Baja California Sur Governor Víctor Manuel Castro Cosío affirmed that the Malecón District project in La Paz will be able to proceed, provided it meets all legal and environmental requirements, although he warned that its construction will generate inevitable impacts on the city.
“As long as they meet all the requirements, it’s obviously a pressure because there will be more people, parking, more traffic, etc., and the sewage system will overflow. But they have to cope with that. They have to help too,” declared the state governor.
Castro Cosío acknowledged that urban growth in the La Paz Malecón area poses infrastructure challenges, particularly in terms of roads and sanitation services.
What is the Malecón District project?
The Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (Semarnat) authorized the Malecón District real estate development in the city of La Paz, subject to compliance with 33 environmental conditions to mitigate ecological, water, urban, and social impacts.
The project will be located at Paseo Álvaro Obregón #210, on the corner of Héroes del 47, in the Esterito neighborhood, next to Francisco King Park.
The plan includes two main buildings on a surface area of 6,627 square meters:
A one-story front building with restaurants, cafes, and shops overlooking the ocean.
A seven-story rear building with 89 residential apartments and 19 commercial spaces.
A 4,779-square-meter basement for parking.
The developer, Decope Hotelería y Turismo S.A. de C.V., must comply with agreements with the Municipal Operating Agency for the Drinking Water, Sewerage, and Sanitation System (OOMSAPAS), the La Paz City Council, and the Ministry of Public Education (SEP).
The above will modernize the El Esterito sump, rehabilitate urban infrastructure, install LED lighting, and implement environmental education and reforestation programs.
It is also required to guarantee the water supply without affecting neighboring neighborhoods and to implement a mangrove restoration program in areas such as Arroyo El Cajoncito.
In the event of noncompliance, Semarnat may revoke the permit and refer the case to the Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection (Profepa) for sanctions. Furthermore, any unauthorized modification to the project will automatically result in the loss of the environmental authorization.
The environmental authorization for the project identified with code 03BS2023TD069 was granted by the Semarnat Representative Office in Baja California Sur to Decope Hotelería y Turismo S.A. de C.V., after completing the private Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) evaluation process.
During this procedure, more than 400 citizen observations were recorded, many of them warning about water shortages in the area, the collapse of the sewage sump, and the reduction of green areas.
Technical criticisms were also documented for omissions in the assessment of cumulative and synergistic impacts and the drainage system, as well as the lack of a soil mechanics study.
“We have said it: we are not against development. But this is not development, this is depredation,” said Miguel Hernández, a member of the Colina del Sol Popular Defense Committee – Esterito Neighborhood.
Faced with this situation, he pledged to solve the El Esterito sump, which has been identified for decades as a critical source of spills.
“We already need to address this drainage problem in the Esterito sump. It has been postponed for various reasons, but it no longer needs to be diverted. They already have the project, and now we are seeking the funds,” he said.
The governor announced that the plan includes a new drainage channel toward Ignacio Altamirano Street and that financing is expected to be secured to begin the project in 2026.
Castro Cosío made it clear that his administration will not halt developments like the Malecón District if they comply with regulations, but will require developers to collaborate in improving urban infrastructure to mitigate the impacts on the capital of South California.
Neighbors doubt the work on the sump promised for 2021
The critical condition of the sewage sump located in the area, whose operating capacity (50 liters per second) has been greatly exceeded, according to the committee and its technical advisors.
“That sump receives sewage from at least nine neighborhoods and is overwhelmed. The spills occur weekly, and with this new building, they will worsen,” explained Gilberto Piñeda Bañuelos, advisor to the committee.
Miguel Hernández explained that the sump was granted a concession in November 2005 during the municipal administration of Víctor Manuel Castro Cosío to the Costa Baja Hotel, now Puerta Cortés, for irrigation with treated water for golf courses, but to date, the hotel has not fulfilled its maintenance commitments, they point out.
They even stated that the city council promised to present a final project for its rehabilitation in 2021, which was never delivered.
“They’ve told us that they’re going to fix the sump now, that they’re going to build a new one. But we don’t believe them anymore. It’s just been a lot of delays,” said Hernández.
He explained that more than four years ago, they held a three-hour meeting with state and municipal authorities, where they agreed to draft a final project to solve the problem. However, that project was never presented.
“One day, Mrs. Milena Quiroga arrived with a document stating that 20 million pesos would be invested to divert part of the river basin. We didn’t sign that document because it didn’t reflect the agreement,” Hernández said.
Later, he added, in a subsequent meeting, they were informed that the project was never carried out, even though it had been assumed.
“We know for a fact that no investment has been made. What was agreed upon later was to build a new sump in the upper part, rehabilitate the existing one, and update the pipelines,” he concluded.
Source: oem
