Sanibel meeting summaries, agendas, and minutes

Sanibel agendas: Waterside Inn redevelopment, dog park funding and plan amendments queued, but no outcomes yet published

Four Sanibel boards published agendas for meetings held between Oct. 13 and Oct. 21, 2026, but minutes for all four are listed as not yet published. The available record therefore shows what was scheduled for discussion, not what was decided. No vote tallies and no dollar amounts appear in the agenda summaries reviewed here. The items below are drawn from those agendas; the linked official documents are the authoritative record.

Waterside Inn redevelopment before Planning Commission

The Planning Commission's Oct. 13 agenda listed public hearings on several proposed amendments to the Land Development Code, along with a redevelopment application for the Waterside Inn at 3033 West Gulf Drive, a property in the Resort Housing District. Whether the hearings were held, continued or closed is not established by the published record.

Proposed permit deadline extensions

The same Oct. 13 agenda listed four proposed changes: an extension to December 31, 2027, for development permit applications; an extension to December 31, 2027, for waivers to nonconforming structures in specific districts; a deadline extension for reestablishing nonconforming uses destroyed by Hurricane Ian; and amendments to below market rate housing regulations. Each was listed as proposed.

Dog park funding and site recommendations

The Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee's Oct. 15 agenda included updates on Beach Parks & Shared Use Path Projects and Funding and on the E Bike PSA and Slow Down Sanibel campaigns. It also listed discussion of dog park funding and site recommendations, and adoption of the 2027 Meeting Schedule. No funding figures were included in the agenda summary.

Sanibel Plan safety section

The Sanibel Plan Update Steering Committee's Oct. 21 agenda listed review of proposed amendments to Section 3.1 (Safety) and discussion of the Sanibel Vision Statement. It also listed a recap of community engagement workshops held September 24 and October 8, 2026, and review of Ordinance 22-002 regarding Peril of Flood.

Transportation Master Plan draft final report

The Transportation Master Plan Steering Committee's Oct. 21 agenda listed review of Draft Final Report 10-21-2026 and four technical memos: Baseline Measures; Plans and Policies Review; Project and Program Prioritization Methodology; and Project and Program Recommendations. The agenda also listed adoption of the meeting minutes from August 19, 2026.

Coming up

Planning Commission, Oct. 27. The commission is scheduled to discuss allowing retail wine shops with on-premises consumption as a conditional use in commercial zoning districts, and a proposed expansion of administrative waivers for impermeable coverage and vegetation removal for HVAC, generators and solar components. The agenda also lists approval of the 2027 Planning Commission schedule. The discussion is framed as possible recommendations for City Council to amend the Code of Ordinances; no action by the Council is scheduled in the records summarized here.

Residents who want to know how any of the above items were resolved will need to check the published minutes once they are posted, since the agendas alone do not record outcomes.

Sanibel panels take up miniature golf rules, Waterside Inn redevelopment and dog park planning

Sanibel's City Council, Planning Commission and Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee each met over the past two weeks on land-use rules, a resort redevelopment application and park planning, according to the agendas for those meetings. Minutes have not been published for any of the three, so the available records show what was scheduled for discussion — not what was decided. No vote tallies or outcomes appear in the supplied material.

City Council: miniature golf, pension board, three spending items

The council met Tuesday, October 6, 2026, at MacKenzie Hall, 800 Dunlop Road. The main land-use item was Ordinance 26-016, which would allow miniature golf as a conditional use in the GC General Commercial, TCG Town Center General Commercial and TCL Town Center Limited Commercial districts. It was listed for discussion and a first reading, with a public hearing set for a later date.

The agenda also listed a second reading and public hearing on Ordinance 26-014, which would amend the structure of the Police Pension Board of Trustees (Section 50-92).

Three items appeared on the consent agenda:

• $72,500.00 to Weston & Sampson Engineers, Inc. for City Hall public restroom renovation engineering services
• FDEP grant agreement L0535 for $600,000 for Sanibel Weir Flap Gate modification and installation
• $179,758.00 to Johnson Engineering, LLC for Hurricane Ian-related wastewater lift station rehabilitation

Consent agenda items are listed for consideration in a single block. The supplied record does not show whether any of the three was approved.

Planning Commission: Waterside Inn application and deadline extensions

The Planning Commission met October 13 with public hearings scheduled on several proposed amendments to the Land Development Code. The agenda included a redevelopment application for the Waterside Inn at 3033 West Gulf Drive, a property in the Resort Housing District.

Also listed were proposed extensions to December 31, 2027, for development permit applications and for waivers to nonconforming structures in specific districts; a proposed deadline extension for reestablishing nonconforming uses destroyed by Hurricane Ian; and proposed amendments to below market rate housing regulations.

Parks and Recreation: dog park funding and site options

The Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee met October 15. Its agenda listed an update on Beach Parks & Shared Use Path Projects and Funding, an update on the E Bike PSA and Slow Down Sanibel campaigns, a discussion of dog park funding and site recommendations, and adoption of the 2027 Meeting Schedule.

