Pelican Preserve is a gated, HOPA-qualified 55+ community in Fort Myers, Florida, with 2,498 homes on 1,100 acres. HOA fees range from $64 to $670 per month depending on home type and sub-association, and a CDD assessment appears separately on your property tax bill through the Gateway Services Community Development District. Golf membership is optional. As of mid-2026, the resale market is buyer-friendly — median prices are around $400,000, homes are averaging 89 days on market, and roughly 38% of listings have had price reductions, giving buyers real negotiating room.
It's one of the most established 55+ communities in Southwest Florida: 1,100 acres, nearly 2,500 homes, an optional 27-hole golf club, and a Town Center that genuinely delivers on the active lifestyle it promises. But before you schedule tours or make an offer, there's a lot to understand about how this community is structured, especially when it comes to the true monthly cost of living here.
The community at a glance
Pelican Preserve was developed starting in 2001 by WCI Communities and completed around 2022. It sits at the intersection of Treeline Avenue and Colonial Boulevard in Fort Myers, zip code 33913, about 20 minutes from Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) and 20 minutes from the Fort Myers River District. Naples is about 45 minutes south; Bonita Springs and Estero sit in between.
This is resale only, no new construction is available. With 2,498 homes at build-out, you're choosing from the resale inventory that comes to market — typically around 40-50 active listings across a range of home types at any given time. The 55+ age requirement is enforced under HOPA (Housing for Older Persons Act): at least one person in the household must be 55 or older, and no one under 18 can reside permanently in the community.
Home types and what you'll pay
Pelican Preserve offers a wider range of housing styles than most 55+ communities in Lee County, which is part of what gives it broad appeal. Condos and carriage homes: 1,200-1,900 sq ft, typically 2 bed/2 bath, entry point starts in the low $300,000s. Cottage homes and attached villas: 1,500-2,400 sq ft, mid-range product. Grand villas and single-family homes: 2,400-3,200+ sq ft, upper range into the mid $700,000s.
The fee structure is more layered than it looks from the outside, and getting the estoppel, the CDD detail, and the reserve study before you close is non-negotiable.
CDD assessments: a common point of confusion
Unlike HOA fees (billed separately by the association), your CDD assessment appears as a non-ad valorem line item on your Lee County property tax bill. This is a common point of confusion for buyers moving from outside Florida. The CDD funds infrastructure — roads, utilities, stormwater systems — and continues until the district's bonds are retired. The amount varies by parcel, so you can't look at your neighbor's tax bill and assume yours will match. Ask your title company to confirm the current CDD balance for any property you're under contract on.
Optional golf membership
The Club at Pelican Preserve is a 27-hole championship course designed by Chip Powell and operated by Heritage Golf Group. It's private and optional — homeownership in Pelican Preserve does not include or require golf membership. If golf is important to you, the club offers both Golf and Social membership tiers; specific initiation fees and annual dues aren't publicly listed and change periodically, so contact the club directly at (239) 985-1647 or through pelicanpreservegolfclub.com for current numbers. If you don't golf, you simply don't join — the Town Center and community amenities are included in your HOA fees regardless of club membership status.
What your amenity fees cover
The 70,000-square-foot Town Center is the community's beating heart, and it's genuinely impressive for a 55+ community of any size. Residents have access through standard association membership to: a resort-style pool, lap pool, and indoor heated pool; a state-of-the-art fitness center with 30+ group classes per week; 12 pickleball courts; Har-Tru tennis courts; a 99-seat movie theater; an arts and crafts studio, woodworking shop, and pottery room; a library and computer lab; Flip Flops, the on-site bar and restaurant; a 38-acre nature preserve with walking trails, butterfly garden, and fishing pier (Audubon International Gold certified); and 50+ resident clubs.
Flood zones and insurance
The 33913 zip code, where Pelican Preserve sits, is mostly inland, and the majority of the community falls in FEMA Flood Zone X. Zone X means flood insurance is generally not required by your lender, which is a meaningful advantage in a post-Ian Southwest Florida insurance market. That said, properties on the lake or at lower elevations within the community may carry a different designation, and the 2022 FEMA flood map updates changed some parcels across Lee County. For any specific property address, check Lee County's GIS flood zone tool at leegis.leegov.com or FEMA's Map Service Center at msc.fema.gov.
Is Pelican Preserve a good buy in 2026?
As of mid-2026, Pelican Preserve is a buyer-friendly market. The median sale price is around $400,000 (down about 6% year-over-year), average days on market have extended to 89 days, and roughly 38% of listings have had price reductions. That gives motivated buyers real negotiating leverage, especially if you're flexible on timing and the seller has been sitting on the market. That said, the right home and the right price still depend on the specific property, so working with a local agent who knows the community is worth it.