Spring 2026 Newsletter
What We’ve Accomplished — And What Comes Next
A frequently burning landfill next to an aquifer. An oasis at risk. Illegal construction on our coastal dunes. And the threat of a PDU that will vastly exceed the capacity of our water and power resources.
They are all part of a broader pattern that is placing increasing pressure on the environment, infrastructure, our health and the long-term sustainability of Todos Santos.
Over the past four years, our community has come together to respond. Since our founding in 2022, Protect Todos Santos has grown into a focused and effective organization working to defend the history, character, environment, and the future of the Todos Santos region.
This newsletter highlights what we have accomplished—and the work that still lies ahead.
Fundraising — Building the Foundation
Thanks to the generosity of our community, we have raised $231,000 since our founding. In 2026, our goal is to raise $100,000 to support the continued expansion of the organization and the legal efforts required to address growing threats from illegal and unsustainable development.
Funds raised by year:
2022 — $25,433
2023 — $42,951
2024 — $57,072
2025 — $69,068
2026 — $36,563 (to date)
As you can see, our fundraising has grown steadily each year, and we can now sustain ongoing operations, while preparing for more complex legal and environmental challenges that are constantly being presented to us. But with your help, we can handle it.
We currently have approximately $33,000 in our ICF account, receive about $5,000 per month in recurring donations, and have commitments for an additional $20,000 expected soon. While our policy is to not disclose donor names, we want to thank the hundreds of you who have contributed to this community effort over the years and to let you know that your support is the key to our success.
Expanding the Team to Increase Our Efforts
Over the past year, we have strengthened our ability to protect Todos Santos by expanding our team. Dr. Diego Ramirez became our full-time Executive Director last year and has significantly increased our outreach and coordination efforts. Under his leadership, our WhatsApp group, Facebook page, and Instagram presence have all grown, allowing us to reach more members of the local community and keep them informed to respond to current and emerging issues.
In addition to Diego, we have added Gustavo Lopez, as legal aid. He will play a central role in our permit investigations, filling complaints and supporting our legal efforts. In addition, he will be conducting regular reviews each month of all new building permits issued by the municipality to enable us to identify problems early—often before construction begins—to ensure that urban development regulations are being followed before construction begins.
Together, this expanded team has increased both our visibility and our effectiveness.
Growing Membership — Strengthening Our Capabilities
On our Protect Todos Santos English speaking side, our organization continues to grow. We now have 627 members who signed up through our website, which has received 9,300 visitors over the past four years.
On our Proteger Todos Santos Spanish speaking side, our WhatsApp Group has 500 members and our Facebook page has 2,000 followers, creating a strong communications network that allows us to share information.
Protecting Todos Santos depends on an informed and engaged community, who understand what our community is facing. Education and engagement will continue to be the keys to our success.
Stopping Illegal Development and Defending Our PDU
Challenging illegal unsustainable development has been one of our most important ongoing efforts. Given our limited water supply, wastewater capacity, and electrical infrastructure—growth has reached its limits.
We have taken the position as outlined in the original Todos Santos PDU that large-scale multi-family developments and large hotels do not belong in our coastal areas. Those areas should continue to be protected and designated for single-family homes.
Several major projects have already been stopped or slowed because of our efforts. In some cases, developers failed to obtain required permits. In others, environmental approvals were missing or incomplete or they were just breaking the rules. By identifying these issues early and pursuing enforcement through the appropriate agencies, we have been able to prevent projects from moving forward or force them into compliance. This work is ongoing, and it remains our highest priority.
The red dots on the map are the projects we are working on or have successfully stopped.
Here is a description of the projects on starting at the top of the map.
1. El Destino: is a large 93-hectare development in Las Playitas where grading has begun and lot sales are expected. The number of lots might be in the 200 range. The project appears to rely on the assumption that water and power infrastructure will be provided in the future. There is no available water source in this area to support development of this scale. We filed a denuncia last June and are still awaiting a response.
2. Mar de Plata Sur: Plans have emerged for a 34-room hotel on the dunes in Las Tunas at the end of Vista Ballenas. Although vegetation clearing was authorized by SEMARNAT, there is no evidence of approved building permits. The PDU limits development on a parcel of this size to approximately eight rooms. Allowing this project to proceed as proposed would be a clear violation of local planning rules.
3. Ogden Dune Project: This project was shut down due to our lawsuit against the developer, Eddie Ogden who started building against the judge’s order. Unfortunatley, and it took months to get officials to shut it down. But constant pressure did the trick.
4. Dune Los Mangos: This is a torn-up dune lot that was shut down years ago and we are working with neighbors to see if they can contact the owner to restore it.
5. Proyecto Ozun: This project of 4 homes on the dunes below in San Sebastian below Flora del Mar was permanently shut down by PROFEPA due to our extensive efforts. A total of 29 citizen complaints were submitted to PROFEPA along with constant efforts by John Moreno and Diego Rameriz to stop the project and we were successful.
6. El Palmoral: is a 16-unit condo project located in the La Reforma arroyo, a protected area. The development has been shut down and is under temporary suspension for proceeding without required permits or environmental approvals. This project should not move forward considering its location. If construction resumes, we will continue to actively oppose it.
7. Cabo Santos: is a large, proposed development near El Faro Beach Club. The proposed Phase 1 includes 74 residences and 132 hotel rooms. The full application seeks approval for up to 1,452 residences and 500 hotel rooms. We have formally requested a public consultation with SEMARNAT and submitted comments opposing the project sighting the region’s lack of adequate water and power infrastructure. For now, the project appears to have stalled in the approval process.
