JE3QTSK9XPQWIFjF6KwNGt5uIBKC4slMb5eHFNPzF8escWi-ZVImJqOG3D7vzEAP9ZKOZxeOflN0pcexPfWVCrpcJItlJrriVaYhIW6V6yb8ZFvKnIvzatFU3hmpbqEzFH6AFahXTxI0xzmjnQZqbGDCX2~klNsxi7gyg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Fort Myers, FL ","date","2025-02-27T00:00:00Z","article","The board approved the minutes from its January meeting by voice vote at the start of the session.

During roll call and agenda review, an unnamed member made a motion to approve the minutes and another member seconded; the chair called for the vote and said, \"All in favor,\" with no opposition voiced. The transcript did not record the names of the member who moved or who seconded the motion.

Why it matters: Approval of minutes is a routine procedural step to confirm the official record of prior meetings. The board's unanimous voice approval completed that step for the January minutes.

Ending: No further votes were recorded in the transcript.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City of Fort Myers Building & Zoning Oversight Committee Meeting 02/27/2025","oneSentenceSummary","The board voted unanimously to approve the minutes from its January meeting; mover and seconder were not named in the transcript.","taxTitle","Fort Myers City, Lee County, Florida","taxId",4535,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6293694,"Fire department reports Tyler EnerGov outage disrupted permit and inspection reporting",129,147000,276000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2522948-2a728d347359a08c944302f6b3c5aa1d&start=147&end=276","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2522948-2a728d347359a08c944302f6b3c5aa1d/thumbnail_147000.jpg","/articles/6293694/Fort-Myers-City/Lee-County/Florida/Fire-department-reports-Tyler-EnerGov-outage-disrupted-permit-and-inspection-reporting","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6293694-899ca857a2ce776b86394f3cd8292659/orig.mp4?Expires=1771193536&Signature=G7Va9tc57VBKvrDNX78IbGNayz8ZUqOW5xzSZVd0QX6cnWBolC4nRspp8Spl-BzTYm5p4FIT5Ez8o-oCAF7pwh0vH7gW25rnGjWMxB9IDKDw7jomfV1COBIEDwciSYFJmaRWHRaG5Pe57nYxg2POoBKc8WQkr6YJ4JO-6cSV3gqRt6wQEtCDCknq4hKqaavfDfYdOqf601t~JGcToHBwaxis-P8gJ9Xc2ZCMAdrBDSRwrcQ6mznQeC3dM1UJ3SVyvL6JOogqvsQAoXGR44ojPGME-qyTOhfASQUUptGfUpCM5ZcB-0kShAjar2TxvxzpJGEAHAub4cP322wUoBYQdQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Fort Myers' fire prevention division reported continued problems with its third-party permitting and inspection software after a vendor server replacement, impairing the department's ability to commit inspection reports and complete plan reviews.

Christopher Maldives, the fire marshal, told the board that the department uses a Tyler product for permitting and inspections and that a server replacement about four weeks earlier intended to improve performance had introduced a \"major time out issue\" that prevents staff from committing inspection reports and processing final approvals. Maldives said the vendor has acknowledged the problem and is working on fixes; he reported some improvement but said the committing issue persists.

Why it matters: The outage affects plan reviews and the ability to issue or finalize fire-permit related inspections and approvals, which can delay construction closeouts and code compliance. Maldives said other municipalities using the same Tyler (EnerGov/Mobilize) product have reported similar problems.

Board members asked whether the system is standalone or tied to the city's IT network. Maldives said it is a third-party product paid for through the city and managed in coordination with IT, and that other local jurisdictions experienced the same issues.

Ending: Maldives said the vendor is working to correct the issue and staff will update the board when operations return to normal.","The fire marshal told the board that a recent server replacement by the third-party Tyler (EnerGov/Mobilize) product created timeouts and prevented staff from committing inspection reports and final approvals.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6293699,"Public works seeks reaccreditation as department updates procedures after hurricanes",473,343000,816000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2522948-2a728d347359a08c944302f6b3c5aa1d&start=343&end=816","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2522948-2a728d347359a08c944302f6b3c5aa1d/thumbnail_343000.jpg","/articles/6293699/Fort-Myers-City/Lee-County/Florida/Public-works-seeks-reaccreditation-as-department-updates-procedures-after-hurricanes","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6293699-3f14f837d50458379d33798975ae7f34/orig.mp4?Expires=1771193536&Signature=BSwZlbH8k3S56IjCivZdfc3plMlQ4jnGdjln47ZYxF72r5A0fDl6DkuY1okK2l-oc96hE-xxCUxvsh-YOj3McWyJkkQMbrC01pc15t0ZnLl5k7zdD45TVcuV5h~kLSqDpElnOfTUbLM7Ziest15kpHVgopP4S1zkhP7UF-xrXdCSAopGQ6s80yKjPA2nrkISgoddmYzB3vJYvW9mvy5C1l92hPETchq7-SKvvzqmFm9dFCtZRMC-vkyqKQ-hKMLxRCLDwFxW7zQK8RD2DmrAy71x6ly06rK4cF1PhRzBmo8VAmLgQuH~ZFSPvoHqZZ3P227SSBJh1ra8gOEARapXJQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Public Works staff told the board they are undergoing a reaccreditation review by the American Public Works Association (APWA), describing the effort as a multi-department exercise to document current processes and identify areas for improvement following recent storms and internal reorganization.

