Imperial Shores

Updated October 2026 · Jesse McGreevy and Marc Comisar, Domain Realty

McGreevy and Comisar are the team Imperial Shores owners call first when it is time to sell, and the team buyers use to read the flood record lot by lot, the boat route to the Gulf and the City code on a 60-foot lot before they buy. Top 1% Real Estate Agents Nationally Since 2008, #1 Team in Southwest Florida since 2012, and our headquarters is right here in Bonita Springs, on Tamiami Trail.

Imperial Shores is an older canal and river neighborhood of single-family homes, duplexes and lots at the mouth of the Imperial River in Bonita Springs, Florida, on the north side of Bonita Beach Road, across the road from Bonita Shores and a short drive from Imperial Harbor. Imperial Shores in Bonita Springs sits inside the City of Bonita Springs; it has no homeowners' association on the public record, and every lot is governed by City zoning and permits.

This guide is built from the public record and nothing else: the Lee County Property Appraiser's roll dated October 11, 2026, every Lee County recorded sale through September 25, 2026, the 1961 deed and sales plat at the Lee County Clerk, three 2025 Lee County tax bills, FEMA's flood map at the centre of every lot, the City of Bonita Springs Land Development Code and the NOAA Coast Pilot for the water route. Every figure carries its source and date, and where a record does not exist we say so.

Why McGreevy and Comisar Are the Best Realtor for Imperial Shores

McGreevy and Comisar are the best realtor for Imperial Shores in Bonita Springs because we price from the public record: every recorded Imperial Shores sale for 12 and 60 months, the 1961 instrument at the Clerk, three 2025 tax bills, FEMA's map at every lot and the City code on docks, seawalls and lots of record. Our team is Top 1% Real Estate Agents Nationally Since 2008.

Data updated: October 2026 (Lee County recorded sales through September 25, 2026; county roll dated October 11, 2026).

If you're searching for the best realtor for Imperial Shores, whether you're ready to sell your Imperial Shores home or buy your next one, McGreevy and Comisar is the team that delivers. We lead Domain Realty Group, the #1 real estate team in Southwest Florida since 2012, Top 1% Nationally since 2008, and as the leaders of Domain Realty Group our team has closed over $2.5 billion in real estate. Between Jesse and Marc personally, the number is over $900 million in Sales.

The Imperial Shores market record, 12 months to September 25, 2026

We pulled every recorded Imperial Shores sale in the Lee County record for the 12 months to September 25, 2026: 15 sales at a $1,075,000 median, from $76,000 to $2,300,000, and 66 sales at a $725,000 median over 60 months. That range includes one February 2026 warranty deed recorded at $76,000, about 7 percent of the county's value for that canal lot; the deed gives no reason. Without it, the 12 months show 14 sales at a $1,150,000 median, from $488,000 to $2,300,000.

In the last 12 months we tracked 15 Imperial Shores sales in the Lee County record, 14 resales and one newly rebuilt home, at a median of $524.26 per square foot of county heated area, and the full breakdown by window, calendar year, position and sale is in the market section below.

Days on market and sale-to-list ratio: Information not available at time of publishing (checked 2026-10-10).

Honors and recognition

• Top 1% Real Estate Agents Nationally Since 2008
• 5 Star Award for Customer Satisfaction for 21 Straight Years. Only 5 out of 21k+ Licensees (Gulfshore Life Magazine)
• #1 Team in Southwest Florida since 2012
• McGreevy and Comisar and their Domain Realty Group team have sold over $2.5 Billion in Real Estate
• McGreevy and Comisar alone have over $900 million in Sales
• Nationally Recognized Top Producing Realtors
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• #5 real estate team in Florida (RealTrends 2026)
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For Imperial Shores sellers

An Imperial Shores sale is priced by position first, because a canal lot on Regal Drive or Esplanade Street, an Imperial River lot at the west end of Esplanade Street and an inland lot on Mariner Road or Franklin Street carry different flood elevations, different design wind speeds and different dock rules, and the recorded sales follow those lines. A buyer's lender and insurer will also ask for the elevation certificate, the wind mitigation report and the dock and seawall permits, so a well-prepared listing has those answers ready on day one. For luxury Imperial Shores sellers we add premium marketing: cinematic video, drone, professional photography, a qualified-buyer database, and discretion with off-market capability when a sale needs to stay private. Get a free home valuation at https://mcgreevyandcomisar.com/home-valuation, or call Jesse direct at (239) 898-6072.

Our Imperial Shores seller guide walks through pricing a canal, river or inland lot, the flood and permit records a buyer's lender asks for, and what a narrow lot can carry.

For Imperial Shores buyers

Buyers here are choosing a position before a house: a canal or river lot with a dock and a seawall that reaches southern Estero Bay with no bridge overhead, or an inland lot on the eastern streets where the ground sits higher and a few lots are outside the special flood hazard area at their centre. The City code decides what a 60-foot lot can carry, and the record names no public maintainer for the canals. Call Marc at (239) 287-5873 for a personalized buyer consultation, or read how we represent buyers in Southwest Florida.

If you are weighing a purchase, start with our guide to buying a home in Imperial Shores.

McGreevy and Comisar is a top-reviewed Imperial Shores realtor, and our clients review us on Google in their own words. We publish no aggregate score, and every review we quote is a five-star review.

★★★★★ "Marc knows the market, works for his buyer and is attentive to his goals." Verified Google review

Key Takeaways: What Should Imperial Shores Buyers and Sellers Know?

Imperial Shores buyers and sellers in Bonita Springs should know eight facts from the public record before they price, offer or list: what the neighborhood is, what homes have recorded, how the lots were sold, what FEMA's map shows lot by lot, how boats reach the Gulf, what the City code allows on a narrow lot and what the tax bill carries.

• Imperial Shores is an older canal and river neighborhood of about 112 single-family homes, 42 duplex parcels and 38 lots inside the City of Bonita Springs, with no homeowners' association on the public record.
• Lee County recorded 15 Imperial Shores sales in the 12 months to September 25, 2026 at a $1,075,000 median, from $76,000 to $2,300,000; without one $76,000 deed the median is $1,150,000 on 14 sales.
• Canal and river homes recorded a $1,387,500 median on 10 sales in the year; inland homes $552,500 on 10 sales over 24 months; water, size and age move together.
• The lots were sold from a 1961 sales plat recorded only as pages of a lot deed; that deed refers to a restriction sheet that is not in the recorded image.
• FEMA's 2022 map puts 180 of 188 lot centres in Zone AE and 8 in shaded Zone X, with base flood elevations of 9, 10 or 11 feet; USGS marked Hurricane Ian's water at 10.7 and 10.8 feet inside the neighborhood.
• Boats reach southern Estero Bay with no bridge overhead; the Gulf passes sit under fixed bridges of 10 feet (Big Hickory Pass) and 30 feet (New Pass), and Lee County's new Big Carlos Pass bridge has a 60-foot clearance.
• Most lots are zoned TFC-2 and are about 60 feet wide; the City code allows a single-family home on a narrow lot of record, while a new duplex needs a full 75-foot lot.
• The 2025 tax bill carried 12.7970 mills plus $408.45 in two fees, and no association, canal or dredging charge; renting any home needs a $100-per-unit City permit.

Table of Contents

This Imperial Shores guide lets a seller or a buyer in Bonita Springs jump straight to the record that answers the question: recorded sales, homes, duplexes and lots, the 1961 deed, costs, the City code, docks and the boat route, flood and insurance, schools, drive times, the Bonita Shores comparison and the FAQs.

The neighborhood: What Is Imperial Shores in Bonita Springs, and Where Is It? · Is Imperial Shores in the City of Bonita Springs or Unincorporated Lee County? · What Is It Like to Live in Imperial Shores?

Homes and prices: What Do Imperial Shores Homes Sell For? · What Kinds of Homes Are in Imperial Shores: Single-Family Homes, Duplexes and Lots? · How Do Canal, River and Inland Lots Differ in Imperial Shores? · What Is on Each Imperial Shores Street?

History, rules and costs: How Did Imperial Shores Begin, and Why Is It an Unrecorded Subdivision? · Does Imperial Shores Have an HOA or Deed Restrictions? · What Does It Cost to Own in Imperial Shores? Taxes, Fees and Utilities · What Can You Build or Rebuild on an Imperial Shores Lot? · Can You Build a Duplex or Rent Out a Home in Imperial Shores?

The water: How Do Docks, Boat Lifts and Seawalls Work in Imperial Shores? · Does Imperial Shores Have Gulf Access by Boat, and What Bridges Are on the Way? · Who Maintains the Imperial Shores Canals and Streets? · What Is the Imperial River Preserve at the West End of Imperial Shores?

Flood, storms and insurance: What Flood Zone Is Imperial Shores In? · What Happened in Imperial Shores During Hurricanes Ian, Irma and Milton? · How Do Insurance, Wind Rules and the 50 Percent Rule Affect Imperial Shores Homes?

Location: What Schools Serve Imperial Shores? · Where Are the Nearest Hospitals and Emergency Rooms to Imperial Shores? · How Far Is Imperial Shores From the Beach, Downtown, Naples and the Airport? · What Is Near Imperial Shores: Beaches, Boat Ramps, Parks, Shopping and Golf? · What Is Being Built or Planned Near Imperial Shores?

Comparisons: How Does Imperial Shores Compare With Other Bonita Springs Neighborhoods? · Imperial Shores vs Bonita Shores: Which Fits Your Priorities? · Why Buy in Imperial Shores? Honest Pros and Cons

Selling and contact: Thinking of Selling Your Imperial Shores Home? List With the #1 Team in Southwest Florida Since 2012 · Your Local Real Estate Experts

FAQs and sources: Imperial Shores FAQ: Buyer Edition · Imperial Shores FAQ: Seller Edition · Sources · Downloadable Documents

What Is Imperial Shores in Bonita Springs, and Where Is It?

Imperial Shores is an older street-and-canal neighborhood of single-family homes, duplexes and lots on the north side of Bonita Beach Road SW at the mouth of the Imperial River, inside the City of Bonita Springs, ZIP 34134. It holds 194 parcels on eight streets, sold from a 1961 sales plat that was never recorded as a subdivision plat.

Data updated: October 2026 (Lee County Property Appraiser roll dated October 11, 2026 and parcel layer read October 12, 2026; Lee County and City of Bonita Springs GIS layers read October 13, 2026).

The county roll names Imperial Shores in 188 legal descriptions; six more Esplanade Street lots on the 1961 plan are described by metes and bounds, and we count them. That gives the 194 parcels behind every county figure on this page: about 112 single-family homes, 42 duplex and small multifamily parcels, 38 vacant lots and two Lee County preserve parcels. The plat runs about 1.0 mile east to west and a third of a mile north to south, and Imperial Shores Boulevard is the spine on the east side, from Bonita Beach Road SW north to Tarpon Avenue.

Imperial Shores at a glance

The eight streets

Imperial Shores has eight streets: Esplanade Street, Regal Drive, Mariner Road, Little Hickory Road, Franklin Street, Pine Lake Road, Imperial Shores Boulevard and Reahard Court. Every canal lot is in Blocks 5 to 8, on Regal Drive and Esplanade Street. Blocks 1 to 4, which hold Mariner Road, Little Hickory Road, Franklin Street, Pine Lake Road, most of Imperial Shores Boulevard and Reahard Court, are entirely inland. Esplanade Street is the longest street and runs west to the Imperial River and the preserve; Regal Drive runs parallel to it between two canals and ends at the bay.

How you get in and out

Every trip out of Imperial Shores leaves by Imperial Shores Boulevard on the west half of the grid or by Okeana Street on the east half, onto Bonita Beach Road SW. There is no second outlet north to US 41 (our reading of the road network). Beside the plat, Bonita Beach Road SW is Lee County road CR 865, a county-maintained arterial posted at 40 mph on that segment. The drive-time section below gives the minutes to the beach, downtown, I-75, Naples and the airport.

What sits on each side

The Imperial River and the county's Imperial River Preserve lie to the north and west of Imperial Shores. Bonita Beach Road and the Collier County line lie to the south: the county line runs about 550 feet south of the plat's southern edge, and no Imperial Shores parcel is in Collier County. To the east, part of Stanton's Unrecorded Subdivision and older acreage parcels sit on the same streets, at the north end of Imperial Shores Boulevard and on the south side of Pine Lake Road. Nearby plats include Ledford Shores, Tarpon Bend Unrecorded and the Bonita Bay units. If you are weighing more than one neighborhood, our guide to the best real estate agents in Bonita Springs explains how we work across the city.

Homes on the same streets that are not Imperial Shores

Some homes on Imperial Shores Boulevard, Pine Lake Road and the east end of the grid carry other legal descriptions, mostly part of Stanton's Unrecorded Subdivision or older acreage parcels described by metes and bounds. A listing may call any of them Imperial Shores. The figures on this page count only Imperial Shores: the 188 parcels whose legal names it and the six Esplanade Street lots inside the 1961 plan. For comparison only, the 24 street neighbours left out recorded 3 sales in the 12 months, from $300,000 to $455,000. The Property Appraiser values Imperial Shores and its 30 street neighbours as one appraisal neighborhood, so a value notice may compare a home with a neighbour outside the plat.

Neighbors worth knowing

Imperial Harbor is a manufactured-home community nearby, and Bonita Farms is an older acreage and single-family area inside the City. Vanderbilt Lakes shares Imperial Shores' census tract, and Pine Haven, Sanctuary at Imperial River and El Dorado Acres are other older Bonita Springs neighborhoods along the river and the US 41 corridor. Each has its own record, and we compare the numbers in the comparison section below.

Is Imperial Shores in the City of Bonita Springs or Unincorporated Lee County?

Imperial Shores is inside the City of Bonita Springs on every parcel, in Lee County, with a Bonita Springs 34134 address. The Lee County Property Appraiser codes every lot to the City, the City is the zoning authority, and tax district 017 covers the City of Bonita Springs and Bonita Springs Fire.

Data updated: October 2026 (Lee County Property Appraiser parcel layer read October 12, 2026; Lee County jurisdiction layers read October 12, 2026; City of Bonita Springs Resolution 26-027).

We checked the question four ways: the Property Appraiser's municipal code (B, City of Bonita Springs) and zoning authority on all 188 roll parcels, the tax district (017, "City of Bonita Springs / Bonita Springs Fire") and fire district 009, and Lee County's City and County and City Limits layers at nine test points, which all returned the City. The postal city and the municipality agree. This matters because City rules, City millage and the City's flood insurance rating apply, not the county's.

What City jurisdiction means for an owner

City jurisdiction means the City of Bonita Springs Land Development Code sets what can be built on each lot, the City issues building, dock and seawall permits, and the City's rental permit applies to any home that is rented. The City adopted a millage of 0.8411 for FY2026-27 under Resolution 26-027, equal to its rolled-back rate. The City holds Class 5 in FEMA's Community Rating System, which gives 25 percent off NFIP flood policies rated in the special flood hazard area and 10 percent outside it. Residents with a Bonita Springs address on a photo ID also get the Bonita Wonder Gardens first-Sunday "Everyone's a Kid" day.

Lee County, not Collier

Imperial Shores is in Lee County, and the Lee and Collier line runs about 550 feet south of the plat's southern edge. That puts every lot on Lee County FIRM panel 12071C0654G, the Lee County school zones and Lee County Emergency Management's evacuation map. Bonita Shores, directly across Bonita Beach Road, is in unincorporated Collier County and works under Collier County's maps, services and schools, which is why the two neighborhoods' records do not mix.

Utilities and services by provider

Bonita Springs Utilities supplies water and sewer, and the Florida Department of Health inventory (parcel year 2022) records every built Imperial Shores home on public sewer and public water, with no septic or private well records. Imperial Shores is not a Bonita Springs Utilities special service charge area. Electricity is FPL. Waste Management collects solid waste on Wednesday (Area 1). The neighborhood is inside LeeTran's Bonita Springs ULTRA on-demand zone, at $1.50 a ride with the BONITARIDE code. Fire and rescue is the Bonita Springs Fire Control and Rescue District, whose nearest station is Station 22 on Mango Drive.

What Is It Like to Live in Imperial Shores?

Imperial Shores is a neighborhood of mostly one-story homes on canals and inland streets, with docks and seawalls along Regal Drive and Esplanade Street, newer rebuilds on the water, duplexes on the inland grid and mangroves at the river end. Bonita Beach Park is about 3 minutes by car, and there is no clubhouse, gate or dues.

Data updated: October 2026 (Lee County Property Appraiser roll dated October 11, 2026; free-flow routing, October 13, 2026).

Of the 108 single-family homes on the 188-parcel roll set, 88 are one story and 15 are two stories. The roll flags a pool on 61 homes, a dock on 27 and a seawall on 65. Those flags are roll fields, not inspections, and they say nothing about the condition of a dock or wall. Eight parcels carry a new 2025 or 2026 building on the roll, seven of them on the water.

The canal streets

Regal Drive and Esplanade Street hold the canal lots. A canal single-family home here has a median of 2,200 square feet of county heated area on a 0.237 acre lot and a median year built of 1990. Esplanade Street has 66 parcels on the 188 set, with seawall flags on 58 of them, and Regal Drive has 39 parcels with seawall flags on 34. Both streets end at the bay, where the canals open to Fish Trap Bay and the river mouth.

The inland streets

Mariner Road, Little Hickory Road, Franklin Street, Pine Lake Road, most of Imperial Shores Boulevard and Reahard Court are inland. An inland single-family home has a median of 1,260 square feet of heated area on a 0.176 acre lot, with a median year built of 1974. Most of the duplexes are on these streets: Little Hickory Road alone has 10 duplex or multifamily parcels of its 22.

The river end and the preserve

At the west end of Esplanade Street, about 20 lots face the Imperial River, and beyond them lies the mangrove land the 1961 plan drew as Blocks 9 to 12. That land is now Lee County's Imperial River Preserve, about 39 acres (38.95, Lee County) of mangrove swamp. In the county's words, "There is no public access available at this preserve. Paddlers may kayak or canoe near the preserve via the Imperial River."

