Cabarete Lifestyle Holidays Vacation Resorts. Photo courtesy of eldia.com.do
Santo Domingo.- The Cabarete and Sosúa Tourism and Environment Protection Association (ASOPROCASO) on Wed. demanded that the authorities halt construction on two buildings which it affirms encroach on the public beach and threaten the destination’s sustainable tourism development.
Organization president Michel Gay-Crossier said the property belongs to the chain Lifestyle Holidays Vacation Resorts, which he affirms violates Territorial Zoning regulations and the 60-meter coastline proviso in Law 64-00.
“It is hurting the community, taking away the beach and the breeze. Cabarete is recognized as one of the ten best places in the world for windsurfing and kitesurfing, but with what’s being done we have no future, “said the hotelier.
“A monstrosity, a five-storey building of the Lifestyle project in the center of the city, without having any permits from the Ministry of Tourism and despite the fact that the regulations limit the height to a maximum of three levels, so that the free flow of the wind isn’t obstructed,” he said.
“On the beach, Lifestyle is building 15 meters from the sea. The Department of Planning and Projects of the Ministry of Tourism advised not to build in the 60 meters and asked for a public hearing that was never done. And they are already beginning construction without any objection from the authorities and without consulting the community,” the hotelier said, quoted by eldia.com.do.