Caracol Peninsual HOA

The town of San Carlos has quite a story. In 1963 entrepreneur, Rafael Caballero, purchased land that would eventually establish the town. The preliminary area was 6,853 acres of the southern part of El Braviso Cattle Ranch, which was purchased from Antonio J. Bermudez. Private investors quickly initiated measures to support the vision for the area to one day become one of the most important tourist and recreational communities in the State of Sonora.

Within a few years, the first homes were constructed on the Caracol Peninsula. A few of those initial families still reside in the community today. As the town grew, changes transpired to support the neighborhood. In the 1980s, the earliest residents formed the first voluntary neighborhood organization, Los Vecinos Neighborhood Association for the Caracol. With 65 charter members, funds were collected to build a small shaded area and to hire security guards to oversee the entrance. By 1988 the first annual breakfast was held at Cotton Cove giving neighbors a chance to get to know each other and pay dues to manage upkeep of the Caracol. The 80’s also saw many upgrades; the largest of which was the installation of a pump that moved freshwater up the hill. This was followed by the positioning of a west side waste water system which pumped waste up and over the hill and into the city sewer system. With 142 residents working together, the Caracol Peninsula was beginning to progress.

In the 1990s the first By-Laws were approved and to conform with Mexican law the name of the organization was changed to Los Residentes de la Península Caracol, AC. Three years later, the Association was officially established with By-Law notarization by Lic. Arnulfo Salas Castro in the city of Guaymas. During this same time period a newsletter was sent to residents stating, “Caracol is a residential area, not commercial. This includes apartments and no permanent parking lots on the street.” The purpose of this notification was to ensure that the infrastructure would be able to withstand potential growth of the area. Looking forward, the Association president met with George Caballero in 1992. The purpose was to ask for the purchase and/or donation of the streets in Caracol in order to create a “private” sanctuary of the area. Today there is still uncertainty as to who actually owns the roads in the Caracol Peninsula.

The next decade brought with it growth and growing pains. The waste system was not functioning properly so neighbors quickly determined the malfunction and had the proper replacements installed. As more homes were designed for the community, it became important to establish guidelines for construction. In 2004, Caracol Architectural Rules were codified into law and published in the “Boletin Oficial” of the State of Sonora. In 2007 the membership voted to improve the front entrance with the installation of the first electronic gate system complete with cameras recording the entering and exiting of vehicles. In less than 40 years the Caracol went through many refinements but the charm remained.

The Sonoran desert provides harsh sunlight, cacti, and rugged mountains and unimaginable beauty. However, the one thing residents of this area know is, “Water is a desert’s gold.” Major water infrastructure improvement projects were needed every year beginning in 2012. These included new water mains on the beach road and heart-attack hill, replacement of valves and valve boxes throughout the neighborhood and installation of updated sewage pumps. To ensure fresh water is present in the Caracol, pilas were installed in 2018. These store and release water as needed and are maintained by the HOA. The pilas are a true asset to the neighborhood during times when water from local sources becomes scarce.

Beautification projects have transformed the Caracol. In 2019 the entrance was revamped with an updated security building, signage and foliage. Each year, residents participate in “clean up days” during which trash is gathered and removed from empty lots, brush is removed to reduce the possibility of fire spreading and even light poles have been painted. Of course this hard work is often followed by a group lunch to celebrate a job well done.

In the past ten years, some residents chose to contribute additional funds toward the installation of street pavers on the roads in front of their homes. The projects were organized and overseen by the HOA. These double lanes of flat stones provide a smoother surface on most roads and aid in reducing damage to the infrastructure beneath the roads. Not only were many community streets paved but in 2021 and 2022 a handful of residents contributed to extend pavers from the guard house to the Six store to enhance the road leading into the neighborhood.

Recently, street signs were constructed, installed and painted. Many individuals worked tirelessly to make this idea come to fruition. Residents and visitors can now more easily find their way around the winding calles of the distinctive community.

In 2023 several residents of the Caracol adopted the area between the Six store and the first cross street near the marina. A team of homeowners spent time cleaning the area, painting curbs, planting local flora and adding decorative rocks. Fundraising within the neighborhood brought in a reserve of cash to cover maintenance of the area for at least the next few years. While this was not an HOA action, it shows the collaboration of the residents.

With shared goals and the collaborative spirit of the homeowners, the Caracol Peninsula has grown into what we see today. Over 200 homes on 400 plus lots now span across the once small community. Time has passed since its establishment but there is no doubt the actions of the HOA and residents working together have sustained the charm, tranquility and welcoming spirit the first residents envisioned for the future of the Caracol Peninsula.