SANTO DOMINGO. – Following complaints made last June by residents of the Cuesta Brava sector in Arroyo Hondo regarding alleged irregularities in a construction project, representatives of the neighborhood association reiterated their complaint against the construction company carrying out the work, asserting that the projects under development in the area violate current environmental and urban planning regulations, including the area's classification as a greenbelt.
Ana Beatriz Rodríguez, a community spokesperson, stated that although the "Balcones de la Rivera" project was officially halted following an intervention by the Ministry of the Environment and the Environmental Prosecutor's Office, "irregular operations continue on another plot of land where Balcones del Cerro is being developed, which is much larger at forty-three thousand square meters and is also completely violating this one," the representative said yesterday, Thursday, during an appearance on the radio program El Matutino de la 91 .
According to Rodríguez, the Ministry of Environment had requested a technical study from the Environmental Commission of the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo (UASD), which revealed that the environmental classification of the project was erroneously assigned as a low impact category, when it should have been higher due to its significant magnitude and ecological implications.
“They say that although the study gave it a C environmental rating, it's a low-impact classification. It should have been in category A, significant impact. This incorrect initial classification allowed the project to move forward without the rigorous environmental impact studies that the law requires for its true scale,” he denounced
The community leader also stated that the project was initially halted thanks to the swift action of Magistrate Contreras of the Environmental Prosecutor's Office, who arrived at the site after receiving numerous complaints from residents. However, she said that the work stoppage has only been effective on one of the two projects, while the company continues to extract materials and move earth on the other plot.
Community members accuse the construction company of damaging protected areas. (Paola Solis/El Inmobiliario).
Furthermore, he pointed out irregularities in the granting of the land use permit. “The city council granted a permit for a use incompatible with ordinance 02-2023, which classifies that area as R1. That means that only single-family homes can be built, not apartments or shopping centers,” Rodríguez explained.
The community representative said that the two projects together comprise more than 300 apartments, two commercial plazas, and more than a thousand parking spaces, which, according to community members, directly violates urban development regulations in the area.
During his appearance on the program, Rodríguez also reported that more than twelve communications have been sent to various environmental institutions, and that they recently filed a formal complaint, represented by attorney Eurén Cuevas. However, he accused the company Danny Santos Compres SRL of refusing to participate in the conciliation meetings convened by the authorities.
“We, as an organized community, have had to do the work that should be done by the authorities. We are investing time, money, and resources to defend what is protected by law,” lamented Rodríguez, who concluded by making a strong appeal to the responsible institutions to act with transparency and rigor to definitively stop what he described as “an environmental attack disguised as irregular permits.”.
The next hearing with environmental authorities is scheduled for two weeks from now, when the Ministry of Environment's technical findings are expected to be formally presented and the legal course of action to be determined.
The case
Residents of the Cuesta Brava sector of Arroyo Hondo in the National District denounced last June the improper use of the land and environmental devastation by the construction company Danny Santos Compres SRL, which allegedly intends to build a housing project on said land.
At a press conference, representatives of the neighborhood association stated that the land preparation work, which includes a restricted area, is seriously affecting the natural environment of the area.
Response from the construction company
Following the complaints, the company carrying out the project reacted, stating that the construction has all the legal and environmental permits required by the country's authorities.
"This project was evaluated and approved by the Ministry of Environment through environmental certificate No. 7226-24, issued in December 2024, after a technical process that included environmental impact studies, mitigation plans and verification of regulatory compliance," the company stated in a press release sent to El Inmobiliario.
