Puerto Morelos Revises Urban Plan Amid Permit Disputes

PUERTO MORELOS, MX — Municipal authorities are currently conducting a review and update of urban planning and environmental instruments, following questions about the legality and potential environmental impact of certain construction permits granted in previous years, according to Rolando Melo Novelo, Secretary of Urban Development and Territorial Planning for Puerto Morelos.

In an interview, the official explained that the permits currently under review were granted in accordance with the 2020 Urban Development Program, which established parameters for the orderly growth of the municipality. "The permits were granted based on the urban parameters established in that instrument. We are currently working on both planning instruments, environmental and urban development, precisely to ensure the orderly growth of Puerto Morelos," he stated.

Regarding complaints from environmental organizations, such as DEMAS (Defending the Right to a Healthy Environment), which reported closures or irregularities in certain projects, Melo Novelo clarified that this is a strictly environmental matter.

"We must remember that granting a construction permit does not mean that the environment will be damaged. There are environmental permits that include specific mitigations that developers must comply with, and if they fail to do so, they are sanctioned by the competent authorities," he said.

The official emphasized that the supervision of these aspects falls primarily to environmental agencies, such as the Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection (Profepa) and the State Secretariat of the Environment, and not directly to the municipality.

Regarding preventive measures to avoid irregularities or "trafficking" of permits, Melo Novelo recommended that developers strictly comply with current regulations, both in environmental matters and in urban services assessments.