The dog park discussion was set to draw on a review of historical data and survey results, according to the agenda summary. No recommendation or funding figure appears in the record provided.

Coming up

Two steering committees meet October 21.

• **Sanibel Plan Update Steering Committee** — review of proposed amendments to Section 3.1 (Safety), discussion of the Sanibel Vision Statement, a recap of community engagement workshops held September 24 and October 8, 2026, and review of Ordinance 22-002 regarding Peril of Flood.
• **Transportation Master Plan Steering Committee** — review of the Draft Final Report dated 10-21-2026 and four technical memos covering baseline measures, plans and policies review, project and program prioritization methodology, and project and program recommendations. The committee is also scheduled to adopt minutes from its August 19, 2026 meeting.

Residents can follow both agendas through the city's published meeting materials; the official documents remain the authoritative record.

Sanibel meetings cover budget, stormwater, pensions; no decisions published

Sanibel city boards and committees met over the past two weeks to discuss the fiscal year 2027 budget, a proposed stormwater assessment, pension fund investments, and a transportation master plan. No final decisions from these meetings have been published yet; all recent meetings are listed as agenda-only, with minutes pending.

City Council

The City Council held a budget workshop on Aug. 18 to discuss the proposed FY 2027 operating and capital budget. The workshop included a presentation and a public comment period, but no vote was taken.

Later that same day, the council held a public hearing on the annual solid waste assessment for FY 2026-27 (Resolution 26-031). The agenda also included a resolution to set a public hearing for establishing a stormwater assessment district (Resolution 26-030), a second reading of a speed limit ordinance (Ordinance 26-011), a resolution to forgive debt owed by Community Housing Resources for the Casa Mariposa senior housing project (Resolution 26-025), and a resolution to call an advisory referendum on a roundabout at Periwinkle Way, Causeway Blvd, and Lindgren Blvd (Resolution 26-026). No outcomes have been reported.

Planning Commission

The Planning Commission met Aug. 11 to discuss the Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) program as old business. The agenda also included adoption of minutes from July 28, 2026, and routine reports on permits and projects. No decisions were listed.

Pension boards

Two pension boards met Aug. 12. The General Employees Pension Plan Board of Trustees reviewed the quarterly investment report from Burgess Chambers and Associates, discussed the Investment Policy Statement, and received an informational report from Richmond Capital Management. The board also considered a cash flow analysis from the Deputy City Manager/CFO and approved minutes from May 13, 2026.

The Municipal Police Officers' Retirement Trust Fund board also met Aug. 12. It reviewed investment reports from Burgess Chambers and VOYA, considered the FY 2027 police pension budget, and approved minutes from May 13, 2026. The next meeting is set for Nov. 4, 2026 at 1:00 PM.

Transportation Master Plan

The Transportation Master Plan Steering Committee met Aug. 19 to review draft deliverables, including a public information plan, a traffic report technical memo, and a recommended prioritized project list. The committee also recapped a June 25, 2026 public workshop and considered adopting minutes from May 20, 2026.

Coming up

• **Planning Commission** – Aug. 25, 2026: Public hearings on three applications for 1015 Periwinkle Way, including a conditional use permit to change the use from automotive repair to a convenience store, a waiver for vegetation buffers, and a waiver for additional driveways. Also a variance for a dock and boat lift at 784 Limpet Drive.
• **Joint City Council / Planning Commission** – Aug. 27, 2026: Discussion of proposed amendments to Chapter 102, Article II (Below Market Rate Housing), including review of draft Ordinance 26-013, responses to pre-workshop questions, and public comments received as of Aug. 20.

No decisions in past two weeks; Sanibel City Council to weigh solid waste fees, stormwater district, roundabout referendum

No final decisions were made at Sanibel government meetings in the past two weeks — all recent meetings were agenda-only, with minutes not yet published. The most consequential items are on the horizon: the City Council meets Aug. 18 to consider re-imposing the annual solid waste assessment, setting a hearing for a new stormwater assessment district, and voting on a speed limit ordinance, among other items.

Recent meetings (agenda only, no decisions)

Historical Preservation Committee — Aug. 6

The committee discussed updates on the Sanibel Lighthouse Registration Form for the National Register of Historic Places and Local Historic Register nominations for the Sanibel Lighthouse, Sanibel Cemetery, and Wulfert Cemetery. It also discussed a donation of a 1963 concrete header from the draw bridge. No votes were taken.

Planning Commission — Aug. 11

The commission discussed the Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) program as old business. Routine items included adopting minutes from July 28, 2026, and receiving the Planning Permit Review Report for July 2026, a Planning Projects report, and a Plan Application Status Report. No final decisions were listed on the agenda.

Pension boards — Aug. 12

Two pension boards met for routine oversight. The General Employees Pension Plan Board of Trustees reviewed the quarterly investment report from Burgess Chambers and Associates, discussed the Investment Policy Statement, received an informational report from Richmond Capital Management, and considered a cash flow analysis prepared by Deputy City Manager/CFO Steve C. Chaipel. The Municipal Police Officers' Retirement Trust Fund board approved minutes from May 13, 2026, reviewed investment reports from Burgess Chambers and VOYA, and considered the FY2027 police pension budget. The next police pension meeting is set for Nov. 4, 2026, at 1:00 PM.

