Little Hickory Island

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

McGreevy and Comisar are the team Little Hickory Island owners call first when it is time to sell a beach house, and the team buyers use to read the flood map lot by lot, the island's height rule and the recorded sales of every Gulf, bay and canal street before they write an offer. Top 1% Real Estate Agents Nationally Since 2008, #1 Team in Southwest Florida since 2012, and our headquarters is in Bonita Springs, a short drive up Bonita Beach Road.

Little Hickory Island is the barrier island of single-family beach homes, bay homes and canal homes along Hickory Boulevard in Bonita Beach, Florida, inside the City of Bonita Springs and Lee County, between Big Hickory Pass to the north and the Collier County line at Barefoot Beach to the south. Little Hickory Island has no master homeowners' association over its houses: the City of Bonita Springs zoning code, the state coastal line and the FEMA flood map govern what an owner builds.

This guide covers the houses, not the island's condominium towers, which have their own guides such as Bonita Beach Club, Seascape and Bonita Beach and Tennis Club. It is built from the public record: the Lee County Property Appraiser roll dated October 11, 2026, every Lee County recorded sale through September 25, 2026, the Southwest Florida MLS pulled October 27, 2026, FEMA's flood map at ten points across the island, the City of Bonita Springs Land Development Code, the NOAA Coast Pilot and the state's beach and inlet plans. 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 Little Hickory Island

McGreevy and Comisar are the best realtor for Little Hickory Island in Bonita Beach because we price from the public record: every recorded Little Hickory Island sale for 12 and 60 months split by Gulf, bay and canal frontage, the island's own height rule, FEMA's map at the lot and the MLS record of days on market and price cuts. 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; Southwest Florida MLS pulled October 27, 2026).

If you're searching for the best realtor for Little Hickory Island, whether you're ready to sell your Little Hickory Island 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 Little Hickory Island market record, 12 months to September 25, 2026

We pulled every recorded Little Hickory Island sale in the Lee County record for the 12 months to September 25, 2026: 21 qualified sales of homes and improved lots at a $2,600,000 median, from $750,000 to $14,079,525, and 78 sales at a $2,768,750 median over 60 months. Twenty of the 21 were resales of houses, at a $2,462,500 median, and one was the first sale of a newly built Gulf-front house on Hickory Boulevard, recorded at $14,079,525 on August 31, 2026.

In the Southwest Florida MLS pull of October 27, 2026, we tracked 19 Little Hickory Island single-family closings in the prior 12 months at a $2,600,000 median, $78,830,525 in total volume, a median sold-to-list ratio of 93.02 percent and a median of 79 days on market. On the pull date 21 houses were active, from $1,399,000 to $18,250,000, and none were pending.

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
• Platinum Sales Production Award Winners
• #5 real estate team in Florida (RealTrends 2026)

For Little Hickory Island sellers

A Little Hickory Island sale is priced by frontage first: a Gulf-front estate lot on Hickory Boulevard, a bay lot on McLaughlin Boulevard or Bay Road, a canal lot on Forester Drive, Cypress Lane or Kings Kew and a dry lot near the road carry land values that differ by a factor of nine on the county roll, and the recorded sales follow those lines. Age is the second line, because a 1970s or 1980s house below today's base flood elevation is often priced as land plus a rebuild decision. A buyer's lender and insurer will 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 Little Hickory Island 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 Little Hickory Island seller guide walks through pricing a Gulf, bay or canal house, the flood and permit records a buyer's lender asks for, and how the island's height rule shapes what a lot is worth.

For Little Hickory Island buyers

Buyers here are choosing a side of the road before a house: the Gulf side with the beach at the back door, a VE flood zone and the highest land values in Bonita Springs, or the bay and canal side with a dock, sunsets over Estero Bay and a lower AE flood elevation. The island has no gate and no association over the houses, so the City code decides what a lot can carry, and the Gulf passes sit under fixed bridges. 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 on Little Hickory Island.

McGreevy and Comisar is a top-reviewed Little Hickory Island realtor, and our clients review us in their own words on the sites where they post. We publish no aggregate score, and every review we quote is a five-star review.

★★★★★ "I was with another agent prior to Marc and we just couldn't close on a house. As soon as we switched to Marc it was night and day how quickly we could get the house we wanted. If you're looking for someone to have your back at all steps in the home buying process, go with Marc." Verified Zillow review

Key Takeaways: What Should Little Hickory Island Buyers and Sellers Know?

Little Hickory Island buyers and sellers in Bonita Beach should know eight facts from the public record before they price, offer or list: what the island holds, what houses have recorded, how frontage moves price, what FEMA's map shows, what the height rule allows, how boats reach the Gulf and what the tax bill carries.

• Little Hickory Island holds 487 non-condominium residential parcels on the Lee County roll: 357 single-family homes, 120 vacant lots and 10 small multifamily or mobile-home parcels, all inside the City of Bonita Springs with no master homeowners' association.
• Lee County recorded 21 Little Hickory Island sales in the 12 months to September 25, 2026 at a $2,600,000 median, from $750,000 to $14,079,525; the 20 house resales had a $2,462,500 median.
• Frontage sets price: Gulf-front houses carry a $7,407,349 median county value and recorded six sales from $6,000,000 to $10,000,000 in the 12 months; canal houses a $1,049,084 median value and six sales from $1,225,000 to $3,100,000.
• The MLS pull of October 27, 2026 shows 19 closings in 12 months at a $2,600,000 median, a 93.02 percent median sold-to-list ratio, 79 median days on market and 21 active listings.
• FEMA's 2022 map put every one of ten island points we queried in a special flood hazard area: VE with a 13-foot base flood elevation on the Gulf front, AE 10 or 11 on the bay and canal streets, all in evacuation Zone A.
• The City allows a house 35 feet above the minimum flood elevation, never more than 40 feet in total, and grants no variance on Bonita Beach and Little Hickory Island.
• Boats leave from the bay and canal lots; Big Hickory Pass sits under a fixed bridge with 10 feet of clearance, and New Pass under 30 feet.
• The 2025 tax rate for the island's taxing district was 12.7970 mills, and renting any house needs a $100-per-unit City rental permit.

Table of Contents

This Little Hickory Island guide lets a seller or a buyer in Bonita Beach jump straight to the record that answers the question: recorded sales by frontage, the sections, the height rule, docks and the passes, flood and insurance, schools, drive times, the Barefoot Beach comparison and the FAQs.

The island: What Is Little Hickory Island, and Where Is It? · Is Little Hickory Island the Same as Bonita Beach? · Is Little Hickory Island in Lee County or Collier County, and Is It in the City? · What Is It Like to Live on Little Hickory Island?

Homes and prices: What Do Little Hickory Island Homes Sell For? · How Do Gulf, Bay and Canal Lots Differ on Little Hickory Island? · What Did Little Hickory Island Homes Sell For, Sale by Sale? · How Much Is Listed on Little Hickory Island Right Now? · What Kinds of Homes Are on Little Hickory Island, and How Old Are They?

Sections, history, rules and costs: What Are the Neighborhoods Within Little Hickory Island? · How Did Little Hickory Island Begin? · Does Little Hickory Island Have an HOA or Deed Restrictions? · What Does It Cost to Own on Little Hickory Island? Taxes, Fees and Utilities · What Can You Build or Rebuild on a Little Hickory Island Lot?

The water: Can You Rent Out a Little Hickory Island Home? · How Do Docks, Seawalls and Boating Work on Little Hickory Island?

Flood, storms and insurance: Can You Reach the Gulf by Boat From Little Hickory Island? · What Flood Zone Is Little Hickory Island In? · What Happened on Little Hickory Island During Hurricanes Ian and Milton? · How Is the Beach in Front of the Gulf-Front Houses Maintained?

Location: How Do Insurance, Wind Rules and the 50 Percent Rule Affect Little Hickory Island Homes? · What Schools Serve Little Hickory Island? · Where Are the Nearest Hospitals and Emergency Rooms? · How Far Is Little Hickory Island From the Airport, Naples and Shopping?

Comparisons: What Is Near Little Hickory Island: Beaches, Parks and Dining? · What Is Being Built or Planned Near Little Hickory Island? · How Does Little Hickory Island Compare With Other Bonita Beach Choices?

Selling and contact: Little Hickory Island vs Barefoot Beach: Which Fits Your Priorities? · Why Buy on Little Hickory Island? Honest Pros and Cons

FAQs and sources: Thinking of Selling Your Little Hickory Island Home? List With the #1 Team in Southwest Florida Since 2012 · Your Local Real Estate Experts · Little Hickory Island FAQ: Buyer Edition · Little Hickory Island FAQ: Seller Edition · Sources · Downloadable Documents

What Is Little Hickory Island, and Where Is It?

Little Hickory Island is the barrier island at the south end of Estero Bay in Bonita Springs, Florida, carrying Hickory Boulevard from Big Hickory Pass south to the Bonita Beach Road bridge. Its Lee County side holds the Bonita Beach plats, Carolands, Kinleyland, Cape Hickory, Villa Positano and the island's condominium towers, all in ZIP 34134 and the City of Bonita Springs.

Data updated: October 2026 (Lee County Property Appraiser roll dated October 11, 2026; FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer and Lee County Property Appraiser evacuation layer read October 17, 2026).

The Lee County side of the island runs a little over two miles north to south, by our measurement on the county's parcel coordinates, between the Gulf of America on the west and Little Hickory Bay and southern Estero Bay on the east. Hickory Boulevard is the only through road. At the north end it crosses Big Hickory Pass onto Big Hickory Island and continues as Estero Boulevard over the 1965 causeway to Lovers Key and Fort Myers Beach; at the south end it bends east as Bonita Beach Road SW and crosses Little Hickory Bay to the mainland. Barefoot Beach, the Collier County end of the same barrier island, lies south of the county line and is a separate community with its own guide.

We measured the island's houses from the county roll's own parcel coordinates: 487 non-condominium residential parcels on the Lee side, every one in taxing district 017, the City of Bonita Springs and the Bonita Springs Fire District, every one with a 34134 site ZIP.

Little Hickory Island at a glance

The sections a deed will name

A Little Hickory Island deed names one of nine sections. The original Bonita Beach plat, Plat Book 8 Page 65, Blocks A to K, holds 164 parcels along Hickory Boulevard, most of them the Gulf-front estate lots. Bonita Beach 1st Addition, 79 parcels, covers the south end at Forester Drive, Marimin Drive, Hickory View Drive and Hickory Bay Drive. The Bonita Beach Addition, the "Additions to Block I", 50 parcels, covers the short bay streets of Cypress Lane, Bay Road, Cajeput Lane and Seagrape Lane. Thirty-eight parcels are described by metes and bounds from section corners or plat lots. Carolands, an unrecorded subdivision of 80 parcels, fills McLaughlin Boulevard and Carol Court on the bay. Kinleyland, Plat Book 29 Page 91, 30 parcels, is the canal pocket of Kings Kew and Queens Kew near the bridge. Mobile Villas, Plat Book 12 Page 94, holds 36 lots zoned for mobile homes. Cape Hickory, five homes built in 2014, and Villa Positano, five parcels on Plat Book 75 Page 45, complete the list.

Is Little Hickory Island the Same as Bonita Beach?

Little Hickory Island is the land; Bonita Beach is the name of its beach, its original plat and the broader beach area of Bonita Springs. Every house on Hickory Boulevard sits on Little Hickory Island, the MLS files those houses under the subdivision name Bonita Beach, and the City and Lee County call the shoreline Bonita Beach.

Data updated: October 2026 (Southwest Florida MLS pulled October 27, 2026; Lee County Parks pages read October 17, 2026).

The naming matters when you search. Our Bonita Beach guide covers the whole beach area, the condominium buildings and the mainland neighborhoods along Bonita Beach Road; this page covers the island's houses. In the October 27, 2026 MLS pull, 81 of the 99 island single-family records carried the subdivision name Bonita Beach, 10 carried Carolands, three Kinleyland and two Cape Hickory, and three were filed simply as Bonita Springs.

Why the island has its own name

The Lee County Parks system names its northernmost Hickory Boulevard beach park Little Hickory Island Park, Bonita Beach Access 10, at 26082 Hickory Boulevard, and the U.S. Coast Pilot describes "A fixed highway bridge connecting Big Hickory Island and Little Hickory Island". Residents use both names; a 2011 Naples Daily News history column describes walking "down what most people call Bonita Beach Road even though it changes to 'Little Hickory' out here". The island name is the most precise way to say "the houses on the beach road, not the condominiums and not the mainland".

Little Hickory Island, Big Hickory Island and Barefoot Beach

Big Hickory Island lies north across Big Hickory Pass and holds almost no private residential land on the Lee roll. Barefoot Beach lies south on the Collier County side of the same barrier island: Barefoot Beach Preserve, a 342-acre Collier County park, and the gated Barefoot Beach community. A Little Hickory Island house is in Lee County, pays Lee County taxes and is zoned to Lee County schools; a Barefoot Beach house is in Collier County.

Is Little Hickory Island in Lee County or Collier County, and Is It in the City?

Little Hickory Island, as this guide defines it, is in Lee County and inside the City of Bonita Springs. Every one of its 487 non-condominium residential parcels carries Lee County taxing district 017, the City of Bonita Springs and the Bonita Springs Fire District on the county roll dated October 11, 2026.

