Todos Santos, Baja California Sur
Todos Santos, Baja California Sur | |
|---|---|
    .jpg) Top: Todos Santos main plaza; Middle: Misión Santa Rosa de las Palmas, Todos Santos Theater; Punta Lobos Beach, Hotel California | |
  Todos Santos, Baja California Sur Location in Mexico  Todos Santos, Baja California Sur Todos Santos, Baja California Sur (Mexico) | |
| Coordinates: 23°26′55″N 110°13′24″W / 23.44861°N 110.22333°W | |
| Country |  Mexico |
| State | Baja California Sur |
| Municipality | La Paz |
| Elevation | 130 ft (40 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 7,185 |
Todos Santos (Spanish: [ˈtoðos ˈsantos] ⓘ; "All Saints") is a small coastal town in the foothills of Mexico's Sierra de la Laguna Mountains, on the Pacific coast side of the Baja California Peninsula, about an hour's drive north of Cabo San Lucas on Highway 19 and an hour's drive southwest from La Paz. Todos Santos is located at the Tropic of Cancer in the municipality of La Paz. The population was 7,185 at the census of 2020.[1] It is the second-largest town in the municipality.
History
[edit]The mission at what is now Todos Santos, Misión Santa Rosa de las Palmas, was founded by father Jaime Bravo in 1723. In 1724, it was renamed Nuestra Señora del Pilar de La Paz. Located across the street to the southwest from the small town plaza, this mission contains the statue of the Virgin of Pilar, which is the focus of Todos Santos's main festival in November.
During the Mexican American War, the Skirmish of Todos Santos, the last battle of the war, was fought near the town on March 30, 1848.[2]
During the 19th century, following the secularization of the missions, Todos Santos thrived as the Baja sugarcane capital, supporting eight sugar mills at the end of the 19th century. Only one existed by the time the town’s freshwater spring dried up in 1950, and that last mill closed in 1965.
Todos Santos faced a bleak future until the spring came back to life in 1981 and the Mexican Government paved Highway 19 in the mid-1980s. The highway brought tourists and the rich farmlands have been revived. The town now prospers from farming vegetables, chilies, avocados, papayas and mangoes, as well as from fishing and ranching.[3][4]
Todos Santos Problems
[edit]Todos Santos faces significant challenges including uncontrolled overdevelopment, water scarcity, power outages, dune destruction, and a proposed La Paz PDU that seeks to replace the current community developed PDU. The La Paz PDU threatens the community's character and sustainability by increasing the population from the 25,000 allowed under the current PDU to 150,000 without a plan or funding to add the required infrastructure. [5][6]
Uncontrolled Growth
[edit]The region has experienced rapid growth, leading to new homes and developments that don't adhere to the Community Development PDU, including illegal construction on dunes and condos and apartment buildings being built in single-family residential areas. The proposed new PDU, developed by La Paz, is drawing strong opposition from residents as it includes zoning changes that would allow for significantly more development, straining the already limited water and power resources. Fortunately, a federal court recently voided the La Paz PDU because it lacked the required community involvement in its development.[7][8]
Aquifer Over-Extraction and Arundo Infestation
[edit]The Todos Santos aquifer, the town's only water source, is facing over-extraction, saltwater intrusion and Arundo, a fast-growing, water-intensive plant that covers the entire Todos Santos aquifer. According to CONAGUA the average annual recharge of the aquifer is 3.7 million cubic meters (mm3) but the extraction in 2023 was 6.6 mm3, as a result 80% more water is now being extracted than is recharged in an average year. [9][10][11][12]
Water Distribution Problems
[edit]The water distribution system is overtaxed due to the recent growth, causing OMSAPA to reduce water delivery times to maintain pressure, resulting in a dramatic decrease in water delivered to homes. Some areas of Todos Santos north of town only receive water for an average of 4 hours per week requiring them to have their water trucked on a regular basis. The uncontrolled ongoing development will only add to the problem. [13]
Power Problems
[edit]The power to Todos Santos comes from the power plant in La Paz. The distribution line from the plant is over capacity causing an average of 3 blackouts per week and daily brownouts in the summer months when the electrical load increases due to air conditioning. This also causes voltage spikes and reductions, leading to overheating and damage to appliances like refrigerators, water pumps, washing machines, and air conditioners. It is estimated about $4 million worth of appliances are destroyed annually due to the uneven voltage.[14]
Coastal Dune Destruction
[edit]Residents are working to stop illegal development on the dunes, which are fragile ecosystems that provide protection against storms and are protected by the Todos Santos PDU from development. [15]
Degradation of the Todos Santos Oasis
[edit]Due to the over-extraction of groundwater and saltwater intrusion into the aquifer analysis with satellite imagery shows that the extension of the oasis decreased 51.2% in 17 years.[16]
Trash and Landfill Problems
[edit]There is not a licensed landfill, and garbage is not segregated leading to fires as often as 3 times per week at the dump. When the plastics in the trash burn they release cancer causing dioxin into the air that can also cause severe respiratory health problems, especially for asthmatics, people with emphysema, and children. [17]
Collapsing Infrastructure
[edit]Unlike the United States where developers pay development fees, Todos Santos doesn’t have anything like that. Fees that would pay for impacts to the environment, for roads, for power and water distribution systems, fire stations, schools, sewage treatment plants and more do not exist so new infrastructure to serve the additional population never gets built.
