Despite the poor economy, Arizona is still one of the fastest growing states in the United States. To some, it seems like the engine just won't turn over, after so many false starts in addressing how to accommodate growth. Kimberly Craft reports there's new movement to address the question of how we want to grow.

For more than 40 years, most days, Albert Elias has walked to work, to the print shop he runs in downtown Tucson.  He started in the business delivering El ucsonense, a newspaper his great grandfather started at the same location in 1915.  In the 1990's his family became the subject of a documentary centered on community growth.  Back then, Elias was used to calling it like he saw it. He said he spent decades paying taxes to subsidize growth outside city limits.

(Albert Elias, Old Pueblo Printers)
It seems like everyone needs water, sewer, police and libraries.  I've been paying all my life for people to move out there.

At that time Albert Elias Junior recalled his childhood, when the downtown was hopping. 

Today the downtown still lacks that sense of vibrancy, in spite of decades of efforts to restore the city center.  That's a common topic of conversation among family members.

(Albert Elias, Jr. Planning Director, COT)
We all share some disappointment but the reality is we can’t just give up  on our downtown, we need to make it a vital, fun place to be and we cert have opportunities.

Evidenced by housing foreclosures and inadequate infrastructure, the development pattern Tucson has pursued for the last 50 years cannot sustain itself,    As city planning director, Albert Elias sees a silver lining in the economic downturn.

(Albert Elias, Jr. Planning Director, COT)
More and more people are starting to realize we can’t accommodate the next million pople in this valley the way we accommodated the first million  we’ve got to try some different approaches.

Elias rides herd on planning for the next million.  That will likely take place on the city's southeast side, where planners envision a development that incorporates residential, commercial and recreational uses.  Elias continues to refine the plan to learn from past mistakes and develop in a way that is more fiscally, environmentally and socially sustainable.  Tough economic times offer a chance to harness on angry feelings to develop solutions.

(Albert Elias, Jr. Planning Director, COT)
Now is a good time to have that dialog, a community conversation about what’s important to us, what do we value as a com and where do we want to go in the future and how we’re going to get there.

Keri Silvyn thinks about that a lot.  As a land use attorney she finds herself now with much more time on her hands, time she's devoting to initiating community dialogue about what we consider important values to guide our future.

(Keri Silvyn, attorney)
When you start the discussion with the community values... the 20, 30 thousand foot level. We don’t  start with the growth, no growth questions, don’t start with the do we grow up, out. That’s not where you start discussion. You start the discussion with the values and what we value as a community.

Stimulated by a 2008 town hall discussion Silvyn joined a group of 40 like minded colleagues who have been meeting monthly to develop an inclusive process to identify community values. This is nothing new, as oldtimers will remember past efforts to create a community vision. Though Silvyan values those efforts, and seeks to incorporate the findings, she says hat many of those reports continue to collect dust on a shelf.

(Keri Silvyn, attorney)
All of those were created, by small groups of people who locked themselves in board rooms or resorts to have discussions about what the vision of Tucson should be  those were the only people that had buy in to those vision statements.

The group, calling itself the envisioning process for the time being, seeks to involve everyone, all stakeholders, in the dialogue.  Now they are reserching past efforts to identify what worked and what failed, to put together a process for collecting information this fall.  In the meantime, we do have some successes to celebrate, according to Elias. 

Transportation improvements include upgrades for automobiles, transit, cyclists and pedestrians.  The city and county are collaborating to solve systemic problesm of water supplies And Tucson is well positioned to recover from the recession with plans in place to address growth issues.  And Elias senior is finally seeing some improvements south of Broadway, and maintains hope that more positive changes will come in his lifetime.

(Albert Elias, Old Pueblo Printers)
It depends on how long my life is going to last. I think I might see it yes, sure, why not. I like to be optimistic. I don’t want to be so blind that I can’t think in terms of something good.

The Elias family demonstrates a certain tanacity characteristic of early settlers. and a will to reshape our vision of the community that embraces the past and holds open the door to newcomers.