Data updated: October 2026 (Lee County Property Appraiser roll dated October 11, 2026; Lee County Property Appraiser TRIM notice for tax year 2026 read October 17, 2026).

The county line crosses the barrier island south of Bonita Beach Park, where Bonita Beach Road meets Lely Barefoot Boulevard. North of it, the City of Bonita Springs issues building permits, rental permits and flood rules, Lee County runs the beach parks and the beach nourishment program, and the School District of Lee County serves the children. South of it is Collier County.

What the city and county each do on the island

The city's short history

The City of Bonita Springs history page records that the area was first known as Survey, that the town was briefly incorporated in the 1920s land boom, and that "In 1999, residents voted to incorporate Bonita Springs for the second time." Before 1999 Lee County zoned and permitted the island; the county's own code already carried a special height limit for Bonita Beach, the ancestor of today's city rule.

What Is It Like to Live on Little Hickory Island?

Living on Little Hickory Island means a house on a narrow barrier island with the Gulf beach on one side and Estero Bay on the other, ten public beach accesses along Hickory Boulevard, Lovers Key State Park over the north bridge, Barefoot Beach Preserve to the south and no gate, clubhouse or association between an owner and the beach.

Data updated: October 2026 (Lee County Parks pages read October 17, 2026; Florida State Parks and Collier County Parks pages read October 17, 2026; county roll dated October 11, 2026).

The island is quieter than its condominium towers suggest. Of the 357 houses, 159, or 44.5 percent, carry a Florida homestead exemption, so close to half are full-time homes; the rest are second homes and rentals. Carolands, on the bay, has the highest full-time share on the island. The roll counts 225 pools on the 487 parcels and 182 seawalls.

A day on the island

Mornings on Little Hickory Island start on the beach: Lee County's Accesses 2 to 9 along Hickory Boulevard are free to park and open dawn to dusk, and the shoreline in front of the Gulf-front houses is the engineered beach Lee County and the City have nourished four times since 1995. Paddlers launch from Bonita Beach Park at the south end. Boaters on the bay and canal streets head out through southern Estero Bay. Bay-side houses face the sunrise over Estero Bay; Gulf-side houses face the sunset. Doc's Beach House, on the sand at 27908 Hickory Boulevard, is the island's operating restaurant; everything else is a short drive east on Bonita Beach Road.

Who buys here

The roll and the MLS describe three buyer groups. Estate buyers take the Gulf-front lots of the Bonita Beach plat, where the median house is 4,553 square feet of county heated area and was built in 2008. Boating buyers take the bay and canal houses of Carolands, Kinleyland and the 1st Addition, where docks and seawalls are common and the median house was built around 1991. Value buyers take the smaller houses on the interior lots of the 1st Addition and the Addition, where the county recorded five sales from $750,000 to $942,500 in the year.

What the island does not have

There is no grocery store, school or medical office on the island; the nearest are 10 to 20 minutes away on the mainland. There is no public powerboat ramp. Dogs are not allowed on the Hickory Boulevard beach accesses, though Lee County's Dog Beach is on the causeway just north. The island has one road, so storms and construction close it to through traffic, as Hurricane Milton's sand did on October 10, 2024.

What Do Little Hickory Island Homes Sell For?

Little Hickory Island homes recorded 21 qualified sales in the 12 months to September 25, 2026 at a $2,600,000 median, from $750,000 to $14,079,525, in the Lee County record. The 20 house resales had a $2,462,500 median, and the Southwest Florida MLS showed 19 single-family closings at a $2,600,000 median in its own 12-month window.

Data updated: October 2026 (Lee County recorded sales through September 25, 2026; county roll dated October 11, 2026; Southwest Florida MLS pulled October 27, 2026).

Two records measure the same market. The Lee County record counts DOR-qualified improved sales, the transfers the Property Appraiser accepts as arm's-length; the MLS counts closings its members report. They differ in window (the county file ends September 25, 2026, the MLS pull October 27, 2026), in what is counted and occasionally in the price of the same sale, so we print both and name each.

Window ladder, Lee County record (all 487 non-condominium residential parcels)

Of the 21 sales in the 12 months, 20 were resales at a $2,462,500 median and one was the first recorded sale of a newly built Gulf-front house. Counting houses only (DOR use code 01), the 12 months show 20 sales at a $2,462,500 median, from $750,000 to $10,000,000, and the 60 months 70 sales at a $2,637,500 median. The median price per square foot of county heated area on the 20 house sales was $1,058.18; the county measures heated area, which runs smaller than the MLS's living area, so the two per-square-foot figures are never compared directly.

The MLS view, pulled October 27, 2026

These are Southwest Florida MLS (Matrix) closings for houses on the island's streets, pulled October 27, 2026, with sold-to-list and days on market computed on the sales entered as normal listings; one 24-month sale was entered after closing and is counted in prices but not in those two ratios. The median MLS price per square foot of living area was $935 in the 12 months.

One sale, two prices

The August 31, 2026 first sale of a new six-bedroom Gulf-front house on Hickory Boulevard is recorded by Lee County at $14,079,525. The MLS pull of October 27, 2026 reports the same closing at $14,900,525 with 6,386 square feet of living area and no days on market. We print the recorded deed figure as the sale price; a deed records the consideration stated at recording, and an MLS sold price is the closing price a member reports, and the two do not always match.

What Is Your Little Hickory Island Home Worth? Start With a Free Valuation

Every Little Hickory Island house is priced by its side of the road, its flood elevation and its age. If you are selling, get a free home valuation at https://mcgreevyandcomisar.com/home-valuation or call Jesse direct at (239) 898-6072. If you are buying, call Marc at (239) 287-5873 or read how we represent buyers in Southwest Florida. Our guide to the best real estate agents in Bonita Beach explains how we compare with other teams on the beach.

How the median moved, calendar years

The county's 2024 count of two is not a market collapse. After Hurricane Ian, Lee County coded many island deeds with transfer code 03, a sale qualified at transfer whose property changed physically afterwards, so they drop out of the qualified count; the MLS recorded 12 house closings in the same year. Calendar medians on the island swing with the mix: a year with more Gulf-front closings prints a higher median without any single house rising in value.

How Do Gulf, Bay and Canal Lots Differ on Little Hickory Island?

Frontage is the first line of every Little Hickory Island price. The Lee County roll describes 116 houses as Gulf frontage, 106 as bay, sound, harbor or pass frontage, 86 as canal and 44 with no water description, and the median county value runs from $7,407,349 on the Gulf to $770,584 on a dry lot.

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

The Gulf side of Hickory Boulevard is the beach side: the lots run from the road to the sand, most of them in the original Bonita Beach plat. The bay side runs from the road to Little Hickory Bay and southern Estero Bay: Bay Road, Carolands on McLaughlin Boulevard and Carol Court, Cape Hickory and the bay-front metes-and-bounds lots. The canal streets were dredged into the bay side: Forester Drive, Marimin Drive and Hickory Bay Drive in the 1st Addition, Cypress Lane and Cajeput Lane in the Addition, and Kings Kew and Queens Kew in Kinleyland.

Frontage on the roll

Land is most of the value

The roll's land values show why older houses trade as land. The median land value of a Gulf-front house lot is $4,409,660, of a bay lot $937,032, of a canal lot $532,008 and of a dry lot $475,311. The median lot is 0.291 acres for all houses, 0.322 acres on the Gulf, 0.272 on the bay and 0.197 on the canals.

Recorded sales by frontage

Groups under 10 sales get ranges, not medians. The frontage class comes from the roll's land use description for the parcel; a few Gulf-front parcels with a newer house not yet on the roll sit in the vacant row, which is why the August 31, 2026 new-house sale does not appear in the Gulf row.

What Did Little Hickory Island Homes Sell For, Sale by Sale?

Little Hickory Island's 21 recorded sales in the 12 months to September 25, 2026 ran from a 1980 Hickory View Drive house at $750,000 to a new Gulf-front house on Hickory Boulevard at $14,079,525. Eleven of the 21 were on Hickory Boulevard itself, at a $6,000,000 median among the house resales there.

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

Every recorded sale, 12 months to September 25, 2026 (street only)

Heated area, beds and baths are the county roll's figures for the parcel; the new house on the last line was not yet on the October 11, 2026 roll. Price bands for the 20 house resales: five sold between $750,000 and $1,000,000 and 15 above $1,000,000.

The same 12 months in the MLS

The MLS pull lists 19 closings in its 12 months (October 28, 2025 to October 27, 2026), including the August 31, 2026 new house at the MLS's $14,900,525 and a Cape Hickory Court house at $4,750,000 on February 24, 2026 that does not appear as a qualified sale in the county window. The MLS sold-to-list ratio ran from 78.9 percent, on a Hickory Boulevard house that closed after 179 days on market, to 100 percent on two sales entered at their list price.

What sold above $5 million

Seven Hickory Boulevard Gulf-front sales recorded above $5,000,000 in the 12 months: $6,000,000 (built 1992, 2,565 square feet), $6,150,000 (2001), $6,900,000 (2008), $9,100,000 and $9,150,000 (both houses built in 2018 with 4,726 square feet of heated area), $10,000,000 (2019, 5,700 square feet) and the $14,079,525 new house. Age and size, not just frontage, separate a $6 million Gulf sale from a $10 million one.

How Much Is Listed on Little Hickory Island Right Now?

Little Hickory Island had 21 houses active in the Southwest Florida MLS on October 27, 2026, listed from $1,399,000 to $18,250,000 at a $5,500,000 median, and none pending. At the 12-month pace of 19 closings that is about 13.3 months of supply, a market where buyers have time and sellers need pricing discipline.

Data updated: October 2026 (Southwest Florida MLS pulled October 27, 2026).

Active listings on October 27, 2026 (street only)

Eleven of the 21 actives had been on the market more than 120 days on the pull date, and 11 were asking above $5,000,000 while the year produced seven recorded sales above that line. Active inventory changes daily; the next MLS refresh will replace this table.

What Kinds of Homes Are on Little Hickory Island, and How Old Are They?

Little Hickory Island's 357 single-family homes run from cottages under 1,500 square feet to Gulf-front estates over 5,000, built from 1946 to 2024. The roll counts 147 one-story, 163 two-story and 26 three-story houses, 225 pools across the island's parcels and 41 houses built in 2020 or later.

Data updated: October 2026 (county roll dated October 11, 2026).

Homes by decade built

The island has been rebuilding for 25 years: 160 of the 357 houses were built in 2000 or later, and 81 in the ten years 2015 to 2024 (2015: 11; 2016: 9; 2017: 4; 2018: 6; 2019: 10; 2020: 10; 2021: 7; 2022: 4; 2023: 9; 2024: 11). The roll's year built is the newest building on the parcel.

Homes by size

Three product types under one name

The roll separates three products. The new elevated estate, mostly on the Gulf, built since 2000, three to six bedrooms, a pool and 3,500 to 7,000 square feet. The mid-century and 1980s bay or canal house, one or two stories, 1,500 to 3,000 square feet, often with a seawall and sometimes a dock. And the small original cottage, under 1,500 square feet, often below today's flood elevation, sold for its lot.

Vacant lots

The roll codes 120 parcels vacant residential, 31 of them the Mobile Villas lots and the rest scattered through the plats, some of them lots cleared after the 2022 and 2024 storms. Lee County recorded five qualified vacant-lot sales in the 12 months to September 25, 2026, from $538,000 to $5,100,000, 12 in 24 months at a $1,337,500 median and 33 in 60 months at a $1,100,000 median.

Single-family homes by street

Hickory Boulevard's 272 parcels include the Mobile Villas lots and the Villa Positano parcels, which share Hickory Boulevard addresses.

What Are the Neighborhoods Within Little Hickory Island?

Little Hickory Island's houses sit in nine recorded sections: the original Bonita Beach plat, its 1st Addition and Addition, metes-and-bounds parcels, Carolands, Kinleyland, Mobile Villas, Cape Hickory and Villa Positano. Each section has its own streets, frontage, age and price record on the Lee County roll.

Data updated: October 2026 (county roll dated October 11, 2026; Lee County recorded sales through September 25, 2026; Florida Division of Corporations read October 17, 2026).

The nine sections side by side

Docks on the roll are what the Property Appraiser has inventoried; a buyer confirms a dock by survey and permit history.

The Bonita Beach plat: the Gulf estates

The original Bonita Beach plat, Plat Book 8 Page 65, Blocks A to K, holds 164 parcels on Hickory Boulevard and Bay Road, 117 of them Gulf frontage on the roll. It is the island's estate market: median heated area 4,308 square feet, median county value $6,220,972, 85 pools. Of its 125 dated houses, 80 were built in 2000 or later and 57 in the 2010s and 2020s. Lee County recorded 30 sales here over 60 months at a $7,150,000 median, from $2,275,000 to $14,079,525, and seven in the 12 months from $6,000,000 to $14,079,525.