8. Todos Santos and Pescadero Ilegal Open Dump: This is the site of the Pescadero open waste dump. You can read our action plan for the landfill discussed later in this newsletter.
9. Cardon Living: This proposed project has environmental approval for 18 homes but only a building permit for 4 homes. We will continue to monitor the project and take appropriate action.
Protecting the Dunes — A Community Effort That Works
One of our most successful initiatives has been the protection of the dunes. Over the past four years, every proposed or initiated dune project has stopped due to our efforts. And many never commenced because we educated lot owners and real estate agents regarding the laws protecting the dunes.
This success is due to our Dune Alert WhatsApp group, so any activity is responded to almost immediately. Whether it is a “for sale” sign or early clearing work, our response is quick and coordinated. Unfortunately, there are still people trying to build on the dunes, so our efforts continue.
The La Paz PDU — Our Defining Battle
As most of you know, the proposed La Paz PDU represents the most significant long-term threat facing the region. The plan would allow for approximately 40,000 new lots and an estimated 125,000 additional residents so it must be stopped.
Despite strong community opposition, the municipality moved forward with a new PDU in January 2025 and has begun issuing permits under it. This is occurring even though there is active litigation challenging the plan, including a court injunction. Additional lawsuits that have been filed citing lack of community participation and lack of infrastructure impact studies.
We are currently awaiting a ruling from the federal court. If the challenge is successful, the PDU could be voided and returned to the community for proper development. The outcome of this case will have a lasting impact on the future of Todos Santos so we will fight their plan to the very end.
Our New Initiatives: Protecting the Oasis and Stopping Landfill Fires
The Oasis de Todos Santos is the heart and soul of Todos Santos. It is the region’s most important natural resource, supporting native vegetation, agriculture, and the La Poza Lagoon. It is what makes Todos Santos so special. It is also increasingly threatened by fire, invasive species, groundwater depletion, and expanding development within the watershed.
The spread of the non-native plant Arundo (Carrizo) is especially damaging, as it consumes large amounts of water, displaces native plants, and creates dense fuel loads that significantly increase fire risk. At the same time, reduced freshwater flows caused by aquifer over-extraction are weakening the ecological balance that sustains it.
Real estate development has already caused the loss of approximately 52% of the oasis. In addition, increased water demand is reducing water flows through the oasis to La Poza Lagoon and disrupting the natural recharge and drainage patterns. These combined pressures accelerate tree and habitat loss and are pushing the oasis to the tipping point.
To address the threats, we have developed a management plan and will be organizing community efforts to remove dead fauns and the Arundo. We also plan to create an access road for the Bomberos so they can battle fires, which can also become a wonderful hiking trail.
Five fires in the oasis over the past 2 years highlight the urgency of acting now. With additional donations we will hire an Oasis Restoration Coordinator to organize community workdays to reduce future fire risks and remove Arundo to enhance the water flow down La Reforma and through the oasis.
Recent Las Palmas Beach Fire
Stopping the Pescadero Landfill Fires
As the Pescadero landfill has expanded significantly in the past 3 years and fires have become almost a weekly occurrence so the landfill now poses a serious and immediate health risk to the community, especially to children.
Exposure to landfill smoke, particularly from the burning of plastics and mixed waste—releases a toxic mix of pollutants, including fine particulate matter, dioxins, and heavy metals. These substances are known to cause immediate respiratory problems such as lung irritation, reduced lung function, and asthma attacks, while also contributing to serious long-term health effects, including increased cancer risk and brain damage.
The map on the following page illustrates the extent of the problem. The yellow pin marks the location of the landfill next to the arroyo and highlights its close proximity to the town.
Risks to Children
Children are especially vulnerable to the smoke because their lungs are still developing, and they breathe more air relative to their body weight, increasing their exposure to the harmful pollutants. For individuals with asthma and other respiratory conditions, exposure to this smoke can trigger severe and potentially life-threatening episodes.
The risks extend beyond air quality. Toxic particles settle into surrounding soils, crops, and livestock, spreading contamination throughout the local food system and impacting the broader agricultural community.
Our Action Plan
The current conditions at the landfill are unacceptable and require immediate action. Our approach is to build a clear, evidence-based case to compel both short and long-term solutions. We are initiating community health surveys and have engaged CERCA, a firm that has been monitoring other landfills and the power plant in La Paz to install real-time air monitoring equipment to document particulate levels on an ongoing basis.
We are also preparing to file formal complaints with PROFEPA, the federal authority responsible for regulating emissions and protecting groundwater, as well as with the Municipality, which is responsible for providing properly designed and legally compliant landfill facilities.
In the short term, immediate operational changes are needed, including separating yard and organic waste from plastics and the daily burial of trash to prevent fires until a fully engineered and regulated landfill is created.
The Bottom Line
The challenges facing Todos Santos are increasing, but so is our ability to respond. Over the past four years, we have built an organization capable of taking on complex legal, environmental, and community issues. And we have proven that coordinated community and legal action can produce real results.
But the work is far from over. The decisions being made today—about development, infrastructure, and environmental protection—will shape the future of the Todos Santos region for decades to come. But with your continued support, we will expand our efforts and protect this place we love.
Thanks for your support,
The Team at Protect Todos Santos
P.S. If you would like to help us reach our fundraising goal for this year, you can make a one time or monthly donation by clicking this link: https://icfdn.org/donate/?form=FUNPMWQSLYV
