by SC Reporter Emilie Alfino
The City of Sanibel was awarded a grant in April 2024 to update the Sanibel Plan, as well as to develop a Transportation Master Plan.
The newly created Sanibel Plan Update Steering Committee consists of seven people, who will review the Plan, a long-range (10- and 20-year timeframes) policy document that serves as the city’s “constitution” or “blueprint” for development and the foundation for the Land Development Code. The committee will suggest additions or revisions to address the City Council’s priorities and community concerns.
They are Chair Calli Johnson (Sanibel Captiva Chamber of Commerce), Vice Chair Eric Pfeifer (citizen-at-large), Nicole McHale (Community Housing & Resources), James Evans (Sanibel Captiva Conservation Foundation), Bob Moore (Committee of the Islands), Jeffrey Muddell (citizen-at-large), and Larry Schopp (Sanibel Planning Commission).
The committee held its first meeting in August, when they elected officers and approved the 2025-2026 meeting dates. The public meetings also offer an opportunity for citizen input.
In their meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 15, members spent two hours discussing the various provisions of the Hurricane Safety Element of the Plan (Section 3.1.1) with consultants from Calvin Giordano & Associates, and Planning Director Paula McMichael, who is serving as a liaison. Some of the members’ comments were:
Committee Chair Johnson:
We should include Hurricane Irma. It convinced a lot of people not to leave. The Plan currently says Hurricane Charley was the most destructive. Obviously, that has to be changed to Hurricane Ian. We have learned by now that every storm is completely different. We can’t force people from their homes, but we can communicate the dangers of staying. One idea is changing lanes on the island to assist with egress. County ownership [of some roads and the causeway] is becoming more of an issue. We need to update some data and staff information, and add that FISH of San-Cap provides a hurricane safety packet that also lists hotels.
Committee Vice Chair Pfeifer:
A lot of this is about evacuation. Provided the causeway islands are not underwater, it’s not that big of a problem. And there are fewer people here. We have to be able to get back to our houses before we evacuate. Have a plan in place in case of long-term power outages. The outage lasted six days after Hurricane Ian.
Committee Member Schopp:
We need to update the history with the recent storms. What can we do better going forward? There is a greater risk of fire now with electric vehicles. I was very disappointed with the number of people who stayed behind. I think people became complacent. It was not a problem with communication. The situation on Captiva affects our ability to evacuate. We need to develop a plan for what to do about it; 400 additional guest rooms have to be factored in. Be sure the county government understands the Captiva situation.
Committee Member Evans:
We need multi-faceted communication. We do well before the storm, but have some challenges after the storm. Hotels should notify visitors.
McMichael wrote in her meeting memo that all proposed changes should be evaluated for consistency with the overarching Sanibel Vision Statement (see sidebar).
When the committee completes its work, estimated to be on March 18, 2026, the last meeting date, the consultants will take over for a line-by-line rewrite or update of conditions. There will be ample opportunity for public input, with workshops in January and March 2026.
“We are looking for community input on the topic at the ‘big picture’ level as to what (if anything) should be added or what ‘if anything’ is no longer relevant,” McMichael wrote.
The Sanibel Plan Update Steering Committee gets to work on Wednesday, Oct. 15, reviewing and revising the Plan, which is the foundation of the Land Development Code.
The committee meetings and topics through March are as follows:
Nov. 19 – Historic preservation and housing
Dec. 17 – Community resiliency and environmental stewardship
Jan. 21, 2026 – Infrastructure, including surface water management, transportation, and recreation and open space
Feb. 18, 2026 – Intergovernmental coordination and capital improvements
March 18, 2026 – Future land use
When will you be discussing island traffic?
I would like the committee to look at ways to control the “no see ums” population. I have come to the island for 30 years and the last couple of years since Ian the increase in this pest make it very difficult to enjoy Sanibel’s beach and inland areas. I know they don’t spread disease, but they limit enjoyment of the island.
Controlling this pest will improve the quality of visits for residents and tourists which are key to the island’s recovery.