by SC Reporter Emilie Alfino
The Commission voted unanimously to recommend changes to the Sanibel Code to directly limit fill consistent with the Sanibel Plan, the Florida Building Code, and federal floodplain management policies. It will go before City Council.
This would change the existing policy, which is based on predevelopment grade, to allow up to 24 inches of fill around the house and above the average grade of the lot. This fill would not count towards developed area. Additionally, the definition of predevelopment grade will no longer reference the elevation of the crown of adjacent roadways.
Among the amendments, briefly, will be:
• Amending the definition of developed area to include fill.
• Clarifying the definition of fill consistent with FEMA regulations.
• Requiring the limits of fill to be shown on the site plan.
• Identifying limitations of fill pertaining to construction type.
• Exempt areas within stormwater management berms from developed area calculations.
• Revise the definition of predevelopment grade to no longer reference the elevation of the crown of adjacent roadways.
• Provide an exception that no more than 24 inches of fill around the house pad would not count towards developed area.
These changes were suggested by builders and supported in particular by Planning Commissioner Ken Colter who said at the March 4 Planning Commission meeting, “This was a long time coming. This was important for resiliency.”
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