Bonita Beach 1st Addition: the south-end canal streets

The 1st Addition holds 79 parcels at the south end, where Hickory Boulevard bends toward the Bonita Beach Road bridge: Forester Drive, Marimin Drive, Hickory View Drive and Hickory Bay Drive. Thirty-four lots are on canals and 14 on the bay; 37 carry seawalls. It has the island's oldest house on the roll, built in 1946, and a median house of 1,695 square feet. Over 60 months it recorded 18 sales at a $1,162,500 median, from $750,000 to $3,100,000, and in the 12 months seven, from $750,000 to $3,100,000.

Bonita Beach Addition: Cypress, Cajeput, Seagrape and Bay

The Addition, recorded as additions to Block I of the plat, holds 50 parcels on short bay streets off mid-island Hickory Boulevard. It has the most docks on the roll of any section, 14, and 22 seawalls. Over 60 months it recorded nine sales, from $291,705 to $2,999,900; in the 12 months three, from $810,000 to $2,600,000.

Metes-and-bounds parcels

Thirty-eight parcels carry no plat name; their deeds describe them from section corners or from a corner of a plat lot. One of them, a two-family building on Hickory Boulevard, takes in Lot 87 of the unrecorded Carolands survey inside a metes-and-bounds deed, so it is counted here and not with Carolands. Fifteen of them are zoned TFC-2, the city's two-family conservation district. They recorded six sales over 60 months, from $1,320,000 to $7,650,000.

Carolands

Carolands is the bay-side street system of McLaughlin Boulevard and Carol Court, an unrecorded subdivision on the county roll with 80 parcels: 68 houses and 12 vacant lots. It has the highest full-time share on the island, 46 homestead parcels of 80 (45 of them on its 68 houses), the most seawalls of any section (57) and 59 pools. Its median house is 2,749 square feet and its median county value $1,452,345. The Florida Division of Corporations shows no association under the Carolands name. Lee County recorded six sales over 60 months, from $1,600,000 to $7,700,000, and one in the 12 months at $2,862,500.

A dedicated Carolands sub-page is coming with its association details, recent sale comps, and street-by-street analysis. We'll link it here when it goes live.

Kinleyland

Kinleyland, Plat Book 29 Page 91, is a 30-parcel canal pocket on Kings Kew and Queens Kew at the south end of the island near the Bonita Beach Road bridge. Its 27 houses were built from 1974 to 2019, 22 have pools and 25 parcels carry seawalls. Over 60 months it recorded six sales from $1,800,000 to $2,100,000, a tight band, and one in the 12 months at $1,937,500.

A dedicated Kinleyland sub-page is coming with its association details, recent sale comps, and street-by-street analysis. We'll link it here when it goes live.

Mobile Villas

The Mobile Villas plat, Plat Book 12 Page 94, holds 36 lots on Hickory Boulevard zoned MH-1, the City's mobile home district. On the October 11, 2026 roll, 31 of the lots are coded vacant, three carry conventional houses built in 2024 and two carry mobile homes. The City has allowed conventional single-family homes in the MH districts since amendments of 2014 and 2016, with standards adopted in Ordinance 20-12 in 2020. A corporation named Bonita Beach Mobile Homes Village Inc is active with the Florida Division of Corporations; whether the lots are owned in fee or through that corporation is a question for the title commitment on any lot.

A dedicated Bonita Beach Mobile Home Villas sub-page is coming with its association details, recent sale comps, and street-by-street analysis. We'll link it here when it goes live.

Cape Hickory

Cape Hickory is five homes on Cape Hickory Court, all built in 2014 under residential planned development zoning, with a mandatory association: Cape Hickory Homeowners' Association, Inc., registered with the Florida Division of Corporations on May 24, 2012 and active, managed by a Naples community-management company. The homes have a median of 4,329 square feet and five pools. Lee County recorded no qualified sale here in 60 months; the MLS recorded a Cape Hickory Court closing at $4,750,000 on February 24, 2026.

Villa Positano

Villa Positano, Plat Book 75 Page 45, holds two homes built in 2006 and 2007 and three lots, zoned for residential planned development. Its neighborhood association, Villa Positano Neighborhood Association, Inc., shows as inactive with the Florida Division of Corporations. One sale recorded in the 12 months, at $3,125,000.

How Did Little Hickory Island Begin?

Little Hickory Island began as a shifting barrier island reached by a small wooden bridge, with eight houses on Bonita Beach in 1963, according to a resident's account in a 2011 Naples Daily News history. The causeway north to Fort Myers Beach opened on July 4, 1965, condominiums rose at each end in the late 1970s and 1980s, and the houses have been rebuilding since 2000.

Data updated: October 2026 (Naples Daily News archive read October 17, 2026; NOAA Institutional Repository and Florida DEP inlet plan read October 17, 2026; county roll dated October 11, 2026).

The island moves

A 1980 Florida Sea Grant inlet report by C. P. Jones, held in the NOAA Institutional Repository, records that "Big Hickory Pass was open in 1885 about 6,000 ft. south of where it closed in 1976", that the pass migrated north about 1,300 feet between 1885 and 1927, and that by 1970 "the tip of Little Hickory Island began to overlap the southern tip of Big Hickory Island." The pass closed in September 1976, was reopened by Lee County with a dragline in November 1976 and closed again in January 1979; Tropical Storm Keith reopened it on November 22 and 23, 1988, according to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection's June 2026 inlet management plan.

The first houses

The 2011 Naples Daily News column records a long-time resident's memory of first crossing "the small wooden bridge to the island sometime in the late 50's", when "There was no bridge then to Fort Myers Beach" and "the Koreshans owned much of the property along the bay's edge". Her family bought two 50-foot Gulf lots in 1961 "at the now-astounding price of $10,000 each", and when their stilt house was finished in 1963 "there were only eight houses along Bonita Beach". The oldest house on today's county roll carries a 1946 year built, in the 1st Addition.

The causeway and the condominiums

The Bonita Beach Causeway, Lee County's Estero Boulevard route north from Little Hickory Island over Big Hickory Pass, New Pass, Little Carlos Pass and Big Carlos Pass to Fort Myers Beach, was begun in 1963 and opened on July 4, 1965. Lee County's new 60-foot Big Carlos Pass bridge on that route opened on November 14, 2025. The resident in the 2011 column recalled that at "the end of the 70's and into the 80's" condominiums "started to be built at each end of the island"; the county roll dates the Casa Bonita buildings to 1973 to 1979, Bonita Beach and Tennis Club to 1977 to 1980 and Bay Harbor Club to 1983 and 1984.

Street names

The same column records that Marimin Drive was named by two neighbors, Mary and Minnie. The plats give the rest: Bay Road, Cypress, Cajeput and Seagrape Lanes in the Addition, Kings Kew and Queens Kew in Kinleyland, McLaughlin Boulevard and Carol Court in Carolands.

The rebuild era

The county roll shows 81 houses built in the ten years 2015 to 2024, about 23 percent of the island's houses. The drivers are on the record: older houses sit below today's base flood elevation, the lots are worth more than the houses, the 50 percent rule ends many renovation plans, and the City's island height rule lets a new house rise 35 feet above the flood elevation.

Does Little Hickory Island Have an HOA or Deed Restrictions?

Little Hickory Island has no master homeowners' association and no mandatory association over its houses, except Cape Hickory's five homes. The island's civic group, Bonita Beach Association, Inc., is voluntary; it levies no assessment and approves nothing. The City of Bonita Springs zoning code governs what an owner builds.

Data updated: October 2026 (Florida Division of Corporations read October 17, 2026; City of Bonita Springs Land Development Code read October 17, 2026).

What the state corporate register shows

An empty search is the record as of October 17, 2026, not proof that no restriction exists. Recorded plat dedications and any restrictive covenants sit in the Lee County Clerk's Official Records, and a title commitment lists them for a specific lot.

What replaces an association

On Little Hickory Island the rules a buyer lives under come from public bodies: the City of Bonita Springs Land Development Code for use, setbacks, height and docks; the City's flood hazard ordinance for elevation and the 50 percent rule; the Florida Department of Environmental Protection for construction seaward of the coastal construction control line; Lee County for the beaches; and the City's rental permit code for any rental. There are no association dues, no estoppel letter and no architectural review board for a house outside Cape Hickory.

The civic association

Bonita Beach Association, Inc. has filed an annual report every year since 1995, its officers are island residents and its principal address is on Hickory Boulevard. Florida Weekly reported that the association contributed $16,500 and secured a matching county grant for a $33,000 palm planting on the island road. Membership is voluntary.

What Does It Cost to Own on Little Hickory Island? Taxes, Fees and Utilities

Owning a Little Hickory Island house costs property tax at the island's 2025 rate of 12.7970 mills, flood and wind insurance, utilities from Bonita Springs Utilities and, only at Cape Hickory, association dues. There is no master association fee, no community development district and no golf or club dues on the island.

Data updated: October 2026 (Lee County Property Appraiser TRIM notice for tax year 2026 read October 17, 2026; county roll dated October 11, 2026).

The 2025 and proposed 2026 tax rate, taxing district 017

Totals are our sums of the TRIM notice rows. Non-ad valorem assessments are billed by rate schedule and appear on the tax bill, not the TRIM notice; we did not find a beach-specific assessment on the island in this pass, and the Lee County Tax Collector's bill for a parcel is the record.

Worked examples

A buyer's taxable value resets toward market value after a purchase. At the 12-month house median of $2,462,500, 12.7970 mills is $31,512.61 of ad valorem tax before exemptions; at $8,000,000, about the middle of the year's Gulf-front sales, it is $102,376.00. A homesteaded owner takes the homestead exemption and the Save Our Homes cap of 3 percent or the change in the consumer price index, whichever is lower; a non-homestead owner's assessed value rises no more than 10 percent a year. On the October 11, 2026 roll, homesteaded island houses carried a median just value of $2,096,841 against a median assessed value of $1,344,238, the gap a seller can carry to a new Florida home through portability, up to $500,000.

The fee stack

Utilities

Bonita Springs Utilities, a member-owned, not-for-profit utility incorporated in January 1970, serves the island's water; it replaced the Hickory Boulevard water main in 2006, set up a water interconnect with Fort Myers Beach in 2009 and removed the 151-foot Hickory Boulevard water tower in March 2019. After Hurricane Ian it restored water across all of Little Hickory Island by October 5, 2022, while saltwater had damaged many wastewater pump station control panels on the beach.

What Can You Build or Rebuild on a Little Hickory Island Lot?

On a Little Hickory Island lot the City of Bonita Springs allows a house 35 feet tall measured from the minimum required flood elevation, never more than 40 feet including any roof or ornament, with no variance. RS-1 zoning, the district on 398 of the island's 487 parcels, sets 7.5-foot side yards, a 20-foot rear yard, a 50-foot Gulf setback and 40 percent lot coverage.

Data updated: October 2026 (City of Bonita Springs Land Development Code Sec. 4-1874 read on Municode October 17, 2026; Ordinance 20-12 read October 17, 2026; Florida DEP coastal construction pages read October 17, 2026).

The island height rule, in the code's words

Bonita Springs Land Development Code Section 4-1874(1), "Bonita Beach and Little Hickory Island", reads: "The height of a structure may not exceed 35 feet above grade (base flood elevation or the lowest floor permitted to build under the required coastal elevation, whichever is applicable)... No part of any building, including ornamental, mechanical or structural elements, may exceed 40 feet above the minimum required flood elevation and no variance or deviation from this height restriction may be granted." For pitched roofs the 35 feet is measured to the midpoint between eave and ridge, but the whole building stays under 40 feet above the minimum flood elevation.

Because the measurement starts at the flood elevation, a higher base flood elevation does not shorten the allowed house; it raises the whole house. On a Gulf-front lot in Zone VE with a 13-foot base flood elevation, the lowest floor sits at or above the design flood elevation and the roof can reach about 35 feet higher.

RS-1 standards

Source: City of Bonita Springs Ordinance 20-12, adopted November 4, 2020. Street setbacks vary by the street's classification under Section 4-1893.

What 40 percent coverage means on the median lot

The median house lot on Little Hickory Island is 0.291 acres, about 12,676 square feet, which at 40 percent allows a footprint of about 5,070 square feet; the median Gulf-front lot, 0.322 acres or about 14,026 square feet, allows about 5,610 square feet. Our arithmetic from the roll and the ordinance; the coastal construction control line, the 50-foot Gulf setback and the survey decide the real buildable area on any lot.

Narrow lots

Many of the island's older plat lots are 50 feet wide, narrower than RS-1's 75-foot minimum, as the 2011 history's two 50-foot Gulf lots of 1961 show. A narrower lot of record is a nonconforming lot, and whether it can be built as-is or must be combined is a City zoning determination for that lot.

The coastal construction control line

Gulf-front lots on Little Hickory Island are seaward or partly seaward of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection's coastal construction control line. The department says the line "defines that portion of the beach and dune system subject to severe fluctuations based on a 100-year storm event" and that "Unless otherwise exempt, a permit is required from DEP for construction and excavation activities seaward of the CCCL." It is a jurisdiction line, not a setback; the City's 50-foot Gulf setback is a separate test. The department's locator finds the line for a parcel.

Rebuilding after damage: the 50 percent rule

A house below today's flood elevation that is substantially improved, with work costing 50 percent or more of the structure's market value, or substantially damaged must be brought up to current flood rules, which in practice means elevating or rebuilding. After Hurricane Ian the City amended its flood chapter's definition of market value to the state's uniform guidance, according to the City's 2023 ordinance notice. With 57 houses built before 1980 and 75 in the 1980s, this rule shapes most renovation decisions on the island.

