Green Fair postponed

date to be confirmed

T-shirts for Sale

"Fish do grow on Trees in San Pedro"

only $20 bz from Hol Chan or Seaduced office

Contact

Questions or comments
Please email us at
accsdbz@gmail.com

Status of current Island developments

Summary of major developments:

  1. South Beach Belize - Still does not have all approvals, Government is working on a compromise plan involving the developer giving a large portion of the area over as a marine reserve. The developer has illegally started filling several lots and an access road at the northern edge of the development. Coldwell Banker Belize has several for sale/sold signs with the area. The developer has found an friend in the Minister for Economical development who has written a letter saying cabinet has approved phase one. The Ministers we have spoken say it has not been to cabinet. Our own Chairman of the local Building aurthority says it doesnt matter as it hasnt been approved locally so no construction can proceed.
  2. Sugar Caye development - 421 lots next to the Sewage ponds. Received all permits by offering a % of all sale income to the town council. DOE, Geology, Forestry gave all permits without visiting the site as it was requested by the town board and local Minister. Excavating and filling going ahead.http://sanpedrosun.net/old/09-211.html
  3. San Pedro Estates Subdivision - 5 miles north on the west side of the island. As per Sugar caye all permits obtained without any environmental investigation 1537 lots. Additionally the developer was building a road across the lagoons from the east - see pictures below. The road was stopped by local objection as no plans had been drawn up.http://www.channel5belize.com/archive_detail_story.php?story_id=25002 Aug 09 - developer, still with no plans, dredged a 5 mile access through the center of the islands lagoons to try to continue to build the road.
  4. Mayan Islands - Building and dredging has started even though no environmental clearance has been given. The Developer has a Youtube video on line showing the development and talking about the dredging and land clearing taking place, even though this is illegal.  http://www.youtube.com/user/rkirksnurb
  5. Bellcan luxury eco-resort - Public hearing held, consensus is that it is a good project except for the over water cabanas.


Details:


South Beach Belize

The site:

  • 545 acres of mangrove wetlands.(Reef Village site is only 22acres)
  • Southern boundary connects to Hol Chan marine reserve
  • Surrounds the Marco Gonzalez Maya site
  • Being marketed as a gated community.

The Development:

  • Over 700 lots including 30 hotels and a 150 room Casino.
  • Currently 1700 hotel rooms on the island this will add an additional 1000 hotel rooms.
  • When full this will add 7000 people to the island

Dredging:

  • 2,000,000 cubic yards of sand will be dredged to fill the site.
  • This is 250,000 truck loads of sand. If parked bumper to bumper the trucks would stretch all the way from Belize City to Miami

http://www.doe.gov.bz/EIAs/SouthBeach.html

Development Status
  • South Beach Belize received approval of its EIA in December.
  • The ECPs were signed on 10th February. The ECPs specified a bond of $250,000bz be paid by the developer and no development activity is allowed until this is paid in full and for 30 days after this.
  • As of 1st April the bond had not been paid by the developer and yet development activity was being carried out in the form of dumping sand at the site and cutting of mangrove for survey lines.
  • No stop order was issued by the DOE
  • The Developer still needs to get the following approvals
    1. Forestry for mangrove cutting
    2. Geology for dredging inside site in phase 1 and outside for subsequent phases.
    3. San Pedro Planning Committee for all building work

Land ownership documents received from DOE - 29th March. Please note there is no title document and the Island Resorts ltd document is not signed or named, only a deed of conveyance from 1989. South Beach land ownership documents from the DOE

May 2009: Minister Vega and his team from the Ministry of Natural resources visited San Pedro and sat down with the ACCSD and the Developer and proposed a compromise plan for the area involving leaving approximately 140 acres on the South and Western end of the area as a marine reserve.
The ACCSD accepted the concept of a compromise but are awaiting further details. It is not clear if the Developer accepted a compromise.


