by Viviana Teston | Nov 7, 2018 | Uncategorized
Ready to Speak Some Español?
November’s ANA Meet and Greet event will be held at American English Tree Language Center located on Calle Rafael Osuna #158 Col. Versalles on Friday, November 16th. ANA Member Denyce Burrows is the school’s director and is very happy to have the opportunity to show off the school and offer a “Clase Muestra Gratis” (demonstration class) to all ANA members and guests. This will be a fun opportunity to learn a few language basics and practice Spanish sentences with their English students. They will have students of all ages and backgrounds with whom to visit.
Their Multi Cultural Events are popular throughout the high season and usually occur on Saturdays when the school is full, but this is a special ANA Members Only event! These events provide the opportunity to learn about the local Spanish speaking community and to see how the school supports the community through their fully funded scholarship program.
The school fees for every Canadian and US Spanish class student automatically funds a local scholarship student that otherwise would not have the chance to have this life changing opportunity.
Expats, more than anyone appreciate the paradise we live in.
Come support American English Tree Language Center in helping provide this unique opportunity to their fabulous community. Learn some Spanish to make your life easier and help a scholarship student in the process.
Visit their new Spanish Coffee & Conversation Club Café that they recently opened in time for the high season where students of all levels may come to practice their new language skills.
Tour their wonderfully decorated classes, bring your food and drink items and prepare for a fun evening!
Get ready to speak some Español!
For more information please contact Denyce Burrows, Directora, American English Tree Language Center at 322-276-1754 or americanenglishtree@gmail.com.
by Viviana Teston | Aug 13, 2018 | Uncategorized
Several months ago, ANA began receiving complaints and requests from neighbors about the ‘Caballito Stairs,’ a narrow pedestrian stairway running down to the beach from Calle Santa Barbara, between Almar Resort and Vallarta Manor (at the top) and Vallarta Shores (at the beach): the bottom 12-15 feet of stairway were missing. Obviously, this can be a real safety problem, especially at night.
And then, a couple of months ago, the Amapas Junta Vecinal received a petition about, among other things, rebuilding the stairs.
From documents, research, and conversation, it appears that two year or so ago, some neighbors wanted to change the stairs, went to Emiliano Zapata and promised improvements, upgrades, landscaping and lighting, and got the go-ahead to replace them. Then, without an actual permit, and over the objections of the owners, they started to build alternate stairway attached to Almar property.
Those “new stairs” were demolished the encroaching and replaced them with some temporary wooden ones that have since weathered away, so now there is nothing but an unmarked 12-15 foot drop from the last original landing to the street.
The destruction of the old stairs had the effect of enlarging the turn-around at the end of the Malecon, for which Vallarta Shores then managed to get a old parking permit. According to the Director of Transito, these permits, no matter how they may be marked, are for loading and unloading only — not actual parking. However, this has now become fulltime defacto private parking. As a result, turning around at the end of the street is now difficult, if not impossible.
Because ANA had been approached about the stairs being neighborhood safety issue, and the Junta Vecinal had been appealed to regarding this dispute between neighbors, it seemed appropriate to find out what was what, and to break the impasse, if possible.
Tom Swale as president of both organizations, and Gene Mendoza, as a vocal in both and a business owner in the beach/business area, arranged a series of meetings with with the neighbors sometimes individually, and sometimes together, and brokered a deal…or so we were led to believe.
Ignoring past history and who did what first, we would all work together to solve a lingering neighborhood problem, for the Amapas beach area, unwary stair-users, and the two neighboring businesses. Each of the parties would independently get a bid to replace the stairs (with a few jointly agreed modifications); we would then meet and agree on the winning design and/or bid; neighbors will put up part of the cost, and ANA would hold the funds, supervise, and pay for the resulting construction.
On Tuesday, April 10, we had the final meeting and agreed on the bid and the price. However, Vallarta Shore claimed that Obras Publicas had agreed to replace the stairs, beginning on Monday, April 15, and said we should wait until then. The rest of us were highly skeptical, and Viviana’s phone calls to Obras Publicas and Planning contacts came up empty. Nevertheless, we all agreed to wait and see. But if Obras Publicas did not begin work on that date, we would proceed with the agreed plan.
