Editor’s Note: Citizen Eric Pfeifer spoke during Public Comment at the March 18, 2025, City Council meeting. He said he was representing a group of long-time Sanibel residents who have come together because they are concerned with the pace and scope of the island’s recovery from the recent series of damaging hurricanes. “Our goal is broad-based prosperity and economic stability for homeowners and businesses alike,” Pfeifer said. Here is his full statement:
We fully recognize that during the recovery efforts the city has confronted a myriad of issues and challenges. We do not disparate the well-intended and significant efforts by the council and city staff to address them. These challenges have been among the most difficult in Sanibel’s history.
However, we strongly believe that the recovery efforts have lagged where we, and many of our neighbors, feel it should be, two and a half years after Ian. We wish to underscore that we have no hidden agenda or interest other than the successful and timely recovery of the island.
We recognize that there is not one single priority that will facilitate and accelerate the rebuilding and recovery of Sanibel. To be successful, there must be measurable short and long-term objectives with targeted timetables, assigned responsibilities, dedicated resources, and accountable metrics.
We are committed to working in concert with public officials in identifying areas for improvement. Our mission is to assist in devising solutions to problems in those critical areas that have slowed a timely and accelerated recovery. To be clear, our main concern is the sustainability of the island’s economy. We feel that a successful recovery is not a foregone conclusion.
Therefore, we would like Council to implement the following initiatives:
1. Create a City Council Meeting Agenda Item called Economic Recovery, to announce progress and challenges, as well as listen to public input.
2. Establish Clear, Measurable Recovery Goals – Define short- and long-term benchmarks for rebuilding.
3. Streamline Permitting and Regulatory Processes – Continue to shift from a reactive, enforcement-heavy approach to a proactive, solutions-driven mindset that prioritizes getting homes and businesses back online. We encourage a “find a way to yes” mentality.
4. Implement Monthly Staff Development Meetings between the City Manager and Department heads to ensure cross-departmental collaboration and streamline open permits. The City Manager must be aware of challenging permits. He should not hear complaints from the applicants.
5. Develop a meaningful relationship with Lee County Commissioners to foster collaboration, project funding and support. The Mayor should communicate regularly with our District 1 County Commissioner.
6. Hire an Ombudsman to act as an intermediary between city staff and the community, ensuring communication, assisting with process and eliminating red tape.
7. Direct the Public Information Officer (PIO) to be more visible and ensure the City provides consistent unified messaging from one source only.
8. Begin updating the Land Development Code, creating “Sanibel 2.0” to address new challenges, resiliency and modernization that did not exist when the original LDC was adopted 50 years ago.
We wish to be clear that our efforts do not in ANY way support increased density or intensity of use of existing provisions of the Sanibel Plan. Height should be part of the conversation only for structures wishing to be more resilient.
We look forward to working as partners, advocating a comprehensive civic agenda to ensure the economic sustainability of Sanibel.
To that end we have developed a “Score Card” to track and measure the rate and breadth of the key metrics of our recovery process. We provide this to offer a data-driven independent analysis of the recovery process.
Eric is spot on! We need to get this Island moving forward and eliminate bureaucracy in achieving that.
Eric is spot on.
Sanibel needs to be more proactive in helping distressed properties and lessen the buildup bureaucracy that has grown over the years.
I believe some of our post hurricane initiatives fall under the category of misplaced priorities. For example, the putting up of gauche-looking speed limit signs is an eyesore and contributes to clutter. Monies were recently spent to produce these and install them. Yet, after 2 1/2 years we can’t make further improvements to portions of our bike paths. In particular, one has to scratch a head to figure out why the path running under the Causeway has not been repaired. At the very least put in a temporary gravel path and reopen those portions of path that are being blocked with signs and fences. Right now, there is an accident waiting to happen as people like myself try to negotiate getting across Causeway Blvd as vehicle traffic is speeding by. FIX IT, PLEASE. And, while someone must have really pushed the speed limit signs to be noticeable, change the color scheme so they are more pleasing to the eye. THEY’RE UGLY and detract from the beauty of our islands. Thank you.
The Sanibel government board does not care or listen to the people, as they should The SANIBEL council person does not represent the people Now the citizens feel they must take things into their own hand to do the job the governing people should be doing
I am not sure we need to implement all of Eric Pfiefer’s ideas but a “ Way to Yes” would be a real boost. If I have to look at that decaying Dairy Queen one more time or the abandoned, roof half down house on SanCap Rd. I will throw up. Not to mention the destroyed vegetation still standing………….
Thank you to Eric and this group of concerned citizens! These are all extremely critical issues that need to be addressed and/or implemented. We have lost outstanding, infamous businesses to red tape and delays. We once tried to build a home here and it sure would have been nice if the City had the approach of “How can we get to yes?” versus, “No, try again.”
The City of Sanibel employees also need to work with condominium complexes. The condo owners are being held hostage by unnecessary new red tape rules and a lot of “No” responses.
Our condo complex has been stalled in recovery by “No” to approving our pool opening, landscaping, tennis/pickle ball courts, pathway to beach, etc.
We are afraid to mention our complex name due to fear of retaliation and more “No” permit approvals.
Our complex has the money in reserves to open the pool, tennis/pickle ball courts, plant landscaping….
But can’t get Sanibel’s approval to do anything our complex had before Hurricane Ian.
Can’t we be grandfathered?
Here’s just one example:
We never had bathrooms by the pool because everyone’s condo is so close to the pool. Now we need to build new bathrooms with running water before we can open our pool?
The delay of our condo complex returning to its former status is causing owners, guests, and renters to delay visiting Sanibel until all these amenities are complete.
We can’t even get the same small sand pathway (we had before Hurricane Ian) to the beach approved. Now Sanibel wants a boardwalk built? (Oceans Reach & Breakers West have a small sand pathway approved. Why can’t we?)
More people returning to our condo complex means more revenue to Sanibel, restaurants, and businesses.
Please stop these frustrating road blocks and let condo complexes reopen their outdoor amenities!
Yes!!
Good Points and suggestions by Mr Pfeifer. I would like to see the island rebuild and lessen the burden of having homeowners and businesses slowed down by a heavy bureaucracy on Sanibel. I have attended a few of the City council meetings and they are long, and tedious to sit through. It takes about 45 minutes for the meeting to start.
Sanibel is and always will be an attractive and special place for people to visit, live and work. Hurricane Ian changed everything in terms of how we will try to protect our property from future storms.
I also would like to see how Sanibel has asked for and received part of the $1.1 Billion dollars in assistance that the federal government gave Lee County. Many of the Condo’s buildings that line the shoreline are still in bad shape, although many have partially reopened. Insurance is a big problem in convincing people and businesses to stay on the island. What are we doing about that ?