July 20, 2006
Guest article from ULI Colorado

Colorado Tomorrow Alliance builds consensus on growth in metro Denver

By Michael Leccese
Executive director, ULI Colorado

Few here in Colorado have talked much about “smart growth” since the Responsible Growth Initiative (Amendment 24) crashed at the polls in November 2000. In fact the term “smart growth” has become vague, slippery or downright pejorative--and thus divisive.

            What we really need to be discussing is healthy regional growth that benefits the environment, livability and the economy.

Sure we talk about elements of growth such as FasTracks, transit-oriented development, and saving open space. But while the overarching issue of growth has quieted (or perhaps been stalemated), it has not gone away. The Denver region and our state continue to gain population. We might see another 2.5 million people in Colorado and another 1 million in metro Denver by 2030.

            Where will those people live and work? What will happen to our transportation systems, air quality, affordable housing, open spaces and quality of life? Will our region remain environmentally and economically sound?            

It is critical to begin resolving these issues.

            These are questions a new coalition called the Colorado Tomorrow Alliance (CTA) is grappling with. Launched in January under a grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Urban Land Institute (ULI), the CTA is bringing together voices from opposite sides of the table -- homebuilders, environmentalists, community activists, developers, and government officials to name a few -- to move forward on common issues.

            In June ULI Colorado convened a prospective CTA steering committee with top representatives from AIA Denver, the Metro Mayors Caucus, the Colorado Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects, the Colorado Environmental Coalition, the Enterprise Foundation/Denver, Home Builders of Metro Denver, the Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG), the National Association of Industrial and Office Parks (NAIOP), the Transit Alliance, and the University of Colorado.

            These 14 top leaders discussed and acknowledged the need to protect our region’s natural beauty, high quality of life, and economic opportunities for all citizens. They also acknowledged that previous efforts have failed or stalled because of politics, economics, or inertia.

            Yet they agreed that CTA can be an effective vehicle to move forward. Here are their concepts about what the CTA can do:

• Define smart growth principles as shared by broad constituencies;
• Research “smart growth” proposals and projects to help communities reach agreement on the right projects for the right places. An independent CTA can develop standards, evaluate projects, and certify projects so the public knows it’s getting the real bill of goods—not just a developer’s marketing spin.   
• Lead a “Reality Check” bringing decision-makers and the public together to compare master plans and visions with what’s actually being built and approved—and then plot corrective steps. Other regions rave about the ability of Reality Check to engage the public and public officials and to create results.
• Get people talking and building solutions to manage future growth. In Los Angeles, an alliance gained steam by discussing the “2 percent solution” where changes in land use would have a positive effect on the entire region. Citizens are now realizing that small incremental changes made on a tiny fraction of all land in the region can produce huge results for all.
• Build consensus on regional cooperation on the Front Range and transportation solutions in the I-25 and I-70 corridors.
• Apply lessons learned to an entire state plagued by growing traffic, rising home prices, and loss of open spaces.

            As a next step ULI Colorado will confirm the involvement of these organizations, see what other partners are interested, and launch a regional planning exercise such as a Reality Check. For more information go to www.ulicolorado.org.

            “We believe that this consensus-based approach will produce results where efforts to regulate or legislate growth have failed or fallen short,” says Richard Epstein, AIA, ULI, chair of ULI Colorado’s smart growth alliance committee. “We look forward to working with our new partners toward this goal.”

The Urban Land Institute is an international 30,000-member nonpartisan think tank dedicated to responsible land use that respects and improves the environment. Based in Denver, ULI’s Colorado District Council has 1,200 members and focuses on educational programs, improving public transit, tours of innovative redevelopment, and community outreach programs. On October 17-20, Denver hosts ULI’s Fall Meeting, bringing 6,000 land-use professionals, planners, architects, urban designers, and governmental officials, and community leaders to examine growth trends in our region and beyond.