Medellín POT Revision 2026: Risk Zones Grow to 1,610 Hectares

Quick answer: Under the Medellín POT revision 2026, the city’s updated hazard maps would raise the area classed as “with risk condition” from 610 to 1,610 hectares, according to the Alcaldía de Medellín. The bill is not law yet: the 21-member Concejo plenary is scheduled to hold its final vote on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, per El Colombiano.

What the Medellín POT revision 2026 changes on the risk map

The hazard update is part of Proyecto de Acuerdo 104 de 2026, the bill revising the city’s land-use plan (POT). The Alcaldía says the basic hazard studies, covering landslides (movimientos en masa), flooding, and flash floods (avenidas torrenciales), were developed by Universidad EAFIT, and the city proposes updating its maps on that basis (Alcaldía, October 26, 2026).

The headline numbers, as published:

• Risk condition: 610 → 1,610 hectares, about a 164% increase (El Colombiano).
• Flooding, high hazard: 465 → 575 hectares; medium hazard 66 → 364 (Alcaldía).
• Flash floods, high hazard: 4,316 → 587 hectares (Alcaldía).

The flash-flood drop does not mean the danger went away. The Alcaldía says the revision adds new medium (169 hectares) and low (207 hectares) categories, so part of the old high-hazard area is now graded differently rather than removed from the map.

A note on landslides: the Alcaldía’s release says high landslide hazard goes from 3,022 hectares to “14.025.188”. In Colombian notation that most likely reads as about 14,025 hectares, but the release’s formatting is ambiguous, so confirm it in the bill’s technical documents. For context, Minuto30 reports total high hazard (landslides, flooding and flash floods combined) rising from 3,919 to 15,188 hectares.

“Risk condition” is not the same as a hazard rating. It refers to zones where people or buildings are already exposed to a high hazard, and the Alcaldía says such areas are prioritized for detailed studies. Minuto30 describes them as occupied areas with high hazard (Minuto30).

What happens to the 86 “non-mitigable” polygons

The 2014 POT labeled 86 polygons as high-risk and non-mitigable. The revision would reclassify them as follows (Alcaldía):

• 40 move to “risk condition” and are prioritized for detailed studies.
• 28 stay high-risk non-mitigable.
• 16 fall outside the risk categories.
• 2 move to high-risk mitigable, based on earlier detailed studies.

Which neighborhoods are named

El Colombiano’s coverage points to the upper barrios of Comuna Buenos Aires and Manrique, parts of San Cristóbal (including Pajarito), upper San Javier, the Morro de Moravia, and areas of San Sebastián de Palmitas for landslide risk. Sectors of Comuna Popular are flagged for flooding. Creeks named include Santa Elena, La Picacha, Ana Díaz, and La Iguaná (El Colombiano). This is a list of areas the press describes, not a parcel-level map. Planeación’s official maps are the source for any specific address.

Where the vote stands

The Comisión Primera approved the bill in first debate 7-0 after more than eight hours and 119+ modifications; the second and final debate is slated for November 4 (Publimetro). We covered that first vote in our report on the POT’s tourist-housing rules. The same bill also covers where tourist rentals can operate, and the administration says it is not a general ban (Publimetro).

What buyers and long-term renters should do

• Check the address, not the barrio. Most of a neighborhood can sit outside a risk polygon while one slope or creek bank sits inside it.
• Ask for the zoning and risk certificate. Request the property’s classification from Planeación before signing, and ask a lawyer how “risk condition” could affect building permits or legalization. We did not find the rule-by-rule consequences in the sources reviewed.
• Treat the draft as provisional. The Concejo can still amend it on November 4, and the maps become binding only once the agreement is adopted.
• Mind the supply debate. The mayor’s office argues the 2014 plan limited new housing (Publimetro); our piece on stalled housing construction since 2014 gives that background.

Quick FAQ

What does “condición de riesgo” mean? It refers to zones where people or buildings are already exposed to a high hazard, as opposed to a hazard rating alone.

How do I check an address? Ask Planeación for the property’s zoning and risk classification; press lists of neighborhoods are not parcel-level.

When do the new maps take effect? Only once the Concejo adopts the agreement; the final vote is scheduled for November 4, 2026.

This report summarizes official and press sources as of November 2, 2026. We have not read the full bill or technical annexes, and the Concejo’s agenda can change.