Nicole Setzer said the department is \"in the middle of our reaccreditation,\" and that the APWA review covers more than 400 practices and will review a random sample of chapters; the virtual review was scheduled to begin the week after the meeting. The reaccreditation began in 2016; Setzer said the city was delayed this cycle by last year's hurricanes and that city managers want documentation to reflect current procedures after organizational changes and technology updates such as implementation of Procore.

Why it matters: Accreditation and reaccreditation are voluntary third-party reviews that can identify operational gaps in public works, including inspection, emergency response and interdepartmental coordination. Setzer said the process is aimed at continuous improvement and does not grant financial benefits but helps standardize practices across legal, HR, utilities, finance and parks operations.

Board members asked whether reaccreditation offers feedback on model practices and whether other local jurisdictions pursue APWA accreditation. Setzer said APWA reviewers provide feedback and may identify \"model practices\"; she was not able to list other Florida agencies offhand and said she would provide a list if requested.

Ending: Setzer said the department expects reviewer feedback and will report results to the board next month.","Public Works staff told the board they are pursuing reaccreditation through the American Public Works Association to document changes since the last review and to promote continuous improvement after recent hurricanes and internal restructuring.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6293703,"Building-permit fee study proposes tiered charges as city weighs budget impact",678,1824000,2502000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2522948-2a728d347359a08c944302f6b3c5aa1d&start=1824&end=2502","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2522948-2a728d347359a08c944302f6b3c5aa1d/thumbnail_1824000.jpg","/articles/6293703/Fort-Myers-City/Lee-County/Florida/Building-permit-fee-study-proposes-tiered-charges-as-city-weighs-budget-impact","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6293703-898f7efb872aec9098da0d07e3bcba7e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771193536&Signature=R1Nu~wqVkKerq80jrdyamNA6sD7AKUQiN4lmUgAWFqguSfmMbiZ-hhelL2JiXTrhmQ1v--k0oYPQ6JTBZ21dw0LULCjPyvp79-AC8mQ6-OzX2MUC56kBkCKS1DSKvjoFncvcYu0lvoHwLcCpFB4dK9jzM4DVJTiHJ5hhtZovWpELCwH9yyI4pS7OJU6TvexpYM4aXasucuI2Oyv8zQ3PK18bkFTaX345i1BjM9PCJUJ7pW-tWoDZpmbGZ1w51ay86IMLl9FzVdrDCfkLIbN94Px3BUhcq-ypE7589pOi9WODMuLS5bwRJGZ28-meGNobeXcZSq4a9fodTesOkTd-PA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City staff described a proposal to restructure building-permit fees into five valuation \"tiers\" that would raise fees for many small projects while cutting permit charges for the largest developments, and said they will analyze budget impacts before taking the plan to City Council.

The proposal, presented during the Fort Myers City Community Development/Building Division meeting, was framed by Greg (presenter) as an attempt to address a perceived imbalance: \"we are getting not enough money for the smaller projects to cover our costs, but we're taking way too much money for the bigger projects.\" Program and fiscal manager Beth Stark told the board that combined general fund permit revenues for the four months ending Jan. 31, 2025, totaled $2,038,833 and were 54.9% of the $3,710,000 budget.

Why it matters: The Building, Planning and Inspection (BPI) fund carries a large reserve and has been running revenue surpluses driven by major permits. The fee study aims to align permit charges with the actual staff and inspection workload so smaller residential and repair permits do not rely on large commercial projects to keep the division solvent.

Under the consultant's examples, a small residential renovation with a $48,000 valuation that previously produced $251 in BPI fees would move to a proposed tiered fee of $678; a new single-family home with an $800,000 valuation that previously generated roughly $5,454 in BPI fees would see a proposed fee of about $3,798. Conversely, several very large commercial projects would pay substantially less under tier 5 (an example $370 million project would pay under $500,000 instead of more than $2.5 million under current fees).

Staff, board members and other speakers pressed for more detail on how the study accounted for division-wide overhead and for types of inspections that the city does not perform when a threshold inspector is required. Brent Brewster, the city's building official, noted that many very large projects — including the hospital project discussed at the meeting — are subject to threshold inspection by a third party or state-credentialed inspector, which reduces the number of inspections BPI must perform: \"They have to use a threshold inspector by law...we don't duplicate those inspections.\" Beth Stark confirmed the figures presented at the meeting were BPI-only and did not include engineering, fire, planning or other permit-related fees.

Board members and staff said they favored several elements of the proposal, including flat fees for single-inspection permit types (for example, re-roofs, AC change-outs, irrigation and small fence permits) and agreed on the need to verify whether the tiered structure would cover total BPI costs across all functions. The group discussed using reserves to phase in changes if needed. Steve Bell, community development director, said staff would take a deeper financial review before bringing the ordinance or fee schedule to a council workshop.

The board did not vote on a fee schedule at the meeting. Members asked staff to present a refined financial analysis showing the effect of the tiers on BPI's budget, the city's overall permit revenue, and the projected reserve trajectory before any implementation decision.

Ending: Staff said they will return with a deeper cost allocation analysis and a recommended outreach/presentation plan to City Council; no implementation timeline was set at the meeting.","City staff presented a consultant\u0000backed proposal to shift building-permit fees into five tiers, aiming to raise fees on small jobs and reduce rates for very large projects; staff said the change would be studied further and presented to City Council before implementation.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Board approves January meeting minutes

Fire department reports Tyler EnerGov outage disrupted permit and inspection reporting

Public works seeks reaccreditation as department updates procedures after hurricanes

Building-permit fee study proposes tiered charges as city weighs budget impact