No clubhouse, gate or dues

Imperial Shores has no gate, no clubhouse, no marina, no boat ramp and no golf course inside the plat; the roll carries only single-family, multifamily, vacant and county use codes. Imperial Shores has no homeowners' association on the public record: no association is registered with the Florida Division of Corporations and no association charge appears on the 2025 tax bills we read. So there are no dues, and the City code, not a set of association rules, governs what an owner builds.

Daily errands

The Publix at The Center of Bonita Springs is about 1.2 miles and 3 minutes from the Imperial Shores Boulevard entrance, and an Aldi is about 1.5 miles and 3 minutes away. The Fresh Market is about 2.4 miles and 5 minutes, and the Publix at Bonita Bay Plaza about 2.9 miles and 6 minutes. The Bonita Springs Public Library on Reynolds Street is about 3.8 miles and 8 minutes. The nearby section below covers beaches, ramps, parks and golf.

What the record does not show

The FCC's broadband map returned no location data at our sample point, so we name no internet provider. We did not measure traffic counts on the inland streets or noise from Bonita Beach Road, and the public record we read carries neither for Imperial Shores.

One client's review fits the way we work here: ★★★★★ "Jesse and Marc are extremely knowledgeable about Southwest Florida real estate! If you are looking to buy or sell property, look no further than Domain Realty and their amazing team!" Verified Google review

What Do Imperial Shores Homes Sell For?

Imperial Shores homes recorded 15 sales in the 12 months to September 25, 2026 at a $1,075,000 median, from $76,000 to $2,300,000, or $524.26 per square foot of county heated area. Over 60 months the Lee County record holds 66 sales at a $725,000 median, and the canal and river lots carry the top of the range.

Data updated: October 2026 (Lee County recorded sales through September 25, 2026; county roll dated October 11, 2026).

That range includes one February 2026 warranty deed recorded at $76,000, about 7 percent of the county's value for that canal lot; the deed gives no reason. Without it, the 12 months show 14 sales at a $1,150,000 median, from $488,000 to $2,300,000.

What we measured

We pulled every recorded sale in Imperial Shores for the 12 months to September 25, 2026 from the Lee County record and read the deeds behind the outliers. The method: the county roll dated October 11, 2026 and the county sale file, sales the Florida Department of Revenue codes as qualified, the 194 parcels described above, and the median price per square foot of county heated area, which is the roll's heated area and not the MLS living area. Windows end on the newest qualified sale in the county file, September 25, 2026.

The 12-month record

Every sale in the 12 months

The table lists every recorded Imperial Shores sale in the 12 months by month, street, use and price. We show street names only, with no house numbers.

By position, the 15 sales were 9 on a canal (the $76,000 deed among them), 1 on the Imperial River and 5 inland. By use, 10 were single-family homes, 4 duplex or multifamily parcels and 1 a newly rebuilt home, and 5 of the 15 homes were built in 2002 or later.

The window ladder

The 12-month median sits above every longer window because the year's sales leaned to the water: 10 of the 15 were on a canal or the river.

Calendar years

From the 2022 median of $526,250 to the 2023 median of $790,000 is a rise of $263,750 ($790,000 minus $526,250), or 50.1 percent. From 2023 to the 2026 year to date ($975,000) is a further $185,000 ($975,000 minus $790,000), or 23.4 percent. Each year's mix of canal, river and inland sales and of older and rebuilt homes differs, so the change in a median is not the change in any one home's value.

The $76,000 deed and the rebuilt home

The $76,000 sale is a statutory warranty deed recorded February 19, 2026 for a whole canal lot on Esplanade Street. Its documentary stamps of $532.00 equal $76,000 at $0.70 per $100, and the county's 2026 just value for that parcel is $1,039,747, so the price is about 7 percent of the county's value. The deed states no reason, and the record we read does not explain the price. We keep it in the published figures and show the figures without it beside them, and we never treat $76,000 as a market price. The one newly rebuilt home in the year is a Franklin Street home that sold for $1,250,000 in June 2026. The county file counts it as the first sale of a new home, but the deed runs between individuals, so we treat "builder-direct" as an estimate.

Price bands

More than half of the year's recorded sales closed at $1,000,000 or more, and every one of those eight was on a canal or the river except the rebuilt Franklin Street home.

What the public record cannot tell you yet

The county record shows what sold and for how much, but not how long a home was listed or how the price compared with the asking price. Days on market, sale-to-list ratio, active listings and months of supply: Information not available at time of publishing (checked 2026-10-10). We pull those from the MLS for a specific home when we price it.

Buying or Selling in Imperial Shores? Start With a Conversation

A canal lot, a river lot and an inland lot in Imperial Shores price differently, and the flood, wind and dock records behind each one decide what a buyer's lender and insurer will ask. Selling? Call Jesse direct at (239) 898-6072, or start with a free home valuation. Buying? Call Marc at (239) 287-5873, and we will pull the record for the lots you are considering.

What Kinds of Homes Are in Imperial Shores: Single-Family Homes, Duplexes and Lots?

Imperial Shores holds about 112 single-family homes, 42 duplex and small multifamily parcels, 38 vacant lots and two Lee County preserve parcels. Single-family homes in Imperial Shores run from 812 to 5,297 square feet of county heated area, with a median of 1,825, on lots with a median 62-foot frontage.

Data updated: October 2026 (Lee County Property Appraiser roll dated October 11, 2026; Lee County recorded sales through September 25, 2026).

The counts come from the Florida Department of Revenue use codes on the county roll for the 194 plan parcels: 112 single-family (code 01), 42 multifamily under ten units (code 08, duplexes in the main), 38 vacant residential (code 00) and 2 county parcels (code 80). The home details below come from the 188 parcels whose legal names Imperial Shores, because the roll's building fields are complete on that set.

Single-family homes

On the 188-parcel set, the 108 single-family homes sit on lots of 0.100 to 0.533 acre, with a median of 0.233 acre, a median depth of 125 feet and a median frontage of 62 feet (50 to 130 feet, on the 41 parcels that carry the field). They were built from 1958 to 2024 by the roll's year built, with a median of 1986, and run from 812 to 5,297 square feet of heated area, median 1,825.

The 1970s were the largest building decade, and the oldest homes on the roll date from 1957 and 1958.

Duplexes and small multifamily

The 42 multifamily parcels were built from 1957 to 2001, with a median year built of 1979, and 36 of them carry paired street numbers, the mark of a duplex. Over 60 months the Lee County record holds 18 multifamily sales at a $629,000 median, from $395,000 to $2,000,000, or $293.95 per square foot of county heated area, and all of them were resales. In the 12 months to September 25, 2026 there were 4 multifamily sales, from $488,000 to $875,000; that is too few for a median, so we print the count and range only.

The four-building parcel on Reahard Court

One parcel on Reahard Court combines four Block 1A lots and carries four buildings, with 12 bedrooms, 8 baths and 5,980 square feet of heated area, built in 1978. The roll codes it multifamily; the number of units is not on the record we read.

Vacant lots and the lot market

On the 188-parcel set, 36 lots are vacant: 18 on a canal, 14 inland and 4 at the river or the canal ends. The county recorded one Imperial Shores lot sale in the 12 months to September 25, 2026: an Imperial River lot on Esplanade Street that sold for $1,200,000 in November 2025, a lot that carried a house in 1986. Over 24 months there were 2 lot sales, from $165,750 to $1,200,000, and over 60 months 5, from $150,000 to $1,200,000. Five sales are too few for a lot median.

Rebuilds on the water

Eight parcels carry a new 2025 or 2026 building on the roll: four on Regal Drive, three on Esplanade Street and one on Imperial Shores Boulevard, and seven of the eight are on the water. Each sits on a parcel with an earlier improved sale, so we read them as replacements of older homes (our inference from the roll). Another seven homes built from 2020 to 2024 are already on the roll. No builder sells new homes inside Imperial Shores; for new homes elsewhere in the city, see new construction in Bonita Springs.

Pools, docks and seawalls on the roll

The roll flags a pool on 61 of the 108 single-family homes, a dock on 27 and a seawall on 65, and 88 of the homes are one story and 15 two stories. These are roll fields recorded by the Property Appraiser, not inspections. A dock flag does not say a dock was permitted or what shape it is in, and a seawall flag does not give the wall's age or height, so a buyer reads the City's permit record and a survey for the lot itself.

Older homes and newer homes

Over 60 months, single-family homes built in 2000 or later recorded 12 sales at a $1,217,500 median, or $525.96 per square foot, while homes built before 2000 recorded 33 sales at a $725,000 median. Of the 32 newer single-family homes, 25 are on the water. On the whole improved set, 102 of the 150 improved parcels with a year built were built from 1957 to 1993, and 123 of the 150 were built in 2005 or earlier.

How Do Canal, River and Inland Lots Differ in Imperial Shores?

About 114 Imperial Shores lots front a canal, the Imperial River or a canal end at the bay, and 80 are inland. Canal homes are larger and newer, carry higher flood elevations and a 170 mph design wind, and recorded a $1,387,500 median on 10 sales in 12 months against $552,500 on 10 inland sales over 24 months.

Data updated: October 2026 (Lee County recorded sales through September 25, 2026; county roll dated October 11, 2026; FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer read October 13, 2026; Lee County Property Appraiser wind layer).

We set each lot's position from the county roll's water code and Lee County's canal and tidal water polygons. On the 188-parcel set that gives 108 lots on the water (about 86 on a canal, about 18 on the Imperial River including the two county parcels, and a few at canal ends on open water) and 80 inland. The six added Esplanade Street plan lots are all on the water, which makes about 114 on the 194-parcel list.

Canal lots

Every canal lot is in Blocks 5 to 8, on Regal Drive and Esplanade Street, and the canals open to the Imperial River at its mouth on Fish Trap Bay. A canal single-family home has a median of 2,200 square feet of heated area on a 0.237 acre lot and a median year built of 1990. On a man-made canal, the City allows one dock with two wet slips per single-family lot, and a dock with a boat lift needs a canal at least 40 feet wide unless the lift is diagonal or davits are used.

Imperial River lots at the west end of Esplanade Street

About 20 lots at the west end of Esplanade Street face the Imperial River rather than a man-made canal. They are the only private lots in Imperial Shores that are not zoned TFC-2: the City layer shows RS-1, AG-2, RPD and RM-2 there. The City's 2026 road layer lists the western 1,230 feet of Esplanade Street, the river strip, as private. The river is a natural waterbody under the City's dock code, so wider dock setbacks apply and no new or expanded seawall is allowed, though a lawful existing wall may be repaired or replaced up to 2 feet higher.

Lots at the canal ends

A few lots sit where the canals of Regal Drive and Esplanade Street end at open water on the bay side. These bay-end lots carry the highest flood elevations in Imperial Shores: FEMA's map puts a base flood elevation of 11 feet on 17 parcels at the bay ends of Blocks 6 and 7, and FEMA's Limit of Moderate Wave Action crosses 16 parcels at that end. The flood section below explains what that line means for construction.

Inland lots

The 80 inland lots fill Blocks 1 to 4. An inland single-family home has a median of 1,260 square feet of heated area on a 0.176 acre lot, with a median year built of 1974, and the ground sits higher: a median of 8.2 feet against 4.9 feet on the water. Eight inland lot centres are in shaded Zone X, four in Block 1 on Franklin Street and the east end of Pine Lake Road and four in Block 4 on Mariner Road, and five inland Block 1 parcels carry a base flood elevation of 9 feet. Inland lots have no dock.

Position decision table

Why the price gap is not a canal premium

The waterfront group's $1,387,500 median on 10 sales in 12 months sits $835,000 above the inland group's $552,500 median on 10 sales over 24 months ($1,387,500 minus $552,500), and $338.25 above it per square foot ($609.36 against $271.11). That gap is not the value of the water alone. The two groups come from different windows, and canal homes are larger (2,200 against 1,260 square feet) and newer (median built 1990 against 1974). Size, age and water move together here, so we never say a canal adds a set number of dollars to a home.

What Is on Each Imperial Shores Street?

Imperial Shores has eight streets. Esplanade Street and Regal Drive carry the canal and river lots and most of the sales, while Mariner Road, Little Hickory Road, Franklin Street, Pine Lake Road and Imperial Shores Boulevard form the inland grid with most of the duplexes, and Reahard Court holds one parcel.

Data updated: October 2026 (county roll dated October 11, 2026; Lee County recorded sales through September 25, 2026; City of Bonita Springs 2026 road layer).

The street table counts parcels by the site street on the county roll. Esplanade Street's row adds the six Esplanade Street lots on the 1961 plan that the roll describes by metes and bounds.

Street table

Esplanade Street

Esplanade Street is the longest street in Imperial Shores and the only one that reaches the Imperial River. On the 188-parcel set it has 66 parcels, with seawall flags on 58, dock flags on 24 and pool flags on 38; a median single-family home built in 1990 with 2,115 square feet of heated area; and every private Imperial Shores lot that is not zoned TFC-2. Over 60 months, Esplanade Street recorded 18 sales at a $1,000,000 median, or $536.06 per square foot. In the 12 months it recorded 5 sales, from $76,000 to $2,250,000. The western 1,230 feet, along the river strip, is private on the City's 2026 road layer, and the owner of that strip is not on the record we read.

Regal Drive

Regal Drive runs between two canals and ends at the bay. It has 39 parcels on the 188 set, all on the water, with seawall flags on 34 and dock flags on 14, and four of the eight 2025 and 2026 rebuilds. Over 60 months Regal Drive recorded 14 sales at a $1,195,000 median, or $637.25 per square foot, and in the 12 months 5 sales from $725,000 to $2,300,000. The City's 2026 road layer lists the whole 1,364 feet of Regal Drive as not publicly maintained. A 2026 deed for a bay-end lot describes a "Roadway Easement 50 feet wide" with a turn-around of radius 50 feet, which suggests Regal Drive began as a private roadway easement (our inference).

Mariner Road and Little Hickory Road

Mariner Road has 23 inland parcels (13 single-family, 5 duplex or multifamily and 5 vacant) and recorded 1 sale in the 12 months. Mariner Road is in Block 4, which holds four of the eight shaded Zone X lot centres. Little Hickory Road has 22 inland parcels (9 single-family, 10 duplex or multifamily and 3 vacant), the most duplexes of any street, and recorded 1 sale in the 12 months. Single-sale streets get no median.

Franklin Street and Pine Lake Road

Franklin Street has 13 inland parcels (9 single-family, 1 duplex and 3 vacant) and Pine Lake Road 12 (5 single-family, 5 duplex or multifamily and 2 vacant), and each recorded 1 sale in the 12 months; the Franklin Street sale was the newly rebuilt home at $1,250,000. These two streets hold the lots with a 9-foot base flood elevation and several of the shaded Zone X lot centres, on Franklin Street and the east end of Pine Lake Road.

Imperial Shores Boulevard and Reahard Court

Imperial Shores Boulevard is the spine of the inland grid, with 10 parcels on the 188 set (3 single-family, 6 duplex or multifamily and 1 vacant), one of them on a canal. The City's sidewalk project on Imperial Shores Boulevard from Bonita Beach Road to Tarpon Avenue added an 8-foot sidewalk, drainage and curb; it began in late summer 2022 and was expected to finish in summer 2023 (City project page, posted March 11, 2023). Reahard Court is a short City-maintained street with the single four-building parcel described above.

How Did Imperial Shores Begin, and Why Is It an Unrecorded Subdivision?

Imperial Shores began as part of 540 acres a family bought here in 1944. Roads were cut by 1958, and lots were sold from a sales plat that entered the public record only as pages of a 1961 lot deed (Official Records Book 53, pages 128 to 132), so legal descriptions still read "Imperial Shores Unit 1 Unrecorded".

Data updated: October 2026 (Lee County Clerk, Official Records Book 53, pages 128 to 132, read October 13, 2026; Imperial River Preserve Land Management Plan, 2017).

The land was subdivided and sold lot by lot through the mid-1970s, as the federal courts later summarised (11th Cir. 1992, 968 F.2d 1131; 11th Cir. 1994, 30 F.3d 1412). The county fabric still maps the plat as "IMPERIAL SHORES UNREC", 78.18 stated acres, with the record reference OR 53, page 130.

From mangrove to street grid

Lee County's reading of historic aerial photographs, in the 2017 preserve plan, says that by 1958 roads had been built and a new channel cut through the mangroves west of the preserve, rerouting the Imperial River directly into Fish Trap Bay. By 1968 the north-south canal on the preserve's east side had been dredged, and mangroves along the future Esplanade Street were cleared in 1974 and 1975.

The 1961 deed and its sales plat

The sales plat is in the public record only because it was attached to a deed. Official Records Book 53, pages 128 to 132, at the Lee County Clerk is a "Corrected Deed" dated March 3, 1961 and filed March 27, 1961 for three Block 3 lots, and it ends with a page titled "SALES PLAT ... IMPERIAL SHORES ... LEE COUNTY, FLORIDA". There is no Plat Book and page, which is why Imperial Shores legal descriptions read "Imperial Shores Unit 1 Unrecorded". The deed describes the three lots as 180 by 125 feet together, about 60 feet a lot, which matches the roll's 62-foot median frontage today.

The royal street names

The sales plan drew at least 12 blocks with a royal street scheme. Imperial Shores Boulevard, Regal Drive and Esplanade Street were built, while Emperor Drive, Princess Drive, Scepter Drive and Court, King Drive and Court and Queens Court were drawn on the unbuilt mangrove side, with a "Commercial Park" south of Blocks 7 and 9. Why the developers chose the names is not on the record we read. The river itself was named the Imperial River, from Surveyor's Creek, by developers about 1912, according to the City's history page, so the neighborhood's name likely follows the river (our inference).

What "unrecorded" means for a buyer today

An unrecorded subdivision has no Plat Book reference, so each lot is described from the 1961 instrument, a lot and block on the unrecorded plan, or metes and bounds. That does not make a lot unsellable or uninsurable, but it means the survey and the title commitment for the specific lot carry more weight than usual. A title commitment for a specific lot controls what restrictions, easements and access rights come with it.

The blocks that became a preserve

The 1984 Lee Plan placed the unbuilt land in a Resource Protection Area. After federal litigation (11th Cir. 1992, 968 F.2d 1131; 11th Cir. 1994, 30 F.3d 1412), a Lee County Circuit Court ruled in 1997 that the county pay $600,000 plus interest, and the land was deeded to Lee County on March 25, 1998. It is now the Imperial River Preserve, covered in the preserve section below.

