With the approach of hurricane season, Lee County is encouraging residents to take steps to prepare their landscaping and those in gated communities to be sure their associations are ready, too.

– Do not wait until a storm is forecast to impact the county. Prune any trees or shrubs that could damage a home or pool cage.

– Survey the property for any items that would become a projectile during a storm. Secure them or set them out for disposal. Keep in mind that typically garbage collections are suspended 24 hours prior to a hurricane making landfall in the area.

– Yard trimmings can be set out in waste cans, paper lawn and leaf bags, or tied with cotton string into bundles weighing 50 pounds or less. Palm fronds do not need to be tied if they are stacked neatly at the curb in piles weighing less than 50 pounds.

– Residents can take paint, fertilizer, pesticides or other chemicals to the county facility for safe and responsible disposal. It is an easy, drive-through process available to all residents at no additional charge. Businesses need to make an appointment to drop off chemicals during the monthly business collection. The Household Chemical Waste drop-off location is open each weekday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and the first Saturday of each month from 8 a.m. to noon at 6441 Topaz Court in Fort Myers.

In addition, professional property managers and residential homeowners’ association presidents should take steps now to protect their community in the event of a hurricane or other declared major disaster.

FEMA regulations require that private or gated communities have a current Right of Entry and Indemnification form on file with the county before disaster debris recovery crews are allowed to enter the community. There is an easy, online process for submitting the paperwork, which must be completed annually. Forms are available at https://leegis.leegov.com/ROE for communities located within unincorporated Lee. The Right of Entry would only be utilized as necessary during the recovery period following a declared State of Local Emergency.

Lee County Solid Waste asks that all HOAs take time to complete the form prior to the start of each hurricane season. For more information or questions, contact Solid Waste at 239-533-8000.

For more information on preparing for storm season, visit www.leegov.com/hurricane.