Law grants Verón-Punta Cana authority over land use management

Santo Domingo.- The long-standing conflict between the Verón-Punta Cana municipal district and the Higüey City Council over land use authority took a new turn this week after the Legal Consultancy of the Executive Branch clarified that municipalities—not districts—retain control over land use decisions until regulations for Law 368-22 are fully implemented.

Ramón Antonio Ramírez (Manolito), director of the Verón-Punta Cana district council, has been locked in a dispute with the Ministry of Housing and Buildings (MIVED), accusing the institution of ignoring Law 368-22 on Territorial Planning and Urban Development. This law, effective since December 2022, grants municipal districts with over 15,000 residents—like Verón, which exceeds 138,000—the authority to establish their own Urban Planning Office. However, MIVED has rejected land use certificates issued by the district, paralyzing over 20 investment projects.

A recent meeting involving Ramírez, Minister Carlos Bonilla, Higüey Mayor Karina Aristy, and Senator Rafael Barón Duluc ended without resolution. The Dominican Federation of Municipal Districts (FEDODIN) has since backed Verón-Punta Cana and filed a lawsuit against MIVED, seeking RD$3 billion in damages for alleged non-compliance with the law.

In response to the ongoing dispute, the Executive Branch’s legal advisory body issued a formal opinion stating that while Article 24 of Law 368-22 does offer autonomy to qualifying districts, its application is pending the issuance of specific regulations. Until those are released—expected in the coming days—jurisdiction over land use remains solely with the municipalities, as established by Law 176-07 and reaffirmed by the Constitutional Court.

Local officials in Verón-Punta Cana argue that the Ministry’s continued refusal to recognize their authority has created legal uncertainty and stalled millions of dollars in tourism investment in one of the country’s most vital economic zones.