Sanibel parking permits available starting Thursday, Sanibel Lighthouse electric work completed

City of Sanibel parking permits for residents and property owners will be available starting on Thursday.

The Department of Recreation said residents and property owners can purchase them beginning at 8 a.m. on Thursday at the Sanibel Recreation Cente at 3880 Sanibel-Captiva Road.

City of Sanibel B & BC Beach Parking permits for non-resident and non-property owners will be available for purchase beginning Jan. 31., the department said.

Starting in February, a limited number of beach accesses will be available, the city said.

The vehicle registration or lease agreement for each vehicle for which a permit is being purchased must be presented at the of the purchase, the city said.

Acceptable proof of residency or property ownership are:

• Driver’s License with a Sanibel address
• A valid government-issued photo identification card with a Sanibel address
• Lee County Voter Registration Card with a Sanibel Address
• Tax Bill with the Homestead Exemption for the Sanibel property, the property owner owns
• Tax Bill with the Property Ownership on Sanibel
• Notarized Declaration of Domicile Listing a Sanibel Residence

Beach parking Permits may be purchased via cash, Master Card, American Express, Discover, Visa or check.

In other Sanibel news, the electric work on the Sanibel Lighthouse is complete. The update on the work was provided during a Sanibel city council meeting on Tuesday. The plans are to hold a ceremony to relight the tower.

The Island will also have two mobile post office units by Friday. One will be at the post office on Tarpon Bay Road. Operations could begin by the end of January.

City officials discussed reopening two beaches in early February. The goal is to get Tarpon Beach Beach and Blind Pass Beach open.

Plans also include putting up temporary fencing at pedestrian access points.

The goal is to open Gulfside City Park, Bowman’s Beach and the boat ramp by March or possibly April.

There is no determination on when Lighthouse Beach and Turner Beach could reopen.

The curfew on Sanibel remains from midnight to 6 a.m.

The Sanibel Police chief has the discretion to add a checkpoint if needed.

Sanibel police can also pull anyone over during curfew hours to find out why they are on the island.