Earlier this week, on Monday, April 27, 2026, the question of parking on Boca Grande brought officials from both Lee and Charlotte counties together in Fort Myers. Parking, unsurprisingly, has people arguing, and it’s clear both sides feel strongly.
Charlotte’s Stephen Deutsch opened with a hopeful note: “We’ve been good friends and neighbors, and let’s continue to be such.” Lee’s Brian Hamman agreed.
But the mood shifted when Charlotte officials said Lee’s new parking rules on Boca Grande cut out roughly 300 to 400 public spaces, leaving just 328 spots for visitors, and most of those with three-hour limits. Step over those limits, and you’re looking at a $100 ticket. The Lee County Sheriff’s Office started enforcing the rules in the past few weeks, after they finished a warning period earlier in the winter.
Commissioner Ken Doherty from Charlotte zeroed in on disabled access. He argued that the new locations are too far from the beach, hurting people with disabilities, especially veterans. “A lot of them are disabled Vietnam vets,” he said. “Veterans are harmed by this. They feel it was—it’s cruel to do that to us.” Lee County’s response: the new Boca parking committee should take up these claims.
Meanwhile, Lee’s Kevin Ruane, who represents Boca, said the island’s faced blocked driveways and crowded streets for years, fueled by too many homes approved in Charlotte without enough local beaches. So, Charlotte’s new residents go to Boca. Ruane didn’t sugarcoat it: “That is the elephant in the room. If you want to deal with it. Your growth compared to ours is unprecedented. That is something you have to deal with.”
Despite everything, the two counties agreed on a few points. They’ll look into parking for people with disabilities, check if state property can open up more public spots, and maybe consider more parking during the busy winter and spring months.
This meeting happened under the rules of a state law meant to guide governments in disputes like this. For now, they’re keeping things out of mediation. Both sides want to see what the Boca parking committee turns up, and they plan to keep talking as they look for a solution. Lee put these new rules in place just last summer, and it’s clear the debate isn’t going quiet soon.
