FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:  Kara Stewart, Lee County Community Development
               (239) 479-8373

LEE COUNTY'S PERMIT SYSTEM GOES ONLINE/EASIER FOR CUSTOMERS

FORT MYERS, Fla. (June 21, 2004) - Customers of Lee County's Community Development Department now can track the status of their permits on the Internet.

Through "E-Connect" you can check your permits, or those of others, from your home or office.

Just visit the site at www.lee-county.com/econnect/.

The site allows customers to research their building permits from application through completion. In addition to viewing building permits, customers can call up cases that have been submitted to zoning, development services, wells, utilities, Department of Transportation, and contractor licensing.

The department is working toward an eventual capability of residents being able to do their zoning, development review and permitting requests online.

Also on the Community Development Department's web site:

Land Development Code - the rules and regulations that need to be followed to use and develop land in Lee County, including land uses, zoning and restrictions. This information is of particular interest to attorneys, developers and real estate brokers.

Comprehensive Plan - Lee County's blueprint for growth, including sections on housing, parks and recreation and transportation.

What's New - Recent applications file for major rezonings.

Permitting & Development Guide - Easy citizen "how-to" guide on development processes and procedures.

Concurrency Report - Annual guide on how the county is doing keeping up with growth.

Agendas - of meetings for planning, development and zoning committees and boards.

Lee County Community Development oversees planning, zoning, and development services such as permitting, development review, code enforcement and building inspections in the unincorporated areas of the county and for Bonita Springs and Fort Myers Beach. It employs 205 people and has a fiscal year 2004 operating budget of $21 million. To learn more about the department and its services, visit http://www.lee-county.com/dcd/.