The Esplanade Street rezonings of 2003 and 2006

Two small Esplanade Street sites were rezoned to residential planned development by the City. Ordinance 03-01 (January 27, 2003) rezoned 0.49 acre from TFC-2 to RPD for at most 4 units in two two-family attached buildings, 35 feet high. Ordinance 06-08 (September 25, 2006) rezoned 1.06 acres to RPD for three two-family attached buildings with six units, 15-foot perimeter setbacks and a French drain on every lot to the Esplanade Street culverts. Resolution 05-01 (January 10, 2005) denied a 0.36-acre request, and three requests in 2006 and 2007 were withdrawn. No later planned-development request appears on the plat on the county layer or the City's current register.

Does Imperial Shores Have an HOA or Deed Restrictions?

Imperial Shores has no homeowners' association on the public record, so there are no dues and no estoppel certificate. The 1961 deed refers to a restriction sheet that is not in the recorded image, so a title commitment, not a listing, settles which restrictions apply to a given Imperial Shores lot.

Data updated: October 2026 (Florida Division of Corporations searches and three 2025 Lee County tax bills read October 13, 2026; Lee County Clerk, Official Records Book 53, pages 128 to 132).

Imperial Shores has no homeowners' association on the public record: no association is registered with the Florida Division of Corporations and no association charge appears on the 2025 tax bills we read. No architectural review board exists either. City zoning and City permits govern what an owner builds.

What we searched

We searched the Florida Division of Corporations entity-name lists for "Imperial Shores" and "Reahard" and found no Imperial Shores homeowners', civic, property owners' or improvement association, active or dissolved. One limited liability company carries the name Imperial Shores on the state list; it is a business name match, not an owners' association. We also read three 2025 tax bills for Imperial Shores homes, and none carries an association line.

The restriction sheet that is not in the record

A 1961 deed for three Imperial Shores lots says they are sold subject to restrictions on a separate attached sheet; no page of the recorded image carries that text, and the 2026 deeds we read cite only general "restrictions of record, if any". A title commitment for a specific lot controls.

The 1961 docking privilege

The same 1961 deed grants its three inland Block 3 lots "waterfront rights or boat docking privileges ... in perpetuity" on the south side of the Imperial River within one mile west. Whether that privilege survives today, or whether other deeds of the period granted it to other lots, is not on the record we read. It is not a right that comes with an Imperial Shores home, and a buyer relies only on what a title commitment shows for the lot.

What does govern: City zoning, codes and permits

Without an association, the rules on an Imperial Shores lot are the City of Bonita Springs Land Development Code and City permits: the zoning district (TFC-2 on most lots), the lot-of-record rule for narrow lots, the dock and shoreline code, the City's 50 percent rule after storm damage and the City rental permit. The sections on building, rentals, docks and seawalls below take each in turn.

Closing without an association

A sale in Imperial Shores closes without an estoppel certificate or an estoppel fee, because there is no association to issue one. The seller customarily pays the deed documentary stamp tax at $0.70 per $100 of the price; a 2026 Imperial Shores deed shows $8,750.00 on $1,250,000. Bonita Springs Utilities charges a $35.00 account transfer fee. The title commitment does the work an estoppel would do elsewhere: it lists the recorded easements, any restriction it finds and any unpaid lien.

Old restrictions and Florida's title law

Florida's Marketable Record Title Act (Chapter 712, Florida Statutes) can extinguish old restrictions that were not preserved by notice after 30 years. Whether any Imperial Shores restriction was preserved is not on the record we read. That is background only: the title commitment for the specific lot is what a buyer and a lender rely on.

What Does It Cost to Own in Imperial Shores? Taxes, Fees and Utilities

Imperial Shores has no association dues. The 2025 district 017 bill carried 12.7970 mills plus a $50.00 City stormwater fee and a $358.45 Lee County solid waste fee on a single-family home, and the City adopted 0.8411 mills for FY2026-27. Bonita Springs Utilities water and sewer start at $46.06 a month in fixed charges.

Data updated: October 2026 (three 2025 Lee County tax bills; 2026 TRIM notice; City of Bonita Springs Resolution 26-027; Bonita Springs Utilities rates page modified January 16, 2026; City impact fee calculator read October 13, 2026).

The figures below come from 2025 tax bills for three district 017 homes, the 2026 proposed-millage notice, the City's adopted resolution and the published rate pages. They are what the record shows, not a forecast of any one owner's bill.

The fee stack

The millage lines

For 2026, the TRIM notice proposed a district 017 total of 12.8217 mills, with the City at 0.8470 and Bonita Springs Fire at 2.0100, against a rolled-back total of 12.7874. The City then adopted 0.8411 for FY2026-27 (Resolution 26-027, hearing September 23, 2026), equal to its rolled-back rate. We did not find the other authorities' adopted 2026 rates, so any 2026 total remains the proposed figure.

Worked example: taxes on a typical sale

At the 2025 rate and with no exemption, ad valorem tax on a home valued at the 12-month median of $1,075,000 is 12.7970 x $1,075,000 / 1,000 = $13,756.78. On an inland home valued at the 24-month inland median of $552,500 it is 12.7970 x $552,500 / 1,000 = $7,070.34. Adding the two 2025 fees of $408.45 gives known yearly charges of $13,756.78 + $408.45 = $14,165.23 and $7,070.34 + $408.45 = $7,478.79, before insurance and utilities. These are illustrations, not tax bills; a buyer's assessment resets after a sale.

Why a buyer's bill resets

Florida caps the yearly rise in a homestead's assessed value at the lower of 3 percent or the change in the consumer price index, and a non-homestead residential property's at 10 percent (F.S. 193.155 and F.S. 193.1555). Both caps reset on a change of ownership, so a buyer's first full bill is based on market value, not the seller's capped value. Values can also move in opposite directions: on the 2026 notices, one non-homestead canal sample's market value rose 19.1 percent from 2025 while one inland sample fell 18.6 percent. Those are single parcels, never a neighborhood figure.

The BERT bond

Bonita Springs voters approved general obligation bonds on August 18, 2026 (Ordinance 26-05) to buy about 5.8 miles of inactive rail corridor for the Bonita Estero Rail Trail. The corridor lies about 2.42 miles east of the plat. The per-home cost of the bond is not stated in any primary document we read, so we print no figure.

Water, sewer, trash and power

Bonita Springs Utilities serves every built home with water and sewer. Its fixed charges (page modified January 16, 2026) are a $4.61 billing charge per account a month plus a water base of $9.18 and a wastewater base of $32.27 per unit a month for single-family, duplex and triplex homes: $4.61 + $9.18 + $32.27 = $46.06 a month for a single-family home before usage. A duplex on one account, reading the base charges as per unit, would be $4.61 + 2 x ($9.18 + $32.27) = $87.51 a month before usage (our reading of the per-unit wording). Water is $4.15, $5.03, $5.91 and $6.80 per 1,000 gallons in 6,000-gallon blocks, and wastewater $4.19 per 1,000 gallons up to 16,000 gallons per unit. Trash is Waste Management on Wednesday, and power is FPL.

One-time costs of building new

A new single-family home in the City of Bonita Springs pays City impact fees of $12,350 for roads, $861.75 for fire, $60 for EMS, $3,016.20 for schools and $912 for parks, a total of $17,199.95. A new Bonita Springs Utilities connection costs $3,424 for water and $4,459 for wastewater per single-family unit. Together that is $17,199.95 + $3,424 + $4,459 = $25,082.95 for a new single-family connection. Whether a credit applies for a demolished home is not stated on the record we read, so a rebuild budget should confirm it with the City and the utility.

What Can You Build or Rebuild on an Imperial Shores Lot?

Most Imperial Shores lots are zoned TFC-2 by the City of Bonita Springs, which allows a single-family home, a duplex or a two-family attached building on a full 7,500 square foot, 75-foot lot. The typical lot is about 60 to 62 feet wide, so the City's lot-of-record rule decides what a narrow lot can carry.

Data updated: October 2026 (City of Bonita Springs zoning layer read at every parcel point October 13, 2026; City of Bonita Springs Land Development Code on Municode, read October 13, 2026).

The City's zoning layer, read at the point of every parcel, is the authority here; zoning fields on the county roll can lag behind it. We read the district rules in Chapter 4 of the City's Land Development Code and quote them below. Nothing on this page is a zoning determination for a specific lot: the City makes that lot by lot.

Zoning lot by lot

Every private Imperial Shores lot that is not zoned TFC-2 is on Esplanade Street, in Blocks 7 and 8.

What TFC-2 allows

The City's code states the purpose of TFC-2 plainly: "to recognize and protect existing two-family residential developments ... This district is not available for new developments" (LDC 4-485(b)). In TFC-2, a single-family home, a duplex, a two-family attached building and an accessory apartment are permitted by right. In RS-1, a single-family home is permitted, an accessory apartment needs a special exception, and a duplex is not allowed. A guest house is allowed in neither district (Table 4-488).

Setbacks, height and coverage

Under Table 4-489 (Ordinance 20-12), a single-family home or a duplex in TFC-2 or RS-1 needs a lot of 7,500 square feet, 75 feet wide and 100 feet deep; a two-family attached building needs 3,750 square feet and 37.5 feet of width per unit. Side setbacks are 7.5 feet (0 on the common line of an attached pair), the rear setback is 20 feet, the setback from a water body is 25 feet, height is capped at 35 feet and lot coverage at 40 percent. On a 60-foot lot, two 7.5-foot side setbacks leave 45 feet of buildable width before any other rule applies.

Building on a narrow lot of record

The City's lot-of-record rule (LDC 4-2399(b)) lets a single-family home be built on a lot of record lawfully created before June 1962 that is at least 40 feet wide, 75 feet deep and 4,000 square feet. The 1961 lots of Imperial Shores were sold before that date, and the typical lot of about 60 feet clears those minimums. The owner bears the burden of proving lot-of-record status (LDC 4-2398(b)(7)), and the City decides it lot by lot, so a buyer planning to build asks the City to confirm it for the specific lot.

Rebuilding an older duplex

A duplex built before the current code may be nonconforming on a narrow lot. Under LDC 4-2373, a nonconforming structure improved past 50 percent of its assessed value may be rebuilt only to its lawful documented density, and a single-family home damaged by fire or natural forces may be replaced no larger in area, width and depth. The insurance section below explains how the City's separate 50 percent flood rule works after a storm.

Accessory apartments

An accessory apartment (LDC 4-929) may be attached, up to 50 percent of the home's floor area, or detached, up to 500 square feet or 50 percent, whichever is less. It needs one extra parking space and a lot of at least 6,000 square feet and the district minimum. In TFC-2 it is permitted by right; in RS-1 it needs a special exception.

The Esplanade Street river strip zoning

The river end of Esplanade Street carries the most varied zoning in Imperial Shores: RS-1, AG-2, RM-2 and the two RPD sites rezoned in 2003 and 2006. The 2006 ordinance limited one of those sites to three two-family attached buildings with six units and required a French drain on every lot to the Esplanade Street culverts. A buyer on this strip reads the City zoning and any planned-development ordinance for the specific lot before planning a rebuild.

Combining lots

The City's lot-of-record rules allow abutting lots of record to be combined and redivided if every part is included and the density does not rise. Two narrow lots combined can reach the 75-foot width that a duplex needs on a full-size lot, but the City confirms the result for the specific parcels.

Can You Build a Duplex or Rent Out a Home in Imperial Shores?

TFC-2 lists the duplex as a permitted use in Imperial Shores, but on a lot of record narrower than 75 feet only a single-family home is allowed without meeting the full lot size. Renting any Imperial Shores home or duplex unit, short or long term, needs a City of Bonita Springs rental permit at $100 per unit, valid three years.

Data updated: October 2026 (City of Bonita Springs Land Development Code and Rental Permits page read October 2026; Florida Statutes 509.032 (2026); Lee County Clerk tourist development tax page).

These are the City's rules and Florida's, not an association's. We read them in the code and on the City's pages, and we quote the operative words.

The duplex question, answered from the code

The lot-of-record rule is the deciding line. LDC 4-2399(b)(3) says: "The use of a lot of record for a residential use other than a single-family dwelling unit is prohibited except in compliance with the lot width, lot depth, lot area, and density requirements for the zoning district." In TFC-2 those requirements are a 75-foot width, a 100-foot depth and 7,500 square feet. The typical Imperial Shores lot is about 60 to 62 feet wide, so a new duplex on a single narrow lot would not meet them. Existing duplexes are a different question, and the City decides each lot.

The City rental permit

The City of Bonita Springs requires a rental permit from every owner who rents a non-owner-occupied single-family home, duplex or multi-family dwelling, short or long term (City Code Chapter 12, Article IV; City rental permit page, read October 2026). The fee is $100 per unit, the permit is valid three years from application, and Code Enforcement inspects the home to the International Property Maintenance Code before it is issued. An owner who lives outside Florida's Twentieth Judicial Circuit must name a local agent.

Short-term and vacation rentals

Florida law bars a local law adopted after June 1, 2011 from prohibiting vacation rentals or regulating their duration or frequency (F.S. 509.032(7)(b)). We found no City short-term rental ordinance beyond the rental permit. Lee County's tourist development tax is 5 percent of gross rent on stays of six months or less, remitted to the Lee County Clerk. A state transient rental sales tax also applies to short stays; its rate is not stated on the pages we read, so we do not print one.

Renting a duplex or an accessory apartment

Because the rental permit is per unit, a rented duplex needs two permits, $100 each, every three years, and a rented accessory apartment needs its own. The permit and its inspection are the City's; any lease terms are between the owner and the tenant.

Repairs on a rented or LLC-owned home

The City's Post Storm Permitting Guide says rental properties and properties owned by a limited liability company are not eligible for owner-builder permits, so a licensed contractor is required for permitted work. That applies to dock, seawall and roof work as well as to the house.

What no covenant says

No association rule limits rentals in Imperial Shores, because there is no association on the public record. The 1961 restriction sheet that the oldest deed refers to is not in the recorded image, so nothing on the record we read limits rentals by covenant. The City permit and Florida law are the rules that apply, and a title commitment for the specific lot confirms whether any recorded restriction says otherwise.

How Do Docks, Boat Lifts and Seawalls Work in Imperial Shores?

The City of Bonita Springs permits docks and shoreline work in Imperial Shores: one dock with two wet slips per single-family lot, no structure beyond 25 percent of the channel width, a 40-foot canal width for a dock with a lift, and 5-foot side setbacks on a canal lot under 65 feet of frontage. Seawalls may be raised up to 2 feet in line with the neighbours.

Data updated: October 2026 (City of Bonita Springs Ordinance 21-08 and Ordinance 23-11, LDC 7-358; Resolution 25-129 fee schedule effective January 1, 2026; Florida Statutes 403.813 (2026)).

The dock and shoreline rules are in Chapter 7 of the City's code, as amended by Ordinance 21-08 in 2021 and Ordinance 23-11 in 2023. They separate artificial waterbodies (the Imperial Shores canals) from natural ones (the Imperial River).

Docks and wet slips

Under LDC 7-358, a single-family lot may have one dock with two wet slips, and a two-family lot up to two docks with four slips. No dock or other structure, including its mooring area, may extend beyond 25 percent of the navigable channel width, or 20 percent in the Estero Bay Aquatic Preserve. A dock is a permit item: the City's Dock and Shoreline Permit Application lists what it needs.

Boat lifts and canal width

A dock with a boat lift needs a canal at least 40 feet wide, unless the lift is diagonal or davits are used. Canal widths in Imperial Shores are not on any public record we read: Lee County's canal layer records no width or depth for these canals. A buyer who wants a lift measures the canal at the lot, or has a marine contractor do it, before counting on one.

Side setbacks on canal and river lots

On a canal lot with the typical 60-foot frontage, the 5-foot setbacks on each side leave about 50 feet of shoreline for a dock.

Seawalls: replacing and raising

New seawalls are allowed in artificial canals except in V zones, and there is no V zone in Imperial Shores. A replacement seawall must sit in line with its neighbours, may rise up to 2 feet above the adjacent wall and may move no more than 1 foot waterward, and every new or replacement seawall needs a French drain or similar along its full length. On natural waterbodies such as the Imperial River, no new or expanded seawall is allowed, though a lawful existing wall may be repaired or replaced up to 2 feet higher. Whether riprap is required in front of a new wall here is not stated in the pages we read.

Boathouses, canopies and davits

A roofed boathouse or canopy may cover up to 1,000 square feet on an artificial waterbody and 500 square feet on a natural one, with no living space and no fueling. Davits are a separate, lower permit item.

Permit fees

Two worked examples, from the fee schedule: a 400 square foot dock is 400 x $0.50 = $200, plus 25 percent plan review of $50, for $250. A 60-foot seawall is 60 x $1.50 = $90, so the $150 minimum applies, plus 25 percent plan review of $37.50, for $187.50. These are City permit fees only, not construction costs.

State and federal layers

Florida exempts some small dock work from a state permit under F.S. 403.813(1): private docks of 1,000 square feet or less over water (500 in Outstanding Florida Waters), dock repair within 5 feet of the old footprint and seawall restoration at or within 18 inches waterward of the old location. The City still requires a building permit and any state or federal letters before close-out. Parts of the Imperial Shores canals and the river lie in the Estero Bay Tributaries Outstanding Florida Waters area and the Estero Bay Aquatic Preserve; 19 parcels lie within 15 metres of the aquatic preserve boundary and 14 within 15 metres of the Outstanding Florida Waters area, so which limit applies is a lot-by-lot question.

Checking an existing dock or seawall

The City's online permit portal, linked from its Post Storm Permitting Guide, holds permit records by address. A buyer or seller can look up the dock, lift and seawall permits for a lot there, and a survey shows where the structures sit. We did not run a per-lot permit search for this page.

Does Imperial Shores Have Gulf Access by Boat, and What Bridges Are on the Way?

Imperial Shores has Gulf access by boat, with conditions. No bridge crosses the water between the Imperial Shores canals and southern Estero Bay, but every pass to the Gulf sits under a fixed bridge (Big Hickory Pass 10 feet, New Pass 30 feet, Big Carlos Pass 60 feet), and the channels are privately marked and shallow.