After three weeks, and no Obras Publicas. Finally, on Wednesday, May 2, Tom Swale send an email to the ANA board, to get the agreement to the following deal:
The comitted neighbors will contribute with 2/3 of the budget of Caballito Stairs Reconstruction Project. ANA will contribute up to a maximum of 1/3 to the project, which be awarded to our bidder, secure permission from Planning, generally supervise the project and administer the combined funds.
Finnally Monday 13th. the works have started, and Caballito Stairs will be back where they should be.
if you want to contribute to this project:
by Viviana Teston | Aug 6, 2018 | Uncategorized
The Amapas Neighborhood Association (ANA) has five Board members: Don Pickens (Treasurer), Sylvia Toy (Secretary), Gene Mendoza (Security), Harris Spiridonidis (Responsible Development), and Yasmin Todd (Volunteers). With Tom Swale’s passing and Michael Linder moving back to Dallas, we are short two Board members.
We met recently to review outstanding projects. During this time of great loss and transition, we want to make sure we use our limited time, energy, and resources in a meaningful manner. We wish to continue the following projects as soon as possible:
Fundraising for Tom Swale Memorial Sidewalk: to fulfill Tom’s wish to complete the sidewalk and add a permanent memorial of some sort, we will begin this project by mid-July.
Board Replacements: Are you interested in serving your community? See the article below to learn more about the criteria.
Security: The summer months are prime time for robberies to occur – many residents are gone and people are looking for easy things to steal. The WhatsApp system is a great way to ensure the police are alerted when a crime is in progress. Gene Mendoza heads up this effort.
ANA Business Brochure: The summer months are a great time to round up businesses to advertise in ANA’s second Business Brochure. Sylvia Toy is responsible for this fundraiser.
Pilitas Stairs: A permit in the process to be granted. A design has been selected. Viviana will be responsible for overseeing this project.
Other projects planned for the fall: Dinner Dance (Sylvia), Caballito Stairs (Gene), Monthly Meet and Greet (Sylvia), Membership Campaign (Sylvia), Repainting crosswalks and sidewalk curb (Gene)
Projects to be taken up after October: Drag Derby, Presidents Reception, Mariachis Margaritas and More, Building Administrators, AMPI Meetings, Junta Vecinal, ANAual Fundraising, Topes on Callejon and Macuaz
by Viviana Teston | Aug 1, 2018 | News | Noticias, Uncategorized
It is “low season” in Vallarta and like every year we have been experiencing theft within our beloved Amapas and in the whole city, in general. As properties sit empty, and sometimes while owners are in town or even asleep at night, thieves get away with stealing mostly what they can store in a backpack. Expensive items such as wallets, phones, Ipads, cameras, jewelery, etc., are the favorite items for these thieves to steal. Here are a few tips on how to protect yourselves and your property while you are away. Please follow these steps or have your property manager or building administrator do them for you.
- Keep vigilant of strange individuals walking throughout our neighborhood; especially after working hours and at night.
- Lock all doors and windows when possible during the day and every night. (We know the thieves can escalate up to three stories with no problem.).
- When possible, install a security alarm and/or CCTV cameras within your property. Contact us for more information as to best service providers
- Turn at least one light on within your property and outside front back lights at night.
- Make sure your property/complex has all street lights in working order and turn on at night.
- Report all suspicious activity by calling 911 (They should have an English speaking operator.) or use our WhatsApp emergency group. In order to be part of the WhatsApp group you must be an ANA member and need to be able to read/write Spanish. Have your building manager or property administrator join the group. Contact Viviana Testón or Gene Mendoza to be included in the group.
- In case of a robbery call police immediately by dialing 911. Please be observant and describe the assailant(s) properly, clothes, time of occurrence, getaway cars, etc.
- Follow up with a DA’s office report. This might take time but it is important that all crimes are reported and followed up with the DA’s office if we want thieves off of the streets.
