Urban planning in Yucatán in the face of population growth has been noted as ineffective and with mixed results, considered Daniel Antonio Magaña Lozano, president of the College of Habitat Designers and Urban Planners of Yucatán, when evaluating the effectiveness of territorial planning.
The main criticism is that growth has been dispersed, distant and disconnected from social well-being, favoring an unsustainable model in the long term.
Although planning instruments exist, they are perceived as too flexible under the pressure of private interest, the specialist points out.
The peripheral expansion model is also financially unviable due to the high cost of bringing infrastructure and services to such dispersed areas.
“The private sector is, without a doubt, the main driver of urban expansion in Yucatán,” he explained. “Developers drive expansion by creating subdivisions, often on ejido lands that have changed land use. Their business model prioritizes low-density horizontal housing in the peripheries, where land is cheaper, which increases dispersion.”
The central criticism is that building far from services contributes to territorial segregation and inequality in access to the quality of life of the inhabitants.
The leader of the College of Habitat Designers pointed out that, by 2025, Yucatán will have several cities with regional weight. If we talk about urban concentrations and centers of relevance, the key locations are Mérida – the capital and main hub -, Valladolid, Tizimín and Progreso.
The suburban municipalities and regional capitals such as Kanasín, Umán and Motul, which are experiencing accelerated growth, should also be considered.
In square kilometers, Yucatecan urban areas have grown steadily. The increase is measured in hundreds of square kilometers and is concentrated in the metropolitan area of Mérida.
A regional study of the Yucatán Peninsula documents that the total urban area increased by about 882 square kilometers between 1990 and 2019, with Yucatán concentrating a good part of that expansion.
In Mérida, the urban area has expanded and it is estimated that the urbanized area will reach about 340.94 square kilometers by 2023.
This growth has been disorderly and low density, characterized by accelerated horizontal expansion.
The expansion is directed mainly towards the north and west, encompassing police stations such as Caucel, Dzityá, Cholul and Temozón Norte. It is also advancing on suburban municipalities such as Conkal, Kanasín and Umán.
Medium-sized cities such as Valladolid, Progreso and Tizimín act as regional growth centers.
The dominant type of development is low-density horizontal housing, visible in large subdivisions and closed housing complexes on the periphery, many on former ejidal lands.
In the north of Mérida and on the coast—more so in Progreso—there is an emphasis on luxury housing and tourist real estate projects.
Scattered, low-density growth generates severe spatial inequality. New developments on the outskirts often lack basic infrastructure such as drinking water, sewage and paving.
This situation is critical, since the dependence on septic tanks and the lack of wastewater treatment exert dangerous pressure on the karst aquifer, the main source of water for the Peninsula, said Magaña Lozano.
Added to this is poor mobility: as distances increase, public transportation becomes insufficient and forces greater dependence on private vehicles, he added.
Growth in cities such as Progreso, Valladolid or Tizimín adds particular risks.
In Progreso, due to its coastal location, vulnerability to cyclones, hurricanes and floods is high, and uncontrolled expansion puts pressure on ecosystems and risk areas.
In Valladolid the main threat is the saturation of services due to the rapid population increase, in addition to the risk of affecting its historical heritage if planning is deficient.
In Tizimín the risks are related to climate change – such as desertification – and the possible impact of livestock areas and natural areas if urban development is not controlled.
Urban growth in Yucatán is rapid, dispersed and low density, driven largely by the private sector. This model is unsustainable: it generates environmental pressure on the aquifer and creates spatial inequality and a deficit of basic services in the peripheries.
Given the insufficiency of current planning, the College of Habitat Designers and Urban Planners of Yucatán is positioned as a key actor to professionalize management.
The organization could make a decisive impact by requiring vital infrastructure—such as sewers—before authorizing new development, promoting densification rather than sprawl, and serving as a technical and ethical counterweight to ensure that growth is aligned with public well-being and environmental sustainability, and not just real estate interests.— CLAUDIA SIERRA MEDINA
DiariodeYucatan
Yucatan Growth
Yucatán faces challenges when it comes to urban planning, says an expert.
Fast and scattered
Urban growth in Yucatán is rapid, dispersed and low density, driven largely by the private sector. This model is unsustainable: it generates environmental pressure on the aquifer and creates spatial inequality and a deficit of basic services in the peripheries. Given the insufficiency of current planning, the College of Habitat Designers and Urban Planners of Yucatán is positioned as a key actor to professionalize management.
Vital infrastructure
The organization could make a decisive impact by requiring vital infrastructure—such as sewers—before authorizing new development, promoting densification rather than sprawl, and serving as a technical and ethical counterweight to ensure that growth is aligned with public well-being and environmental sustainability, not just real estate interests.