While Todos Santos is its own city, all their tax dollars go to La Paz, the state capital of Baja California Sur. The problem is La Paz keeps the money. At a meeting of community leaders, it was stated that more funding from La Paz is not likely to be forthcoming, so solutions need to come from the citizenry – locals and expats. But getting people to pay for infrastructure is almost impossible so infrastructure projects never gets built. [18]
Cerritos Beach
[edit]A significant portion of Cerritos Beach is considered illegal as it was zoned for single-family residences, but condo permits were issued in violation of the Todos Santos PDU, leading to unhappy homeowners and legal issues. Also, Cerritos Beach does not have a water distribution system or sewage system so all water must be trucked in and sewage trucked out.[19]
Protect Todos Santos
[edit]A coalition of residents, Protect Todos Santos, is actively working to address these issues through legal action, community organizing, and environmental advocacy. [20]
Contemporary Todos Santos
[edit]More recently, there has been a gradual increase in tourist activity and a boom in real estate development. Handicraft shops, owner-operated art galleries featuring landscape paintings of local scenes (some artists from Guadalajara and other parts of Mexico also exhibit works in Todos Santos), upscale restaurants, boutique hotels and restored colonial buildings have contributed to the gentrification and redevelopment of the town. There are a few annual festivals, including the Festival de Cine and the Todos Santos Music Festival.
The Hotel California is a favorite stop because of the name association with the song made famous by the Eagles, even though the song does not specifically reference this particular hotel, nor any other existing hotel. On May 1, 2017, the Eagles band filed a lawsuit against the Hotel California in the United States District Court for the District of Central California alleging Trademark Infringement in Violation of the Lanham Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1125 and Common Law Unfair Competition and Trademark Infringement. The Eagles were seeking relief and damages.[21][22] The lawsuit was settled in 2018: the hotel continues to use the name, abandoned efforts to apply for a trademark in the United States,[23] and now expressly denies any connection with the song or the band.[24]
Todos Santos, Baja California Sur, was named a "Pueblo Mágico" in 2006.[25]
Climate
[edit]| Climate data for Todos Santos, Baja California Sur (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1939–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 39 (102) |
36 (97) |
39 (102) |
38 (100) |
40 (104) |
39 (102) |
39 (102) |
42 (108) |
39 (102) |
44 (111) |
43 (109) |
36 (97) |
44 (111) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 25.2 (77.4) |
25.3 (77.5) |
25.2 (77.4) |
25.2 (77.4) |
25.3 (77.5) |
26.6 (79.9) |
30.3 (86.5) |
32.1 (89.8) |
31.7 (89.1) |
31.3 (88.3) |
29.0 (84.2) |
26.2 (79.2) |
27.8 (82.0) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 18.3 (64.9) |
18.2 (64.8) |
18.1 (64.6) |
18.2 (64.8) |
18.9 (66.0) |
21.2 (70.2) |
25.2 (77.4) |
27.1 (80.8) |
26.6 (79.9) |
25.4 (77.7) |
22.3 (72.1) |
19.1 (66.4) |
21.6 (70.9) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 11.3 (52.3) |
11.1 (52.0) |
11.1 (52.0) |
11.2 (52.2) |
12.6 (54.7) |
15.8 (60.4) |
20.1 (68.2) |
22.1 (71.8) |
21.6 (70.9) |
19.5 (67.1) |
15.6 (60.1) |
12.1 (53.8) |
15.3 (59.5) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 2 (36) |
0 (32) |
2.5 (36.5) |
3 (37) |
0 (32) |
6 (43) |
7 (45) |
9 (48) |
10 (50) |
9 (48) |
2 (36) |
3 (37) |
0 (32) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 12.4 (0.49) |
5.1 (0.20) |
1.1 (0.04) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.4 (0.02) |
1.9 (0.07) |
6.0 (0.24) |
44.6 (1.76) |
94.7 (3.73) |
22.8 (0.90) |
13.3 (0.52) |
7.5 (0.30) |
209.8 (8.26) |
| Average rainy days | 1.4 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 1.0 | 3.3 | 3.7 | 1.3 | 1.2 | 0.6 | 13.8 |
| Source: Servicio Meteorológico Nacional[26][27] | |||||||||||||
Notable residents
[edit]- Félix Agramont Cota, first Governor of Baja California Sur[28]
- Peter Buck, musician[29]
References
[edit]- ^ 2020 La Paz Census
- ^ "Richard W. Amero, The Mexican-American War in Baja California, The Journal of San Diego History, SAN DIEGO HISTORICAL SOCIETY QUARTERLY, Winter 1984, Volume 30, Number 1".
