Locals of the coastal community of Sisal argue that a new oceanside housing development threatens the health of its ecosystem.
But as the project has already been granted approval and begun construction, Sisal’s community is vowing to use all of its lobbying power to make sure no developments are approved.
The approval process for the controversial project has been marred in irregularities that critics attribute to corruption and cronyism.
Aside from boasting its location and oceanside views, on its website, the developer also mentions that the region offers great hunting opportunities, which has further incensed the community.
Critics of the project which include a growing group of environmentalists have commented that the new development will not only impact the immediate area of the construction site but the entire ecosystem.
“This area is full of lagoons and freshwater springs. There is a reason the roads around here are mostly sandy, the area can’t take such a large influx of people and construction,” said Sisal resident Josué Carvajal Catzín.
This project may only be the first of several developments that will turn Sisal from a pristine community to a tourist trap.
Some residents say they don’t want their community to have the Pueblo Magico federal designation any longer.
“We are not Cancún and we certainly do not want to be. Our town is not for sale and neither are we,” said local resident Claudia López.
Environmental costs and the impact of over-tourism are not the only reasons locals are unhappy. One of the unexpected consequences of the Pueblo Magico designation has been that electrical tariffs have skyrocketed. The town is now labeled a tourism zone by the CFE, Mexico’s state-run power company.
Less than an hour from Mérida, Sisal has long been recognized as one of Yucatán’s best beaches but has in the past few years been a victim of its own success.
Locals have also expressed dismay at seeing large domestic and international retail chains popping up around town and threatening — and in the case of a new Oxxo — to replace local businesses. There is also a perception that well-heeled outsiders are gobbling up all of the best real estate, especially on the coast, and inflating prices to unhealthy levels.
Sisal is home to under 2,000 full-time residents, but this number will balloon unless action is taken.
A further complication is that because Sisal is not a municipality, but rather a commissary of Hunucmá, the local and state tax burden levied on the community does not even stay in town.