San Pedro estates Road pictures:





  • Mayan island - West of San Pedro Town, 96 condos, hotel, 19 houses, cafe, pools and tennis courts on 18.9 acres. LLES submitted to the DOE. Developers website www.mayanislands.com. 16th March - LLES "not accepted"  by the DOE and taken down from the DOE website
  • Venecia del Mar - West side of the San Pedro airstrip. Phase one is 49 condos, 8 Villas, 36 hotel rooms, shops, restaurants and pools, built on 17 acres of an 80acre site. LLES submitted to the DOE.  16th March - LLES "not accepted"  by the DOE and taken down from the DOE website
  • Casa Linda - West of San Pedro Town. Developers website www.casalinda.us. A 4 acre property with plans to develope 21 family Villas, 100 room Hotel, 16 Condos, two swimming pools, restaurants and shops. LLES submitted to the DOE
  • Bellcan Luxury eco development - 18 miles north of Town in the Bacalar Chico area. see propoasl below. 2nd June EIA submitted to the the DOE. www.doe.gov.bz/EIAs/Bellcan.html 


Proposed New Developments:

Bacalar Chico Area - Pre EIA information.

This development is in its planning stages and the environmental consultant has asked for feedback. Please email your comments so we can pass on to the consultant.
It is in Private land next to the Santiago Castillo (Rosewoood) project.  It borders the marine reserve and the national park on either side

The proposed development is for tourism facilities on Northern Ambergris Caye, situated just south of Boca Bacalar Chico and about ± 18 miles north of the town of San Pedro (or about 57 miles from Belize City along the eastern coast).  Proposed development activities include the construction of hotel facilities, of 70 units and 6 over-the-water cabanas.

 

At completion, and at full capacity, the proposed development is expected to have some 68 residents and holiday-makers, and a staff of 25 persons and an estimated 25 transient visitors.  The proposed development will also include the construction of elevated walkways in some areas property and the western or lagoon side of the development, which will connect all the different residential units and amenities of the development.  Two piers, one to be utilized for tourism activities and for hotel loading and unloading of supplies and materials will be constructed on the windward side of the development.  This pier will also serve as the connection to the over the water cabanas, and the last one on the lagoonal side, basically for sunset views and relaxation, including some water sports. Tourism activities will include snorkeling, diving, canoeing, kayaking, catch and release and fly-fishing.

 

It is anticipated that the area of land at both the southern and northern end of the property will be left in its natural state as a buffer zone for the proposed development.  The Developer will also look toward the area of land along the lagoon (Laguna de Cantena) to be left in its natural state as part of the Boca Bacalar Chico National Park.



Currently the proposed project lies on some 74.25 acres which consists of 33.11 acres of land and 41.14 acres of lagoon property as described in the old survey plan (land titles) of the Lands and Survey Department. It is understood that the developer does not intend to develop on the 41.14 acres of lagoon property.

 

Breakdown of Residential Areas

 

Unit

Residential Description

# of Units

Unit Size (s.f.)

Total Area (acres)

A

Beach/Water Front Casitas

4

1,110

0.13

B

Eco Luxury Villas

8

1,480

0.43

C

Stilted Casitas (1 bdr)

12

966

0.27

D

Stilted Casitas  (2 bdr)

12

966

0.27

E

Overwater Cabañas

6

736

0.16

F

Staff/Employees(25)

4

676

0.06

Total

46

4,968

1.32

 

 

AT FULL CAPACITY IF CAN ACCOMODATE 93 GUESTS AND  STAFF

 

 

 


 

Developers initial proposal


Development Option decided upon after site visit and consideration of the location of the project


 

Closeup view of both piers and over the water cabanas

The project intends to only conduct kayaking and fishing in the lagoon area, while other water sports will be done from the front pier.

The garbage will be separated. The organics will be composted and the in-organics will be packaged and shipped to the mainland.

Liquid waste will be treated using a package plant, and the effluent either used for irrigation, flushing or into the deep well injection.

The water resource will be by rainwater catchment and RO, where the brine will be disposed via deep well injection.

Electricity will be via Wind turbine, solar cells and backup diesel generator.

The resort also intends to hire locals for all guiding related activities.

The workers/staff will be done on a rotational basis, thus no one will live with a family on the premises.

In respect to safety, all staff will be trained in first aid, and the relevant staff will be trained in fire-fighting. 

Evacuation will be via Helipad to Corozal, where the project has its counterpart which will be located in Consejo.  For lesser medical emergencies, then it will be by boat to San Pedro then to Belize City if necessary, for serious emergencies then the transport will be via Helicopter to Belize City.

Developers are willing to work with the reserve staff, and provide assistance for the continued protection and success of the reserve.