Redefining borders in the contested territory between San Pedro and San Andres Cholula

In Mexico's fourth largest metropolitan area, Puebla, two towns have disputed their political and social boundaries since pre-Columbian times: San Pedro Cholula and San Andres Cholula. For the last four decades, the urban landscape and the inhabitant’s daily lives have changed rapidly for these municipalities, and consequently, some boundaries might have changed also. Still, San Pedro is the traditional town, preserving its cultural heritage, whilst San Andres is synonymous with modern high-end real estate development. This article focuses on the definition of the new borders of these two municipalities and its impact on local inhabitants First, the concept of borders is defined to then analyse the existing socio-spatial characteristics, and urban policies, in both municipalities. A combination of geospatial data, official documents, urban codes, and news reports helped to identify and understand the diversity of these borders, their effects in San Pedro and San Andres Cholula, and the consequences for their residents. By mapping and overlaying these results, critical areas with significant impact for both territories were determined. Finally, this article establishes the identified borders as strategic tools for the urban design and planning of a community.