Can You Rent Out a Little Hickory Island Home?

Yes. The City of Bonita Springs allows rentals of single-family homes on Little Hickory Island, short or long term, with a City rental permit: a $100-per-unit fee, an inspection to the International Property Maintenance Code and a permit valid three years. Transient rentals also need a state vacation rental license and tourist tax registration.

Data updated: October 2026 (City of Bonita Springs Neighborhood Services rental permit page read October 17, 2026; Florida Statutes read October 17, 2026).

The City rental permit

The City's rental permit page says "every owner of a property in the City of Bonita Springs who rents a non-owner occupied single-family, duplex or multi-family (excluding any properties with more than six dwelling units that are regulated under Florida Statutes Ch. 719, Homeowners Associations) dwelling, regardless of the term of the lease being transient... or a long term rental, is required to get a rental permit". The fee is $100 per unit; a Code Enforcement Officer inspects with the owner or manager present; every violation must be corrected before the permit issues; the permit is valid three years from the application. The page explains that a complex of more than six units run by a state-recognized association does not need the permit, so the rule bites on houses, not on the island's condominium towers. Neighborhood Services: (239) 949-6257.

State and county layers

A house rented more than three times a year for periods of less than 30 days or one calendar month is a vacation rental needing a Florida Division of Hotels and Restaurants license under section 509.242, Florida Statutes. Stays of six months or less owe Lee County tourist development tax and state sales tax, registered through the Lee County Tax Collector. We found no City minimum rental stay on the rental permit page.

Before you buy a rental

Ask the seller for the City rental permit, the state license and tax account numbers and the inspection history; at Cape Hickory, read the association's rules. Insurers price a rental differently from a primary home.

How Do Docks, Seawalls and Boating Work on Little Hickory Island?

Boating on Little Hickory Island happens from the bay and canal side: the Lee County roll records 47 docks and 182 seawalls across the island's 487 non-condominium parcels, most of them in Carolands, Kinleyland and the 1st Addition and Addition. City Ordinance 23-11 limits a dock to 25 percent of the channel width, and 20 percent inside the Estero Bay Aquatic Preserve.

Data updated: October 2026 (county roll dated October 11, 2026; City of Bonita Springs Ordinance 23-11 read October 17, 2026; Florida DEP aquatic preserve page read October 17, 2026).

The Gulf-front houses are beach houses: their lots end at the sand, and there is no boating from the Gulf side. A buyer who wants a boat looks at the bay and canal lots across Hickory Boulevard.

Docks and seawalls by section

The roll's dock flag records what the Property Appraiser has inventoried, which runs below what is on the water, so a buyer confirms a dock by survey and by the City permit record.

The City's dock and shoreline rules

City of Bonita Springs Ordinance 23-11, adopted unanimously on September 6, 2023, sets the current rules:

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection's dock guidance adds the state layer: a single-family dock in an aquatic preserve follows the preserve's design criteria, and docks generally may not extend more than 500 feet or 20 percent of the waterbody width, whichever is less.

The Estero Bay Aquatic Preserve

Florida's first aquatic preserve, established in 1966, covers 13,829 acres of Estero Bay, and the Department of Environmental Protection lists Little Hickory Island and Big Hickory Island on its western border; the southern half to the Lee County line was added in 1983. The preserve is home to manatees, dolphins, loggerhead, green and Kemp's ridley sea turtles, smalltooth sawfish and snook.

Can You Reach the Gulf by Boat From Little Hickory Island?

Yes, with local knowledge. A bay or canal boat on Little Hickory Island reaches the Gulf through Big Hickory Pass, under a fixed bridge with 10 feet of vertical clearance, through New Pass, under 30 feet, or south through Little Hickory Bay to Wiggins Pass in Collier County. The NOAA Coast Pilot advises local knowledge for these passes.

Data updated: October 2026 (U.S. Coast Pilot 5, 2026 edition, read October 17, 2026; Florida DEP Big Hickory Pass inlet management plan, June 2026; 50 CFR 17.108 read October 17, 2026).

What the Coast Pilot says

The 2026 U.S. Coast Pilot 5 says: "A fixed highway bridge connecting Big Hickory Island and Little Hickory Island has a horizontal clearance of 40 feet and a vertical clearance of 10 feet." It continues: "In 1992, Big Hickory Pass was reported open for small craft with local knowledge. 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." Of New Pass it says "The bridge over New Pass has a clearance of 30 feet" and "In 2016, severe shoaling was reported in New Pass from New Pass Lighted Buoy 1 to Buoy 4; local knowledge and extreme caution are advised."

The three passes compared

Speed rules on the water

Federal rule 50 CFR 17.108 requires boats to "proceed at slow speed from April 1 through November 15 and at not more than 25 miles per hour the remainder of the year in all waters of Estero Bay and Big Hickory Bay" north of a line drawn east from a point "on the eastern shoreline of Little Hickory Island" at 26°20′51″ north. State rule 68C-22.005 adds Lee County's seasonal slow-speed areas and 25 mile-per-hour channel corridors, shown on Lee County's manatee protection zone map. Air draft and speed zones, not distance, decide which pass an island boater uses.

Ramps and the working waterfront

There is no public powerboat ramp on the island; Bonita Beach Park lists a paddlecraft landing and launch, and Lee County's Imperial River boat ramp in Bonita Springs is the nearest public ramp for trailered boats. The Big Hickory Waterfront Grille and Marina at the north end, the Coast Pilot's "marina on the east side of the bridge over Big Hickory Pass", closed after Hurricane Ian; Gulfshore Business reported on January 11, 2023 that the Bonita Springs Fire Department bought the property for $6 million, that the owner cited "FEMA's 50% rule requirements", and that the fire chief had no intention of running a marina there.

What Flood Zone Is Little Hickory Island In?

Every one of ten Little Hickory Island points we queried on FEMA's November 17, 2022 flood map is a special flood hazard area: Zone VE with a 13-foot base flood elevation on the Gulf front, Zone AE with 10 or 11 feet on the bay and canal streets. Every point is also in Lee County evacuation Zone A and a 170 mile-per-hour design wind area.

Data updated: October 2026 (FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer read October 17, 2026, FIRM panels effective November 17, 2022; Lee County Property Appraiser wind and evacuation map service read the same day).

Flood zone, elevation and wind at ten points

Each point is a parcel centroid from the county roll, read on FEMA's own National Flood Hazard Layer, whose letter of map revision layer shows no revision over any of the island's single-family parcels; a centroid is not a building footprint, and an elevation certificate decides the rating of a specific house. The same FEMA layer places a bay-side McLaughlin Boulevard point in Carolands in Zone VE with a 12-foot base flood elevation, so the bay side is not automatically outside the coastal high hazard zone.

What VE and AE mean for a house

Zone VE is the coastal high hazard area, where waves of three feet or more are expected in the base flood. New and substantially improved houses there sit on piles or columns with the bottom of the lowest horizontal structural member at or above the design flood elevation, and enclosures below are limited to breakaway walls. Zone AE is the special flood hazard area without high-velocity waves, where the lowest floor must be at or above the design flood elevation.

Why one foot matters

The City of Bonita Springs flood page says that "For each 1 foot above the required BFE, annual flood insurance premiums decrease by nearly 50%" and that for each foot below, "rates double". On an island where base flood elevations run from 10 to 13 feet and houses run from 1946 to 2024, the elevation certificate is a price document. The City keeps elevation certificates on file through Community Development, (239) 444-6150.

What Happened on Little Hickory Island During Hurricanes Ian and Milton?

Hurricane Ian's storm surge on September 28, 2022 reached 8 to 12 feet above ground level in Estero and Bonita Beach, according to the National Hurricane Center. Two years later Hurricane Milton's surge buried Hickory Boulevard in sand on October 10, 2024, and the City imposed a nighttime curfew on Little Hickory and Big Hickory Islands.

Data updated: October 2026 (National Hurricane Center Tropical Cyclone Report, Hurricane Ian, April 3, 2023; City of Bonita Springs Hurricane Milton page; Florida DEP March 2025 impact report).

Hurricane Ian, 2022

The National Hurricane Center's report on Ian records that "Maximum inundation levels of 8 to 12 ft AGL occurred in Estero, Bonita Beach, Bonita Bay", and that "Storm surge was the deadliest hazard, claiming 41 lives, with 36 of the 41 surge fatalities occurring in Lee County, Florida." The City of Bonita Springs reported "over 12+ feet of storm surge and sustained winds of over 155 mph" and, citywide, 28 parcels destroyed, 1,332 with major damage and 1,660 with minor damage in its initial assessment. During recovery the City ran a checkpoint at Bonita Beach, allowed residents and contractors on from 7 AM to 7 PM, and warned that parts of Hickory Boulevard had been destroyed. Bonita Springs Utilities restored water across all of Little Hickory Island by October 5, 2022.

Hurricanes Debby, Helene and Milton, 2024

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection rated Bonita Beach, monuments R-225 to R-239, at Condition IV, major beach and dune erosion, after Helene and Milton, and wrote that across Lee County "there was between 2 to 6 feet of sand on top of existing elevations of the dune crest zone." On October 10, 2024 the City posted that "Due to sand on the road, Hickory Blvd is impassible" and set a 10 PM to 7 AM curfew for "the Bonita Beach area, including Little Hickory Island and Big Hickory Island", while residents could still reach their homes.

How the record shows the storms

On the county roll, 20 island houses carry a 2023 or later year built. Lee County coded many post-Ian deeds with transfer code 03, a sale whose property changed physically after the transfer, which is why the county's qualified sale count on the island fell to two in 2024 while the MLS recorded 12 house closings.

How Is the Beach in Front of the Gulf-Front Houses Maintained?

The beach on Little Hickory Island is a critically eroded shoreline that Lee County, the City of Bonita Springs and the state have nourished in 1995, 2004, 2014, 2023 and 2025. The state's June 2026 inlet plan for Big Hickory Pass sets a target of 17,300 cubic yards of sand a year for Bonita Beach and repair of the two terminal groins Hurricane Ian damaged.

Data updated: October 2026 (Florida DEP Big Hickory Pass inlet management plan, June 2026; BOEM environmental assessment, January 18, 2024; Lee County Natural Resources page read October 17, 2026).

Lee County describes the project shoreline as "comprised entirely of critically eroded shoreline", with two groins "to anchor the fill and prevent sand losses into Big Hickory Pass", cost shared by the City of Bonita Springs, local property owners and the Department of Environmental Protection. The federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management's January 2024 assessment of the Lovers Key and Bonita Beach program plans 2.04 million cubic yards over 15 years for both beaches on an 8 to 10 year cycle, including a one-time 70,000 cubic yards for South Bonita Beach, the natural beach from monument R-230 to the county line.

How Do Insurance, Wind Rules and the 50 Percent Rule Affect Little Hickory Island Homes?

Insurance on Little Hickory Island is priced by the house's elevation against its base flood elevation, its age and its wind features. Every Citizens policy on a dwelling worth $400,000 or more to rebuild has needed flood coverage since January 1, 2026, all Citizens policies need it from January 1, 2027, and the federal flood program caps a building policy at $250,000.

Data updated: October 2026 (section 627.351, Florida Statutes, read October 17, 2026; FloodSmart and FEMA pages read October 17, 2026).

Flood insurance

The National Flood Insurance Program's building policies "cover up to $250,000 of flood damage and contents policies cover up to $100,000", and coverage takes effect "30 days after your date of purchase", according to FloodSmart. A Gulf-front house of 4,553 square feet, the median on the roll, costs far more than $250,000 to rebuild, so private or excess flood coverage is the usual second layer. The City's 2022 flood ordinance notice records its Class 5 standing in FEMA's Community Rating System, which carries a 25 percent discount on federal flood policies in special flood hazard areas. Federally backed mortgages in a special flood hazard area require flood insurance.

Citizens and the flood requirement

Section 627.351(6), Florida Statutes, requires Citizens Property Insurance Corporation policyholders to carry flood insurance: since January 1, 2024 for dwellings with a replacement cost of $600,000 or more, January 1, 2025 for $500,000, January 1, 2026 for $400,000, and January 1, 2027 for all other personal residential policies; properties in a special flood hazard area have needed it on new policies since April 1, 2023 and on renewals since July 1, 2023. Nearly every Little Hickory Island house is in a special flood hazard area and above the $400,000 line.

Wind

The island's design wind speed is 170 miles per hour for risk category II buildings, and it is a wind-borne debris region, so new work needs impact-rated openings or approved protection under the Florida Building Code. A wind mitigation inspection on the state's uniform form records roof shape, attachment and opening protection for premium credits under section 627.0629, Florida Statutes.

The 50 percent rule

Florida's flood rules require a substantially improved or substantially damaged house, where the cost of work reaches 50 percent of the structure's market value, to meet current flood elevation. On Little Hickory Island the rule turns older houses into lot sales: the median land value of a Gulf-front lot on the roll is $4,409,660, so the house's share of value is often small, and a renovation budget can cross the line quickly. Federal flood policies include Increased Cost of Compliance coverage toward elevation or rebuilding after a flood.

