by SC Reporter Emilie Alfino
Following Hurricane Ian, the Sanibel City Council approved temporary allowances that the Sanibel Code would otherwise prohibit. Some will expire in December, and the council reviewed them to decide whether to extend or end them.
Those six temporary allowances discussed by the council on Tuesday, Oct. 21, at the regular meeting are as follows:
Temporary Announcement Signs. Allows a commercial property to place one temporary announcement sign. Two businesses currently have them (Bailey’s and Island Cow) that will have been in place for 18 months come December. Council member Richard Johnson recused himself from this discussion. Council member Laura DeBruce said, “When you go by the empty lot at Bailey’s, there’s something hopeful about that sign there. And it lets visitors know something is going to happen.” All council members agreed to extend this allowance to Dec. 31, 2026.
Temporary signs on commercial properties. Allows commercial properties to place up to three temporary signs or one feather banner as provided by the Chamber of Commerce. An extension was requested by John Lai, president of the Sanibel-Captiva Chamber of Commerce. Council members agreed on an extension to Dec. 31, 2026, and asked that the Chamber refresh the signs.
RVs or park trailers require a temporary use permit. The permit allows RVs or park trailers to be used as a “temporary shelter” for up to three years following the declaration of a state of emergency. It is for permanent residential structures that were damaged and rendered uninhabitable. The resident must make a good-faith effort to rebuild. Five are still open from Hurricane Ian and will expire on Dec. 15, 2025. Three were issued post-Milton and will not expire until 2027. City staff will look into whether those Ian five were also damaged by Miltion, hence extending the date.
Administrative approval of specific conditional use permits. Council member Richard Johnson recused himself from the discussion. In this ordinance, the code was amended to allow short-form approval for (1) eating places, restaurants, and grocery stores; (2) dock, boat davits, boat lifts, mooring pilings; (3) alternative shoreline stabilization projects; and (4) seawall as an accessory structure waterward of the existing seawall. Vice Mayor Holly Smith said she is comfortable with continuing this. City Manager Dana Souza stressed that streamlining doesn’t mean a relaxation of standards. Council extended it one year to Dec. 31, 2026.
Waivers to be reviewed administratively. A large part of this pertains to landscape buffers. This slid by with little comment.
Development permits to implement waivers and variances are to be accepted as short-form development permits. Only three waiver applications have been approved administratively since the ordinance was passed. “Let’s face it, folks, recovery has been quick,” said Johnson. “It’s only been three years. We’ve done all the easy stuff.” This ordinance was extended to Dec. 31, 2026.
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