- Call Gene Mendoza (Board member) at 322-131-5738 when you need immediate help or Diego Villalobos (ANA Office) at 322-165-8503. They can help you with police reports, follow up with DA’s office, or they can provide immediate assistance with translations, etc.
- Keep safe.
Enjoy the summer everyone!
by Viviana Teston | Jul 11, 2018 | Uncategorized
This article written by Harris Spiridonidis is to help our members better understand an underpinning of the Amapas Plan Parcial – green zones.
There are two types of green zones in the Amapas colonia:
1. Green zones incorporated in the Amapas Plan Parcial as such.
This refers mainly to the jungle areas above the built parts of Amapas, and the area between Horizon/Rio Amapas to the north and Real de Conchas Chinas to the south (“Rio Amapas”). These are designed for natural activities only.
In the past few months, neighbors raised concerns about possible development in the Rio Amapas zone. ANA sent letters to the current interim mayor Rodolfo Dominguez and to the mayoral candidate and likely next mayor Arturo Davalos petitioning that the city from allowing any development in that zone. A similar petition was submitted by a prominent AMPI member on behalf of Conchas Chinas.Another prominent AMPI member had the opportunity to bring up this issue when meeting with Arturo Davalos and was given reassurances that are no plans to allow development either in Rio Amapas in the Conchas Chinas green zones.
2. Unofficial non-developed public spaces often appearing as street extensions.
These appear in the Plan Parcial as regular areas and NOT as green zones. The city has placed a number of those public spaces in a public trust (fideicomiso). Although there had been plans to convert some of those public spaces to parks, issues related to funding, irregular topography etc. precluded that option. The city has proceeded to privatize some of these public spaces, with subsequent development in some cases. Although this is a surprise, adversely affecting many neighbors, and with some transparency and fairness issues , it is essentially an established legal process.
Should you have any questions/comments regarding this article, please submit to president@amapaspv.com
by Viviana Teston | May 11, 2018 | AIM Higher, Development, Events, Featured, News | Noticias, Uncategorized
Over 40 ANA members filled the auditorium at Incanto for an informative presentation followed by a lively question and answer session on April 11.
Real estate broker and AMPI PresidentHarriet Murray, City Hall veteran Ing. Oscar Hernandez (ably assisted by ANA Administrator Viviana Testón), university professor of Urban Planning Alfonso Banos, and local hotelier and developerOscar Moran presented a short course on the history of urban planning (or the lack thereof) in Vallarta, Jalisco and Mexico – essentially, how we got where we are today – the ins and outs (COS and CUS) of permitted construction, and current economic and social pressures affecting Vallarta’s recent growth spurt.
Hot topics were the recent ‘Manhattanization’ of the Romantic Zone, the protections offered Amapas by our Plan Parcial, or not, depending on the willingness of City Hall to respect the rules, and whether Vallarta’s infrastructure is keeping up with the new water and sewer demands resulting from the construction boom.
Some differences between areas with a Plan Parcial, like Amapas, and areas without, like Emiliano Zapata and most of the Romantic Zone, were discussed. Among them: under the Amapas Plan Parcial, developers cannot ask for an exception to the rules just because some other building exceeded them; also, under the recently passed Article 35, the Planning Department has more discretion in applying zoning rules in areas without a Plan Parcial.
Panelists and ANA members alike expressed frustration at the lack of a coherent Urban or Growth Plan for Vallarta, the lack of transparency in the permitting process, and the sense that unplanned or poorly regulated development is eating away at Vallarta’s authentic charms and threatening to replace its vibrant core with highrise ‘dormitories’ that add to the local tax-base, but subtract from our town’s livability and long term sustainability.
Inspired by questions raised at our Annual General Meeting, this is the second in a series of special ANA ‘Members Only’ informational presentations, which are generously hosted by popular local entertainment venue Incanto.
Now that we better understand the basic rules, ANA plans to have a follow-up Q&A in the fall, and will invite representatives of the Planning Department and SEAPAL to attend. Stay tuned.
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