Data updated: October 2026 (NOAA U.S. Coast Pilot 5, October 4, 2026; Florida DEP Big Hickory Pass Inlet Management Plan, June 2026; Lee County Big Carlos Pass bridge project page; NOAA chart and FHWA National Bridge Inventory layers read October 13, 2026).

No bridge crosses the water between the Imperial Shores canals and southern Estero Bay. To reach the Gulf, boats follow a privately marked channel to Big Hickory Pass (fixed bridge, 10 feet of vertical clearance, NOAA Coast Pilot, October 2026), New Pass (30 feet) or Big Carlos Pass, where Lee County's new fixed bridge has a 60-foot navigation clearance (opened November 2025; charts still show the old bascule).

From the canal to the bay

The Imperial Shores canals open to the Imperial River at its mouth on Fish Trap Bay. The NOAA chart's bridge layers and the federal National Bridge Inventory show no bridge between the canals and southern Estero Bay. The U.S. Coast Pilot 5 (October 4, 2026) describes the route: "Private daybeacons reportedly mark the channel from the pass south through Hogue Channel, Big Hickory Bay and Fish Trap Bay to Imperial River and also north through Broadway Channel to New Pass and Big Carlos Pass. Local knowledge is advised." Who maintains those private daybeacons is not on the record we read.

The three passes and their bridges

The distances are straight segments along the charted marks that we measured, not a surveyed track.

Depth on the record

Florida DEP's Big Hickory Pass Inlet Management Plan (June 2026) describes Big Hickory Pass as about 150 feet wide with depths reaching 6.5 feet (from a 2023 survey), and calls New Pass channel maintenance "very infrequent and subject to major storm events", with the last listed dredging in 2017. The depth of the Imperial Shores canals is not on any public record, and the nautical chart does not cover the canals. A boat's draft is checked against the tide and the route, boat by boat.

Big Carlos Pass: the new bridge

Lee County's new fixed Big Carlos Pass bridge opened to traffic on Friday, November 14, 2025 and was dedicated on June 30, 2026, with a 60-foot navigation clearance. Nautical charts still show the old 23-foot bascule bridge, so a skipper reading an older chart should know the opening span is gone and the new clearance is fixed.

Speed zones for manatees

The Imperial River, Fish Trap Bay and Intrepid Waters are a year-round Slow Speed zone under F.A.C. 68C-22.005, except the marked Fish Trap Bay channel segment, which is 25 mph. To the north, Estero Bay and Big Hickory Bay are Slow Speed from April 1 to November 15 and 25 mph from November 16 to March 31, under the state rule and the federal Pine Island to Estero Bay Manatee Refuge. The first leg from any Imperial Shores dock is a slow one.

Launching without a dock

Lee County's Imperial River Boat Ramp on US 41 has two ramps, a paddlecraft launch, a fishing pier walkway and restrooms; it charges $5 per vehicle a day, is open dawn to dusk and allows trailer parking up to 72 hours. It is about 2.1 road miles and 5 minutes from the inland side of the plat, upstream of the US 41 bridge, which is charted at 10.8 feet. Other launches include the City's River Park canoe and kayak launch, Riverside Park, the Depot Park floating docks, Cullum's Bonita Trail and the Lovers Key State Park ramp ($8 per vehicle).

Paddling

Paddlers can reach the Imperial River and the waters beside the Imperial River Preserve from a canal lot or a public launch; the county's preserve page invites paddlers to "kayak or canoe near the preserve via the Imperial River". Lee County's Great Calusa Blueway is a 190-mile paddling trail, but whether a marked segment enters the Imperial River is not established on the record we read.

What to check before you buy a boat lot

• Canal width at the lot, measured, if you want a lift (the City requires 40 feet unless the lift is diagonal or davits are used).
• The dock and lift permits on the City portal, and a survey showing the dock and seawall.
• Your boat's height above the water against the 10-foot Big Hickory Pass and 30-foot New Pass bridges, or plan the longer run to Big Carlos Pass.
• Your boat's draft against the shallow passes and the unmeasured canal, at low tide.
• The seawall's permit history and whether it is on a canal (artificial) or the river (natural), because the replacement rules differ.

Who Maintains the Imperial Shores Canals and Streets?

The record names no public maintainer for the Imperial Shores canals: Lee County's canal layer lists the Imperial Shores canals as not county maintained, and none is on the City's list of City-maintained canals; no canal or dredging charge appears on the tax bills. Most streets are City maintained, but Regal Drive and the west end of Esplanade Street are not.

Data updated: October 2026 (Lee County canal layer and road centerlines read October 13, 2026; City of Bonita Springs 2026 road layer; City Stormwater Master Plan Update (2010), Table 10-1).

Lee County's canal layer lists the Imperial Shores canals as not county maintained, and none is on the City's list of City-maintained canals; no canal or dredging charge appears on the tax bills. The record does not say that owners maintain the canals, and it does not say the City dredges them.

The canals on the county and City records

Lee County's canal layer codes every Imperial Shores canal as not county maintained and records no depth or width. The City's 2010 Stormwater Master Plan Update lists 34 City-maintained canals in Table 10-1, and none of them is an Imperial Shores canal. The 2025 tax bills we read carry no canal, dredging or MSBU line. Who, if anyone, has dredged the canals is not on the record we read.

Dredging an existing canal

Maintenance dredging of an existing channel is a permitted project under the City's code (LDC 7-361), and the City's dredging permit fee is $100 under Resolution 25-129. State and federal permits may also apply. Because the canals have no public maintainer on the record, any dredging would be organised and paid for privately; how owners have handled it before is not on the record.

The streets

Regal Drive and the roadway easement

Regal Drive is listed as not publicly maintained over its whole 1,364 feet. One 2026 deed for a Regal Drive bay-end lot describes a "Roadway Easement 50 feet wide" and a turn-around of radius 50 feet, which suggests Regal Drive began as a private roadway easement (our inference). Who owns the Regal Drive strip is not on the record we read. A 1981 Lee County quit-claim also released two mapped road parcels on the "Imperial Shores" map, part of Reahard Court and a 40-foot street between Imperial Shores Boulevard and Okeana Street, to a private owner.

The private west end of Esplanade Street

The western 1,230 feet of Esplanade Street, along the Imperial River lots, is private on the City's 2026 road layer. Its owner is not on the record we read. For a buyer on that strip, the survey and the title commitment show the access easement the lot relies on.

Drainage and stormwater

The City charges a stormwater fee by impervious area: $20 a year for a home under 1,800 square feet of impervious surface and $50 above it (Council vote, September 9, 2019), which is why most single-family bills show $50.00. Two culverts carry stormwater from the residential side of Esplanade Street onto the preserve, and the 2006 rezoning required French drains to those culverts. The marine segment of the Imperial River is on Florida DEP's impaired list for enterococci, total nitrogen, dissolved oxygen, copper and iron, with a bacteria TMDL on the 2022 to 2024 priority list.

What Is the Imperial River Preserve at the West End of Imperial Shores?

The mangrove land the 1961 Imperial Shores plan drew as Blocks 9 to 12 is Lee County's Imperial River Preserve, about 39 acres (38.95, Lee County) under Conservation 20/20, first acquired in 1998. The county says there is no public access on land, and paddlers may kayak or canoe near it from the Imperial River.

Data updated: October 2026 (Lee County Parks and Recreation, Imperial River Preserve page read October 13, 2026; Imperial River Preserve Land Management Plan, second edition, approved September 19, 2017).

The preserve sits at the west end of Esplanade Street, beyond the river lots. The two county parcels that hold it are counted in Imperial Shores' 194 parcels, but they carry no sales and no homes.

From platted lots to preserve

The sales plan drew Blocks 9 to 12 on the mangrove side, with the unbuilt royal streets. The 1984 Lee Plan placed that land in a Resource Protection Area. After federal litigation (11th Cir. 1992, 968 F.2d 1131; 11th Cir. 1994, 30 F.3d 1412), a Lee County Circuit Court ruled in 1997 that the county pay $600,000 plus interest, and the land was deeded to Lee County on March 25, 1998, at a total cost of $600,000. It is 38.95 acres of mangrove swamp.

What the county allows

Lee County Parks and Recreation says: "There is no public access available at this preserve. Paddlers may kayak or canoe near the preserve via the Imperial River." The land management plan, second edition, approved by the Lee County Board of County Commissioners on September 19, 2017, manages it as a limited use preserve. The whole preserve lies in the Coastal High Hazard area, and a 1977 archaeological survey recorded shell middens there, whose location is kept confidential.

Stormwater from Esplanade Street

The management plan records two culverts that carry stormwater from the residential side of Esplanade Street onto the preserve. That is the same drainage the 2006 Esplanade Street rezoning tied its French drains into.

Zoning still on the map

The preserve's two county parcels are still zoned AG-2 and IL on the City's zoning layer. That is a map label carried from before the county bought the land; the land is managed as a preserve.

Why it matters to a river-lot buyer

For the river lots at the west end of Esplanade Street, the preserve means mangroves rather than more homes across the water, because the county holds the land for conservation. It also means the river is a natural waterbody under the City's shoreline code, so a lot there cannot add a new seawall, and dock setbacks are wider than on the canals. A river-lot buyer reads both the view and the shoreline rules from the same record.

What Flood Zone Is Imperial Shores In?

The flood zone in Imperial Shores depends on the lot. On Lee County FIRM panel 12071C0654G, effective November 17, 2022, the centre of 180 of the 188 roll parcels is in Zone AE and 8 inland lots are shaded Zone X; every lot touches AE somewhere, and base flood elevations are 9, 10 or 11 feet.

Data updated: October 2026 (FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer read October 13, 2026; USGS 3DEP lidar, 2018; Lee County Emergency Management evacuation layer).

Lee County FIRM panel 12071C0654G (effective November 17, 2022): at the centre of each of the 188 roll parcels, Zone AE on 180 and shaded Zone X on 8 inland lots; every lot touches the AE line somewhere on its boundary. The base flood elevation is 10 feet on most lots, 11 feet at the bay ends of Regal Drive and Esplanade Street and 9 feet on a few Franklin Street and Pine Lake Road lots. There is no VE zone and no floodway in the plat. The six added Esplanade Street lots are Zone AE at their roll points. The City of Bonita Springs (community number 120680) is the flood community, and the FEMA Community Status Book shows the November 17, 2022 map date.

Zones lot by lot

These are static base flood elevations in feet above NAVD88 at the centre of each lot. A zone line can cross a lot, which is why every Imperial Shores lot, even one with a shaded X centre, touches Zone AE somewhere on its boundary.

The twelve points we tested

Of the 12 points, 9 are Zone AE (7 at a BFE of 10 feet, 1 at 11 and 1 at 9) and 3 are shaded Zone X, all on panel 12071C0654G. The shaded X points are on the east side of the plat, away from the canals, where the ground reads about 10 to 10.6 feet.

The bay end and the wave line

FEMA's Limit of Moderate Wave Action, the map line that marks where moderate waves are expected in the base flood, crosses 16 parcels at the bay end of Imperial Shores, and by our geometry 26 parcel centres sit on its bay side (an inference from the map layers, not a FEMA determination for any lot). On the two FEMA coastal transects that cross the plat, the 1 percent stillwater elevation is 10.3 feet NAVD88. A lot near that line can face stricter foundation rules in a rebuild; how the City applies them to a given lot is a question for the City and the design professional, and we do not state it.

Ground height against the flood elevation

USGS 3DEP lidar (2018) puts the ground at the 188 lot centres between 0.8 and 10.8 feet NAVD88, with a median of 5.4 feet: 4.9 feet on the water and 8.2 feet inland. On 177 of the 180 Zone AE parcels the ground is below the parcel's own base flood elevation, by a median of 4.7 feet. Ground is not the finished floor: an elevated or rebuilt home may sit well above the ground. Finished floor elevations come from an elevation certificate, and they are not on the public record for most lots.

How to check a specific lot

The City of Bonita Springs' Flood Protection Information page links FEMA's flood map viewer and the USGS Imperial River gauge. Enter the address in FEMA's map to see the zone and base flood elevation across the lot. The Lee County Property Appraiser does not show flood data for parcels inside a municipality, so the FEMA map and the City are the places to look.

Map changes

FEMA's pending and preliminary layers show no pending map change for panel 0654, and no FEMA letter of map change applies inside the plat. Lee County's Elevate Florida map shows several Imperial Shores applications to elevate or rebuild homes; we do not tie that count to any street.

Elevation certificates

The City of Bonita Springs has collected elevation certificates with permits since June 1, 2008 and keeps them for the life of the structure, searchable on its Elevation Certificate Search page. A home built or substantially improved after that date may already have one on file.

What Happened in Imperial Shores During Hurricanes Ian, Irma and Milton?

During Hurricane Ian in 2022, USGS surveyors marked the water at 10.7 and 10.8 feet above sea level at two spots inside Imperial Shores, one more than five feet above the ground. Ian made landfall on Cayo Costa at Category 4, and the Naples Daily News named Imperial Shores among the Bonita Springs areas most damaged by Milton in 2024.

Data updated: October 2026 (USGS high-water marks, Hurricane Ian event, read October 13, 2026; NHC Tropical Cyclone Report, Hurricane Ian, March 12, 2026 version; Lee County Emergency Management).

These are recorded marks and published reports, not a forecast. A future storm can bring more water or less, and the record of one storm does not describe any single home.

Ian, September 2022

Hurricane Ian struck on September 28, 2022. USGS surveyed two high-water marks inside Imperial Shores on October 15, 2022, both rated Excellent: 10.8 feet and 10.7 feet NAVD88, standing 5.18 feet and 1.6 feet above the ground at each mark. The National Hurricane Center's Tropical Cyclone Report says Ian made landfall on Cayo Costa at Category 4 intensity and that "Maximum inundation levels of 8 to 12 ft AGL occurred in Estero, Bonita Beach, Bonita Springs, and North Naples". Set against the flood map, the 10.8-foot mark is 0.8 feet above the common 10-foot base flood elevation (10.8 minus 10.0) and 5.4 feet above the 5.4-foot median ground at the lot centres (10.8 minus 5.4).

Irma, September 2017

For Hurricane Irma in 2017, the nearest USGS high-water mark to Imperial Shores read 3.86 feet NAVD88, 0.81 feet above the ground, and was riverine.

Milton, October 2024

The Naples Daily News (October 25, 2024) named Imperial Shores among the four areas where most of Bonita Springs' Hurricane Milton damage happened. Lee County ordered Zones A and B to evacuate for Milton.

Evacuation zone A

Every Imperial Shores parcel is in Lee County Evacuation Zone A, surge zone 1. In Lee County Emergency Management's words, "Zone A is our most vulnerable area", and it is the first zone ordered to evacuate. The county's Zone A sheet lists what to do when an order is issued.

Storm surge maps

The National Hurricane Center's National Storm Surge Risk Maps, which show a near-worst-case surge at high tide for each storm category, show inundation at every Imperial Shores parcel even in a Category 1 scenario. Our reading of the map tiles is approximate, and the maps are planning tools, not a prediction for any storm.

After a storm: permits and the 50 percent rule

After storm damage, permitted repairs on a rented or LLC-owned home need a licensed contractor, and the City's 50 percent rule decides whether a damaged home must be brought up to current flood rules. The insurance section below explains the rule with a worked example.

Elevation and rebuild programs

Lee County's Elevate Florida map shows several Imperial Shores applications to elevate or rebuild homes, and eight Imperial Shores parcels carry a new 2025 or 2026 building on the roll. We do not publish application details or tie them to a street.

How Do Insurance, Wind Rules and the 50 Percent Rule Affect Imperial Shores Homes?

Design wind in Imperial Shores is 170 mph on waterfront lots and 160 mph inland, and about two of three improved parcels were built before 1994. Citizens requires flood coverage on wind policies inside the special flood hazard area now, and on all such policies from January 1, 2027. Repairs at 50 percent of a building's value trigger full flood compliance.

Data updated: October 2026 (Lee County Property Appraiser wind layers; Citizens Property Insurance flood requirement and inspections pages; City of Bonita Springs Substantial Improvement and Substantial Damage notice, November 3, 2025; FEMA Community Status Book).

We print the rules and the record. Insurance premiums are set policy by policy, and we print none.

Design wind and the debris region

The Lee County Property Appraiser's wind layers set a design wind speed (Risk Category II) of 170 mph on all 108 waterfront parcels and 160 mph on the 80 inland parcels of the roll set, and all 188 are in the wind-borne debris region, where the building code's rules on protecting openings apply. A rebuild on a canal lot is designed to the higher speed.

Building age and code eras

Every duplex or multifamily building in Imperial Shores was built in 2001 or earlier, and 123 of the 150 improved parcels were built in 2005 or earlier.

Citizens and the flood requirement

From January 1, 2027, Citizens Property Insurance requires flood coverage on every new and renewing personal residential policy that includes wind coverage, whatever the flood zone; inside the special flood hazard area it already does. Condominium unit-owner, tenant contents and wind-excluded policies are exempt, and none of the homes in Imperial Shores is a condominium. With 180 of 188 lot centres in Zone AE, most Imperial Shores homes already fall under the current rule.

Inspections, roofs and the mitigation form

Citizens requires a four-point inspection for homes more than 20 years old. Florida's roof-age protections are in F.S. 627.7011(5), and from April 1, 2026 the mandatory wind mitigation form is OIR-B1-1802 (Rev. 04/26). My Safe Florida Home grants require, among other tests, a site-built single-family home built before January 1, 2008, a homestead and an insured value of $700,000 or less; 83 of the 108 single-family homes on the roll set pass the year test. Roof ages and opening protection are not on the public record.

Flood insurance discounts

The City of Bonita Springs holds Class 5 in FEMA's Community Rating System (FEMA Community Status Book), which gives 25 percent off NFIP flood policies rated in the special flood hazard area and 10 percent off policies outside it. The discount applies to NFIP policies; private flood policies price on their own terms.

The 50 percent rule

The City's notice dated November 3, 2025 sets the rule: repairs or improvements equal to or more than 50 percent of the building's market value (the Lee County Property Appraiser's building value, unless a private appraisal of the building alone is supplied) bring the whole building into full compliance, including elevation to the design flood elevation, which is the base flood elevation plus one foot. City Ordinance 22-05 counts improvements over five years. An illustration: if the county values a building at $300,000, repairs or improvements of $150,000 or more require the whole building to meet current flood rules, including elevation to base flood elevation plus one foot. The $300,000 is an illustrative figure, not an Imperial Shores value.