Seller disclosure

Since October 1, 2025, section 689.302, Florida Statutes, requires a residential seller to disclose known flood damage, flood insurance claims and federal flood assistance on the property. Every Little Hickory Island seller should gather the claim history before listing.

What Schools Serve Little Hickory Island?

Little Hickory Island is served by the School District of Lee County, not Collier County Public Schools. The district's 2026-27 proximity zones place three island points we queried in elementary zone Q, middle zone GG and high school zone South 3, where families rank Bonita Springs, Estero and South Fort Myers schools.

Data updated: October 2026 (School District of Lee County school proximity zones 2026-27 and Student Enrollment Plan 2026-2027, read October 17, 2026).

Lee County families register through the district's FOCUS parent portal from the first Monday in November for the next school year, rank every school in their zone, and receive transportation only to schools in their zone. When seats run short, a lottery applies preferences in order: special programs, siblings, residence within two miles of the school, the school nearest the residence, and hardship and military categories. No school is within two miles of the island, so the nearest-school and sibling preferences usually decide. The county line decides the district: a Barefoot Beach address south of it is zoned to Collier County schools.

Where Are the Nearest Hospitals and Emergency Rooms?

The nearest full emergency departments to Little Hickory Island are Lee Health Coconut Point in Estero and NCH North Naples Hospital, each about 14 to 18 minutes by road in free-flowing traffic. Lee Convenient Care at the Bonita Health Center is the nearest urgent care, and Bonita Springs Fire Rescue's Station 27 is on Hickory Boulevard.

Data updated: October 2026 (Lee Health and NCH location pages read October 17, 2026; OSRM routing read October 17, 2026).

Gulf Coast News reported that Station 27 reopened after more than two years closed by Ian and Milton damage, and the fire district posts an average response target of four to six minutes for its seven stations.

How Far Is Little Hickory Island From the Airport, Naples and Shopping?

From Little Hickory Island, Southwest Florida International Airport is about 36 to 39 minutes by road, Fifth Avenue South in Naples about 28 to 31 minutes and Coconut Point in Estero about 15 to 18 minutes, measured with the OSRM routing engine on free-flowing roads from the north and south ends of the island.

Data updated: October 2026 (OSRM public router and OpenStreetMap coordinates read October 17, 2026).

These are routing-engine times with no traffic; season traffic on Bonita Beach Road and US 41 adds to them. The north end is closer to Lovers Key and Fort Myers Beach over the causeway; the south end is closer to US 41, Interstate 75 and Naples.

What Is Near Little Hickory Island: Beaches, Parks and Dining?

Little Hickory Island's amenities are public: Lee County's ten numbered beach accesses on Hickory Boulevard, Bonita Beach Park at the south end, Little Hickory Island Park at the north, Lovers Key State Park over the north bridge, Barefoot Beach Preserve to the south, Lee County's Dog Beach on the causeway and Doc's Beach House on the sand.

Data updated: October 2026 (Lee County Parks, Florida State Parks and Collier County Parks pages read October 17, 2026).

The beach accesses

No pets, fires or grilling on these beaches, and Lee County still warns that its beach parks "have not been restored to pre-Hurricane Ian conditions" and that beach shoes should be worn. Pedestrian access stays open through the 2026 construction, and LeeTran ULTRA On Demand serves the beach parks.

The parks at either end

Lovers Key State Park, 8700 Estero Boulevard, is open 8 a.m. to sunset at $8 per vehicle, with "over two miles of sugar-sand beaches", trails and paddling rentals. Barefoot Beach Preserve, Collier County, is 342 acres with about 1.5 miles of undeveloped Gulf beach and a $10 parking fee for vehicles without a Collier resident beach permit. Lee County's Dog Beach, 14436 Bonita Beach Causeway, is a free, off-leash tidal flat where "At mid to high tide, you can reach the beach only by wading."

Sea turtles and the Gulf-front house

The City of Bonita Springs asks owners to "Shut off or shield lights that are visible from the beach" during sea turtle nesting season, May 1 to October 31, from 9 PM to 7 AM, and to use long-wavelength lights rather than yellow bug lights. Turtle Time, Inc. monitors nests on the beach.

Dining and errands

Doc's Beach House, 27908 Hickory Boulevard, is the island's beachfront restaurant. The north-end Big Hickory Waterfront Grille has been closed since Ian. Groceries, restaurants and services line Bonita Beach Road east of the island and US 41.

What Is Being Built or Planned Near Little Hickory Island?

Little Hickory Island's pipeline is repair and sand, not new density: Lee County's restoration of Bonita Beach Park and Little Hickory Island Park from September 2026, the state's June 2026 Big Hickory Pass inlet plan, the Lovers Key and Bonita Beach nourishment program, the new Big Carlos Pass bridge opened in November 2025 and the reopened fire station on Hickory Boulevard.

Data updated: October 2026 (Lee County Parks and Gulf Coast News, September 2026; Florida DEP, June 2026; BOEM, January 2024).

• Beach parks. Lee County closed the Bonita Beach Park and Little Hickory Island Park lots and amenities on September 8, 2026 to repair a county office building, restrooms, boardwalks and pavilions damaged by Ian; Access 1's lot follows in November 2026.
• Sand. The Department of Environmental Protection adopted the Big Hickory Pass inlet management plan on June 30, 2026, with 17,300 cubic yards a year for Bonita Beach and groin repair; the federal assessment plans 2.04 million cubic yards over 15 years for Lovers Key and Bonita Beach.
• Bridges. Lee County's 60-foot Big Carlos Pass bridge on the causeway to Fort Myers Beach opened on November 14, 2025.
• Fire and rescue. Station 27 at 26105 Hickory Boulevard reopened after Ian and Milton repairs; the fire district also bought the former Big Hickory Waterfront Grille and Marina property in 2023.
• Mainland edge. The City's Bonita Beach Road Corridor District, Ordinance 21-03 of May 19, 2021, defines a beach zone from Hickory Boulevard to Vanderbilt Road, where heights cap at 45 feet, or 55 feet with larger setbacks, under Section 4-1874(2).
• On the island. The City's island height rule and RS-1 zoning leave little room for new density on the island's residential parcels.

How Does Little Hickory Island Compare With Other Bonita Beach Choices?

Little Hickory Island's houses compare with three other Bonita Beach choices a buyer weighs: the island's own condominium towers, the gated Barefoot Beach community on the Collier side of the same island, and the mainland grid of Bonita Shores across Little Hickory Bay. They differ in county, association, product and price.

Data updated: October 2026 (Lee County recorded sales through September 25, 2026; our Barefoot Beach and Bonita Shores guides, October 2026; Lee and Collier records as cited there).

Benchmark table

Barefoot Beach and Bonita Shores figures come from our Barefoot Beach and Bonita Shores guides, each with its own dated county record; island condominium figures come from the Bonita Beach condominium guides such as Bonita Beach Club. Contract terms control who pays any closing cost.

Little Hickory Island vs Barefoot Beach: Which Fits Your Priorities?

Little Hickory Island and Barefoot Beach share one barrier island and one Gulf beach but sit in different counties. Little Hickory Island is open, inside the City of Bonita Springs and governed by City code; Barefoot Beach is a gated community in unincorporated Collier County with a mandatory association, Collier schools and Collier's buyer-pays title custom.

Data updated: October 2026 (Lee County record; our Barefoot Beach guide, October 2026).

The decision table

Who should choose which

Choose Little Hickory Island if you want a house you can rebuild under City rules without an association board, a Lee County school zone and a bay or Gulf lot on an open road with public beach parking at the end of the street. Choose Barefoot Beach if a gate, a uniform community standard enforced by an association and Collier County's tax and school system matter more than that freedom. Many buyers tour both on the same morning: the drive from the north end of Little Hickory Island to Barefoot Beach Preserve is about 16 minutes by OSRM's routing.

Why Buy on Little Hickory Island? Honest Pros and Cons

Little Hickory Island's case is simple: Gulf-front and bay-front houses on a single-family barrier island with no association, a City height cap that protects views from towers, and a beach that the county renourishes. Its costs are as plain: every lot is in a special flood hazard area, the passes sit under low fixed bridges, and the island has one road.

Data updated: October 2026 (all sources cited in the sections above).

What is genuinely good, with the evidence

• Real beach houses. 116 houses on the Gulf frontage, the beach at the back door, ten public accesses on the road.
• No association over the houses. No dues, no estoppel, no architectural board; City code governs.
• A height cap that cannot be waived. 35 feet above the flood elevation, 40 feet absolute, no variance: no new towers on the island's residential lots.
• A maintained beach. Nourished in 1995, 2004, 2014, 2023 and 2025, with a state inlet plan adopted in June 2026.
• Boating on the bay side. 182 seawalls and 47 recorded docks, with Estero Bay and the aquatic preserve behind the island.
• Lee County schools and a city. Choice zones Q, GG and South 3; City of Bonita Springs services.
• Close to the mainland. About 11 to 19 minutes to Bonita Springs schools, 14 to 18 minutes to the nearest emergency departments.

What is genuinely difficult, stated plainly

• Flood exposure on every lot we queried. Zone VE 13 on the Gulf front, AE 10 to 11 on the bay; evacuation Zone A; storm surge of 8 to 12 feet in Ian.
• Insurance cost and rules. Flood insurance is effectively required; the federal building cap is $250,000; Citizens requires flood coverage.
• Older houses below the flood elevation. The 50 percent rule limits renovation and often makes the lot the value.
• Low bridges. Big Hickory Pass under 10 feet; New Pass under 30 feet with reported shoaling.
• One road. Storm sand closed Hickory Boulevard on October 10, 2024, and park construction closes beach lots through the 2026 to 2027 season.
• Thin services on the island. One restaurant, no grocery, no public powerboat ramp.

Who Little Hickory Island is right for

Little Hickory Island suits a buyer who wants a house on the Gulf or the bay without a gate or an association, who will build or buy elevated, and who values public beach access and City rules over private amenities. It suits less well a buyer who wants a clubhouse, a gated street or low flood insurance.

Thinking of Selling Your Little Hickory Island Home? List With the #1 Team in Southwest Florida Since 2012

Selling a Little Hickory Island home well means pricing it by frontage, Gulf, bay, canal or dry, and by age against the Lee County record, and having the elevation certificate, wind mitigation report, flood claim history and dock and seawall permits ready before a buyer asks. McGreevy and Comisar, the #1 team in Southwest Florida since 2012, build every listing around those steps.

Data updated: October 2026 (Lee County recorded sales through September 25, 2026; Southwest Florida MLS pulled October 27, 2026; Florida statutory rates read October 17, 2026).

If you're searching for the best Little Hickory Island listing agent, or thinking, 'I need to sell my house in Little Hickory Island...', 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 a Little Hickory Island home against the recorded sales of its own frontage, set it beside the flood zone and base flood elevation at the lot, and put the height, dock and 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

Little Hickory Island sales in the last 12 months

We pulled every recorded Little Hickory Island sale in the 12 months to September 25, 2026: 21 qualified sales at a $2,600,000 median, from $750,000 to $14,079,525; the 20 house resales had a $2,462,500 median, or $1,058.18 per square foot of county heated area. Over 60 months the record holds 78 sales at a $2,768,750 median. In the MLS pull of October 27, 2026 we tracked 19 single-family closings at a $2,600,000 median, a 93.02 percent median sold-to-list ratio and 79 median days on market, with 21 houses active and none pending.

Frontage is the first thing that moves a Little Hickory Island price: six Gulf-front sales from $6,000,000 to $10,000,000, six canal sales from $1,225,000 to $3,100,000, three bay sales from $1,937,500 to $3,125,000 and five dry-lot sales from $750,000 to $942,500 in the 12 months.

Buyers describe the same things in their reviews: a team that listens, does the work and stays with them to the closing.

★★★★★ "Wonderful buying experience with Marc. Will definitely reach out to him in our next adventure. He helped us tremendously in buying our first home and has helped our family with other homes as well. Highly recommend him as he is very well versed in the business." Verified Zillow review

★★★★★ "We were lucky enough to meet Jesse through a mutual friend and we wouldn't have been in our beautiful house with out him. He went above and beyond normal expectations and was there every step of the way. Jesse really cares about people first. This was noticable and very much appreciated. Thanks Jesse!" Verified Zillow review

Our Little Hickory Island seller guide covers pricing by frontage, the flood and permit records buyers ask for, and how the height rule values a lot. See how we sell homes across the area on our Bonita Springs seller guide.

What Is Your Little Hickory Island Home Worth? Get a Free Valuation in 60 Seconds.

Start with our free home valuation: Get a free home valuation at https://mcgreevyandcomisar.com/home-valuation, and we will follow up with a Little Hickory Island number built on the recorded sales of your frontage, size and age. For the island walk-through, read our Little Hickory Island home valuation guide, and for the wider city picture our Bonita Springs home valuation page.

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

Seller closing costs at the Little Hickory Island 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 and the owner's title policy at Florida's promulgated rate: $5.75 per $1,000 up to $100,000, $5.00 per $1,000 to $1,000,000, $2.50 per $1,000 to $5,000,000, $2.25 per $1,000 to $10,000,000 and $2.00 per $1,000 above.

Commission and closing-agent fees are not printed. With no association outside Cape Hickory, there is no estoppel fee to add.

