Heavy machinery continues to tear into the Cañada Azteca ravine in Playas de Tijuana even as residents and activist groups pursue a legal injunction to stop the work. The Colectivo Defendamos Playas says some city officials are backing the destruction of the ravine, which sits at the corner of Paseo Playas and Parque Azteca Norte in the Sección Rivera neighborhood.
The group is calling on Tijuana Mayor Ismael Burgueño to visit the site and hear directly from residents who oppose permits for a massive real estate development known as “Civantia.” At least six civic associations have joined the effort, according to reporting by El Imparcial.
Nine Towers, a Hotel, and 4,000 More Cars
The proposed Civantia project includes nine residential towers of 20 to 25 stories, a hotel of 10 to 12 floors, and a commercial center. Residents estimate the complex would add roughly 1,600 new housing units and as many as 4,000 additional vehicles to the area. Paseo Playas, the main road through the neighborhood, and the Segundo Acceso a Playas tunnel connector are already congested.
Protesters say the development would worsen existing shortfalls in schools, medical clinics, and parks. The collective points to city data showing Playas de Tijuana reached 90% of its development capacity years ago. They want the remaining open space preserved for public use.
Environmental and Legal Stakes
Cañada Azteca channels the Arroyo Playa Norte toward the coast. Residents argue the ravine carries sediment that helps form the beach naturally and acts as a filter for water flowing to the ocean. Developers have already diverted and enclosed sections of the stream, according to protesters who marched from Parque México to the project site on April 18.
Lupita Durán, a spokesperson for the collective, has called Cañada Azteca a federal zone that should not be privatized. Long-time resident Federico, who has lived in the area for more than 20 years, told reporters the land is still classified as an ecological conservation zone under Tijuana’s Urban Development Plan.
Residents Seek Federal Protection
The legal battle is escalating. An amparo (federal injunction) challenging the permits is being litigated in court, yet demolition has continued. As of late April, residents agreed to pursue federal legal protections to halt construction permanently. Some have also raised the possibility of seeking heritage status for the nearby Plaza Monumental.
The dispute is one of the most closely watched land-use conflicts in Playas de Tijuana, a coastal neighborhood popular with both Mexican families and foreign residents. Originally reported by Jornada BC, with additional details from El Imparcial and El Sol de Tijuana.