What a buyer should ask for

• The elevation certificate, from the seller or the City's search page.
• A wind mitigation report on the current form.
• A four-point inspection for an older home.
• The permit history for the roof, openings, dock and seawall, from the City portal.
• The survey, showing the lot lines against the flood zone lines.

What Schools Serve Imperial Shores?

Every address and point we tested across Imperial Shores returned the School District of Lee County's South Zone 3: Elementary Zone Q, Middle Zone GG and High School South Zone 3, which covers Bonita Springs, Estero and South Fort Myers High. A zone is a choice zone, not a guaranteed seat.

Data updated: October 2026 (School District of Lee County lookup 2026-27, read October 13, 2026; FLDOE grades as of September 1, 2026).

We ran the district's school lookup at 19 land tests across the plat, and every one returned the same zones. Zone assignments can change, so the lookup is the place to confirm a specific address.

The zone schools

Dunbar High is also open to the zone by waiver. Drive times are free-flow from the Imperial Shores Boulevard entrance.

High school busing

The district's transportation page says South Fort Myers High buses sub-zones S1 to S5, while Bonita Springs High and Estero High bus S2 and S3. An Imperial Shores address is in sub-zone 3, so it is on all three busing lists.

Walking distance and buses

The district does not provide transportation for students who live within 2 miles of their school. No zone school is within 2 straight-line miles of any Imperial Shores test point; the closest, Bonita Springs Middle, is 2.6 miles away, so every zone school is outside that radius.

Charter and choice options

Bonita Springs Charter School, graded A for 2025-26, has its own admissions and does not use the district zones. Other district choice programs follow the district's own application rules.

Confirming a school for an address

The district's School Zones page links its address lookup, and the Student Enrollment Plan 2026-2027 sets the rules. Enter the specific address before you rely on a zone.

Where Are the Nearest Hospitals and Emergency Rooms to Imperial Shores?

The nearest emergency departments are about 10 to 11 minutes by car from the Imperial Shores entrance: NCH's Bonita Springs freestanding emergency department, Lee Health's Coconut Point emergency department and NCH North Naples Hospital. Lee Health's Level II trauma center at Gulf Coast Medical Center is about 27 minutes away.

Data updated: October 2026 (free-flow routing from the Imperial Shores Boulevard entrance, October 13, 2026; provider pages read October 13, 2026).

Drive times are free-flow from the Imperial Shores Boulevard entrance, before seasonal traffic. In an emergency, call 911.

Emergency care by drive time

Lee Health and UnitedHealthcare in 2027

Lee Health says it is in network with UnitedHealthcare commercial plans through December 31, 2026 and out of network from January 1, 2027; Medicare Supplement coverage is not affected, and emergency care is billed regardless. NCH's UnitedHealthcare status is not on the record we read.

Fire and rescue

The Bonita Springs Fire Control and Rescue District covers Imperial Shores. Its nearest station, Station 22 on Mango Drive, is about 0.7 road mile and 2 minutes from the entrance, and the district publishes an ISO rating of 2 from its 2018 review. Response times and the ISO class for a specific address are not on the record we read.

Urgent care

For care that is not an emergency, Lee Health Convenient Care Bonita is about 5.9 miles and 10 minutes from the entrance.

How Far Is Imperial Shores From the Beach, Downtown, Naples and the Airport?

From the Imperial Shores Boulevard entrance, Bonita Beach Park is about 3 minutes by car, downtown Bonita Springs about 8, I-75 about 8, Coconut Point about 11, downtown Naples about 26 and Southwest Florida International Airport about 30, before seasonal traffic.

Data updated: October 2026 (free-flow routing, October 13, 2026; Lee County Parks beach pages read October 12, 2026).

From inside the plat, add up to about 0.9 mile and 3 minutes to reach the entrance from the far end of Esplanade Street.

Drive-time table

Method: free-flow car routing on the OSRM public router from the Imperial Shores Boulevard entrance, October 13, 2026.

On foot

Measured walks from the entrance (OpenStreetMap foot router): a convenience store is 0.07 mile away; Bonita Beach Park is 1.2 miles and about 26 minutes, or 2.0 miles and 43 minutes from the river end of Esplanade Street; and the Publix at The Center of Bonita Springs is 1.25 miles and about 27 minutes.

Beach parking in 2026

Lee County Parks lists the Bonita Beach Park lot and amenities as closed since September 8, 2026 for Ian repairs, with pedestrian access through Access #1. The Beach Access #1 lot closes November 1, 2026, with pedestrian access open. Accesses #2 to #9 are free to park. Little Hickory Island Beach Park (Access #10) has its lot and amenities closed from September 8, 2026, with pedestrian access open. Check the Lee County Parks beach access page before a trip.

Bonita Beach Road is the only way out

Every trip from Imperial Shores starts on Bonita Beach Road SW, by Imperial Shores Boulevard or Okeana Street, because there is no second outlet north to US 41. The beach is west on Bonita Beach Road and I-75 is east, so most trips run along the same road.

Transit

Imperial Shores is inside LeeTran's Bonita Springs ULTRA on-demand zone, at $1.50 a ride with the BONITARIDE code. The nearest fixed-route stop is Route 600 at US 41 and Bonita Beach Road SE, 1.42 miles in a straight line and about 31 minutes on foot from the entrance.

What Is Near Imperial Shores: Beaches, Boat Ramps, Parks, Shopping and Golf?

Within a few minutes of Imperial Shores by car are Bonita Beach Park and nine numbered beach accesses, Lee County's Imperial River Boat Ramp, the City's riverfront parks, two Publix stores and an Aldi, the Bonita Springs Public Library and public-play golf at Spanish Wells and Bonita Fairways. Imperial Shores itself has no club, ramp or course.

Data updated: October 2026 (Lee County Parks pages; City of Bonita Springs parks and events pages; store and operator pages read October 13, 2026; free-flow routing).

Distances and minutes are by car from the Imperial Shores Boulevard entrance.

Beaches

Bonita Beach Park is 1.3 miles and about 3 minutes away. Its lot and amenities are closed since September 8, 2026 for Ian repairs, with pedestrian access through Access #1, whose lot closes November 1, 2026. Accesses #2 to #9 along Hickory Boulevard are free to park, and Little Hickory Island Beach Park (Access #10) is open to pedestrians with its lot closed. Lovers Key State Park is 6.8 miles and about 14 minutes north.

Boat ramps and launches

Lee County's Imperial River Boat Ramp on US 41 is about 2.1 road miles and 5 minutes from the inland side of the plat, with two ramps, a paddlecraft launch and trailer parking up to 72 hours at $5 per vehicle a day. The City's River Park canoe and kayak launch, Riverside Park, the Depot Park floating docks and Cullum's Bonita Trail are along the river downtown, and Lovers Key State Park has a ramp at $8 per vehicle.

Parks and paddling

The City's parks along the Imperial River downtown, Riverside Park among them, host concerts and art festivals from December 2026 to April 2027. Paddlers can reach the river and the waters beside the Imperial River Preserve, which has no land access. Lee County's Great Calusa Blueway is a 190-mile paddling trail in the county's waters.

Groceries and shopping

The Publix at The Center of Bonita Springs, opened in 2014, is 1.2 miles and about 3 minutes away and open 7 AM to 10 PM. An Aldi is 1.5 miles and 3 minutes away, The Fresh Market 2.4 miles and 5 minutes, and the Publix at Bonita Bay Plaza 2.9 miles and 6 minutes. Coconut Point is about 11 minutes north and Waterside Shops about 16 minutes south.

Library, culture and events

The Bonita Springs Public Library at 10560 Reynolds Street is 3.8 miles and about 8 minutes away; it is open Monday 10 to 6, Tuesday noon to 8, Wednesday and Thursday 10 to 6, and Friday and Saturday 9 to 5. The City's Local Roots Flea Market runs every Saturday from October 3, 2026 to May 29, 2027 at the Promenade at Bonita Bay. Bonita Wonder Gardens holds a first-Sunday "Everyone's a Kid" day for residents with a Bonita Springs address on a photo ID.

Golf nearby

No golf course is attached to Imperial Shores. Spanish Wells, with 27 holes and public tee times on its site, is 2.4 miles and about 6 minutes away, and Bonita Fairways, a public course, is 4.1 miles and about 10 minutes. Highland Woods, Bonita Bay Club, The Nest and The Colony are nearby as well; we did not read their access rules.

Restaurants on the beach road

Bonita Beach Road and Hickory Boulevard toward the beach hold waterfront restaurants, among them Coconut Jack's Waterfront Grille and Doc's Beach House, which publish their own menus and hours. We make no ranking of restaurants.

What Is Being Built or Planned Near Imperial Shores?

On Bonita Beach Road at the south edge of Imperial Shores, the City has approved a smaller plan for the 4200 Bonita Beach Road site, with hotel rooms cut from 202 to 75, and is reviewing Hickory On The Bay, six homes and 25,500 square feet of restaurants, shops and offices with transient boat slips. Inside the plat the only open case is a minor setback variance.

Data updated: October 2026 (City of Bonita Springs case register read October 13, 2026; Lee County permit and project layers; City news releases).

Distances are straight-line from the plat edge. Case status can change at any hearing, so the City's register is the place to confirm it.

Projects table

4200 Bonita Beach Road

The 4200 Bonita Beach Road site, about 0.05 mile from the plat edge, carries a planned development amendment that the City's register lists as "Zoning Approved". It cuts the approved hotel rooms from 202 to 75, the homes from 42 to 40 and the commercial space from 11,130 to 6,000 square feet.

Hickory On The Bay

Hickory On The Bay, about 0.06 mile away, was rezoned by Ordinance 25-10 in 2025, and its development order is under review. It plans six multifamily homes and 25,500 square feet of restaurants, retail and offices with transient wet slips.

Roads, sidewalks and trails

The City finished an 8-foot sidewalk with drainage and curb on Imperial Shores Boulevard from Bonita Beach Road to Tarpon Avenue (begun in late summer 2022, expected to finish in summer 2023). Lee County's bike layer shows a planned 8-foot shared-use path and 4-foot bike lanes on Estero-Hickory-Bonita Beach Road, with no date or funding found. The City Council awarded a Hickory Boulevard roundabout at $219,927 in May 2026; its location on Hickory Boulevard is not stated in the release.

Stormwater planning

The City is updating its Stormwater Master Plan: under Resolution 26-022 (August 5, 2026), Halff Associates was ranked first and negotiation was authorised.

The Imperial River Road relay station

Lee County issued a conduit permit on December 24, 2025 for 8,300 linear feet of conduit along Bonita Beach Road to a relay station site about 0.12 mile east of the plat. Lee County's parks projects layer also lists construction at the Bonita Beach accesses.

How Does Imperial Shores Compare With Other Bonita Springs Neighborhoods?

Imperial Shores' 12-month median of $1,075,000 sits above Bonita Farms ($682,500) and Vanderbilt Lakes homes ($800,000) in the same Lee County record, driven by its canal and river lots. Unlike those neighborhoods, Imperial Shores has no association, and its flood, wind and boat-route facts change lot by lot.

Data updated: October 2026 (Lee County recorded sales through September 25, 2026, from our own research on each neighborhood; Collier County parcel layer re-run October 13, 2026).

Each neighborhood is a different product, so these are context, not a ranking.

Benchmark table

Reading the comparison

Imperial Shores' $1,075,000 median is $392,500 above Bonita Farms' $682,500 ($1,075,000 minus $682,500) and $275,000 above Vanderbilt Lakes homes' $800,000 ($1,075,000 minus $800,000). Per square foot, $524.26 sits $120.06 above $404.20 and $161.53 above $362.73. The mix explains much of it: 10 of Imperial Shores' 15 sales were on a canal or the river, and its rebuilt waterfront homes carry the top of the range. Bonita Shores is in Collier County, so it has no Lee County figure to set beside these.

Imperial Shores vs Bonita Shores: Which Fits Your Priorities?

Imperial Shores and Bonita Shores are both older neighborhoods with no mandatory association and a Bonita Springs address, on either side of Bonita Beach Road. Imperial Shores is in the City of Bonita Springs and Lee County, with canal and river lots that reach Estero Bay without a bridge, while Bonita Shores is 531 parcels in unincorporated Collier County.

Data updated: October 2026 (Collier County parcel layer re-run October 13, 2026; our Bonita Shores page research, August 12, 2026).

Bonita Shores is an unincorporated Collier County neighborhood of 531 parcels south of Bonita Beach Road with a Bonita Springs address (Collier County parcel layer, read October 13, 2026). The other Bonita Shores facts below come from our own Bonita Shores page.

Decision table

Which fits which buyer's priorities

The choice follows the lot and the record. A buyer who wants a dock on water that reaches Estero Bay looks at Imperial Shores, where most lots are on a canal or the river. A buyer who wants a lot outside the special flood hazard area, without boat access, looks at Bonita Shores, where most parcels are in Zone X on Collier's map. Lee County schools and City services come with Imperial Shores; Collier County schools and county services come with Bonita Shores. Both have older homes and no mandatory dues.

Why Buy in Imperial Shores? Honest Pros and Cons

The case for Imperial Shores, from the record: canal and river lots with no bridge to Estero Bay, City services, no association dues, Bonita Beach about 3 minutes away and a steady pace of rebuilds on the water. The trade-offs are Zone AE on most lots with ground below the flood elevation, evacuation Zone A, canals with no public maintainer, fixed bridges and shallow passes, and narrow TFC-2 lots.

Data updated: October 2026 (Lee County recorded sales through September 25, 2026; FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer read October 13, 2026; City of Bonita Springs Land Development Code).

We list both sides from the same record, so a buyer can weigh them against a specific lot.

Strengths on the record

• Water. About 114 of 194 parcels front a canal, the Imperial River or a canal end, and no bridge crosses the water between the canals and southern Estero Bay.
• City services. City zoning, permits, Bonita Springs Utilities water and sewer, and the City's Class 5 flood insurance rating.
• No dues. No homeowners' association on the public record and no association charge on the tax bills.
• The beach. Bonita Beach Park about 3 minutes by car.
• Rebuilds. Eight new buildings on the 2025 and 2026 roll, seven on the water.

Trade-offs on the record

• Flood. Zone AE at 180 of 188 lot centres, and ground below the base flood elevation on 177 of the 180 AE parcels.
• Evacuation. Every parcel is in Lee County Evacuation Zone A.
• Canals. No public maintainer on the record, and no recorded depth or width.
• The route to the Gulf. Fixed bridges of 10 and 30 feet at the nearest passes, privately marked channels and shallow water.
• Narrow lots. TFC-2 lots of about 60 feet, where a new duplex needs a full 75-foot lot.
• Older housing. 102 of the 150 improved parcels were built from 1957 to 1993.

What a careful buyer should weigh

• The elevation certificate and the flood zone across the whole lot.
• The survey, the title commitment and any private access easement on Regal Drive or the west end of Esplanade Street.
• The permit history for the dock, seawall and roof.
• A wind mitigation report and, for an older home, a four-point inspection.
• The dock permit and the canal width if you plan a boat lift.

Thinking of Selling Your Imperial Shores Home? List With the #1 Team in Southwest Florida Since 2012

Selling an Imperial Shores home in Bonita Springs well means pricing it by position, canal, river or inland, against the Lee County record, and having the elevation certificate, the wind mitigation report and the dock and seawall permits ready before a buyer asks. McGreevy and Comisar, the #1 team in Southwest Florida since 2012, build every Imperial Shores listing around those steps.

Data updated: October 2026 (Lee County recorded sales through September 25, 2026; county roll dated October 11, 2026; Florida statutory rates read October 13, 2026).

If you're searching for the best Imperial Shores listing agent, or thinking, 'I need to sell my house in Imperial Shores...', you are choosing between a team that reads the market from a portal and a team that reads it from the record. Jesse McGreevy and Marc Comisar price an Imperial Shores home against the recorded sales of its own position, set it beside the flood zone and base flood elevation at the lot, and put the dock, seawall and City permit answers in front of the buyer before the buyer asks. Top 1% Real Estate Agents Nationally Since 2008. Call Jesse direct at (239) 898-6072 for a confidential conversation.

• Top 1% Real Estate Agents Nationally Since 2008
• 5 Star Award for Customer Satisfaction for 21 Straight Years. Only 5 out of 21k+ Licensees (Gulfshore Life Magazine)
• #1 Team in Southwest Florida since 2012
• McGreevy and Comisar and their Domain Realty Group team have sold over $2.5 Billion in Real Estate
• McGreevy and Comisar alone have over $900 million in Sales
• Nationally Recognized Top Producing Realtors
• Platinum Sales Production Award Winners

Imperial Shores sales in the last 12 months, by position

We pulled every recorded Imperial Shores sale in the 12 months to September 25, 2026. Lee County recorded 15 qualified sales at a median of $1,075,000, from $76,000 to $2,300,000, or $524.26 per square foot of county heated area. That range includes one February 2026 warranty deed recorded at $76,000, about 7 percent of the county's value for that canal lot; the deed gives no reason. Without it, the 12 months show 14 sales at a $1,150,000 median, from $488,000 to $2,300,000. Over 60 months the record holds 66 sales at a $725,000 median.

Position is the first thing that moves an Imperial Shores price. The waterfront group recorded 10 sales in the 12 months at a $1,387,500 median, or $609.36 per square foot, and the inland group 10 sales over 24 months at a $552,500 median, or $271.11. Duplexes recorded 18 sales over 60 months at a $629,000 median, all resales.

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Our Imperial Shores seller guide covers pricing a canal, river or inland lot, the flood and permit records buyers ask for, and how a narrow lot is valued. See how we sell homes across the area on our Bonita Springs seller guide.

What Is My Imperial Shores Home Worth?

Start with our free home valuation: Get a free home valuation at https://mcgreevyandcomisar.com/home-valuation, and we will follow up with an Imperial Shores number built on the recorded sales of your position, size and age. For the Imperial Shores walk-through, read our Imperial Shores home valuation guide, and for the wider city picture our Bonita Springs home valuation page explains how we value homes across Bonita Springs.

