Real Estate Threatens Ecosystem in Telchac Puerto, Yucatan

Real estate projects pose a threat to the wildlife and plant life in Telchac Puerto, Yucatan. Despite this, local initiatives are striving to conserve the area and prevent it from transforming into a tourist hotspot similar to Cancun or Tulum.

Recent signs of local frustration include a burned fence that once blocked public access to the beach. Residents of Telchac Puerto, a municipality in Yucatan, have raised concerns about the destruction of sand dunes, the rapid expansion of real estate projects, and the restriction of free access to the sea. Along a 39-kilometer stretch between Telchac Puerto and Dzilam de Bravo, there are approximately 500 constructions. Around 20% of these are new buildings, some reaching up to ten floors high. This is a stark contrast to the landscape of this part of the Yucatan coast just five years ago.

These buildings are frequently marketed as luxury residences. As they are constructed, access to the beaches is often blocked. In response to this growing problem, local residents have begun collecting signatures to request government surveillance to prevent the illegal closure of beach access points. Those responsible for the closures often lack the necessary permissions and authorizations, yet they face no penalties.

According to the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (Semarnat), up to ten applications for new constructions in Yucatan are submitted each month. At least two of these typically relate to the municipalities of Telchac Puerto or Dzilam Bravo. One recent project planned in Telchac Puerto is a private and residential real estate development, with an estimated investment of 10 million pesos to cover more than two thousand hectares. The project's name is not public knowledge and is simply referred to as a "Development in Telchac Puerto".

To safeguard the ecosystem, the project document specifies that constructions must be at least 60 meters from the coast and respect the sand dunes. Additionally, buildings must not exceed a height of seven meters. However, despite these territorial planning achievements, the rules were altered in 2014. Since then, each municipality has the freedom to choose whether or not to enforce these regulations.

Local resident, José Inés Loría Palma, has witnessed the area's construction boom firsthand. "It's an environmental aberration because there are more and more constructions without considering the implications," he said. Some developers have even begun marketing the area as the "new riviera of Mexico."