- ^ "Todos Santos History, from www.mexinsider.com accessed 4/05/2013".
- ^ "TODOS SANTOS History - Baja California Sur, Mexico". www.mexonline.com.
- ^ Gazette, Gringo (2024-09-05). "Adoption of La Paz PDU for Todos Santos and other Areas of Baja Sur - Gringo Gazette". Retrieved 2025-04-15.
- ^ Santisteban, Gilberto (2024-03-20). "Sin socialización del nuevo PDU de Todos Santos: habitantes luchan por ordenamiento real y justo". HOY BCS. Retrieved 2025-04-15.
- ^ Gazette, Gringo (2024-09-05). "Adoption of La Paz PDU for Todos Santos and other Areas of Baja Sur - Gringo Gazette". Retrieved 2025-04-15.
- ^ "The PDU La Paz Voided By Federal Judge for Todos Santos". Protect Todos Santos. Retrieved 2025-04-15.
- ^ "Water – CSU Todos Santos". todossantos.csusystem.edu. Retrieved 2025-04-15.
- ^ "Todos Santos Water Crisis". Protect Todos Santos. Retrieved 2025-04-15.
- ^ Gazette, Gringo (2024-12-08). "What's Happening with the Todos Santos Real Estate - Gringo Gazette". Retrieved 2025-04-15.
- ^ "CONAGUA / Acuíferos Baja California Sur". sigagis.conagua.gob.mx. Retrieved 2025-04-15.
- ^ Gazette, Gringo (2024-12-08). "What's Happening with the Todos Santos Real Estate - Gringo Gazette". Retrieved 2025-04-15.
- ^ "Todos Santos Lack of Infrastructure". Protect Todos Santos. Retrieved 2025-04-15.
- ^ "Todos Santos residents fight to stop development on dunes - Kathryn Reed". 2025-04-13. Retrieved 2025-04-15.
- ^ "Deterioration of the Todos Santos Oasis.pdf". Google Docs. Retrieved 2025-04-15.
- ^ Wockner, Gary (2020-03-12). "Roger Herrera Tapia is Keeping the Watershed Clean in Todos Santos". Waterkeeper. Retrieved 2025-04-15.
- ^ "Collapsing infrastructure a concern in Todos Santos - Kathryn Reed". 2025-04-13. Retrieved 2025-04-15.
- ^ "Todos Santos & Cerritos Real Estate Market Report". Protect Todos Santos. Retrieved 2025-04-15.
- ^ "Protect Todos Santos". Protect Todos Santos. Retrieved 2025-04-15.
- ^ Blistein, Jon (3 May 2017). "Eagles Sue 'Hotel California' in Mexico for Trademark Infringement".
- ^ "Eagles v Hotel California - Complaint - Trademark". Scribd.
- ^ Jonathan Stempel (19 January 2018). "Mexican hotel keeping Hotel California name after Eagles settlement". Reuters. Retrieved 16 September 2018.
- ^ "Hotel California History".
- ^ "Postcards from Todos Santos, Pueblo Magico - Coldwell Banker Riveras -". 19 November 2012.
- ^ "NORMAL CLIMATOLÓGICA 1991-2020" (TXT) (in Spanish). Servicio Meteorológico National. Archived from the original on December 1, 2024. Retrieved December 1, 2024.
- ^ "VALORES EXTREMOS" (TXT) (in Spanish). Servicio Meteorológico National. Archived from the original on December 1, 2024. Retrieved December 1, 2024.
- ^ "Fallece Félix Agramont Cota, ex gobernador del Territorio de BCS". Octavo día. 2013-05-10. Archived from the original on 2014-07-15. Retrieved 2013-06-10.
- ^ "Peter Buck in Todos Santos" - YouTube, April 24, 2015
Sources
[edit]- ElCalendariodeTodosSantos.com Todos Santos' only English language magazine - full issues online.
- 2010 census tables: INEGI: Instituto Nacional de Estadística, Geografía e Informática
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
