SANIBEL ISLAND, Fla. (WINK)—A mini golf course could be coming to Sanibel Island, but the project faces strict environmental and traffic reviews before anyone can tee off.
Sanibel planners say mini golf isn’t currently allowed under island regulations. However, it could be approved if it passes what officials call a “sanctuary test,” which examines traffic impacts, design compatibility, and environmental concerns.
The central question is whether mini golf would function as a low-key island amenity or a visitor attraction. That distinction carries significant weight in the approval process.
“An attraction is a land use that generates a significant number of its daily and overall automobile trips from off-island locations,” a planner said.
More cars would mean more visitors and increased pressure on Sanibel’s already limited road infrastructure. Planners emphasized that the island’s appeal to visitors stems from its quality as both a sanctuary and a community.
The project isn’t guaranteed approval. It would require a conditional use permit and a full compatibility review before moving forward.
Natural resources officials outlined specific design requirements that could determine the project’s fate. The course design must allow natural bodies of water to expand and contract seasonally, maintain wildlife access to habitat areas, and avoid isolating development that surrounds or cuts off natural spaces.
“We feel that the design should still allow the natural open bodies of water to expand and contract as they would seasonally here on Sanibel, and that the design should still maintain access to that wildlife habitat, and that it shouldn’t be completely surrounded or isolated by development,” a natural resources official said.
The core requirements focus on protecting wildlife, limiting chemical use, and preserving the connectivity of natural habitats. Project leaders are working to distance their vision from typical mini golf stereotypes.
“When you use the words miniature golf, what comes to everybody’s mind is castles and pirate ships and foggers and flashing lights, and that is very much not what we are trying to do,” a project leader said.
Instead, the team envisions a simplified, environmentally conscious design. “Think of it as, honey, I shrunk the golf course, right, like it’s a traditional golf course, just shrunk down, not all the bells and whistles, we are going for a uniquely Sanibel character miniature golf,” the project leader said.
One neighbor expressed cautious support for the concept, provided it aligns with the island’s character. “I do believe that the island can definitely use more amenities to create alternatives to the beautiful nature we have,” the neighbor said.
A planning official challenged the commission to help shape the project appropriately. “How can we help them get it to be consistent with what Sanibel wants to be and create a nice amenity. So that’s my challenge to you all,” the official said.
The planning commission will work on revising the ordinance so the proposal can return to a future meeting agenda as an actionable item ready for a vote.