Protecting Yucatan’s Beaches

In this month's eco-tourism article we will discuss the coastal areas of our state, and measurements the government is taking to protect the environment. Many of our readers are familiar with Decreto 801, a law which determines what type of structures may be built on waterfront land, including improvements to existing buildings.

For those who have waterfront land and plan to build a beach house, be sure to get the proper permits. If you begin construction with only a municipal building permit, and don't get the environmental OK for your construction from SEMARNAT (Secretaría de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales), you are at risk of having your construction halted, or worse, having to tear it down after it is finished...and to pay some very hefty fines.

But let's back up...what is the nature of the law and why is it there? There are some who have opposed the law and tried to have it overturned. But the government explains that those who oppose it are ignoring the importance of the efforts of researchers who are trying to protect the coastal dunes. These dunes are active, and when they disappear they can bury and destroy entire ecosystems. The problem is when construction is too close to the beach, the dune foliage, which acts as a barrier to erosion, is destroyed, because the waves crash against your house or barrier wall and drag the sand back into the sea. These dunes form belts which protect the adjacent land and keep the beach itself higher than the high tide line. The reason for the limit of construction having to be 60 meters from high tide is, simply, to prevent erosion. If your land is not deep enough to allow for the 60 meter setback, construction on stilts is permitted. Homes built before the law came into effect are exempt.

It is extremely important to note that the Yucatán coast has many different regions, and each has its own set of construction guidelines. In some urban areas, there are few restrictions at all. But no matter whether you are in a region with many or no restrictions, you must have the SEMARNAT permit before you obtain your municipal permit.

Let's all do our part to keep this coast as beautiful as it was when we found it.

Recommended reading:
- Beaches on the Gulf of Mexico
- Real Estate: Beach Homes
- Building and Remodling

Maps:
- Map of the Yucatan Peninsula