FISH of SanCap Resiliency Hub’s variance application approved
After a lengthy discussion, the Sanibel Planning Commission approved a variance application and conditional use permit for FISH of SanCap’s Resiliency Hub, which allows the organization to expand its floor area ratio by more than 3,400 square feet.
“This was an important step for FISH and for a project that has required a tremendous amount of planning, coordination and collaboration,” FISH Executive Director Maria Espinoza said. “We appreciate the Planning Commission, city staff and everyone who took the time to learn more about the project, ask questions and participate in the process. We know there are different perspectives in our community, and we respect the public process that allows those perspectives to be heard.”
The approval was not unanimous. Commissioners Kate Sergeant and Ken Colter voted against the motion.
Commissioner Larry Schopp made the motion to allow a 16.7% floor area ratio where the limit is 12% for an institutional use located within the Town Center limited commercial district. The motion also included FISH relinquishing the rental space on Palm Ridge Road within 12 months after the certificate of occupancy for the new building is received.
“This is a hard decision, but I have found number one, seven, and six of those conditions have not been met. One — did not buy a big enough lot. Number six — inconsistent with neighborhood based on size. Seven — 3,700 above what they allowed to have — that is an enormous amount. On a regular day-to-day basis, their services are actually not unique — it’s given by other organizations that certainly don’t need something this large for day in and day out,” Sergeant said.
Colter said the building should have been made smaller, as the same arguments of more space will be made by everyone else.
The other commissioners shared why the resolution earned their approval.
Commissioner Lyman Welch said FISH has been supporting the community for the last 40 years and really stepped up after Hurricane Ian hit the island by providing cleaning supplies and food for people recovering from the storm.
“It’s appropriate to support a service in our Town Center that supports the community. To be resilient, the building needs to be raised up, include elevators and stairways that take up some of the additional space. I think I would support the staff’s finding and move to grant the variance,” he said.
Principal Planner Kim Ruiz took the commissioners through a presentation regarding the variance — allowing the floor area to increase from 12%, 8,834 square feet to 16.7%, 12,309 square feet, at 2422 Periwinkle Way and 2430 Periwinkle Way.
“The left hand side of the property is the current location where FISH was operating before Hurricane Ian — it had both FISH and a restaurant,” she said. “Post Hurricane Ian, FISH has ownership of the whole building and had the opportunity to acquire the Gene’s Bookstore on the east side.”
Ruiz said through the Lee County Property Appraiser the two lots were combined for one strap number, increasing from one acre to a 1.69 acre property.
This location is part of the Town Center, which is dedicated as the hub of the community offering a mix of uses.
Sergeant said her concern was that the proposed building does not fit in with the Town Center feel.
Ruiz said the center is not just strictly commercial use — as there is already a city facility and fire station located within the area.
“From a planning point of view, it’s the perfect place to have institutional use to serve multiple ways,” Ruiz said. “FISH has been in the Town Center since 2014.”
Sergeant said FISH is now taking up two lots with a much larger building that will not generate any tax revenue. She shared concern about the variance, allowing the floor area to increase by 4.7%, or 3,745 square feet, over what could be permitted.
“Is that really the minimum necessary,” she said, as others who are building a home or some other commercial building do it within regulation and not a request for a variance. “There is a lot of flex space and it doesn’t seem to me that they need extra space, especially in the Town Center. Why can’t they shrink it, so it doesn’t need that variance?”
Colter also had a problem with the size of the building, and the concern of loosing more tax benefit.
“All residents have to comply with the development code, commercial has to comply with the land development code. I totally can’t support the increase in size,” he said
Ruiz said over the course of three and a half years, there has been a critical eye on what the needs are and maximizing that as far as possible.
The presentation highlighted the footprint of the building, such as parking under the one story building, interconnection to the shared use path, and a proposed floor plan with flexible space for such areas as community meeting rooms, program areas, conference room, pantry area equipped with both a dry food storage area and refrigerator and freezer, distribution areas, office space, break room, bathrooms, and elevators.
Attorney Jason Maughan, who serves as FISH’s counsel, said they have 11 permanent workers at the office every day, and about 11 to 15 volunteers there all day every day.
“We have to build a property that is going to serve everybody forward. We tried the bare minimum. They are stacked up on top of each other. They are not luxury offices. These are volunteers and workers doing it — caring for people — a harder days work than us,” he said.
Maughan said the building is an essential building — a local hub for United Way, and a local hazardous event command center. He said FEMA put so many resiliency requirements on them that it has taken years to get to where they are.
The planning has included bringing in generators to maintain the position of the first line. He said the operation and logistical lessons learned from the past few hurricanes, has been incorporated into the building.
“That is the pledge we have taken. We did it with community partners. That is what the community has asked us to do. This is the space we need to continue to fit those unmet needs,” Espinoza said. “We try to do well by providing resources and plan for the future. All of these spaces are entirely useful.”
Nathalie White, with Schenkel Shultz Architecture, said the original grant from HUD was to take the two existing buildings and raise them up to FEMA requirements. She said with it being an essential facility there were greater height requirements to meet that classification.
If they were to take the two existing buildings and elevate them, it would cost more than building brand new, White said, as there would be additional scope for such things as elevators and stairs, and a proper kitchen during gray skies, as well as a bridge to connect the two. Building new, she said, works better “flow-wise” while focusing on that “porch like feeling.”
“We maximized every development inch we have — space needed for admin, privacy for residents. We definitely did look at multiple options,” White said. “A brand new building was a better option. It is going to be the latest codes. A better use of their money for the community.”
Colter said “the free money trumps the rules,” which he cannot accept.
“Every day we have to make a building fit within. It should have happened here also,” he said.
With the approval from the Planning Commission, FISH and the project team will advance the Resiliency Hub through the design, and development process. The project currently sits at 60% design, which has incorporated community feedback into the planning process — interest in flexible space, resilient construction, backup power, emergency distribution capabilities and continuity of services.
FISH acknowledged the day after the meeting that they need to continue to share information about the project, the services the organization provides, and how the facility will support both the year-round operations and disaster responses.
“Some of the questions we heard gave us an opportunity to talk about the depth and breadth of FISH and how much our work has changed and grown, particularly since Hurricane Ian,” Espinoza said. “It also showed us that we have more opportunities to share that story. We want people to understand what happens through FISH every day, what happens when our islands face an emergency, and how this facility is being planned to support both.”
The facility is planned to support the daily services, while also strengthening FISH’s ability to continue operating before, during and after emergencies. FISH will continue to work with the City of Sanibel, Lee County, project professionals, funding partners, donors and the community as plans progress.
“The Building Committee has spent a great deal of time working through the details of this project with our architects, engineers and FISH leadership. Reaching this point represents a lot of careful work, and we will bring that same level of attention to the decisions still ahead,” FISH Board Vice Chair and Building Committee Chair Bill Hayles said.
Those who have questions, or comments about the project can contact Espinoza at 239-472-4775.
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