by SC Reporter Emilie Alfino
The Planning Commission this week approved two resolutions. The first is an application by the Sanibel Captiva Conservation Foundation, and the second is an application by the owners of the old Sanibel Colored School.
SCCF is applying for a conditional use permit to establish institutional uses on the Puschel Preserve, approximately 11 acres owned by SCCF, with publicly accessible amenities in the northern five acres.
The Puschel Preserve is at 1905 Periwinkle Way near the intersection with Purdy Drive. It may be better known to islanders as the location where Hurricane Ian debris was collected and stored during the recovery. SCCF is proposing a plan for public access that will include a bike rack, picnic table, solar phone charging station, and water fountain/bottle filler.
An eight-foot-wide compacted shell trail meanders through the northern five acres of the parcel, where SCCF plans to add a sculpture garden, pollinator garden, and observation platform not to exceed five feet in height. The existing paved driveway apron on Periwinkle Way will be removed and planted with native ground cover plants to limit the public access to pedestrians and bicyclists. Buffers will be provided along the property boundaries.
James Evans, CEO of SCCF, said no major events will be planned for this area and the site will be maintained weekly. “We’re creating a little stopping area for people on the shared use path to take a break,” Evans said.
The trail is to be a walking path only; the commissioners added to the conditions for approval that only pedestrians should be allowed on the shell trail.
The second resolution concerned the historic Sanibel Colored School at 520 Tarpon Bay Road (what was recently Lily & Co. Jewelers). The commission was to determine whether proposed exterior repairs and alterations to the school are consistent with the historic character of the building. The application was submitted by Benchmark General Contractors on behalf of 520 Tarpon LLC, the owners of the building.
The Historical Preservation Committee heard this application at its February meeting and found the project to be consistent with the Sanibel Code. The committee only requested some additional research into the roof replacement; that is, should it be a 5V-metal roof or a standing seam metal roof.
The Planning Department met with island historian Eugene Gavin to see whether he could recall any information about the original roof, but he could not. No photos were found showing the original roof; in fact, the oldest identifiable photograph was in 1964 and showed a metal roof. That being the case, the commission opted to replace the roof with the stronger standing seam metal roof, which looks the same.
Other changes included replacing the footer-based foundation with flowable fill and top slab, and replacing a window on the south end of the building with a flat panel door as previously existed. Not only does this restore a historic characteristic of the building but also allows for a second ingress and egress for safety. New HVAC condensers will be installed on a new metal stand located on the back side of the building.
The next Planning Commission meeting will be March 12 at 9 a.m. at BIG ARTS.
A previous version of this article stated the two resolutions would move to public hearings at the Sanibel City Council, but the approval by Planning Commission was the final step.
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