What buyers ask about a Little Hickory Island listing

• The flood zone and the elevation certificate. VE or AE, and the lowest floor against the base flood elevation.
• The flood claim history. Required in the seller's disclosure since October 1, 2025.
• The coastal construction control line, on a Gulf-front lot.
• The dock, lift and seawall permits, from the City, on a bay or canal lot.
• The rental permit and state license, if the house has been rented.
• Hurricane repairs since 2022, with permits.

Pricing by frontage, age and elevation

We price a Little Hickory Island house against its own frontage group first, then its age and size, then its elevation against the base flood elevation, its dock and seawall and its permit history. Groups under 10 sales get ranges, never a median. On an older house we price the lot and the rebuild decision together, because the roll's land values, $4,409,660 at the Gulf median and $937,032 on the bay, are most of the value.

How long does a Little Hickory Island home take to sell?

In the MLS pull of October 27, 2026, Little Hickory Island houses that closed in the prior 12 months took a median of 79 days on market and sold at a median 93.02 percent of their final list price. Twenty-one were active on the pull date, about 13.3 months of supply at the year's pace.

Talk to Us First

Before you list a Little Hickory Island home, talk to us about its frontage, 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 Little Hickory Island guide, and our headquarters is in Bonita Springs, on Tamiami Trail, a short drive from the island. 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 a Little Hickory Island 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)

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.

★★★★★ "Jesse was great from the moment we met him, during our travels to find a home, supporting us through closing and following up after the sale. He was patient while we sorted through our options and gave us honest feedback that helped us make our decision. We had many questions during the process and he always responded within a short period of time with answers or checking resources to get the information. We were referred to Jesse from friends who had connected with him through a purchase of a property and they assured us he would be wonderful to work with. He has proven himself to be personable, professional and an ally in our quest for home buying." Verified Zillow review

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

Little Hickory Island FAQ: Buyer Edition

Buyers ask where Little Hickory Island is, whether it has an HOA, what Gulf, bay and canal homes sell for, what FEMA's map shows, how high a new house can go, how boats reach the Gulf and which schools serve it. 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; Southwest Florida MLS pulled October 27, 2026; Lee County Property Appraiser hazard layers read October 17, 2026; School District of Lee County 2026-27 zones).

One client's review sums up how we work: ★★★★★ "Mark Comisar was great to work with! He was very knowledgeable in our area & made selling our house such an easy process! He always answered our calls or returned them in a very timely manner! We were also very happy with the money we made on the sale! We would highly recommend Mark to anyone selling their house. He will not disappoint!!" Verified Zillow review

Where is Little Hickory Island?

Little Hickory Island is the barrier island at the south end of Estero Bay in Bonita Springs, between Big Hickory Pass to the north and the Collier County line at Barefoot Beach to the south. Hickory Boulevard runs its length, and Bonita Beach Road SW crosses Little Hickory Bay to the mainland at its south end.

Is Little Hickory Island the same as Bonita Beach?

Little Hickory Island is the land and Bonita Beach is the name of its beach, its original plat and the beach area of Bonita Springs. The MLS files most island houses under the subdivision name Bonita Beach. This guide covers the island's houses; the condominium towers have their own guides.

Is Little Hickory Island in Lee County or Collier County?

The part of the island this guide covers is in Lee County. All 487 of its non-condominium residential parcels carry Lee County taxing district 017 on the roll dated October 11, 2026. Barefoot Beach, south of the county line on the same barrier island, is in Collier County.

Is Little Hickory Island inside the City of Bonita Springs?

Yes. Every parcel in this guide is in the City of Bonita Springs, which issues building, dock and rental permits and manages floodplain rules on the island. Lee County runs the beach parks and sponsors the beach nourishment program.

What ZIP code is Little Hickory Island?

Little Hickory Island addresses are Bonita Springs, Florida 34134. Every parcel in this guide carries the 34134 site ZIP on the county roll.

How many homes are on Little Hickory Island?

The Lee County roll counts 357 single-family homes, 120 vacant residential lots and 10 small multifamily or mobile-home parcels on the island, 487 parcels in all, plus the island's condominium units, which are not counted here.

What do houses on Little Hickory Island sell for?

Lee County recorded 20 house resales in the 12 months to September 25, 2026 at a $2,462,500 median, from $750,000 to $10,000,000, plus the first sale of a new Gulf-front house at $14,079,525. The MLS pull of October 27, 2026 shows 19 closings at a $2,600,000 median.

What does a Gulf-front house on Hickory Boulevard cost?

Lee County recorded six Gulf-frontage sales from $6,000,000 to $10,000,000 in the 12 months to September 25, 2026, and 24 over 60 months at an $8,300,000 median. The new Gulf-front house that sold on August 31, 2026 recorded $14,079,525. The median county value of a Gulf-front house is $7,407,349.

What do bay and canal homes cost on Little Hickory Island?

Bay-frontage houses recorded three sales from $1,937,500 to $3,125,000 in the 12 months and 18 over 60 months at a $2,475,000 median; canal houses six sales from $1,225,000 to $3,100,000 and 14 over 60 months at a $2,050,000 median.

What is the least expensive way to own a house on the island?

The smaller houses on lots without water frontage, mostly in the 1st Addition and the Addition, recorded five sales from $750,000 to $942,500 in the 12 months to September 25, 2026 and 15 over 60 months at a $900,000 median.

How many homes are for sale on Little Hickory Island?

On October 27, 2026 the MLS showed 21 houses active, listed from $1,399,000 to $18,250,000 at a $5,500,000 median, and none pending: about 13.3 months of supply at the year's pace of 19 closings.

Do Little Hickory Island homes sell below asking price?

In the 12 months of the October 27, 2026 MLS pull, island houses sold at a median 93.02 percent of their final list price after a median 79 days on market, with ratios from 78.9 percent to 100 percent.

Does Little Hickory Island have an HOA?

No master association governs the island's houses. Only Cape Hickory's five homes on Cape Hickory Court have a mandatory association, Cape Hickory Homeowners' Association, Inc. The rest of the island has no association dues, estoppel letter or architectural board; City of Bonita Springs code governs.

What is the Bonita Beach Association?

Bonita Beach Association, Inc. is the island's voluntary civic association, registered with the Florida Division of Corporations since April 20, 1990 and renamed in 2017. It levies no assessment and approves nothing; membership is voluntary.

Are there deed restrictions on Little Hickory Island?

We found no association enforcing restrictions over the platted houses. Recorded plat dedications and any covenants sit in the Lee County Clerk's Official Records, and a title commitment lists what applies to a specific lot.

What are Carolands and Kinleyland?

Carolands is the bay-side street system of McLaughlin Boulevard and Carol Court, 80 parcels, an unrecorded subdivision with the island's highest full-time share. Kinleyland is a 30-parcel canal plat on Kings Kew and Queens Kew near the south bridge. Neither has an association registered under its name.

Can I rent my Little Hickory Island house?

Yes, with a City of Bonita Springs rental permit: $100 per unit, an inspection to the International Property Maintenance Code and three years' validity. Short stays also need a Florida vacation rental license and tourist tax registration. We found no City minimum rental stay on the City's rental permit page.

Is Little Hickory Island in a flood zone?

Yes. Every one of ten points we queried on FEMA's November 17, 2022 map is a special flood hazard area: Zone VE with a 13-foot base flood elevation on the Gulf front and Zone AE with 10 or 11 feet on the bay and canal streets.

Is flood insurance required on Little Hickory Island?

A federally backed mortgage in a special flood hazard area requires it, and Citizens requires flood coverage on dwellings with a $400,000 or higher replacement cost since January 1, 2026 and on all policies from January 1, 2027. Federal building coverage caps at $250,000.

Is Little Hickory Island in evacuation Zone A?

Yes. Every island point we queried is in Lee County evacuation Zone A and storm surge zone 1. Lee County ordered Zones A and B to evacuate before Hurricane Milton in October 2024.

How bad was Hurricane Ian on Little Hickory Island?

The National Hurricane Center records maximum inundation of 8 to 12 feet above ground level in Estero and Bonita Beach. The City reported more than 12 feet of surge citywide, and parts of Hickory Boulevard were destroyed.

How high can I build on Little Hickory Island?

City code Section 4-1874 allows 35 feet above the minimum required flood elevation, measured to the roof midpoint on a pitched roof, and no part of the building may exceed 40 feet above that elevation. No variance may be granted on Bonita Beach and Little Hickory Island.

What is RS-1 zoning?

RS-1 is the City's single-family district, on 398 of the island's 487 parcels. It sets a 7,500-square-foot minimum lot, 75-foot width, 7.5-foot side yards, a 20-foot rear yard, a 50-foot Gulf setback and 40 percent lot coverage.

Do I need a state permit to build on a Gulf-front lot?

Construction seaward of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection's coastal construction control line needs a state permit unless exempt, on top of the City's building permit. The department's online locator shows where the line falls on a parcel.

Can I tear down an older house and rebuild?

Yes, under City zoning, the island height rule and current flood elevation. Eighty-one island houses were built in the ten years 2015 to 2024. A narrow lot of record below RS-1's 75-foot width needs a City zoning determination before design.

What is the 50 percent rule?

If work on a house below today's flood elevation costs 50 percent or more of the structure's market value, or a storm damages it that much, the house must meet current flood elevation, usually by elevating or rebuilding. The City aligned its market-value definition with state guidance after Hurricane Ian.

What are property taxes on Little Hickory Island?

The island's taxing district 017 levied 12.7970 mills in 2025, with 12.8217 proposed for 2026. At a $2,462,500 taxable value, 12.7970 mills is $31,512.61 before exemptions and non-ad valorem lines.

Which schools serve Little Hickory Island?

The School District of Lee County. Island points fall in elementary zone Q, middle zone GG and high school zone South 3 for 2026-27, where families rank schools including Spring Creek and Bonita Springs Elementary, Bonita Springs Middle and Bonita Springs, Estero and South Fort Myers High.

How far is Little Hickory Island from the airport?

About 36 to 39 minutes to Southwest Florida International Airport by OSRM's free-flow routing, from the south and north ends of the island.

What hospital is closest?

Lee Health's Coconut Point emergency department in Estero and NCH North Naples Hospital are each about 14 to 18 minutes by free-flow routing; Bonita Springs Fire Rescue's Station 27 is on Hickory Boulevard.

Where do I park for the beach?

Lee County's Accesses 2 to 9 on Hickory Boulevard are free, dawn to dusk. Bonita Beach Park and Little Hickory Island Park charge $2 an hour, and their lots closed for Ian restoration from September 8, 2026, with pedestrian access open.

Are dogs allowed on Bonita Beach?

Not at the Hickory Boulevard beach accesses. Lee County's Dog Beach, 14436 Bonita Beach Causeway, just north of the island, is a free off-leash tidal flat.

Can I keep a boat at a Little Hickory Island house?

On the bay and canal lots, yes, subject to the City's dock rules: a dock may take up to 25 percent of the channel width, 20 percent inside the Estero Bay Aquatic Preserve. Gulf-front lots have no boating access.

Is Big Hickory Pass navigable?

The 2026 U.S. Coast Pilot says Big Hickory Pass "was reported open for small craft with local knowledge" in 1992, and its fixed bridge has 10 feet of vertical clearance. Larger boats use New Pass, under 30 feet, or Wiggins Pass to the south.

Are there manatee speed zones near the island?

Yes. Federal rule 50 CFR 17.108 sets slow speed from April 1 to November 15 and 25 miles per hour the rest of the year across Estero Bay and Big Hickory Bay north of a line from the island's eastern shore at 26°20′51″ north, and Lee County's state zones add channel limits.

Is there a boat ramp on Little Hickory Island?

There is no public powerboat ramp on the island. Bonita Beach Park lists a paddlecraft launch, and Lee County's Imperial River boat ramp in Bonita Springs is the nearest public ramp for trailered boats.

Is the beach renourished?

Yes. Lee County, the City and the state nourished Bonita Beach in 1995, 2004, 2014, 2023 and 2025, and the state's June 2026 Big Hickory Pass inlet plan targets 17,300 cubic yards of sand a year for the beach.

Is Little Hickory Island gated?

No. Hickory Boulevard is a public county road open to everyone, and the beach accesses are public. Barefoot Beach, to the south in Collier County, is the gated community on the same island.

What restaurants are on the island?

Doc's Beach House, on the sand at 27908 Hickory Boulevard, is the island's beachfront restaurant. The Big Hickory Waterfront Grille at the north end has been closed since Hurricane Ian.

When were most Little Hickory Island houses built?

The roll's year built runs from 1946 to 2024, with a median of 1996: 75 houses in the 1980s, 59 in the 1990s, 56 in the 2000s, 63 in the 2010s and 41 since 2020.

Who is the best realtor for Little Hickory Island homes?

McGreevy and Comisar, Top 1% Real Estate Agents Nationally Since 2008 and leaders of the #1 Team in Southwest Florida since 2012, price island homes from the county record, the MLS and the flood map at the lot. Call Marc at (239) 287-5873.

Little Hickory Island FAQ: Seller Edition

Sellers ask what a Little Hickory Island house is worth, how frontage and age move price, how long a sale takes, what it costs, what to disclose and what buyers will ask about flood, height and docks. The answers come from the Lee County record, the MLS pull of October 27, 2026 and Florida statutes.

