FORT MYERS BEACH, Fla. — On Friday, people living on Fort Myers Beach like John Gauntt said they had questions about how to reconstruct paradise after Hurricane Ian.
“We hear, okay the house is grandfathered in and you can rebuild the rooms, wait no, we are not doing that anymore, no you can, no you can't, and so those are questions I want to hear tonight,” said Gauntt.
Gauntt said he has spent a lifetime on FMB and hoped a community meeting on Friday night would uncover the path to rebuilding his home after Ian.
“We need questions answered because it's like, do we rebuild, are we not allowed to, cause if we are not allowed to, we have to leave,” said Gauntt.
The meeting is from 6:00-7:30 PM at 2545 Estero Boulevard which houses the temporary Town Hall complex
Those tasked with answering questions from residents like Gauntt were a panel of local authorities alongside state and federal officials.
Kevin Guthrie the Director of Florida’s Division of Emergency Management (FDEM), was at a Sanibel community meeting the night before.
During that meeting, Guthrie answered questions about the 50 percent rule when it comes to rebuilding homes up to code.
“The city council will vote on and decide what that 50 percent is,” said Guthrie.
Guthrie also talked about several other topics like the state-funded travel trailers for people to live in
“ Out of the 500 names we gave them in the first batch, only 75 people had their registrations updated enough to qualify,” said Guthrie.
It is an option John Gauntt said his family might be looking into.
On Friday, Gauntt said they have had to rely on loved ones, who have let them borrow two mobile trailers while waiting for 2 FEMA trailers for over 2 months.
Gauntt is worried if his questions aren't answered, FMB could no longer be considered home.
“We listed the house for sale because it’s sort of like, if somebody buys it that answers it we will go and I mean I grew up on this beach, I grew up in this house,” said Gauntt.