Upcoming meetings

City Council — Aug. 18

The council will hold a public hearing on the annual solid waste assessment (Resolution 26-031) for fiscal year 2026-27. It will also consider Resolution 26-030 to set a public hearing for establishing a stormwater assessment district. Other items include a second reading of Ordinance 26-011 to specify speed limits on public roadways, Resolution 26-025 to forgive debt owed by Community Housing Resources for Casa Mariposa senior housing, and Resolution 26-026 to call an advisory referendum on a roundabout at Periwinkle Way, Causeway Blvd, and Lindgren Blvd. The agenda also includes appointments, grants, and consent agenda approvals.

City Council budget workshop — Aug. 18

The council will hold a budget workshop to discuss the Fiscal Year 2027 proposed operating and capital budget. This is a discussion item, not a final decision. Public comment will be heard.

Transportation Master Plan Steering Committee — Aug. 19

The committee will review draft deliverables for the city's transportation master plan, including a public information plan, a traffic report technical memo, and a recommended prioritized project list. It will also recap a public workshop held June 25, 2026, and consider adopting minutes from May 20, 2026. Public comment periods are scheduled.

Coming up

• **City Council** — Aug. 18, public hearing and regular meeting (solid waste assessment, stormwater district, speed limits, debt forgiveness, roundabout referendum).
• **City Council budget workshop** — Aug. 18, FY2027 proposed operating and capital budget.
• **Transportation Master Plan Steering Committee** — Aug. 19, draft plan review.

Sanibel City Council to consider $1.3M roads contract and FY2027 millage rate; recent committee minutes pending

Sanibel City Council will consider a $1,301,045.83 engineering contract and a proposed FY2027 operating millage rate at its July 21 meeting. Three committee meetings held last week remain in agenda-only status, with minutes not yet published, so no decisions from those sessions can be reported.

Capital Improvements Review Sub-Committee (July 14)

The sub-committee was scheduled to review the Capital Improvement Element of The Sanibel Plan. Agenda items included review of CIP Code Section 82-281, the Capital Improvement Five-Year Plan and Project Status Report, and discussion of the FY27 Online Budget Book. Minutes have not been published.

Sanibel Plan Update Steering Committee (July 15)

The committee was set to review results from a June 3, 2026, public workshop and the city's vision statement. Agenda items included Ordinance 22-02 (Peril of Flood Plan Amendments) and Ordinance 22-003 (Private Property Rights requirement). The committee also planned to discuss a July 23, 2026, virtual workshop, an August 20, 2026, public workshop, and preliminary results from the Sanibel School Survey. Minutes have not been published.

Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee (July 16)

The committee was scheduled to review a Recreational Amenities Ranking Sheet and discuss the definition of recreation amenities versus attractions. Reports on recreation revenue, recreation memberships, and non-resident membership sales (FY25 vs. FY26) were on the agenda. Minutes have not been published.

Coming up

City Council, July 21 — Items on the agenda include:

• Second reading and public hearing on Ordinance 26-007, amending accessory-structure and front-yard requirements.
• First reading of Ordinance 26-011, to establish 35 mph speed limits on publicly owned roadways.
• Discussion of draft ordinances 26-004 and 26-005, related to the Community Housing & Resources Riverview II project.
• Resolution 26-023, proposing the operating millage rate, rolled-back rate, and aggregate rate for FY2027 and scheduling a public hearing.
• Approval of a $1,301,045.83 contract with Apex Companies LLC for engineering services on the Sanibel Roads Reconstruction project.

Sanibel board weighs boat lift variances; committee takes up invasive plant education

Sanibel's Planning Commission held public hearings on two requests for variances to allow boat lifts and docks that exceed standard waterward extension limits and setback requirements, according to the June 23 meeting agenda. Separately, the Vegetation Committee on July 2 reviewed educational articles on invasive plant species. No decisions were recorded at either meeting, as minutes have not yet been published.

Planning Commission addresses boat lift variance requests

The commission heard two variance applications during its June 23 meeting. The first, from Gaetta Partners LP, seeks a variance for a boat lift at 5270 Indian Court that would extend more than 15 feet waterward and have a depth less than 3 feet at the structure. The second, from Herbert and Rhonda Lord, requests a variance for a dock and boat lift at 2544 Harbour Lane that would extend more than 15 feet waterward and reduce the required side yard setback. The board also considered adopting the minutes from its June 9 meeting. As the item is listed as an agenda only, no action or vote outcome was available.

Vegetation Committee reviews invasive species education

The Vegetation Committee on July 2 reviewed two draft educational articles, one on Java Plum and another on Carrotwood, both classified as invasive species. Members discussed possible updates to existing education materials and heard reports from the Natural Resources Liaison and the committee chairperson. The meeting was also recorded as an agenda-only item, with minutes pending publication.

Coming up

No upcoming meetings are scheduled for the next 14 days.