by SC Reporter Emilie Alfino
First, please take note there will be a Joint Workshop with both the Sanibel City Council and the Sanibel Planning Commission on Tuesday, February 18, 2025, at 1 p.m. at BIG ARTS.
The City of Sanibel Planning Department recognized the work done both by the department and the Planning Commission throughout last year by providing a recap of the applications and Land Development Code amendments reviewed by the Commission as well as some statistics regarding permit review.
The department also provided an update on the vacant lands inventory, which was information provided last year for 2023. Some snapshots from the housing inventory maintained by the department and updated through 2024 were included.
“We hope this will help us understand where our recovery stands post-Hurricane Ian,” said Kim Ruiz, Principal Planner.
Vacant Parcels as of December 31, 2024
• Vacant Residential 340
• Vacant Resort Housing District 6
• Vacant Church 2
• Vacant Commercial 3
• Vacant Nonconforming Commercial Use 2
• Vacant Nonconforming Resort Use 16
• Total 369 (compared to 248 in 2023)
Demolition Permits 2024
• Demolition Completed 39
• Demolition Pending 15
• Total Demolition Applications 54
Demolition Permits
Post-Hurricane Ian 2022-2024 Demolition Completed 190 Demolition Pending 56 Total Demolition Applications 246
Of those, 81 building permit applications and two site work permit applications were submitted.
Housing Inventory
There were 3,960 dwelling units on Sanibel in 1975, steadily rising to 8,451 in 2020. The number of dwelling units today stands at 8,017. Looking at the percentage of change in residential inventory from 1975 to today, single-family units have increased 308%; multi-family units have increased 57%; units in hotels, motels, and inns have decreased 43%, and mobile homes have decreased 35%.
Accomplishments in 2024
The Planning Department and Commission accomplished a lot in 2024. Two reviewers were added to staff, and permit reviews were reduced on average from 12 calendar days to eight calendar days. For simple reviews such as accessory permits, the average review time is three calendar days.
Twelve long-form development permits were approved, including Bailey’s, Aloha Apollo on Palm Ridge Road, and Dunn Unified Residential Development on Island Inn Road.
Fifteen ordinances were adopted, including standards for docks and lifts, Below-Market-Rate Housing provisions, vegetation buffers, administrative processes for long-form development permits and waiver applications, and height limitations in the Resort Housing District.
Planning submitted and received three CDBG-DR grants: for the Sanibel Plan update ($250,000), the Sanibel Transportation Master Plan ($200,000), and the Sanibel Broadband Feasibility Study ($252,000). In addition, the Shared-Use Path Master Plan update was completed, as was the Corridor Landscape Restoration Study (Periwinkle Way) with FEMA Community Assistance. The department conducted a housing survey and provided a housing report evaluating the state of affordable housing on Sanibel post-Ian and worked with EPA through its Recovery and Resiliency Partnership Project (R2P2) and provided technical assistance support to study four projects.
The Planning Department also worked with FEMA Community Assistance to develop the long-term recovery plan report that included economic analysis of the financial impacts from Ian, GIS database to assist with Sanibel dune restoration project, and interactive digital Sanibel story map.
Planning Director Paula McMichael received the Roland Eastwood Planner of the Year award, and Deputy Director Craig Chandler obtained the American Institute of Certified Planners Certificate.
Historical Preservation Committee Achievements
In 2024, the Historical Preservation Committee reviewed the Heritage Trail signs and made recommendations for updates. The Committee also approved a Certificate of Appropriateness for the Sanibel School for Colored Children and managed the evaluation of the Sanibel Lighthouse by Archaeological Consultants Inc. Members discussed the Lighthouse Beach Park design with Kimley Horn.