Call Jesse direct at (239) 898-6072, text or call. Confidential conversations welcome.

Seller closing costs at the Imperial Shores medians

Two statutory lines can be computed from the price, and the contract controls who pays them. In Lee County the seller customarily pays the deed documentary stamp tax of $0.70 per $100 of consideration and the owner's title policy premium at Florida's promulgated rate: $5.75 per $1,000 up to $100,000, $5.00 per $1,000 from $100,000 to $1,000,000 and $2.50 per $1,000 from $1,000,000 to $5,000,000.

The title premium at $1,075,000 is $575.00 on the first $100,000, $4,500.00 on the next $900,000 and $187.50 on the last $75,000; at $552,500 it is $575.00 plus $2,262.50 on the $452,500 above $100,000. The seller customarily pays both in Lee County; the contract controls; commission and closing-fee amounts are not printed. Because there is no association, there is no estoppel fee to add.

What buyers ask about an Imperial Shores listing

Buyers and their lenders ask the same questions on almost every Imperial Shores listing, and a seller who has the answers ready saves days:

• The flood zone and the elevation certificate. Zone AE at 180 of 188 lot centres, and the City keeps certificates filed with permits since June 1, 2008.
• The dock and seawall permits, from the City portal, and whether the lot is on a canal or the river.
• The canal width at the lot, if the buyer wants a lift.
• The 1961 restriction reference, which a title commitment answers for the lot.
• The rental permit, if the home has been rented: $100 per unit, valid three years.

Pricing by position and age

We price an Imperial Shores home against its own position first: the waterfront group's 12-month record ($1,387,500 median on 10 sales) and its 24-month record ($1,387,500 on 14 sales without the $76,000 deed), or the inland group's 24-month record ($552,500 on 10 sales). Then age: over 60 months, single-family homes built in 2000 or later recorded a $1,217,500 median on 12 sales against $725,000 on 33 sales for homes built before 2000. Then size, the lot's flood elevation, the dock and seawall, and the permit history. Groups under 10 sales get ranges, never a median.

Selling a duplex or a lot

A duplex sells against the 60-month duplex record, 18 sales at a $629,000 median from $395,000 to $2,000,000, and against what the lot can carry under the City's lot-of-record rule: on a lot narrower than 75 feet, a buyer cannot replace the duplex with a new one without meeting the full lot size. A vacant lot sells against a thin record: 5 lot sales in 60 months, from $150,000 to $1,200,000, so we price it from the position, the frontage and the flood elevation.

How long does an Imperial Shores home take to sell?

Days on market for Imperial Shores come from the Southwest Florida MLS, and they are not in the county record: Information not available at time of publishing (checked 2026-10-10). What the county record does show is volume: 15 recorded sales in the 12 months to September 25, 2026 and 66 in the 60 months.

Do I need an estoppel letter to sell in Imperial Shores?

No. Imperial Shores has no homeowners' association on the public record, so there is no association to issue an estoppel certificate and no estoppel fee. The title commitment lists the recorded easements, any restriction it finds and any lien.

Who pays documentary stamps when I sell?

In Lee County the seller customarily pays the deed documentary stamp tax of $0.70 per $100 of the price, and the contract controls. At the $1,075,000 12-month median that is $7,525.00; a 2026 Imperial Shores deed shows $8,750.00 on $1,250,000.

Does my seawall or dock need a permit record to sell?

Buyers and their insurers ask for it. The City of Bonita Springs permits docks, lifts and seawalls, and its online permit portal holds the records by address. A seller who pulls the dock, lift and seawall permits before listing can answer the question on day one.

Can I sell my Imperial Shores lot as a teardown?

Yes, and the record shows buyers rebuilding: eight parcels carry a new 2025 or 2026 building on the roll, seven of them on the water, each on a parcel with an earlier improved sale. One Imperial River lot on Esplanade Street sold as a lot for $1,200,000 in November 2025. We price a teardown against both the improved sales and the thin lot record.

Talk to Us First

Before you list an Imperial Shores home, talk to us about its position, its flood record and its permits. Call Jesse direct at (239) 898-6072, or get a free home valuation at https://mcgreevyandcomisar.com/home-valuation.

Your Local Real Estate Experts

McGreevy and Comisar are the team behind this Imperial Shores guide, and our headquarters is right here in Bonita Springs, on Tamiami Trail, a short drive from Imperial Shores. Top 1% Real Estate Agents Nationally Since 2008 and the #1 team in Southwest Florida since 2012, Jesse McGreevy and Marc Comisar price from the public record and advise on both sides of an Imperial Shores sale.

Awards and recognition

• Top 1% Real Estate Agents Nationally Since 2008
• 5 Star Award for Customer Satisfaction for 21 Straight Years. Only 5 out of 21k+ Licensees (Gulfshore Life Magazine)
• #1 Team in Southwest Florida since 2012
• McGreevy and Comisar and their Domain Realty Group team have sold over $2.5 Billion in Real Estate
• McGreevy and Comisar alone have over $900 million in Sales
• Nationally Recognized Top Producing Realtors
• Platinum Sales Production Award Winners
• #5 real estate team in Florida (RealTrends 2026)
• #1 real estate team in Bonita Springs (RealTrends 2026)

How to reach us

• Jesse McGreevy: (239) 898-6072 · [email protected]
• Marc Comisar: (239) 287-5873
• Office: 24031 S Tamiami Trl #101, Bonita Springs, FL 34134

Jesse McGreevy (Sales Associate) and Marc Comisar (Broker Associate) are licensed Florida REALTORS® with Domain Realty; Florida real estate licensure is regulated by the Florida Real Estate Commission (FREC).

You can also read more about McGreevy and Comisar.

Our team

McGreevy and Comisar lead Domain Realty Group, a full-service Southwest Florida real estate team. Learn more about our team at DomainRealtyGroup.com.

★★★★★ "I had a great experience working with Marc Comisar and Jesse McGreevy. They were professional, knowledgeable, and made the entire process feel smooth from beginning to end." Verified Google review

To see Imperial Shores homes for sale, visit Imperial Shores at Domain Realty Group.

Selling an Imperial Shores home? Call Jesse direct at (239) 898-6072. Buying in Imperial Shores? Call Marc at (239) 287-5873, or read how we represent buyers in Southwest Florida. Ready to look? Start with buying a home in Imperial Shores or our Bonita Springs buyer guide.

Imperial Shores FAQ: Buyer Edition

Buyers ask whether Imperial Shores in Bonita Springs has an HOA, what the 1961 deed says, what canal and inland homes sell for, how boats reach the Gulf, what FEMA's map shows lot by lot and what the City code allows on a narrow lot. The answers below come from the Lee County record, the City of Bonita Springs and state and federal sources, each tied to its date.

Data updated: October 2026 (Lee County recorded sales through September 25, 2026; county roll dated October 11, 2026; FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer read October 13, 2026; NOAA Coast Pilot 5, October 4, 2026; School District of Lee County 2026-27 zone data).

One buyer's review sums up how we work: ★★★★★ "We have purchased many properties over the years and Jesse is without a doubt the most knowledgeable, personable and efficient real estate broker we have ever worked with!" Verified Google review

Does Imperial Shores in Bonita Springs have an HOA?

No. Imperial Shores has no homeowners' association on the public record: no association is registered with the Florida Division of Corporations and no association charge appears on the 2025 tax bills we read. That means no dues, no estoppel certificate and no architectural review board. City of Bonita Springs zoning and permits govern what an owner builds.

Are there deed restrictions in Imperial Shores?

The record leaves that open for each lot. A 1961 deed for three Imperial Shores lots says they are sold subject to restrictions on a separate attached sheet; no page of the recorded image carries that text, and the 2026 deeds we read cite only general "restrictions of record, if any". A title commitment for a specific lot controls.

Why is Imperial Shores called an unrecorded subdivision?

Because its sales plat entered the public record only as pages of a lot deed: Official Records Book 53, pages 128 to 132, a corrected deed dated March 3, 1961 and filed March 27, 1961, ending with a page titled "SALES PLAT ... IMPERIAL SHORES". There is no Plat Book and page, so legal descriptions read "Imperial Shores Unit 1 Unrecorded".

Is Imperial Shores in the City of Bonita Springs?

Yes, on every parcel. The Lee County Property Appraiser codes every Imperial Shores lot to the City of Bonita Springs, the City is the zoning authority, and tax district 017 covers the City and Bonita Springs Fire. City zoning, City permits, the City rental permit and the City's flood insurance rating all apply.

Is Imperial Shores in Lee County or Collier County?

Lee County. The Lee and Collier line runs about 550 feet south of the plat's southern edge, and no Imperial Shores parcel is in Collier County. Lee County's flood map, school zones and evacuation map apply. Bonita Shores, across Bonita Beach Road, is the neighborhood in Collier County.

What do homes in Imperial Shores sell for?

Lee County recorded 15 Imperial Shores sales in the 12 months to September 25, 2026 at a $1,075,000 median, from $76,000 to $2,300,000. That range includes one February 2026 warranty deed recorded at $76,000, about 7 percent of the county's value for that canal lot; the deed gives no reason. Without it, the 12 months show 14 sales at a $1,150,000 median, from $488,000 to $2,300,000.

What do canal homes in Imperial Shores sell for?

The waterfront group recorded 10 sales in the 12 months at a $1,387,500 median, from $76,000 to $2,300,000, or $609.36 per square foot of county heated area. Without the $76,000 deed, the 24-month waterfront record is 14 sales at a $1,387,500 median, from $650,000 to $2,375,000. Canal homes are larger and newer than inland homes, so the gap is not a set canal premium.

Are home prices dropping in Imperial Shores?

The record does not show a drop in the medians. Calendar-year medians were $526,250 in 2022 (16 sales), $790,000 in 2023 (16) and $975,000 in 2026 to September 25 (14), and 2024 and 2025 had too few sales for a median. Each year's mix of canal and inland sales differs, so a median's change is not any one home's change.

What do duplexes in Imperial Shores sell for?

Over 60 months, 18 duplex and small multifamily sales recorded a $629,000 median, from $395,000 to $2,000,000, or $293.95 per square foot of county heated area, and all were resales. In the 12 months there were 4 sales, from $488,000 to $875,000, too few for a median.

Are there lots for sale in Imperial Shores, and what do they sell for?

Lots do come up, but rarely. The county recorded one Imperial Shores lot sale in the 12 months, an Imperial River lot on Esplanade Street at $1,200,000 in November 2025, and 5 lot sales over 60 months, from $150,000 to $1,200,000. Five sales are too few for a median. On the roll set, 36 lots are vacant: 18 on a canal, 14 inland and 4 at the river or the canal ends.

How many homes are in Imperial Shores?

Imperial Shores has 194 parcels: about 112 single-family homes, 42 duplex and small multifamily parcels, 38 vacant lots and two Lee County preserve parcels. The county roll names Imperial Shores in 188 legal descriptions; six more Esplanade Street lots on the 1961 plan are described by metes and bounds, and we count them.

Does Imperial Shores have Gulf access by boat?

Yes, with conditions. No bridge crosses the water between the Imperial Shores canals and southern Estero Bay. To reach the Gulf, boats follow a privately marked channel to Big Hickory Pass, New Pass or Big Carlos Pass, each under a fixed bridge, and the NOAA Coast Pilot advises local knowledge on the route.

What bridges are between Imperial Shores and the Gulf?

None between the canals and southern Estero Bay. At the passes, Big Hickory Pass has a fixed bridge with 10 feet of vertical clearance and 40 feet horizontal, New Pass a fixed bridge with 30 feet, and Big Carlos Pass Lee County's new fixed bridge with a 60-foot navigation clearance, opened in November 2025. Charts still show the old Big Carlos bascule.

How deep are the Imperial Shores canals?

The depth of the Imperial Shores canals is not on any public record, and the nautical chart does not cover them. Lee County's canal layer records no depth or width. Florida DEP's June 2026 plan gives depths reaching 6.5 feet at Big Hickory Pass. A buyer checks a boat's draft against the tide and the route.

Are there manatee or no-wake zones near Imperial Shores?

Yes. The Imperial River, Fish Trap Bay and Intrepid Waters are a year-round Slow Speed zone under F.A.C. 68C-22.005, except the marked Fish Trap Bay channel segment at 25 mph. Estero Bay and Big Hickory Bay to the north are Slow Speed from April 1 to November 15 and 25 mph from November 16 to March 31.

Where is the nearest public boat ramp to Imperial Shores?

Lee County's Imperial River Boat Ramp on US 41, about 2.1 road miles and 5 minutes from the inland side of the plat. It has two ramps, a paddlecraft launch and trailer parking up to 72 hours, at $5 per vehicle a day, dawn to dusk. It sits upstream of the US 41 bridge, charted at 10.8 feet.

Can I add a dock or boat lift to an Imperial Shores canal home?

Usually, with a City permit. A single-family lot may have one dock with two wet slips, no structure beyond 25 percent of the channel width, and a dock with a lift needs a canal at least 40 feet wide unless the lift is diagonal or davits are used. On a canal lot under 65 feet of frontage the side setback is 5 feet.

What does a dock or seawall permit cost in Bonita Springs?

Under Resolution 25-129, effective January 1, 2026, a dock costs $0.50 per square foot (minimum $100), a boat lift $100, a seawall $1.50 per linear foot (minimum $150), plus residential plan review at 25 percent of the fee. A 400 square foot dock is $200 plus $50, or $250; a 60-foot seawall is the $150 minimum plus $37.50, or $187.50.

Can I replace or raise a seawall in Imperial Shores?

On a canal, yes: a replacement seawall must sit in line with its neighbours, may rise up to 2 feet above the adjacent wall, may move no more than 1 foot waterward and needs a French drain along its full length. On the Imperial River, no new or expanded seawall is allowed, though a lawful existing wall may be repaired or replaced up to 2 feet higher.

Who maintains the canals in Imperial Shores?

The record names no public maintainer. Lee County's canal layer lists the Imperial Shores canals as not county maintained, and none is on the City's list of City-maintained canals; no canal or dredging charge appears on the tax bills. Who, if anyone, has dredged the canals is not on the record we read.

Are the streets in Imperial Shores public?

Most are. The City of Bonita Springs maintains the east 2,592 feet of Esplanade Street, Imperial Shores Boulevard, Little Hickory Road, Mariner Road, Pine Lake Road, Franklin Street and Reahard Court. The City's 2026 road layer lists Regal Drive as not publicly maintained and the western 1,230 feet of Esplanade Street as private; who owns those strips is not on the record.

Is Imperial Shores in a flood zone?

Lot by lot. On Lee County FIRM panel 12071C0654G (effective November 17, 2022), the centre of 180 of the 188 roll parcels is in Zone AE and 8 inland lots are shaded Zone X, and every lot touches the AE line somewhere. Base flood elevations are 10 feet on most lots, 11 at the bay ends and 9 on a few inland lots.

How do I check the flood zone for an Imperial Shores address?

Use FEMA's flood map viewer, linked from the City of Bonita Springs' Flood Protection Information page, and look at the zone across the whole lot. The Lee County Property Appraiser does not show flood data for parcels inside a municipality. The City's elevation certificate search may also hold a certificate for the home.

Did Imperial Shores flood in Hurricane Ian?

USGS surveyors marked Ian's water at 10.8 and 10.7 feet NAVD88 at two spots inside Imperial Shores, 5.18 and 1.6 feet above the ground at each mark. The National Hurricane Center reports maximum inundation of 8 to 12 feet above ground in Bonita Beach and Bonita Springs. The marks do not describe any single home.

What evacuation zone is Imperial Shores in?

Every Imperial Shores parcel is in Lee County Evacuation Zone A, surge zone 1. Lee County Emergency Management calls Zone A "our most vulnerable area", and it is the first zone ordered to evacuate; for Hurricane Milton in 2024 the county ordered Zones A and B to evacuate.

What is the 50 percent rule for an older Imperial Shores home?

Under the City's notice of November 3, 2025, repairs or improvements equal to or more than 50 percent of the building's market value bring the whole building into full flood compliance, including elevation to the base flood elevation plus one foot. City Ordinance 22-05 counts improvements over five years. On a $300,000 building, $150,000 of work would trigger it (an illustration).

Does Citizens require flood insurance for an Imperial Shores home?

Inside the special flood hazard area, which covers most Imperial Shores lot centres, Citizens already requires flood coverage on policies that include wind. From January 1, 2027, it requires flood coverage on every new and renewing personal residential policy with wind coverage, whatever the zone. Tenant contents and wind-excluded policies are exempt.

What wind speed must an Imperial Shores home be built for?

The Lee County Property Appraiser's wind layers set a design wind speed (Risk Category II) of 170 mph on the 108 waterfront parcels and 160 mph on the 80 inland parcels of the roll set, and every parcel is in the wind-borne debris region. A rebuild on a canal lot is designed to the higher speed.

Can I build a duplex in Imperial Shores?

On a full-size lot, TFC-2 permits it; on a typical narrow lot, the code does not. LDC 4-2399(b)(3) prohibits a residential use other than a single-family home on a lot of record unless it meets the district's lot width, depth, area and density, which in TFC-2 is 75 feet, 100 feet and 7,500 square feet. The City decides lot by lot.

Can I build a new home on a 60-foot Imperial Shores lot?

Generally yes. The City's lot-of-record rule lets a single-family home be built on a lot of record lawfully created before June 1962 that is at least 40 feet wide, 75 feet deep and 4,000 square feet, and the owner bears the burden of proof. TFC-2 setbacks then apply: 7.5 feet on each side, 20 feet at the rear, 35 feet of height.

Can I rent out my Imperial Shores home short term?

Yes, with a City rental permit, which every owner who rents a non-owner-occupied home needs, short or long term: $100 per unit, valid three years, after a Code Enforcement inspection. Florida law bars newer local bans on vacation rentals, and Lee County's tourist development tax is 5 percent of gross rent on stays of six months or less.

Is Imperial Shores on city sewer and water?

Yes. Bonita Springs Utilities supplies water and sewer, and the Florida Department of Health inventory records every built Imperial Shores home on public sewer and public water, with no septic or private well records. Fixed charges for a single-family home are $46.06 a month before usage ($4.61 + $9.18 + $32.27).

