by SC Publisher Shannen Hayes
Bubbly Latitude received unanimous approval from the Sanibel City Council Tuesday, Oct. 1, to open for business at the corner of Palm Ridge Road and Wooster Lane in the two units formerly occupied by Remax of the Islands.
“I think this will be a great improvement and give (the area) more of a downtown feel,” said Council Member Laura DeBruce. “It is absolutely the type of shop residents will benefit from, not just the tourists.”
The owners needed a conditional use permit since the retail shop will operate in more than 2,000 square feet of space. The city established this conditional use type when all the Sanibel Center shopping plaza units, 1711 Periwinkle Way, were combined into a single unit for Mango Bay.
“The reason for this is to try and maintain a balance between businesses serving the residential community and the tourist economy,” explained Vice Mayor Mike Miller.
The legislation says the goals or items of intent for the conditional use review for retail stores with more than 2,000 square feet of commercial floor area (with few exceptions) were four-fold:
• Protect the unique character of the community so that Sanibel remains an attractive and desirable residential community;
• Retain a proper balance between the resident-serving and resort (tourist) segments of the Commercial Sector of the community;
• Ensure that the city’s regulations support the continuation of existing businesses or the establishment of new businesses that serve the residential segment of the community;
• Establishing a limit on the size of specific commercial retail units can contribute to maintaining a proper balance between the resident-serving and resort (tourist) segments of the Commercial Sector of the community.
Bubbly Latitude Owners Sarah Jacobson and Kate Zembrodt are both island residents and initially planned to open their store in The Village Shops before Hurricane Ian. Instead, they opened in Bell Tower Shops, Fort Myers, and are excited to move their business to the island.
Jacobson told council members their primary customers are residents. Bubbly Latitude will be located in the Palm Ridge Plaza, 2400 Palm Ridge Rd.