Cape Coral homeowners upset over proposed storm shutter restrictions

Neighbors and snowbirds are outraged over potential changes to storm shutter rules. Cape Coral is debating restrictions on when you can have yours up.

Cape Coral wants to make it a rule that if there is no threat of a storm, you can’t have your storm shutters up. People put their shutters up for safety, to protect them from the force of a hurricane.

RELATED: City of Cape Coral could restrict when you can have hurricane shutters

Others, mainly seasonal neighbors, use storm shutters to protect their homes while they’re away. With this proposed ordinance, they are worried about their safety and their home. “It’s a sense of security. Our life investment is in this property,” said Cape Coral resident (bob Palatucci.

Bob and Linda Palatucci travel to New Jersey during the summer, and because they’re not home, they put up their shutters.

The city proposes shutters are only necessary five days before a storm hits, based on the forecast from the National Hurricane Center. Then must be removed two weeks after.

“There’s no way we can come down here in five days or whatever and even subject ourselves to probably maybe even being killed in a hurricane,” said Linda Palatucci.

“To me, it’s better to be up in Michigan during a storm than here, but I want my home protected,” said Kristine Jacobson, who owns a home in Cape Coral.

During Wednesday’s city council meeting, residents rushed to the microphone to say why they are against this proposal. “You are inconveniencing a lot of people for a small issue, I believe,” said one person. “What would you rather see a fire or two as a problem, or would you like to see half the buildings in the city destroyed,” said another who was also against the proposal. “You saw what happened with the tornado. You want that many people with blue tarps on their roofs if they even have a house left.”

The Cape Coral City Council understands this ordinance is nowhere near completion based on feedback they received from the community. “We have some more work. Some more homework. More data we have to acquire first,” said Cape Coral Mayor John Gunter.

That data includes similar ordinances from sixteen other Florida cities.

Some changes the council is considering are extending the timeframe and having a registry of unoccupied homes for extended periods for first responders.

Another discussion is expected to happen later this month or next, ahead of hurricane season.