I apologize for any problems you see on the website today – we are doing an upgrade and there will be likely some kinks that need to be worked out!

I’m happy to report that the Sala IV court has granted us partial relief from the construction stoppage injunction that we received on August third.  We can now proceed to complete some construction on the new Paseo Punta Penca that will protect that area from soil erosion.  We are very happy about this as we have been concerned that leaving the road in the incomplete state where it was on August third made it vulnerable to possible erosion.

We remain hopeful for a prompt and complete resolution of the complaints against us at Sala IV.

On August third we woke up and found out via the Costa Rican press that the Sala IV, the constitutional court in Costa Rica, had issued an order to temporarily stop construction work at Las Catalinas while accusations against us and various governmental agencies regarding improper permits are investigated. These complaints were jointly filed by two individuals but appear to be supported by two so-called environmental groups in Costa Rica.

Needless to say, this was very disappointing. We have been advised since the beginning of Las Catalinas that eventually we would be subject to an attack of this kind, because basically every development of any magnitude here in Guanacaste has been. I had always hoped that because of the extraordinary social and environmental merits of Las Catalinas that perhaps we would not be the subject of an attack. Alas, that does not seem to matter. Those who are attacking us have never approached us or talked to us in any way. As to what their true motivations are, we can only guess.

These complaints that Las Catalinas has been built without adequate permits are not true. Our approach to business and development is completely honest and open. We have now provided a complete account of the relevant facts to the court. We are hopeful that Sala IV will lift the injunctions against our construction very soon, and are highly confident that the court will rule in our favor after it has had a chance to review the facts.

At Las Catalinas we are building a compact, walkable, and in many areas completely car-free town. Development will occur on less than 20% of the land. The remainder is being managed essentially as a natural preserve where we are actively assisting the recovery of a full tropical dry forest ecosystem. Las Catalinas is not a gated community or a walled-off resort. It is a beautiful town where each day many Costa Ricans and international visitors enjoy the beautiful town, beach, surrounding land, and each other’s company.

The primary reason Las Catalinas exists is to promote a way of living that is not only sustainable but also richly fulfilling, healthy, and enjoyable. Las Catalinas believes that the world desperately needs a more sustainable vision of what “the good life” can be, and we hope that the example that is being created at Las Catalinas will be very influential within Costa Rica and world-wide.

I do hope to be able to report to you very shortly that we are able to resume construction. To the many people who have voiced their support and offered their assistance since this news came out – thank you. Your support and good wishes mean a lot to us. We love Costa Rica and will continue to strive to be a positive influence in the country.