by SC Reporter Emilie Alfino
The Sanibel Planning Commission met on Tuesday, March 24, to consider four public hearings. They are as follows:
Vegetation Buffers Revision
The Commission considered revisions related to commercial and institutional uses, including reductions in tree quantities, changes to plant types and quantities, and the addition of language to address existing mature trees within buffer areas. Revisions also addressed compliance following a natural disaster, the phased installation of required buffers, and the presence of powerlines, public utility easements, and stormwater areas within those buffers.
The City coordinated changes with the Sanibel Captiva Conservation Foundation and Coastal Design, receiving no negative feedback from the City’s Vegetation Committee. The standards, unchanged since their 1985 development, were unanimously approved for update by the Planning Commission, which also requested City staff to prepare visuals for the City Council presentation.
Front Yards – Accessory Structures
This resolution would allow accessory structures in front yards, subject to compliance with front-yard setbacks, except for accessory storage sheds, which will remain prohibited in front yards. The structures listed below will remain exempt from front yard setback requirements:
• Ground-level walkways, driveways, bike paths, and parking areas
• Utility facilities
• Lamp posts and mailboxes
• Planters and statuary up to three feet in height
• Street graphics
This resolution was passed unanimously.
Height Exceptions for Nonconforming Structures
The Commission unanimously voted to allow nonconforming structures to be elevated up to 10 feet above predevelopment grade to meet FEMA and state requirements.
Coastal Creek Subdivision
The property owner at 5325 and 5301 Sanibel Captiva Road applied to amend the permissible amount of impermeable coverage for Lots 1 through 6 in the Coastal Creek subdivision.
The application seeks to amend the preliminary plat to accurately list the maximum allowable impermeable coverage for Lots 1–6. The applicant said the previous figure was incorrect; the resolution enables their clients to build. The applicant added that the only change was to update mismatched coverage numbers, with no alteration to the overall development.
City Attorney John Agnew said the only change is the maximum impermeable area per lot, which is just under 5,000 square feet.
The Commission unanimously approved the application.
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