Planning commission sends council Bailey’s plan
At a recent meeting, the Sanibel Planning Commission recommended an amendment to the Land Development Code related to the proposed redevelopment of the Bailey’s Shopping Center proceed to the city council for consideration, as well as approved a waiver for a second different application.
On June 22, city staff presented the commission with the draft ordinance it prepared for the LDC amendment request, as directed by the commissioners at the prior meeting on June 8. In addition, the applicant presented a proposed master site development plan, also as directed by the commission.
The presented application is a request for an amendment to the LDC to amend the development standards for the Bailey’s property, which is part of a Planned Unit Development. The application was filed for the center at 2477 Periwinkle Way and Periwinkle Adventures at 2431 Periwinkle Way.
It was submitted by architect Ray Fenton on behalf of the owner of the properties.
The applicant is seeking amendments to the PUD to allow for:
– Adding the approximate half-acre parcel of Periwinkle Adventures, the existing 13-room housing facility for Bailey’s employees, to the PUD.
– Demolishing the principal structure, along with Periwinkle Adventures.
– Redeveloping the commercial floor area with an expansion of the grocery store.
– Relocating Alleck’s Alley to the east to provide for a two-way access to serve the center and eastern (residential) property.
– Donating an approximate 2-acre parcel to the city or Community Housing and Resources for the purpose of below market rate housing.
– Demolishing the movie theater.
– Redeveloping square footage for retail use.
– Redeveloping the existing liquor store.
– Adding gazebos to the principal structure.
– Adding a new entry to the general/grocery store.
– Redesigning the parking lot, to include the expansion of commercial landscape buffers and interior landscape islands, as well as the relocation and an overall reduction of the ingress-egress curb cuts.
– Increasing pedestrian facilities, bike connectivity and parking.
– Eliminating seven existing parking spaces.
– Constructing a second floor addition for incidental storage for the grocery store.
Senior planner and acting Community Services Director Craig Chandler walked the commission through the proposed changes to the Code’s language for the PUD as drafted. He noted that staff also added in language to address green building practices, plus interconnectivity and bicycle parking.
Chandler reported that staff found the text changes are prepared in a manner consistent with the purpose and intent of the Bailey’s PUD, future land use element of the Sanibel Plan and city charter.
He continued that the proposed text changes are such that the proposed master site development plan, master vegetation plan and design renderings may be permitted by city staff without LDC conflict.
Staff recommended seven modifications to the Code for consideration by the city council.
During discussion, Bailey’s owner Richard Johnson spoke to the housing portion.
“Currently, there are staff members that live in those residences. That’s always been employee housing,” he said, adding that they are working with CHR to transition the residents to other units. “At that time, we will step back out of the employee housing market and turn that all over to them.”
A motion to recommend that the Sanibel City Council consider the amendment to the LDC to amend the development standards for the Bailey’s property, with the modifications from staff, passed 6-0.
Also at the meeting, the commission continued its consideration of a waiver request to allow for less than the required installation, location, numbers, types, size and variety specified for commercial vegetation buffers and landscaping at the Periwinkle Place shopping center, at 2075 Periwinkle Way.
It was submitted by attorney Steve Hartsell on behalf of Dahlmann Periwinkle Place.
Chandler outlined for the commissioners the issues and background related to the application, explaining that the applicant is seeking a waiver of the LDC for the front, rear and west vegetation buffers, along with a second wavier of the LDC for all four buffers, including the eastern one.
He explained that in its analysis of the proposal, staff found agreement with the application and six necessary standards, but with one condition. Natural Resources staff recommended that an additional 24 native small shrubs-groundcovers be added to the front buffer to meet a percentage requirement.
Chandler continued that if the commission seeks to approve the application, Natural Resources recommended five conditions be included, with Planning recommending two additional ones.
After a lengthy discussion among the commissioners, applicant and staff, which stemmed from requests from the applicant for a different vegetation planting timeline and maintenance height for some plants and the removal of direct Code citations within the language, a consensus was met.
The commission voted 6-0 to approve the request to include the removal of Category 1 invasive exotics; the installation of the front buffer within 120 days, followed by the west buffer in 15 months, rear buffer in 27 months and east buffer in 39 months; and adding in the 24 shrubs-groundcover.
The motion included having the resolution with all the changes come back to the commission.
To reach TIFFANY REPECKI / trepecki@breezenewspapers.com, please email