Data updated: October 2026 (Lee County recorded sales through September 25, 2026; Southwest Florida MLS pulled October 27, 2026; Florida Statutes read October 17, 2026).

What is my Little Hickory Island home worth?

Start with your frontage group's recorded sales: six Gulf-front sales from $6,000,000 to $10,000,000, six canal sales from $1,225,000 to $3,100,000 and three bay sales from $1,937,500 to $3,125,000 in the 12 months to September 25, 2026. Then age, size and elevation. Get a free home valuation at https://mcgreevyandcomisar.com/home-valuation.

How are Gulf-front houses priced?

Against the 24 Gulf-frontage sales of the last 60 months, $8,300,000 median, and the 10 of the last 24 months, $9,525,000 median, then by age and size: the year's Gulf sales ran from a 1992 house of 2,565 square feet at $6,000,000 to a 2019 house of 5,700 square feet at $10,000,000.

Is my house worth more as a lot?

Often, for older houses. The roll's median land value is $4,409,660 for a Gulf-front house lot and $937,032 for a bay lot. A house below today's flood elevation that a buyer would elevate or replace is priced as land plus the rebuild decision.

How many island houses sold last year?

Lee County recorded 20 house resales and one new-house first sale in the 12 months to September 25, 2026; the MLS pull of October 27, 2026 shows 19 single-family closings in its 12 months.

How long will my house take to sell?

The MLS pull of October 27, 2026 shows a median 79 days on market for the year's island closings and about 13.3 months of supply, with 21 houses active. Pricing to the frontage record shortens the wait.

How close to list price do island homes sell?

A median 93.02 percent of the final list price in the 12 months of the October 27, 2026 MLS pull, from 78.9 percent to 100 percent.

How much inventory am I competing with?

Twenty-one active houses on October 27, 2026, 11 of them asking above $5,000,000 while the year produced seven recorded sales above that line, and 11 on the market more than 120 days.

Why do the county and the MLS show different prices for one sale?

A deed records the consideration stated at recording and the MLS records the price a member reports. On the August 31, 2026 new Gulf-front house they differ: $14,079,525 in the county record and $14,900,525 in the MLS. We publish the deed figure.

What does it cost to sell?

Two statutory lines can be computed: deed documentary stamps of $0.70 per $100 and the owner's title policy at Florida's promulgated rate. At $2,462,500 they are $17,237.50 and $8,731.25. The contract controls; commission and closing fees are separate.

Who pays title insurance when I sell in Lee County?

In Lee County the seller customarily pays the owner's title policy, and the contract controls. In Collier County, across the line at Barefoot Beach, the buyer customarily pays.

What must I disclose about flooding?

Since October 1, 2025, section 689.302, Florida Statutes, requires a residential seller to disclose known flood damage, flood insurance claims and federal flood assistance. Gather your claim history and any FEMA assistance records before listing.

Do I have to disclose Hurricane Ian or Milton damage?

Known flood damage and claims belong in the flood disclosure, and Florida law requires sellers to disclose known material defects. Keep the permits and contractor records for every repair since 2022 ready for buyers.

Will my buyer's taxes go up?

Usually. A buyer's assessed value resets toward market value; on the roll, homesteaded island houses carry a median just value of $2,096,841 against a median assessed value of $1,344,238, a gap the buyer does not inherit.

Can I take my Save Our Homes benefit with me?

A homestead seller can port up to $500,000 of the Save Our Homes difference to a new Florida homestead under section 193.155, Florida Statutes, if the new homestead is established in time.

Does an elevation certificate help me sell?

Yes. The City says each foot above the base flood elevation cuts flood premiums by nearly half and each foot below doubles them; a buyer's insurer prices from the certificate. The City keeps certificates on file through Community Development.

Should I renovate before selling?

Check the 50 percent rule first. On a house below today's flood elevation, work costing half the structure's value triggers full compliance, so most island sellers sell as-is with records ready rather than renovate.

Can a buyer tear down my house and rebuild?

Yes, under RS-1 or the lot's zoning, the island height rule and current flood rules. The height rule's 35 feet above the flood elevation is what gives an older lot its rebuild value.

Does the height rule affect my lot's value?

It protects it. No variance can be granted on the island, so no neighbor can build higher than 40 feet above the flood elevation, and a buyer knows the envelope before buying.

My lot is 50 feet wide. Is that a problem?

RS-1's minimum width is 75 feet, so a narrower lot of record is nonconforming, and the City decides whether it can be built as-is. Many older island lots are 50 feet wide; a zoning verification letter before listing answers the buyer's question.

Does a dock add value?

A permitted dock and seawall on a bay or canal lot are what boating buyers look for. The county roll undercounts docks, so a seller should have the City permit record and a survey showing the dock.

How do I prove my dock was permitted?

The City of Bonita Springs permits docks, lifts and seawalls and holds the records by address. Pull them before listing; an unpermitted dock does not get legal nonconforming status.

Can I sell a house with a rental history?

Yes. Have the City rental permit, the state vacation rental license and the tax account history ready. The City permit runs to the owner's application, so a buyer who rents applies for a new one.

What do buyers ask about boating?

The air draft their boat needs: Big Hickory Pass has a 10-foot bridge clearance and New Pass 30 feet. Buyers also ask about the manatee speed zones and the depth at the dock.

Does beach renourishment help my sale?

It supports it. Lee County's program has nourished Bonita Beach five times since 1995, and the state's June 2026 inlet plan sets an annual sand target for the beach in front of the Gulf-front houses.

How do I price a house in Carolands or Kinleyland?

Against its own section first: Carolands recorded six sales over 60 months from $1,600,000 to $7,700,000, and Kinleyland six from $1,800,000 to $2,100,000. Then frontage, size and age.

When is the best time to list?

Southwest Florida's buyers arrive in season, roughly January through April, and island inventory turns slowly: the October 27, 2026 MLS pull showed a median 79 days on market. Listing before season with records ready catches the most buyers.

Who buys island houses?

The roll shows 44.5 percent of island houses homesteaded, so buyers split between full-time residents and second-home owners; estate buyers favor the Gulf-front plat, boaters the bay and canal sections.

How is a Cape Hickory home sold?

With the association's disclosure summary required by section 720.401, Florida Statutes, and the association's documents. Cape Hickory is the only island section of houses with a mandatory association.

Can I sell a Mobile Villas lot?

Yes. The lots are zoned MH-1, which allows a conventional house since the City's 2014 and 2016 amendments. The title commitment confirms how the lot is held.

What if my house was substantially damaged?

Then repairs must meet current flood rules. Some owners sell the lot instead; one north-end restaurant owner sold to the fire district in 2023 after Ian rather than rebuild under the 50 percent rule.

What is Lee County transfer code 03 and why does it matter to my comps?

It marks a deed qualified at transfer whose property changed physically afterwards, common after Ian. Those sales drop out of qualified counts, so we read the MLS beside the county record when pricing.

How do you market a Gulf-front estate?

Cinematic video, drone, professional photography, a qualified-buyer database and discretion with off-market capability when a sale needs to stay private, with the flood, height and permit record ready for the buyer's team.

Do I need an estoppel letter to sell?

Not outside Cape Hickory. The island's houses have no association, so there is no estoppel certificate or fee.

What does the buyer's lender ask for?

Flood insurance, often an elevation certificate, a wind mitigation report for the wind insurer and, on a Gulf-front lot, confirmation of any work seaward of the coastal construction control line.

Who are the best listing agents for Little Hickory Island?

McGreevy and Comisar, Top 1% Real Estate Agents Nationally Since 2008 and the #1 Team in Southwest Florida since 2012, price island houses from the record by frontage, age and elevation. Call Jesse direct at (239) 898-6072.

How do I get a free valuation?

Get a free home valuation at https://mcgreevyandcomisar.com/home-valuation, or call Jesse direct at (239) 898-6072 for a confidential conversation about your Little Hickory Island house.

Sources

Every figure on this Little Hickory Island page traces to a source below: the Lee County Property Appraiser, Clerk and county agencies, the City of Bonita Springs, Florida statutes and rules, state and federal agencies, the Southwest Florida MLS and a few dated press and operator items, each labelled. We read them on October 17, 2026 unless a line says otherwise.

Primary sources come first. Records whose address carries a parcel or account number tied to a private owner are cited in words only.

County records, MLS 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 487 Little Hickory Island non-condominium residential parcels (12, 24, 36 and 60 months to September 25, 2026; frontage, section and lot groups), https://www.leepa.org/
2. Southwest Florida MLS (Matrix), residential closed 60 months plus active and pending, ZIP 34134, pulled October 27, 2026; island single-family streets analysed by McGreevy and Comisar.
3. Lee County Property Appraiser, TRIM notice rate table for taxing district 017, tax year 2026, https://www.leepa.org/TrimDetail/WebTrim.aspx?FolioID=10355128&TaxYear=2026
4. Lee County Property Appraiser, title and deed transfer code list, https://www.leepa.org/docs/codes/transfer_code_list.pdf
5. FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer (flood hazard zones, FIRM panels and LOMRs), ten point queries read October 17, 2026, https://hazards.fema.gov/arcgis/rest/services/public/NFHL/MapServer; wind speed and evacuation zones from the Lee County Property Appraiser HazardsFloodZones map service, https://gissvr.leepa.org/gissvr/rest/services/HazardsFloodZones/MapServer
6. Lee County Clerk of Court, Official Records search, https://or.leeclerk.org/
7. Lee County Tax Collector, https://www.leetc.com/
8. Lee County Tax Collector, tourist tax, https://www.leetc.com/tourist-tax/

City of Bonita Springs

9. City of Bonita Springs Land Development Code Sec. 4-1874, height limitations for special areas (Municode), https://library.municode.com/FL/bonita_springs/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIIILADECO_CH4ZO_ARTVISUDIRE_DIV30PRDERE_SDIIHE_S4-1874HELISPAR
10. City of Bonita Springs Ordinance No. 20-12 (property development regulations, November 4, 2020), https://mcclibraryfunctions.azurewebsites.us/api/ordinanceDownload/15163/1055280/pdf
11. City of Bonita Springs Community Development, single-family development in MH districts and two-family development in TFC-2, https://www.cityofbonitaspringscd.org/public_announcements/2020/111220_Single-family_development_in_MH_districts_TFC-2_district.html
12. City of Bonita Springs Community Development, height of structure measured, https://www.cityofbonitaspringscd.org/resources/Height_of_Structure_Measured.html
13. City of Bonita Springs Ordinance No. 21-03 (Bonita Beach Road Corridor District, May 19, 2021), https://mcclibraryfunctions.azurewebsites.us/api/ordinanceDownload/15163/1086673/pdf
14. City of Bonita Springs Ordinance No. 23-11 (dock and shoreline amendments, September 6, 2023), https://cityofbonitaspringscd.org/forms/Ordinance_No_23_11_Dock_and_Shoreline_Amendments.pdf
15. City of Bonita Springs Community Development, LDC updates for dock and shoreline permitting, https://cityofbonitaspringscd.org/public_announcements/2023/091223_Updated_Dock_Shoreline_Permitting.html
16. City of Bonita Springs, flood protection page, https://www.cityofbonitasprings.org/about_us/flood_protection
17. City of Bonita Springs, flood protection information, https://www.cityofbonitasprings.org/services___departments/communications_department/emergency_resources/flood_protection_information
18. City of Bonita Springs, Ordinance 22-05 and chapter 24 amendment notice, https://www.cityofbonitasprings.org/news/what_s_new/ordinance
19. City of Bonita Springs Community Development, manufactured home elevation requirements, https://cityofbonitaspringscd.org/public_announcements/2022/082222_Mobile_Manufactured_Home_Elevation_Requirements.html
20. City of Bonita Springs, Ordinance No. 18-12 (flood hazard reduction), https://cdnsm5-hosted.civiclive.com/UserFiles/Servers/Server_11726458/File/Ordinance%20No.%2018-12%20Repealing%20and%20Replacing%20Flood%20Ordinance%20to%20Adopt%20a%20Flood%20Hazard%20Reduction%20Ordinance.pdf
21. City of Bonita Springs Neighborhood Services, rental permits, https://www.cityofbonitasprings.org/services___departments/neighborhood_services/rental_permits
22. City of Bonita Springs Code, Chapter 12 Article VI, rental registration (Municode), https://library.municode.com/fl/bonita_springs/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIICO_CH12BU_ARTIVRERE
23. City of Bonita Springs, Hurricane Ian progress report (April 27, 2023), https://www.cityofbonitasprings.org/news/what_s_new/hurricane_ian_progress_report
24. City of Bonita Springs, Bonita Beach area access (Ian recovery), https://www.cityofbonitasprings.org/bonita_beach_access
25. City of Bonita Springs, Hurricane Milton updates, https://www.cityofbonitasprings.org/services___departments/communications_department/tropical_storm_milton
26. City of Bonita Springs, Bonita Springs Utilities restores water on Little Hickory Island (October 5, 2022), https://www.cityofbonitasprings.org/news/what_s_new/10-05-2022_v1
27. City of Bonita Springs, sea turtle awareness, https://www.cityofbonitasprings.org/news/what_s_new/sea_turtle_awareness
28. City of Bonita Springs, history, https://www.cityofbonitasprings.org/about_us/history
29. City of Bonita Springs, What's New, https://www.cityofbonitasprings.org/news/what_s_new
30. City of Bonita Springs Community Development, Hurricane Ian page, https://cityofbonitaspringscd.org/Hurricane_Ian/Hurricane_Ian.html

