Feature Post Sayulita Life’s July $5,000 Donation Recipient*: Pro Sayulita & Community Work to Stop IMPLAN Actualization of Municipal Urban Development Plan
June 29, 2020 sayulitablog 0Comment

This month’s donation recipient from Sayulita Life goes to Pro Sayulita as they continue to work closely with lawyers and environmental specialists to stop the new IMPLAN Development Plan for Sayulita. We are all aware of the difficult times we are facing due to Covid-19, but in order to continue forward with this project, the community of Sayulita needs additional funds; Pro Sayulita’s goal is to raise $25,000 USD. Sayulita Life’s donation will go toward raising funds to help our community stop this development plan, also known as the “Saving Sayulita Project”. The economy will surely be affected negatively by this plan if it is not stopped, opening the doors of IMPLAN for "special favors" to be asked, like the approval of illegal constructions, and taking advantage of height limits on new builds.

What is happening / what is the problem?

For those that don’t know, IMPLAN are the offices for Instituto Municipal de Planeación in Bahía de Banderas. We are fighting against the 2020 Actualization for the Plan Municipal de Desarrollo Urbano. The last plan from IMPLAN for Sayulita was in 2002. IMPLAN is requesting all municipalities in Nayarit to submit a 20-year growth plan. This current plan will negatively affect Sayulita. Local citizens of Sayulita and ProSayulita are working together to try to change this plan to save Sayulita from overgrowth and overcrowding.

What is at stake if this development plan moves forward?

  • Sayulita's future
  • Development density
  • Type of development
  • Environmental impact
  • Social impact
  • Overuse of infrastructure and social resources

Who is involved in this?

  • Attorney Alberto Szekely
  • Pro Sayulita
  • Local business owners
  • Local homeowners
  • Sayulita residents & community

What has been done so far to stop this development plan?

  • Meetings
  • Signatures
  • Petitions
  • Fundraising

To elaborate, Pro Sayulita began raising funds and contracted Attorney Dr. Szekely in late January 2020. They also contracted a land planner to begin the technical analysis as well as an architectural firm to present alternative plans for our area. They had their first big fundraiser (The Tropical Elegance Event held at Frente al Punto) back on February  6th, 2020 and they continue to raise needed funds for the legal, technical, and lobbying efforts.

Fortunately, in spite of such a tight timeline, Pro Sayulita was able to legally register more than 80 legal, constitutional, and technical observations and objections to IMPLAN, supported by 954 signatures of residents and owners from Sayulita and San Pancho. Pro Sayulita’s observations and petitions were duly delivered at the IMPLAN offices and registered by a Notary. By law, IMPLAN was required to formally address and answer via documentation all of the groups observations/objections within thirty days, but due to the pandemic and subsequent shutdowns of most non-essential government offices and programs, the process has been delayed by months. Hopefully we will see IMPLAN's formal response within the next month or so. Once we have their answers, Pro Sayulita will begin their rebuttal process, and if forced to, will file legal appeals seeking court injunctions on a per-item basis.

What can you do to help?

DONATE! Anyone can help donate to this cause by visiting the link here; once at the website, click “Donate”, then click the “Save Sayulita Fund” button. Pro Sayulita is thankful to all of those who have already contributed to his important, potentially life-changing cause for us here in Sayulita

*Since its founding in 2004, SayulitaLife.com has been dedicated to giving back to the community of Sayulita. In our 15th year as a company, Sayulita Life has created the “Giving Fund”, where we have pledged to donate $5,000 pesos EVERY MONTH to a local charity or cause. Read more at https://www.sayulitalife.com/giving-back.

Written by: Aanya Sheikh-Taheri