What are property taxes like in Imperial Shores?

The 2025 district 017 rate was 12.7970 mills, plus $408.45 in City stormwater and Lee County solid waste fees on a single-family home. At the $1,075,000 median, with no exemption, that is 12.7970 x $1,075,000 / 1,000 = $13,756.78 in ad valorem tax, an illustration and not a bill. The City adopted 0.8411 mills for FY2026-27.

What schools serve Imperial Shores?

Every point we tested returned the School District of Lee County's South Zone 3: Elementary Zone Q, Middle Zone GG and High School South Zone 3 (Bonita Springs, Estero and South Fort Myers High). Bonita Springs Elementary, graded C for 2025-26, is about 8 minutes away and Bonita Springs Middle, graded B, about 9. A zone is a choice zone, not a guaranteed seat.

How far is Imperial Shores from the beach?

Bonita Beach Park is 1.3 miles and about 3 minutes by car from the Imperial Shores Boulevard entrance, or about 1.2 miles and 26 minutes on foot. Its lot and amenities are closed since September 8, 2026 for Ian repairs, with pedestrian access open, and Beach Accesses #2 to #9 are free to park.

Where is the nearest hospital to Imperial Shores?

NCH North Naples Hospital, a full hospital with a 24-hour pediatric emergency department, is 6.2 miles and about 11 minutes from the entrance. NCH's Bonita Springs freestanding emergency department is 5.6 miles and about 10 minutes, and Lee Health's Coconut Point emergency department 6.1 miles and about 11 minutes.

What is the preserve at the west end of Imperial Shores?

It is Lee County's Imperial River Preserve: about 39 acres (38.95, Lee County) of mangrove swamp under Conservation 20/20, the land the 1961 plan drew as Blocks 9 to 12, deeded to the county on March 25, 1998. The county says there is no public access on land, and paddlers may kayak or canoe near it via the Imperial River.

What is being built near Imperial Shores?

On Bonita Beach Road at the south edge, the City has approved a smaller plan for the 4200 Bonita Beach Road site, with hotel rooms cut from 202 to 75, and is reviewing Hickory On The Bay, six homes and 25,500 square feet of restaurants, shops and offices with transient slips. Inside the plat, the only open case is a minor setback variance.

Is Imperial Shores age-restricted or gated?

Neither. The records we read contain no age restriction. Imperial Shores has no gate, no clubhouse, no marina, no boat ramp and no golf course inside the plat, and no association on the public record.

How do I start looking at homes in Imperial Shores?

Call Marc at (239) 287-5873, and we will pull the flood, permit and sales record for the lots you are considering, or read how we represent buyers in Southwest Florida. Tell us whether you need a dock, a lift or an inland lot, and we will match the record to your list.

Imperial Shores FAQ: Seller Edition

Sellers ask what an Imperial Shores home is worth, how a canal lot prices against an inland lot, what the $76,000 sale means, what closing costs and disclosures apply, and what buyers ask about docks, seawalls and the 1961 deed. The answers below come from the Lee County record, the City of Bonita Springs and Florida law, each tied to its date.

Data updated: October 2026 (Lee County recorded sales through September 25, 2026; county roll dated October 11, 2026; City of Bonita Springs codes and fee schedule; Florida statutes read October 13, 2026).

What is my Imperial Shores home worth?

It depends first on position. The 12-month record is 15 sales at a $1,075,000 median, the waterfront group 10 sales at $1,387,500, and the inland group 10 sales over 24 months at $552,500. We set your home against its own position, size, age and flood elevation; start with our Imperial Shores home valuation guide.

How is a canal lot priced against an inland lot in Imperial Shores?

Against its own group. The waterfront median of $1,387,500 (10 sales, 12 months) sits $835,000 above the inland median of $552,500 (10 sales, 24 months), but canal homes are larger (2,200 against 1,260 square feet) and newer (median built 1990 against 1974). So we compare a canal home with canal sales and an inland home with inland sales.

Does a river lot sell for more than a canal lot?

The record is too thin to say. River sales are too few for a median in any window: in the 12 months, 1 of the 15 sales was on the Imperial River, and 1 lot sale, a river lot on Esplanade Street, closed at $1,200,000 in November 2025. We price a river lot from the waterfront record and its own lot, frontage and shoreline rules.

How do I price an Imperial Shores duplex?

Against the duplex record: 18 sales over 60 months at a $629,000 median, from $395,000 to $2,000,000, or $293.95 per square foot of county heated area. In the 12 months 4 duplexes sold, from $488,000 to $875,000. Lot width matters too, because a narrow lot cannot carry a new duplex under the City's lot-of-record rule.

Is my Imperial Shores home worth more as a lot?

Sometimes, on the water. Eight parcels carry a new 2025 or 2026 building on the roll, seven on the water, each replacing an earlier home, and one river lot sold as a lot for $1,200,000 in November 2025. The lot record is thin, 5 sales in 60 months from $150,000 to $1,200,000, so we price both ways and show you the ranges.

What did the $76,000 sale in 2026 mean for my value?

On its own, very little. It is a statutory warranty deed recorded February 19, 2026 for a whole canal lot, at about 7 percent of the county's $1,039,747 value for that parcel, and the deed states no reason. We never treat it as a market price; without it, the 12 months show 14 sales at a $1,150,000 median.

How many Imperial Shores homes sold in the last year?

Lee County recorded 15 Imperial Shores sales in the 12 months to September 25, 2026: 10 single-family homes, 4 duplex or multifamily parcels and 1 newly rebuilt home. By position, 9 were on a canal, 1 on the Imperial River and 5 inland, and 8 closed at $1,000,000 or more.

What happened to Imperial Shores prices over five years?

Over 60 months the record holds 66 sales at a $725,000 median, against $1,075,000 in the latest 12 months. Calendar-year medians ran $650,000 in 2020, $649,000 in 2021, $526,250 in 2022, $790,000 in 2023 and $975,000 in 2026 to September 25. The mix of canal and inland sales moves each year's median.

How long does it take to sell in Imperial Shores?

Days on market come from the MLS, not the county record: Information not available at time of publishing (checked 2026-10-10). The county record shows 15 sales in the 12 months and 66 in the 60 months, and we pull the current days on market for your position when we price your home.

What is the best month to list in Imperial Shores?

The county record shows when deeds were recorded, not when homes were listed, so it cannot answer this: Information not available at time of publishing (checked 2026-10-10). In the 12 months, recorded sales ran from November 2025 to August 2026, with the most in June 2026.

Do I need an estoppel certificate to sell in Imperial Shores?

No. There is no homeowners' association on the public record, so there is no estoppel certificate and no estoppel fee. The title commitment for your lot does the work: it lists recorded easements, any restriction it finds and any lien.

What closing costs does an Imperial Shores seller usually pay?

In Lee County the seller customarily pays the deed documentary stamps ($0.70 per $100) and the owner's title policy at the promulgated rate; the contract controls. At $1,075,000 that is $7,525.00 in stamps and $5,262.50 in title premium, $12,787.50 together. Commission and closing-fee amounts are not printed.

What should I disclose about flooding?

Florida law requires a seller to give the buyer a flood disclosure at or before the contract (F.S. 689.302), covering flood insurance claims, federal flood assistance and whether the home has flooded during the seller's ownership. Most Imperial Shores lot centres are in Zone AE, and USGS marked Ian's water inside the neighborhood. This is not legal advice; your attorney confirms the form.

Should I get an elevation certificate before listing?

Yes, if one is not already on file. Buyers, lenders and flood insurers ask for it, and with 180 of 188 lot centres in Zone AE it is usually the first document requested. The City has collected certificates with permits since June 1, 2008, so check the City's search page before ordering a new one.

Should I get a wind mitigation report before listing?

Usually, yes. Since April 1, 2026 the mandatory form is OIR-B1-1802 (Rev. 04/26), and a buyer's insurer uses it to price wind coverage. With 170 mph design wind on the waterfront lots and 102 of 150 improved parcels built from 1957 to 1993, the report answers questions a buyer will ask.

Do buyers ask about my dock and seawall permits?

Yes. A buyer's inspector and insurer will want to see the City permits for the dock, lift and seawall, and the City's online permit portal holds them by address. If work was done without a permit, it is better to know before listing.

What if my seawall needs replacing before I sell?

A canal seawall can be replaced in line with its neighbours, up to 2 feet higher and no more than 1 foot waterward, with a French drain along its length, under a City permit ($1.50 per linear foot, minimum $150, plus 25 percent plan review). Rental and LLC-owned homes need a licensed contractor. We help you decide whether to replace before listing or price the work in.

Can a buyer get Citizens insurance on my older home?

Citizens requires a four-point inspection for homes more than 20 years old, and from January 1, 2027 flood coverage on every policy with wind coverage. A current wind mitigation report and four-point inspection help a buyer's insurer quote. Premiums are set policy by policy, and we print none.

How do the deed restrictions affect my sale?

The 1961 deed refers to a restriction sheet that is not in the recorded image, and the 2026 deeds we read cite only general "restrictions of record, if any". A title commitment for your specific lot controls, so we order it early and let the buyer read it.

Does the 1961 docking privilege transfer with my lot?

The record does not say. One 1961 deed grants three inland Block 3 lots "waterfront rights or boat docking privileges ... in perpetuity" on the south side of the Imperial River within one mile west. Whether it survives or reached other lots is not on the record we read, so we never market it as a right that comes with a home.

Can I sell my duplex as two units?

The record we read does not support it: an Imperial Shores duplex is one parcel on the county roll, and we found no condominium conversion facts for the plat. Any split would be a City and legal question for the specific lot. We sell a duplex as one parcel against the duplex record.

Can my buyer build a duplex on my lot?

Only if the lot meets the full TFC-2 lot size: 75 feet wide, 100 feet deep and 7,500 square feet. LDC 4-2399(b)(3) prohibits a use other than a single-family home on a narrower lot of record. A full-size or combined lot may qualify; the City decides lot by lot.

Do I need a rental permit if my home is rented when I sell?

You need one while the home is rented: the City requires a rental permit from every owner who rents a non-owner-occupied home, $100 per unit, valid three years. A buyer who keeps renting the home applies for a permit in the buyer's own name.

How does a tenant in place affect a sale?

The lease terms control: a buyer takes the home subject to the lease unless it ends first. Showings follow the lease's access terms, and a buyer who wants to keep renting needs a City rental permit. This is not legal advice.

What taxes will my buyer pay?

A buyer's assessment resets after the sale, because Florida's homestead cap (the lower of 3 percent or CPI) and the 10 percent non-homestead cap both reset on a change of ownership. So the buyer's first full bill is based on market value at the 2025 rate of 12.7970 mills, plus $408.45 in fees, not on your capped value.

Does the BERT bond change my tax bill?

Bonita Springs voters approved bonds on August 18, 2026 (Ordinance 26-05) to buy rail corridor for the Bonita Estero Rail Trail. The per-home cost is not stated in any primary document we read, so we print no figure. The City adopted 0.8411 mills for FY2026-27.

What if my home was damaged in Milton or Ian?

If repairs reach 50 percent of the building's market value, the City's 50 percent rule requires the whole building to meet current flood rules, including elevation to the base flood elevation plus one foot, counting improvements over five years. We price a damaged home against the improved and lot records and against what a buyer must do under that rule.

Who handles the Bonita Springs Utilities account at closing?

The buyer opens or transfers the account with Bonita Springs Utilities, which charges a $35.00 transfer fee.

Is Imperial Shores in a CDD or special assessment district?

No such charge appears on the 2025 bills we read. The non-ad valorem lines were the City stormwater fee of $50.00 and the Lee County solid waste fee of $358.45 on a single-family home, and there was no fire assessment, canal, dredging, lighting, MSBU, CDD or association line.

Do private streets affect my sale?

On Regal Drive and the west end of Esplanade Street, the street is not publicly maintained, so the survey and the title commitment show the access easement the lot relies on. Lenders and title companies read that easement, so we pull it early.

What do buyers ask about the canals?

Who maintains them and how deep they are. The record names no public maintainer (Lee County lists them as not county maintained, and none is a City-maintained canal), and the depth is not on any public record. Buyers with a boat measure the canal at your lot.

How do you market a canal home in Imperial Shores?

With premium marketing built for the water: cinematic video, drone, professional photography, a qualified-buyer database and discretion with off-market capability, plus the dock, seawall, flood and boat-route facts a boater asks about first, set out with their sources.

Can you sell my Imperial Shores home off market?

Yes. We offer discretion with off-market capability through our qualified-buyer database when a sale needs to stay private, and we still price the home from the recorded sales of its position.

What records do you pull before pricing my home?

We pull every recorded Imperial Shores sale for 12 and 60 months from the Lee County record and read the deeds behind the outliers; then the county roll for your home, FEMA's zone and base flood elevation at the lot, the City permits for the dock, seawall and roof, the zoning, and the tax bill.

Do you work with sellers who live out of state?

Yes. We work with sellers wherever they live, and documents can be signed remotely as the title company allows. If the home is rented while you are away, the City requires a local agent for an owner who lives outside Florida's Twentieth Judicial Circuit.

How do I get started selling my Imperial Shores home?

Call Jesse direct at (239) 898-6072 for a confidential conversation, or get a free home valuation at https://mcgreevyandcomisar.com/home-valuation. We start with your home's position, flood record and permits.

Sources

Every figure on this Imperial Shores page traces to a source below: the Lee County Property Appraiser, Clerk, Tax Collector and county agencies, the City of Bonita Springs, Florida statutes and rules, state and federal agencies, and a few dated operator and press items, each labelled. We read them from October 12 to 13, 2026 unless a line says otherwise.

Primary sources come first. Each line gives the issuer, the title, the date we read it and the address. Records whose address carries a parcel, account or instrument number tied to a private owner are cited in words only.

County records, recorded documents and our own analysis

1. Lee County Property Appraiser, county roll dated October 11, 2026 and the county sale data file; Lee County recorded sales analysed by McGreevy and Comisar on the 194 Imperial Shores parcels (12, 24, 36 and 60 months to September 25, 2026; single-family, waterfront, inland, duplex and lot groups), run October 13, 2026.
2. Lee County Property Appraiser, ParcelsWFS parcel layer (legal, use code, municipal code, tax district), read October 12, 2026, https://gissvr4.leepa.org/gissvr/rest/services/ParcelsWFS/MapServer/0
3. Lee County Property Appraiser, hazard and wind layers (design wind, Risk Category II), read October 13, 2026, https://gissvr.leepa.org/gissvr/rest/services/HazardsFloodZones/MapServer
4. Lee County Clerk of Court, Official Records Book 53, pages 128 to 132 (Corrected Deed dated March 3, 1961, filed March 27, 1961, with the sales plat), read October 13, 2026, https://or.leeclerk.org/LandMarkWeb/Document/GetDocumentByBookPage/?booktype=O&booknumber=53&pagenumber=128
5. Lee County Clerk of Court, statutory warranty deed recorded February 19, 2026 for an Esplanade Street canal lot (the $76,000 sale), read October 13, 2026 (cited in words).
6. Lee County Clerk of Court, warranty deed recorded July 2, 2026 for the Franklin Street sale at $1,250,000, read October 13, 2026 (cited in words).
7. Lee County Clerk of Court, two 2026 Regal Drive and Esplanade Street deeds read for "restrictions of record" and the Regal Drive roadway easement, read October 13, 2026 (cited in words).
8. Lee County Clerk of Court, quit-claim deed of October 7, 1981 releasing two mapped road parcels on the Imperial Shores map, read October 13, 2026 (cited in words).
9. Lee County Tax Collector, 2025 property tax bills for three district 017 homes, read October 13, 2026 (cited in words).
10. Lee County Property Appraiser, 2026 TRIM notices for two Imperial Shores samples, read October 13, 2026 (cited in words).
11. Lee County, Subdivisions and Condominiums layer, read October 13, 2026, https://services2.arcgis.com/LvWGAAhHwbCJ2GMP/ArcGIS/rest/services/Subdivisions_and_Condominiums/FeatureServer/0
12. Lee County, canal polygons (CanalsPoly), read October 13, 2026, https://services2.arcgis.com/LvWGAAhHwbCJ2GMP/ArcGIS/rest/services/CanalsPoly/FeatureServer/0
13. Lee County DOT, road centerlines, read October 13, 2026, https://services2.arcgis.com/LvWGAAhHwbCJ2GMP/ArcGIS/rest/services/RoadCenterline/FeatureServer/0
14. Lee County, City and County jurisdiction layer, read October 12, 2026, https://services2.arcgis.com/LvWGAAhHwbCJ2GMP/ArcGIS/rest/services/City_County/FeatureServer/0
15. Lee County, Evacuation Zones layer, read October 13, 2026, https://services2.arcgis.com/LvWGAAhHwbCJ2GMP/ArcGIS/rest/services/EvacuationZones/FeatureServer/0
16. Lee County, Elevate Florida map layer (counts only), read October 13, 2026, https://services2.arcgis.com/LvWGAAhHwbCJ2GMP/ArcGIS/rest/services/Elevate_Florida_Map_WFL1/FeatureServer/0
17. Lee County, Fire Station Locations layer, read October 13, 2026, https://services2.arcgis.com/LvWGAAhHwbCJ2GMP/ArcGIS/rest/services/Fire_Station_Locations/FeatureServer/0
18. Lee County, Ultra on-demand zones and bus routes and stops layers, read October 13, 2026, https://services2.arcgis.com/LvWGAAhHwbCJ2GMP/ArcGIS/rest/services/Ultra_MoD_Zones/FeatureServer/0
19. Lee County, Golf Course Locations layer, read October 13, 2026, https://services2.arcgis.com/LvWGAAhHwbCJ2GMP/ArcGIS/rest/services/Golf_Course_Locations/FeatureServer/0/query
20. Lee County, Boat Ramps layer (FWC ramp inventory rows), read October 13, 2026, https://services2.arcgis.com/LvWGAAhHwbCJ2GMP/ArcGIS/rest/services/Boat_Ramps/FeatureServer/0
21. Lee County GIS, zoning cases and planned developments layers, read October 13, 2026, https://gismapserver.leegov.com/gisserver910/rest/services/Layers/
22. Lee County GIS, Zoning, City of Bonita Springs layer, read at every parcel point October 13, 2026, https://gismapserver.leegov.com/gisserver910/rest/services/Layers/DCD_Zoning/MapServer/7
23. Lee County GIS, Conservation 20/20 acquired parcels layer, read October 13, 2026, https://gismapserver.leegov.com/gisserver910/rest/services/Layers/Conservation2020/MapServer/5
24. Lee County, zoning case file DCI2002-00035 (City Ordinance 03-01), read October 13, 2026, https://results.leegov.com/home/index/ZoningCases/DCI2002-00035
25. Lee County, zoning case file DCI2004-00034 (City Resolution 05-01), read October 13, 2026, https://results.leegov.com/home/index/ZoningCases/DCI2004-00034
26. Lee County, zoning case file DCI2006-00021 (City Ordinance 06-08), read October 13, 2026, https://results.leegov.com/home/index/ZoningCases/DCI2006-00021

