Proposed Beach Club in Southern Cozumel Under Public Environmental Review

Coastal area in southern Cozumel where the proposed Club de Playa Cozumel Opportunity beach club would be built, near reef ecosystems including Arrecife Paraíso.

Cozumel, Quintana Roo — Citizens, organizations and other interested parties have until Friday, Aug. 14, to submit comments to Mexico’s Environment and Natural Resources Secretariat (Semarnat) on the proposed Club de Playa Cozumel Opportunity beach club, which is slated for the island’s southwestern coast.

The project is currently under environmental review and is registered with the federal agency under file number 23QR2026TD046. That key can be used to access the environmental impact statement (MIA) submitted by the developer in support of the request for authorization.

According to the proposal, the development would occupy more than 1,400 square meters of federal maritime-terrestrial zone (Zofemat) near Puerta Maya and the Fonatur corridor.

The public consultation allows interested parties to review the environmental study and submit observations to Semarnat about the proposed works, potential environmental impacts, and the measures planned to prevent or mitigate them.

Aspects open to review include the size and characteristics of the facilities, the surface area to be occupied, waste and wastewater management, and existing environmental conditions at the site.

The project’s location on Cozumel’s southern coastline is a key point of interest because the area includes reef ecosystems, among them Arrecife Paraíso.

The analysis of the MIA and other documents in the file will determine the proximity of the works to nearby ecosystems, the impacts identified by the developer, and the proposed environmental measures.

The public consultation does not imply that the project has been approved. Club de Playa Cozumel Opportunity remains under evaluation by Semarnat, which will ultimately decide whether the proposal is environmentally viable.

To review the documentation, interested parties can access Semarnat’s online consultation system, enter the file number 23QR2026TD046 and select the section labeled “Estudios” (Studies). Comments may be submitted through Semarnat’s public consultation portal.

The deadline to participate is Friday, Aug. 14. After this stage, the file will continue through the environmental evaluation process until the federal agency issues its ruling.

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By Ana Reyes

Ana Reyes covers environmental policy, conservation initiatives, infrastructure projects, and political developments across the Yucatán Peninsula for Riviera Maya News & Events. She reports on issues from sargassum management and reef conservation to the Maya Train, coastal development, and state and federal policy affecting Quintana Roo and the broader peninsula.Ana has covered environmental and political news since 2023, tracking key developments in Mexico's environmental regulations, coral reef protection, coastal zone management, and the intersection of tourism development with conservation efforts. Her reporting spans from Cancun's hotel zone to the Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve and the culturally significant regions of the Yucatán interior.Ana is fluent in English and Spanish, and draws from a wide range of sources including government environmental agencies, conservation organizations, academic researchers, and local community leaders to provide balanced, well-sourced coverage. She is particularly focused on how environmental policy decisions affect the daily lives of residents and the long-term sustainability of the region.For story tips: ana@rivieramayanews.mx