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These procedures apply to new businesses, businesses adding a 2nd location, expanding an existing location, moving to a new location or buying a business and changing the name and will occupy a commercial property. This does not apply to home-based businesses. If you have any questions concerning these procedures, please contact the City of Bonita Springs Community Development Department.
STEP 1: Obtain the Parcel number for the Business location. If you do not know the Parcel number, contact the Property Appraiser's Office at (239) 533-6150. Also, the strap number is available on the Lee County Property Appraiser website.
STEP 2: Prepare a hand drawn Floor Plan showing the "As is" layout of your space. Indicate the size of the space, including existing walls, partitions, counters, electrical layout, plumbing fixtures, doorways, etc. and what you intend to add (highlight the proposed addition(s) if applicable). Also indicate the "Use" or "Name of the business on either side of the subject space." This is to enable the inspectors to quickly locate your space.
*Any interior/exterior alterations will require a separate Building Permit.
STEP 3: Obtain a Parking Diagram and an approved Garbage Collection Verification Form. Lee County Ordinance #95-19 requires you to make provisions for garbage collection, and Bonita Springs Ordinance No. 07-21 requires mandatory recycling of solid waste for your business. If you are leasing and the rent includes garbage pick-up, please have your landlord provide a notarized letter stating that your lease includes garbage/recycling pickup.
STEP 4: Determine whether the space is served by well/septic or public sewer/public water. You may contact Bonita Springs Utilities to confirm whether you are on central water and sewer. Call (239) 992-0711 for details.
STEP 5: Download and complete the required Lee County Tax Collector forms.
STEP 6: Submit a completed Commercial Business Use Application (page 3) to the Community Development office at 9220 Bonita Beach Road, Suite 111. Please allow 7-10 workdays for a complete review and approval.
Be sure to include the following required items: Floor Plan, Parking Diagram, Garbage Collection Verification, Lee County Local Business Tax Application, and Inspection Acknowledgment (page 5).
Note: The City of Bonita Springs Impact Fee Ordinance requires an assessment of impact fees for a "Change of Use" on all Commercial Business Use Permit applications. If you are required to pay impact fees, you will be notified prior to processing your application.
STEP 7: Pending application approval, you will then receive email instructions to schedule your Building and Fire Department inspections. Refer to the Inspection Acknowledgment for more information (page 5).
It is your responsibility to contact the Building Inspector and Fire District to schedule inspections. If you notify us at the time of application that you need the electric turned on, we will notify the electric company when all of the inspections have been done. However, it is your responsibility to contact the electric company to make the necessary arrangements for deposits, etc.
STEP 8: Once all applicable inspections have passed, you will then receive an email informing you that the zoning approved Lee County Local Business Tax Application is available for pickup at the Community Development office.
STEP 9: Return the zoning approved Local Business Tax Application to the Lee County Tax Collector for processing. The Business Tax fee is collected by the Lee County Tax Collector.
Please submit only ONE SET of items listed. Additionally, DO NOT staple any documents submitted. All documents are scanned and staples jam our scanning equipment.
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