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Tamarindo Gets Historic
Planning Deal
By Ralph Nicholson,
the beachtimes.com
Association Says It Could Have
Plan Within 12 Months
With some anxious moments,
followed by laughter and a
bottle of champagne, the
Tamarindo Association last week
signed an historic agreement,
which within 12 months could see
a regulatory plan governing all
building and construction within
the town.
The three-way agreement, signed
in Langosta on Friday, is
between the Asociación Pro
Mejoras Playa Tamarindo, the
Municipality of Santa Cruz and
the Instituto Nacional de
Vivienda y Urbanismo (INVU, or
the Institute of Housing and
Urban Development).
And in a unique development,
INVU has agreed to put together
the so-called Plan Regulador,
effectively a blue print for
what kind of building and
development will be allowed in
and around Tamarindo.
In commissioning INVU to draw up
the plan, rather than getting
the work done privately, the
Tamarindo Association is
virtually guaranteeing key,
government approval.
“I am very happy we have signed
this agreement,” said a clearly
delighted Griet Depypere. “It
has taken this association five
or six years to get to this
point. The Association did have
an agreement once before, but in
the end there was no money.”
The plan will cost about
$46,000, $10,000 of which will
be paid by the Municipality of
Santa Cruz. And it was that
element of the agreement that at
the last minute, threatened to
derail the deal.
As the key players —- Griet
Depypere, President of the
Tamarindo Association; Ángelo
Altamira Carriero, Executive
President of INVU; and Pastor
Gómez Ruiz, Mayor of the
Municipality of Santa Cruz —-
gathered to sign the documents,
it was revealed the Municipality
needed the approval of the
Comptroller General’s office, to
make such a pledge. That process
can take up to two years.
There were some anxious moments,
before it was discovered the
Comptroller General approval is
not needed for figures below 14
million colones (or nearly
$30,000). Somewhere in the
middle of hasty negotiations,
the Association’s bill also rose
by an additional $5000 —- half
the estimated cost of printing
and publishing the finished
plan.
But no one seemed to mind.
Ángelo Altamira Carriero, INVU’s
Executive President, said his
department had been anxious to
get behind the Association’s
proposal because of the
considerable interest generated
in what was an organized
community.
“Tamarindo has had rapid growth
without any real order and there
is a danger it could collapse,”
Mr Altamira said. “INVU does not
have the resources to do this
itself.”
The Regulatory Plan, which will
cover more than 25 square
kilometers, will include
Tamarindo, Langosta, Villareal
and Santa Rosa. It will cover
height restrictions and building
density, but also include such
issues as roads, bus stops and
parking, street light, black
water treatment and drainage.
It should be completed and
approved within 12 months.
“I would like to see this done
faster, but the problem is once
they have finished the plan it
needs to be presented to the
public,” Ms Depypere said. “They
have to put it to the citizens
of the town.”
Residents can oppose the
regulations the plan proposes,
and any meeting to consider the
plan can only be attended by
Costa Rican citizens. The
concern is that such a process
could further delay approval.
Significantly Tamarindo’s real
estate community appeared this
week to have thrown their weight
behind the idea of a regulatory
plan. Ms Depypere said a meeting
of about six major real estate
agents this week had endorsed
the plan.
“I think most realtors
understand the need for a plan,
they come from countries that do
having building regulations and
codes,” she said.
The regulatory plan and its
progress is being just as keenly
watched in other parts of
Guanacaste, where communities
like Playas del Coco and Playa
Hermosa are also feeling the
pains of rapid development.
INVU’s Ángelo Altamira says
there is a need to complete
regulatory plans in all
communities, but his department
has few resources and so will
look at each community on a
case-by-case basis.
“By law INVU should make a plan
for the entire country,” Mr
Altamira said. “It is a shame
but no government has been
concerned with pushing this
agenda.”
Mr Altamira may get an
opportunity to do something
about that —- on Wednesday this
week he took over the reins as
Minister of Housing.
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