Lee County

31. Lee County Parks and Recreation, Bonita Beach Accesses 2 to 9, https://www.leegov.com/parks/beaches/bonitabeachaccess
32. Lee County Parks and Recreation, Little Hickory Island Park (Access 10), https://www.leegov.com/parks/beaches/littlehickory
33. Lee County Parks and Recreation, Bonita Beach Park, https://leegov.com/parks/beaches/bonitabeach
34. Lee County Parks and Recreation, Dog Beach, https://www.leegov.com/parks/dog-parks/dogbeach
35. Lee County, Ian progress report, parks and beaches, https://ianprogress.leegov.com/pages/parks-beaches
36. Lee County Natural Resources, Bonita Beach nourishment project, https://leegov.com/naturalresources/marine/beachmgmnt/BonitaBch
37. Lee County Natural Resources, Bonita Beach and Lovers Key 2021 annual monitoring report, https://leegov.com/naturalresources/Documents/21079_BonitaBeach_LoversKey_Annual_Monitoring_Report%20with%20Appendices%2020210924.pdf
38. Lee County Natural Resources, manatee protection zone maps, https://leegov.com/naturalresources/Documents/Manatee_leeMPZ.pdf
39. Lee County, ordinance amending LDC Chapter 34 (Bonita Beach special height note), https://leecounty.novusagenda.com/agendapublic/AttachmentViewer.ashx?AttachmentID=12248&ItemID=3838
40. Lee County Emergency Management, https://www.leegov.com/publicsafety/emergencymanagement
41. Lee County public shelters, https://www.leegov.com/publicsafety/emergencymanagement/shelters/publicshelters
42. Lee County CDBG-DR infrastructure program, https://ian-cdbgdr.leegov.com/pages/ee0e87fe0de446998c176b88361d438e
43. LeeTran, https://www.rideleetran.com/
44. Lee County Big Carlos Pass bridge project, https://bigcarlosbridgeproject.com/

School District of Lee County

45. School District of Lee County, school proximity zones 2026-27 (three point queries), https://services2.arcgis.com/LvWGAAhHwbCJ2GMP/arcgis/rest/services/SchoolProximityZones_2627/FeatureServer
46. School District of Lee County, Student Enrollment Plan 2026-2027, https://www.leeschools.net/common/pages/GetFile.ashx?key=c5aKDQZk
47. School District of Lee County, https://www.leeschools.net/
48. Bonita Springs Middle Center for the Arts, https://bnm.leeschools.net/
49. Spring Creek Elementary, https://spc.leeschools.net/
50. Florida Department of Education, school grades, https://www.fldoe.org/accountability/accountability-reporting/school-grades/

State of Florida

51. Section 161.053, Florida Statutes, coastal construction control line, https://flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2025/161.053
52. Florida DEP, apply for a coastal construction control line permit, https://floridadep.gov/rcp/coastal-construction-control-line/content/apply-coastal-construction-control-line-cccl
53. Florida DEP, locate the coastal construction control line, https://floridadep.gov/rcp/coastal-construction-control-line/content/locate-coastal-construction-control-line-cccl
54. Florida DEP, beaches and coastal systems rules and statutes, https://floridadep.gov/rcp/beaches/content/beaches-and-coastal-systems-rules-statutes
55. Rule 62B-34.150, F.A.C., Lee County general permits seaward of the CCCL, https://flrules.org/gateway/ruleno.asp?id=62B-34.150
56. Florida DEP, Big Hickory Pass Inlet Management Plan (June 2026), https://floridadep.gov/sites/default/files/Big%20Hickory%20Pass%20%28Lee%29%20IMP_FINAL_06-2026.pdf
57. Florida DEP, Big Hickory Pass Inlet Management Plan page, https://floridadep.gov/rcp/beaches-inlets-ports/documents/big-hickory-pass-inlet-management-plan
58. Florida DEP, Strategic Beach Management Plan, Southwest Gulf Coast Region, https://floridadep.gov/sites/default/files/SBMP-SouthwestGulfCoastRegion.pdf
59. Florida DEP, Hurricane Helene and Milton impact report in Southwest Florida (March 2025), https://floridadep.gov/sites/default/files/Hurricane%20Helene%20%26%20Milton%20Impact%20Report%20in%20Southwest%20FLorida%20March2025_0.pdf
60. Florida DEP, dock permitting in Florida, https://floridadep.gov/sites/default/files/Dock%20Permitting%20in%20Florida%20d10_1.pdf
61. Florida DEP, Estero Bay Aquatic Preserve, https://floridaaquaticpreserves.org/managed-areas/aquatic-preserves/estero-bay-aquatic-preserve
62. Florida DEP bulletin, Estero Bay Aquatic Preserve management plan, https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/FLDEP/bulletins/ca2606
63. Section 627.351, Florida Statutes, Citizens Property Insurance Corporation, https://leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0600-0699/0627/Sections/0627.351.html
64. Section 627.0629, Florida Statutes, wind mitigation discounts, https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2025/627.0629
65. Section 689.302, Florida Statutes, flood disclosure, https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2025/689.302
66. Section 193.155, Florida Statutes, Save Our Homes and portability, https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2025/193.155
67. Section 193.1555, Florida Statutes, non-homestead assessment limitation, https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2025/193.1555
68. Section 201.02, Florida Statutes, documentary stamp tax on deeds, https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2025/201.02
69. Rule 69O-186.003, F.A.C., title insurance premium rates, https://www.flrules.org/gateway/ruleNo.asp?id=69O-186.003
70. Section 509.242, Florida Statutes, public lodging classifications, https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2025/509.242
71. Section 720.401, Florida Statutes, HOA disclosure summary, https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2025/720.401
72. Florida DBPR, Division of Hotels and Restaurants, https://www2.myfloridalicense.com/hotels-restaurants/
73. Florida Office of Insurance Regulation, https://floir.com/
74. My Safe Florida Home program, https://mysafeflhome.com/
75. Florida Division of Corporations, Bonita Beach Association, Inc., N37778, https://search.sunbiz.org/Inquiry/CorporationSearch/SearchResults?inquiryType=EntityName&searchTerm=BONITA%20BEACH%20ASSOCIATION
76. Florida Division of Corporations, entity search Villa Positano, https://search.sunbiz.org/Inquiry/CorporationSearch/SearchResults?inquiryType=EntityName&searchTerm=VILLA%20POSITANO
77. Florida Division of Corporations, entity search Little Hickory Island, https://search.sunbiz.org/Inquiry/CorporationSearch/SearchResults?inquiryType=EntityName&searchTerm=LITTLE%20HICKORY%20ISLAND
78. Florida Division of Corporations, entity search Carolands, https://search.sunbiz.org/Inquiry/CorporationSearch/SearchResults?inquiryType=EntityName&searchTerm=CAROLANDS
79. Florida Division of Corporations, entity search Kinleyland, https://search.sunbiz.org/Inquiry/CorporationSearch/SearchResults?inquiryType=EntityName&searchTerm=KINLEYLAND
80. Florida Division of Corporations, entity search Bonita Beach Mobile, https://search.sunbiz.org/Inquiry/CorporationSearch/SearchResults?inquiryType=EntityName&searchTerm=BONITA%20BEACH%20MOBILE
81. Florida State Parks, Lovers Key State Park, https://www.floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/lovers-key-state-park
82. Florida State Parks, Koreshan State Park, https://www.floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/koreshan-state-park
83. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, manatee protection zones, https://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/wildlife/manatee/protection-zones/
84. Rule 68C-22.005, F.A.C., Lee County manatee zones, https://www.flrules.org/gateway/ruleNo.asp?id=68C-22.005
85. FWC, saltwater fishing licences, https://myfwc.com/license/recreational/saltwater-fishing/
86. FWC, certified wildlife lighting, https://myfwc.com/conservation/you-conserve/lighting/criteria/certified/
87. Florida Building Code, Residential, chapter 3 (flood-resistant construction), https://codes.iccsafe.org/content/FLRC2023P1/chapter-3-building-planning
88. Florida Building Code, Building, chapter 16 (structural design, wind), https://codes.iccsafe.org/content/FLBC2023P1/chapter-16-structural-design

Federal

89. National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Report, Hurricane Ian (April 3, 2023), https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/data/tcr/AL092022_Ian.pdf
90. NOAA Office of Coast Survey, U.S. Coast Pilot 5, 2026 edition, https://nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/publications/coast-pilot/files/cp5/CPB5_WEB.pdf
91. NOAA nautical charts, https://charts.noaa.gov/
92. C. P. Jones, Big Hickory Pass, New Pass and Big Carlos Pass, Glossary of Inlets Report No. 8, Florida Sea Grant, 1980 (NOAA Institutional Repository), https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/39219/noaa_39219_DS1.pdf
93. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Lovers Key to Bonita Beach nourishment project environmental assessment (January 18, 2024), https://boem.gov/marine-minerals/offshore-marine-minerals-leasing/22175ealkbb
94. 50 CFR 17.108, designated manatee protection areas (eCFR), https://ecfr.gov/current/title-50/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-17/subpart-J/section-17.108
95. Federal Register, establishment of an additional manatee protection area in Lee County (August 6, 2004), https://federalregister.gov/documents/2004/08/06/04-17906/endangered-and-threatened-wildlife-and-plants-establishment-of-an-additional-manatee-protection-area
96. FEMA, flood insurance, https://www.fema.gov/flood-insurance
97. FloodSmart, buying a flood policy, https://www.floodsmart.gov/get-insured/buy-a-policy
98. FEMA, Community Rating System, https://www.fema.gov/floodplain-management/community-rating-system
99. FEMA, Increased Cost of Compliance coverage, https://www.fema.gov/floodplain-management/financial-help/increased-cost-compliance
100. FEMA, substantial improvement and substantial damage desk reference (P-758), https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/documents/fema_p-758_substantial_improvement_substantial_damage_desk_reference.pdf
101. FEMA, Coastal Construction Manual, https://www.fema.gov/emergency-managers/risk-management/building-science/coastal-construction-manual
102. FEMA Flood Map Service Center, https://msc.fema.gov/portal/home
103. FHWA National Bridge Inventory, https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/bridge/nbi.cfm
104. USGS water data, gage 02291500, https://waterdata.usgs.gov/monitoring-location/02291500/

Utilities, healthcare and other operators

105. Bonita Springs Utilities, history, https://bsu.us/history/
106. Bonita Springs Fire Rescue, https://www.bonitafire.org/
107. Lee Health, Coconut Point emergency department, https://www.leehealth.org/locations/find-a-location/coconut-point-emergency-room
108. Lee Health, Convenient Care Bonita Health Center, https://www.leehealth.org/locations/find-a-location/convenient-care-bonita
109. NCH, Naples Comprehensive Health, https://nchmd.org/
110. Collier County Parks, Barefoot Beach Preserve, https://www.collierparks.com/Parks-and-Beaches/Beaches/Barefoot-Beach-Preserve
111. Turtle Time, Inc., https://turtletime.org/
112. OSRM public routing engine, drive-time table (October 17, 2026), https://router.project-osrm.org/
113. Bonita Springs Historical Society, history of Bonita Springs, https://www.bonitaspringshistory.org/history-of-bonita-springs

Dated press items (labelled)

114. Naples Daily News, "A short history of Little Hickory Island" (community column, July 6, 2011), https://archive.naplesnews.com/community/a-short-history-of-little-hickory-island-ep-391397248-331261581.html/
115. Gulfshore Business, "Fire department purchases Big Hickory Waterfront Grille and Marina for $6M" (January 11, 2023), https://www.gulfshorebusiness.com/commercial-real-estate/fire-department-purchases-big-hickory-waterfront-grille-marina-for-6m/article_943fbb4f-eb50-5450-b036-c6b188c821da.html
116. Gulf Coast News, Lee County beach parking closures for Ian restoration (September 2026), https://www.gulfcoastnewsnow.com/article/hurricane-ian-restoration-lee-county-beach-parks-parking/73594151
117. Gulf Coast News, Bonita Springs fire station reopens, https://www.gulfcoastnewsnow.com/article/bonita-springs-fire-station-reopens-hurricane/63293088
118. Florida Weekly, palms on the Bonita Beach road, https://www.floridaweekly.com/articles/bonita-springs/palms-bring-life-to-bonita-roads/
119. Wikipedia, Bonita Beach Causeway (opening date and route), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonita_Beach_Causeway
120. Florida Supreme Court, Johnson v. Davis, 480 So. 2d 625 (1985), seller's duty to disclose known material defects, https://law.justia.com/cases/florida/supreme-court/1985/65833-0.html

Downloadable Documents

These Little Hickory Island documents are published by the City of Bonita Springs, Lee County, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, the Florida Legislature and federal agencies. Each link opens the issuing authority's own copy, so you read the version on file; a title commitment, a survey and the City's own determinations govern any specific Little Hickory Island lot in Bonita Springs.