by SC Reporter Emilie Alfino
Sanibel City Council approved updates to vegetation buffer standards, multifamily building rules, and leaf blower regulations at its May 5 meeting. The council also welcomed Gabriel Quintas as the new deputy planning director, filling the seat vacated by Craig Chandler in March.
Revised Vegetation Buffer Standards. Council voted unanimously to revise the vegetation buffer standards for commercial and institutional uses. Revisions include decreases in tree quantities and changes to plant types/quantities dependent on the adjacent use, as well as the addition of language to address existing mature trees within buffer areas, compliance following a natural disaster, phased installation of required buffers, and the presence of powerlines, public utility easements, and stormwater areas that fall within required buffer areas.
Remove Obsolete Prohibition of Flat Roofs for Multifamily Buildings. By unanimous vote, Council removed an obsolete prohibition of flat roofs for multifamily buildings. The change removes a restriction against flat roofs related to the design of multifamily buildings, which now conflicts with changes made to the architectural standards, and removes a prohibition of “more than two dwelling units, vertically, at any point in the building” outside of the resort housing district. In keeping with previous votes by the Land Development Code Review Subcommittee and the Planning Commission, Council agreed to remove the prohibition on flat roofs and to add Below Market Rate Housing developments to the exception for more than two dwelling units vertically in a multifamily building, rather than remove the restriction entirely.
Welcome Back, Gasoline-Powered Leaf Blowers. City Council voted unanimously to delete the ordinance in its entirety, outlawing gasoline-powered leaf blowers – they had no choice. During the 2026 Florida Legislative Session, Senator Truenow filed Senate Bill 290, commonly referred to as the “Florida Farm Bill.” The bill includes provisions prohibiting municipalities from enacting or enforcing laws, ordinances, or resolutions that restrict or prohibit the use of gasoline-powered landscape equipment, including gasoline-powered leaf blowers. The bill was approved by both the House and Senate and signed by Governor DeSantis on March 23, 2026, with an effective date of July 1, 2026.
City Hires New Deputy Planning Director. Gabriel Quintas is the new Deputy Director of Planning for the City of Sanibel. A Florida native, Quintas graduated from the University of North Florida and has been a professional planner for 10 years. He has held senior and executive-level roles in the planning profession for over half his career. Quintas is an AICP-certified planner and a certified floodplain manager. As a Florida native, he is passionate about preserving the unique character and identity of the communities that make up the state’s beautiful landscape. The distinct beauty and Old-Florida charm of Sanibel have fascinated him since he was a child, and he is eager to assist in the preservation of this exceptional island. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his wife and children, reading, and gardening.