A Development Plan for More Responsible Growth
One of the methods that can be employed to foment more responsible growth is via urban development plans instituted at municipal and state levels.
During 1997, the developer of Playa Las Tortugas began sponsoring an environmental study performed by the Scientific Investigations Department of the University of Nayarit, which concluded in March 1998. The study, amongst other things, has served as the base document of an urban development plan for our zone called “The Program of Urban Development of the Locality of Platanitos, Municipality of Compostela, Nayarit.
Urban Plan Voted into Law
This urban development plan was sponsored by the developer of Playa Las Tortugas in conjunction with the municipal and state public works offices and voted into law at the municipal level on November 26, 2004. Then on April 13, 2005 it was published at state level in the Official Periodical of the Government of the State of Nayarit. Copies of this development law are available from the state office of the “Periodico Oficial” in the capital of Tepic, Nayarit.
Area Addressed by the Plan
The area addressed by the plan is about 1783 hectares, or 4582 acres. Regulated by the plan are some 5 kilometers of coastline with over 3 kilometers being turtle nesting habitat, and approximately 1000 hectares (2570 acres) of mangrove estuary and tropical forest.
More Responsible Growth
The urban plan serves more responsible growth by limiting construction density on the 4 kilometers of beach where Playa Las Tortugas and the turtle nesting habitat is located (the palm groves). The plan also limits the height of buildings to three stories in this section of beach to keep them below the levels of the palms. The limitation on building height helps maintain a lower population density and more natural appearance, along with keeping light levels down in the turtle nesting habitat. The plan provides for green spaces, and an additional setback from the federal beach zone for the protection of the turtle nesting habitat.