Hurricane Ian — One Year Later: Islands up and running as storm damages add up
When Hurricane Ian made landfall in Florida on Sept. 28, 2022, it was the costliest tropical storm to hit the state and the third costliest in the United States, behind only Katrina in 2005 and Harvey in 2017.
According to Lee County’s “Ian Progress Report” as of July 27, initial damage estimates show Ian caused over $112 billion in damage to residential and commercial structures. When it came ashore in Lee as a Category 4, it had a wind speed of 155 mph and gusts at 161 mph — shy of a Category 5.
As the landfall site, the county was one of the hardest hit areas, if not the hardest hit. The hurricane impacted every county beach, all the county parks and every traffic signal. It generated an estimated 12 million cubic yards of debris and left more than 130,000 immediately in need of housing assistance.
Lee County had received Hurricane Housing Recovery Program funds totaling about $9.1 million, along with 1,083 trailers through the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s and Florida Division of Emergency Management’s temporary trailer programs as of the most recent Ian Progress Report.
In terms of FEMA Individual Assistance, the funds total $477.7 million. Seven hundred seventy-five households have been approved for direct housing, and 23,704 have been approved for rent assistance. Repair and replacement assistance stands at $299.09 million, and rent assistance totals $6.02 million.
The “County Government Damage Assessment Inventory” is an estimated cost of $297.3 million.
Within Lee, the barrier islands sustained the heaviest storm damages, including Sanibel and Captiva.
According to a June finance report from city staff, Sanibel’s “Working Damage Inventory” based on FEMA’s categories totaled about $104.75 million. The estimated project costs were broken down as: $600,000 for debris removal; $18.17 million for emergency protective measures; $7.08 million for roads and bridges; $2 million for water control facilities; $5.85 million for buildings and equipment; $53.01 million for utilities; and $18.05 million for parks, recreational facilities and other items.
Within the draft budget for fiscal year 2023-24 presented to the Sanibel City Council in August, staff pointed out a line item of $85,047,961 for “Hurricane Ian Related Repairs” under the Capital Plan.
Deputy City Manager Steve Chaipel explained that as of early September, the city had received $2,406,281 from FEMA as a partial, storm payroll reimbursement and $518,400 from the state as a reimbursement for the ferry operations it ran until the Sanibel Causeway was repaired for traffic.
The city also entered into a $15,260,511 Local Government Emergency Bridge Loan with the state.
Chaipel continued that the city has been approved for state and federal grant awards, which are going through the execution process. There is about $33 million from the state for wastewater and stormwater repairs and $13.1 million from the state for beach renourishment. An emergency beach berm restoration project entails about $7.7 million from FEMA, with a cost-share of about $2.6 million from the state.
While the county’s Ian Progress Report was not broken down by areas, it did list FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program and FEMA Public Assistance estimates for all of unincorporated Lee, which Captiva is a part of. There is a total estimated projects costs of $293.9 million for the mitigation program, with $293.9 million in obligated funds and $276 million in projects costs for the public aid.
In terms of hurricane recovery on the islands one year later, things are running and operational.
The Sanibel City Hall is open for business, though meetings cannot be held in the council chambers until the elevator is repaired for ADA compliance; Building and Planning are working out of the Library Way location. The Sanibel Recreation Center is serving users, but the gym floor needs work.
Chaipel reported that the Donax Wastewater Reclamation Facility is back to full operation but additional repairs are needed, including to the lift stations, collection pipes and plant itself.
The East Periwinkle Bridge is repaired and functioning, but it will need to replaced in a few years.
The Sanibel Lighthouse now stands with one temporary support leg after losing one in Ian. Chaipel reported that staff are working with engineers and architects familiar with historical structures for the design and repair as the leg was salvaged. Discussions are being held about the Caretakers Cottages.
The beaches and beach parks and accesses are open to the public, along with those on Captiva.
However, the Sanibel Causeway Islands Park remains closed as permanent repairs continue.
To reach TIFFANY REPECKI, please email trepecki@breezenewspapers.com