PDP mayors seek changes to La Fortaleza permitting reform measure.

Guayama Mayor O’brain Vázquez Molina, left, and Aguada Mayor Christian Cortés Feliciano, who highlighted concerns over provisions in the permitting reform measure drafted by La Fortaleza that would limit the role of territorial land use plans. (Facebook via Asoc. de Alcaldes de PR)

By THE STAR STAFF

Members of the Puerto Rico Mayors Association met Tuesday morning to discuss House Bill 1183, a measure proposed by La Fortaleza aimed at reforming the island’s permitting system. While the Popular Democratic Party mayors expressed broad support for modernizing the process, they emphasized that the bill, as currently drafted, requires significant revisions to protect municipal autonomy, citizen participation and environmental safeguards.

“We all agree that the permitting system must be reformed,” said Naguabo Mayor Miraidaliz Rosario Pagán, who is first vice president of the Mayors Association. “We firmly believe in economic development, citizen participation, and environmental protection. However, House Bill 1183, in its current form, needs improvement, and we come to La Fortaleza with a positive attitude and concrete solutions.”

Guayama Mayor O’brain Vázquez Molina, the Mayors Association’s second vice president, said the group raised specific concerns about the measure with Gov. Jenniffer González Colón and her team. Vázquez Molina said the bill would create an excessive centralization of permitting authority within the Department of Economic Development and Commerce (DDEC by its acronym in Spanish).

“Experience shows that the opposite approach works best,” Vázquez Molina said. “Decentralization is desirable, not centralization. There are already permits consortia in place, led by mayors from both political parties, that are functioning effectively. These should not be disrupted.”

Aguada Mayor Christian Cortés Feliciano, who serves as secretary of the Mayors Association’s board, highlighted concerns over provisions that would limit the role of territorial land use plans. The mayor, an engineer, noted that those plans are developed by planning specialists and have legal standing, expertise the DDEC does not possess.

“Even more troubling,” Cortés Feliciano added, “is that House Bill 1183 would eliminate community boards. We believe citizen participation should be expanded, not reduced. While we recognize the need for faster permitting processes and stronger consortia, this must be done without undermining local governance.”

Several mayors also pointed to broader best practices within the United States and internationally. Vega Baja Mayor Marcos Cruz Molina said that in no U.S. jurisdiction do state governments directly issue local permits.

“That authority lies with municipalities or counties,” Cruz Molina said. “Worldwide, best practices show that municipalities are better facilitators of development when operating under uniform criteria. This approach works, and that’s why it continues to gain traction.”

Coamo Mayor Juan Carlos García Padilla tressed the importance of territorial land use plans as tools for economic development. He warned that House Bill 1183 would downgrade those plans from legally binding documents to regulatory guidelines.

“Our proposals, which we are presenting today at La Fortaleza, are designed to promote a permitting reform that is agile and efficient, while also protecting municipal autonomy and local decision-making,” García Padilla said. “We trust that by working together, this legislation can be improved.”

The Mayors Association reaffirmed its willingness to collaborate with the executive branch to achieve a permitting reform that balances efficiency, transparency and local governance.