A proposed private vegan community in Southern Costa Rica, built around shared values, private homes, responsible finances, and clear agreements. The structure below is a proposal for discussion and Costa Rican legal review, not an adopted arrangement.
El Santuario brings together people committed to ethical vegan living, care for nature, and respectful cooperation. Private villas offer quiet and independence; shared gardens, dining, recreation, and gathering spaces create opportunities for connection without requiring constant participation. A compatible founding group will agree on the vision and resident commitments before land acquisition or construction.
The layout below is conceptual. The final property, ecological conditions, engineering, permits, and financing will determine what can be built.
These proposals require qualified Costa Rican legal and accounting review. How the community is financed and built is explained on the Development page.
Beyond building the community, there is the ongoing cost of running it well. The following is our preliminary planning estimate of what it will cost to operate El Santuario each year, and what that means for each household. Figures are annual estimates in US dollars.
The association would approve an annual operating budget, receive regular financial reports, and maintain reserves for repairs and replacement. Acquisition, construction, financing, and individual household costs are outside this estimate. Before commitments, the funding plan must test phased occupancy and rising costs, identify who pays vacant-villa charges, and define approval procedures for shortfalls and special assessments.
$170
Per villa, per month. Based on the $40,292 annual operating budget shared across 20 villas, the lower end of the 20-30 villas planned, and rounded upward to provide a prudent margin.
A one-time capital contribution of $2,015 on each property transfer builds the association's reserve fund.
Preliminary planning estimate only. Not a quote or guaranteed fee. Actual fees will depend on the final property, operating costs, and the number of occupied villas.
People, agreements, and feasibility come before land acquisition. El Santuario is not intended to be built all at once. The final development sequence will depend on land acquisition, permitting, financing, engineering, construction costs, and demand, so no construction dates are promised.
Before committing to land acquisition, establish the people, agreements, and feasibility that the community will depend on.
The foundation of the community, built first so early residents arrive to a place that already works.
Additional villas constructed as demand develops.
Additional villas or amenities may be developed if appropriate and if demand supports them.
The community association is proposed to oversee shared operations through a General Assembly, elected Board, and accountable administrator. Its adopted rules must define membership eligibility, voting, quorum, spending authority, and financial reporting. Legally required property-owner rights remain subject to the final Costa Rican legal structure.
Prospective residents would review the covenant and commitments, discuss expectations and compatibility, and complete a transparent, lawful selection and orientation process. Willingness to cooperate, receive feedback, respect privacy, and share responsibilities matters alongside vegan values. Joining the waitlist is interest only, not acceptance, a reservation, ownership, or voting rights.
Concerns should be raised early through respectful dialogue, then facilitated discussion or mediation where appropriate. Formal complaints require notice, an opportunity to respond, proportionate decisions, and an appeal process. Repeated violations, conflicts of interest, and membership or occupancy termination must follow written agreements and applicable law. All arrangements remain proposed until reviewed and formally adopted.
These agreements are intended to protect:
Documents are published here as they are drafted, reviewed, and adopted. Anything still in preparation is marked accordingly.
The existing covenant, rules, bylaws, sale agreement, and lease are working drafts. They must be reconciled with the proposed separation of development ownership and association membership, and with the final property regime. They are not yet finalized or ready for reliance; unresolved terms must be settled before signing or committing funds.
Working draft for legal review in Costa Rica: name and legal framework, condominium structure and property, ownership and use of units, the ethical vegan commitment, the General Assembly and Board, administration, community fees and reserves, collections, insurance, rentals and transfers, environmental obligations, common facilities, enforcement, records, and amendments.
Draft v0.1 · Available for review
Expectations for living in and using El Santuario, from vegan standards to shared facilities.
Draft v0.1 · Available for review
Principles, standards and enforcement for a vegan community in nature: food and consumer products, companion animals, guests, and the enforcement process.
Draft v0.1 · Available for review
Guidelines intended to preserve the character of the community.
Draft v0.1 · In preparation
Guidelines for the clubhouse, gym, pool, hot tub, court, outdoor kitchen, market, theatre, and walking loop.
Draft v0.1 · In preparation
A preliminary developer's working template for the sale of a villa: parties, property, price, escrow, conditions precedent, construction, closing, and remedies. Prepared for review and adaptation by a qualified Costa Rican real estate lawyer and notary.
Working Template v0.1 · Available for review
Draft lease for renting a villa within the community: term, rent and deposit, utilities and community fees, occupancy, property care, the Ethical Vegan Covenant, companion animals, access and privacy, and termination. Prepared for review by a qualified Costa Rican lawyer.
Draft v0.1 · Available for review
Site layout, villa placement, the loop, and shared amenities.
Concept v0.1 · In preparation
El Santuario is currently a proposed development. All plans, dimensions, amenities, prices, budgets, timelines, infrastructure, and community policies are subject to change and are dependent on land acquisition, engineering, permitting, financing, construction costs, and applicable law. Nothing on this website constitutes an offer to sell real property, a purchase agreement, investment offering, or guarantee of future availability or pricing. Final legal documents and community governance documents will be prepared and reviewed by qualified professionals in Costa Rica.
El Santuario is a community in development. All imagery is conceptual, and pricing, layouts, and timelines are projections that may change.
El Santuario is being created gradually, with the goal of building a community that grows thoughtfully and intentionally.