The Captiva Community Panel is asking contractors and property owners to voluntarily remove noncompliant and excessive signage before the county is contacted and code enforcement responds.

The panel recently explained that in the wake of Hurricane Ian, a lot of Lee County rules that affect Captiva were put on hold or more leniency in enforcement was considered given the push for recovery.

“However, it’s time to tighten some of that enforcement to keep our island free of clutter,” it shared. “Primary among the enforcement issues are signs — particularly signs advertising contractors working on island properties.”

The panel reported that there was a proliferation of such signage during the recovery and rebuilding, and most people were willing to overlook too many signs on a property or signs left up too long. When the number of some signs got out of hand, it contacted contractors and requested that they remove or reduce the signs back to the number and rules permitted per the Captiva Code.

“Some complied, some didn’t … and the increased proliferation of illegal signs encouraged others to put their own signs … the old “If they get one, why can’t I?’” the panel shared. “With complaints on the rise, it’s clear asking people to voluntarily comply isn’t enough.”

It continued that it will soon contact the county’s code enforcement and ask them to come out to Captiva to cite — and, if appropriate, remove — signage that does not conform to the code.

“Before this takes place, the panel wanted to give contractors and property owners a chance to remove signs on their own, rather than losing them to code enforcement,” the panel shared.

The following information was provided:

– Contractors: Review the rules and take in your signs that do not comply, so they can live to be used another day.

– Property owners: If there are old signs from recovery work done by a contractor, it is time to pick those up and throw them out.

– Business owners: Make sure to check the rules on commercial signage to ensue you are in compliance. Code enforcement will likely to write up any violation, not just residential or contractor signs.

The panel also summarized the residential sign rules as follows:

– Residential identification signs cannot exceed 6 square feet in area. Signs that existed prior to the code can be maintained as-is.

– ID signs can be illuminated under the rules in the code. They must include the street number of the property in numbers at least 4 inches high.

– Contractor signs cannot exceed 6 square feet in area. There may be no more than two total signs per property and signs must be removed within 10 days of the issuance of the certificate of occupancy or certificate of compliance.

– Occupational signs denoting only the name, street number or occupation of an occupant in a commercial building, public building or an institutional building cannot exceed 4 square feet in area.

– Temporary real estate signs, advertising the property for sale or rent, must be located only on the property advertised. In non-residential districts, signs may not exceed 4 square feet in area and may not exceed 2 square feet in areas zoned as RSC-2, RS-1, TFC-2 and RM-2. The bottom edge of the signs may not be greater than 12 inches above average grade of the sign’s location.

– Temporary real estate signs must be sturdily constructed ground signs only, with prongs not exceeding one-half inch in diameter and designed to be inserted/removed without tools.

– Temporary real estate signs must be removed no more than five days after the property is no longer for sale.

– Temporary real estate signs must be located in a front yard and a minimum of 2 feet from the property line, parallel to the road. A property is limited to one temporary real estate sign at any given time. If the parcel includes water access, a second temporary real estate sign not exceeding 2 square feet in area is allowed either on a permanent dock structure or a minimum of 10 feet landward of the property boundary adjacent to the water access or away from the landward edge of the mangrove fringe.

– Signs, handbills, notices and advertisements cannot be posted or installed without first obtaining the consent of the property owner or a duly authorized agent.

To review the Captiva-specific sign regulations, visit https://outlook.office365.com/owa/redir.aspx?REF=lUIH-fpwrHMr0T4eTnw3XVRQa-GYl6xI8NuMl_yEv4N3mUWICT7cCAFodHRwczovL2NhcHRpdmFjb21tdW5pdHlwYW5lbC51czYubGlzdC1tYW5hZ2UuY29tL3RyYWNrL2NsaWNrP3U9NjU2MTY4Yjk0NTE2MGQ2MTc3MGJmMDJmNSZpZD0wMTkxNjhlYTc5JmU9OGQ0YmFhZTNkMA.

To review the county’s full Land Development Code, visit https://www.leegov.com/governance.