Lee County agencies and parks

27. Lee County Parks and Recreation, Imperial River Preserve, read October 13, 2026, https://www.leegov.com/parks/preserves/imperialriverpreserve
28. Lee County Parks and Recreation, Imperial River Preserve Land Management Plan, second edition (approved September 19, 2017), read October 13, 2026, https://www.leegov.com/parks/Documents/Conservation%202020/Land%20Stewardship%20Plans/IRP.pdf
29. Lee County Parks and Recreation, Imperial River Boat Ramp, read October 13, 2026, https://www.leegov.com/parks/boat%20Ramps/imperialriver
30. Lee County Parks and Recreation, Bonita Beach Park, read October 12, 2026, https://www.leegov.com/parks/beaches/bonitabeach
31. Lee County Parks and Recreation, Bonita Beach Access #1, read October 12, 2026, https://www.leegov.com/parks/beaches/bonitabeachaccess1
32. Lee County Parks and Recreation, Bonita Beach Accesses #2 to #9, read October 12, 2026, https://www.leegov.com/parks/beaches/bonitabeachaccess
33. Lee County Parks and Recreation, Little Hickory Island Beach Park (Access #10), read October 12, 2026, https://www.leegov.com/parks/beaches/littlehickory
34. Lee County Parks and Recreation, The Great Calusa Blueway, read October 13, 2026, https://www.leegov.com/parks/blueway
35. Lee County Emergency Management, Hurricane Evacuation Zone A sheet, read October 12, 2026, https://www.leegov.com/publicsafety/Documents/Emergency%20Management/ZONE%20A.pdf
36. Lee County Solid Waste, Your Garbage Company by Zip Code, read October 13, 2026, https://www.leegov.com/solidwaste/residential/garbagecompany
37. LeeTran, ULTRA on-demand service, read October 13, 2026, https://www.leegov.com/leetran/ultra
38. Lee County Library System, Bonita Springs Public Library, read October 13, 2026, https://www.leegov.com/library/branches/bn
39. Lee County Clerk of Court, Tourist Development Tax, read October 13, 2026, https://www.leeclerk.org/departments/inspector-general/tourist-development-tax
40. Lee County, Big Carlos Pass Bridge project (opening notice and June 2026 ribbon cutting), read October 13, 2026, https://bigcarlosbridgeproject.com/

City of Bonita Springs

41. City of Bonita Springs, Code of Ordinances and Land Development Code (Chapters 4 and 7), Municode, read October 13, 2026, https://library.municode.com/fl/bonita_springs/codes/code_of_ordinances
42. City of Bonita Springs, LDC Chapter 4, Article VII Nonconformities and Table 4-489 (Municode content), read October 13, 2026, https://api.municode.com/CodesContent?jobId=498207&nodeId=PTIIILADECO_CH4ZO_ARTVIINO_DIV4NOLO&productId=15163
43. City of Bonita Springs, Ordinance No. 21-08 (dock and shoreline code, adopted October 20, 2021), read October 13, 2026, https://mcclibraryfunctions.azurewebsites.us/api/ordinanceDownload/15163/1119626/pdf
44. City of Bonita Springs, Ordinance No. 23-11 (dock and shoreline amendments, adopted September 6, 2023), read October 13, 2026, https://cityofbonitaspringscd.org/forms/Ordinance_No_23_11_Dock_and_Shoreline_Amendments.pdf
45. City of Bonita Springs, Dock and Shoreline Permit Application (January 7, 2022), read October 13, 2026, https://cityofbonitaspringscd.org/forms/Env_Dock_and_Shoreline_Permit_20220107_final.pdf
46. City of Bonita Springs, Resolution No. 25-129, Building Permit Fee Schedule (passed October 15, 2025, effective January 1, 2026), read October 13, 2026, https://cityofbonitaspringscd.org/forms/Resolution-No._25-129_Community_Development_Building_Permit_Fee_Schedule.pdf
47. City of Bonita Springs, Substantial Improvement and Substantial Damage notice (November 3, 2025), read October 13, 2026, https://cityofbonitaspringscd.org/forms/FEMA_Substantial_Damage_Substantial_Improvement_20251103.pdf
48. City of Bonita Springs, Impact Fee Calculator, read October 13, 2026, https://cityofbonitaspringscd.org/resources/calculators/Impact_Fee.html
49. City of Bonita Springs, Elevation Certificate Search, read October 13, 2026, https://www.cityofbonitaspringscd.org/resources/Elevation_Certificate_Search.html
50. City of Bonita Springs, Rental Permits, read October 12 to 13, 2026, https://www.cityofbonitasprings.org/services___departments/neighborhood_services/rental_permits
51. City of Bonita Springs, Post Storm Permitting Guide, read October 13, 2026, https://www.cityofbonitasprings.org/services___departments/communications_department/emergency_resources/post_storm_permitting_guide
52. City of Bonita Springs, Flood Protection Information, read October 13, 2026, https://www.cityofbonitasprings.org/services___departments/communications_department/emergency_resources/flood_protection_information
53. City of Bonita Springs, FEMA Community Rating System page, read October 13, 2026, https://www.cityofbonitasprings.org/FEMACRS
54. City of Bonita Springs, Resolution 26-027 (FY2026-27 millage), read October 13, 2026, https://www.cityofbonitasprings.org/common/pages/GetFile.ashx?key=uKNGAQFd
55. City of Bonita Springs, Ordinance 26-05 (BERT bond referendum), read October 13, 2026, https://www.cityofbonitasprings.org/common/pages/GetFile.ashx?key=EX1EAaqD
56. City of Bonita Springs, Resolution 26-022 (Stormwater Master Plan Update ranking), read October 13, 2026, https://www.cityofbonitasprings.org/common/pages/GetFile.ashx?key=kA1GASnz
57. City of Bonita Springs, Stormwater Master Plan Update, Phase I (2010), section 10 and Table 10-1, read October 13, 2026, https://www.cityofbonitasprings.org/UserFiles/Servers/Server_11726458/File/Departments/Public%20Works/Stormwater/Stormwater%20Master%20Plan%20Update.pdf
58. City of Bonita Springs, Stormwater and Drainage page, read October 13, 2026, https://www.cityofbonitasprings.org/services___departments/public_works/stormwater__drainage
59. City of Bonita Springs, Imperial Shores Boulevard project news (posted March 11, 2023), read October 13, 2026, https://www.cityofbonitasprings.org/services___departments/public_works/public_works_news/imperial_shores_boulevard
60. City of Bonita Springs, "City Council Approves Roundabout on Hickory Boulevard" (posted May 20, 2026), read October 13, 2026, https://www.cityofbonitasprings.org/news/what_s_new/city_council_approves_roundabout_on_hickory_boulev
61. City of Bonita Springs, Hurricane Milton page, read October 13, 2026, https://www.cityofbonitasprings.org/services___departments/communications_department/tropical_storm_milton
62. City of Bonita Springs, Special Events, read October 13, 2026, https://www.cityofbonitasprings.org/services___departments/communications_department/special_events
63. City of Bonita Springs, History page, read October 12, 2026, https://www.cityofbonitasprings.org/about_us/history
64. City of Bonita Springs Recreation, Other Parks list, read October 13, 2026, https://www.bonitaspringsparks.org/parks___trails/other_parks
65. City of Bonita Springs, 2026 road layers (Roads2026), read October 13, 2026, https://services3.arcgis.com/elXVcwL34ACSkXcK/arcgis/rest/services
66. City of Bonita Springs, case register (4200 Bonita Beach Road, Hickory On The Bay and the Imperial Shores setback variance), read October 13, 2026 (cited in words).
67. City of Bonita Springs, online permit portal, linked by the Post Storm Permitting Guide (cited in words).

Florida statutes and rules

68. Florida Statutes s. 193.155 (2026), homestead assessment cap, read October 13, 2026, http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0100-0199/0193/Sections/0193.155.html
69. Florida Statutes s. 193.1555 (2026), non-homestead residential cap, read October 13, 2026, http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0100-0199/0193/Sections/0193.1555.html
70. Florida Statutes s. 215.5586 (2026), My Safe Florida Home, read October 12, 2026, http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0200-0299/0215/Sections/0215.5586.html
71. Florida Statutes s. 403.813 (2026), dock and seawall exemptions, read October 13, 2026, https://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0400-0499/0403/Sections/0403.813.html
72. Florida Statutes s. 509.032 (2026), vacation rentals, read October 13, 2026, http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0500-0599/0509/Sections/0509.032.html
73. Florida Statutes s. 627.7011 (2026), roof-age protections, read October 12, 2026, https://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0600-0699/0627/Sections/0627.7011.html
74. Florida Statutes s. 689.302 (2026), flood disclosure in residential sales, read October 17, 2026, http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0600-0699/0689/Sections/0689.302.html
75. Florida Statutes s. 201.02 (2026), documentary stamp tax on deeds, read October 17, 2026, http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0200-0299/0201/Sections/0201.02.html
76. Florida Statutes Chapter 712 (2026), Marketable Record Title Act, read October 13, 2026 (cited in words).
77. Florida Administrative Code 68C-22.005, Lee County manatee protection zones, read October 13, 2026, https://www.flrules.org/gateway/RuleNo.asp?title=THE%20FLORIDA%20MANATEE%20SANCTUARY%20ACT&ID=68C-22.005
78. Florida Administrative Code 69O-186.003, promulgated title insurance premium rates (cited in words).
79. Florida Division of Corporations, entity-name searches "IMPERIAL SHORES" and "REAHARD", read October 13, 2026 (cited in words; search.sunbiz.org).

State and federal agencies

80. FEMA, National Flood Hazard Layer, panel 12071C0654G (effective November 17, 2022), read October 13, 2026, https://hazards.fema.gov/arcgis/rest/services/public/NFHL/MapServer
81. FEMA, Pending and Preliminary NFHL, read October 13, 2026, https://hazards.fema.gov/arcgis/rest/services/PrelimPending/Pending_NFHL/MapServer
82. FEMA, Find My Flood Zone viewer (linked by the City), read October 13, 2026, https://hazards-fema.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=8b0adb51996444d4879338b5529aa9cd
83. FEMA, Community Status Book, Florida, read October 13, 2026, https://www.fema.gov/cis/FL.html
84. FEMA, Community Rating System, read October 12, 2026, https://www.fema.gov/floodplain-management/community-rating-system
85. NOAA, U.S. Coast Pilot 5, Chapter 4 (October 4, 2026), read October 13, 2026, https://nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/publications/coast-pilot/files/cp5/CPB5_C04_WEB.pdf
86. NOAA, U.S. Coast Pilot 5, Chapter 2 (October 4, 2026), Big Carlos Pass, read October 13, 2026, https://nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/publications/coast-pilot/files/cp5/CPB5_C02_WEB.pdf
87. NOAA, ENC Direct approach-scale bridge layers, read October 13, 2026, https://gis.charttools.noaa.gov/arcgis/rest/services/encdirect/enc_approach/MapServer/146/query
88. FHWA and BTS, National Bridge Inventory (data as of June 20, 2025), read October 13, 2026, https://services.arcgis.com/xOi1kZaI0eWDREZv/arcgis/rest/services/NTAD_National_Bridge_Inventory/FeatureServer/0/query
89. Florida DEP, Big Hickory Pass Inlet Management Plan, Lee County (June 2026), read October 13, 2026, https://floridadep.gov/sites/default/files/Big%20Hickory%20Pass%20%28Lee%29%20IMP_FINAL_06-2026.pdf
90. Florida DEP, Outstanding Florida Waters and Aquatic Preserves open data, read October 13, 2026, https://ca.dep.state.fl.us/arcgis/rest/services/OpenData/OFW/MapServer
91. Florida DEP, Impaired Waters open data (WBID 3258EB), read October 13, 2026, https://ca.dep.state.fl.us/arcgis/rest/services/OpenData/IMPAIRED_WATERS/MapServer
92. FWC, State Manatee Protection Zones layer, read October 13, 2026, https://gis.myfwc.com/hosting/rest/services/Open_Data/State_Manatee_Protection_Zones_in_Florida/MapServer/9/query
93. FWC, Manatee data and maps index, read October 13, 2026, https://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/wildlife/manatee/data-and-maps/
94. eCFR, 50 CFR 17.108 (version October 8, 2026), manatee refuges, read October 13, 2026, https://www.ecfr.gov/api/versioner/v1/full/2026-10-08/title-50.xml?part=17&section=17.108
95. USGS, Short-Term Network high-water marks, Hurricane Ian event, read October 13, 2026, https://stn.wim.usgs.gov/STNServices/HWMs/FilteredHWMs.json?Event=325&States=FL
96. USGS, Imperial River gauge near Bonita Springs (02291500), read October 13, 2026, https://waterdata.usgs.gov/monitoring-location/USGS-02291500/
97. USGS, 3DEP Elevation Point Query Service (2018 lidar), read October 13, 2026, https://epqs.nationalmap.gov/v1/json
98. National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Report, Hurricane Ian (March 12, 2026 version), read October 12, 2026, https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/data/tcr/AL092022_Ian.pdf
99. National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Report, Hurricane Irma, read October 12, 2026, https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/data/tcr/AL112017_Irma.pdf
100. National Hurricane Center, National Storm Surge Risk Maps, read October 13, 2026, https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/nationalsurge/
101. Florida Department of Health, Florida Water Management Inventory, wastewater layer, read October 13, 2026, https://maps.floridahealth.gov/server/rest/services/FLWMI/FLWMI_Wastewater/MapServer/0
102. Florida Department of Education, 2025-26 school grades (as of September 1, 2026), read October 13, 2026, https://www.fldoe.org/file/18534/SchoolGrades26.xlsx
103. US Census Bureau, geocoder (census tract 506.01), read October 13, 2026 (cited in words).
104. FCC, National Broadband Map, location summary (no location data at the sample point), read October 13, 2026 (cited in words).
105. Collier County GIS, parcel layer (Bonita Shores legal descriptions), re-run October 13, 2026, https://gmdcmgis.colliercountyfl.gov/server/rest/services/Parcels/MapServer/0/query
106. 11th Cir. 1992, 968 F.2d 1131, as reported at 22 ELR 21455, read October 12, 2026, https://www.elr.info/sites/default/files/litigation/22.21455.htm
107. 11th Cir. 1994, 30 F.3d 1412, read October 12, 2026, https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/F3/30/1412/470918/

Schools

108. School District of Lee County, School Zones page, read October 13, 2026, https://www.leeschools.net/student_enrollment/school_zones
109. School District of Lee County, Student Enrollment Plan 2026-2027, read October 13, 2026, https://www.leeschools.net/common/pages/GetFile.ashx?key=c5aKDQZk
110. School District of Lee County, transportation page, read October 13, 2026, https://www.leeschools.net/support/transportation_optimization
111. School District of Lee County, SchoolSite Locator 2026-27, read October 13, 2026, https://www.schoolsitelocator.com/apps/leecounty/
112. Bonita Springs Elementary, read October 13, 2026, https://bne.leeschools.net/
113. Spring Creek Elementary, read October 13, 2026, https://spc.leeschools.net/
114. Bonita Springs Middle Center for the Arts, read October 13, 2026, https://bnm.leeschools.net/
115. Bonita Springs High, read October 13, 2026, https://bnh.leeschools.net/our_school
116. Estero High, read October 13, 2026, https://est.leeschools.net/
117. South Fort Myers High, read October 13, 2026, https://sfm.leeschools.net/

Utilities, insurers, health care and operators (named in words)

118. Bonita Springs Utilities, rates page (modified January 16, 2026), read October 13, 2026 (bsu.us/rates).
119. Citizens Property Insurance, flood coverage requirement, read October 12, 2026 (citizensfla.com/flood).
120. Citizens Property Insurance, inspections and the OIR-B1-1802 (Rev. 04/26) bulletin, read October 10 to 12, 2026 (citizensfla.com).
121. NCH, emergency services (Bonita Springs and North Naples), read October 13, 2026 (nchmd.org).
122. Lee Health, Coconut Point emergency department, Convenient Care Bonita, Gulf Coast Medical Center and the UnitedHealthcare notice, read October 13, 2026 (leehealth.org).
123. Bonita Springs Fire Control and Rescue District, site and ISO rating page, read October 13, 2026 (bonitafire.org).
124. Publix store-locator data for ZIP 34134, read October 13, 2026 (publix.com).
125. Bonita Wonder Gardens, read October 13, 2026 (wondergardens.org).
126. Spanish Wells and Bonita Fairways operator pages and the Lee County golf layer, read October 13, 2026 (cited in words).
127. Coconut Jack's Waterfront Grille and Doc's Beach House, first-party sites, read October 13, 2026 (cited in words).
128. OSRM public router (car) and the FOSSGIS OpenStreetMap foot router, routes run October 13, 2026 (cited in words).
129. Naples Daily News, "Hurricane Milton damaged homes, ravaged beaches in Bonita Springs", October 25, 2024 (press, cited in words).
130. McGreevy and Comisar, our Bonita Shores, Bonita Farms, Vanderbilt Lakes and Imperial Harbor community research (2026), used for the comparison rows only.

Downloadable Documents

These Imperial Shores documents are published by the Lee County Clerk of Court, Lee County, the City of Bonita Springs, the Florida Legislature and state and federal agencies. Each link opens the issuing authority's own copy, so you read the version on file; a title commitment and the City's own determinations govern any specific Imperial Shores lot in Bonita Springs.