by SC Reporter Emilie Alfino
In 2014 former Sanibel City Manager Judie Zimomra issued a stay indefinitely stopping implementation of requirements for vegetative landscape buffers as set forth in the Land Development Code. Therefore, effectively, those provisions did not apply. It was since determined that those provisions created a lot of unintended consequences and hardship.
At its October 22 meeting, the Sanibel Planning Commission recommended striking the original language, leaving only the provisions that “driveways shall not be curbed or blocked along its sides in order to ensure that stormwater is allowed to drain into the adjacent vegetated landscape buffer.” As a practical matter, this action makes the effect of the administrative stay permanent by omitting the language to which it applied.
City staff does not find the vegetation buffer requirement improves the performance of permeable pavers for stormwater infiltration and storage.
The omitted language includes in part requirements that:
• A vegetative landscape buffer at least 10 feet in depth on each side of the driveway.
• The buffer areas shall not consist of primarily sod.
• Native plant species shall comprise no less than 75 percent of the required vegetated buffer.
As indicated above, the Planning Commission, by unanimous vote, retained the provision stating “The driveway shall not be curbed or blocked along its sides in order to ensure that stormwater is allowed to drain into the adjacent vegetated landscape buffer.”
Natural Resources Director Holly Milbrandt said in an email to the Planning Department that “Natural Resources does not object to the elimination of the vegetation buffer requirements.”
This resolution will now go before City Council.
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