Slowing growth/ Legislation taking shape at Statehouse

The pinch of growth in Colorado often hurts, but it also serves as a reminder that Coloradans aren't dreaming: The last decade of unbridled success really has happened.

For that reason, Coloradans have a love-hate relationship with growth.

In Colorado Springs and other Front Range cities, residents like the perks that growth brings - better jobs, higher salaries, new golf courses, sports teams. But they detest the downside - congested commutes, crowded classrooms, packed hiking trails, oceans of homes in what used to be farmland and rising home prices.

"This is the sort of challenge that other governors in other states would love to have," Gov. Bill Owens said. "Colorado is doing very well."

But increasingly, there is pressure on state lawmakers to do something about the downside of growth. The question for 2001 is how they will tackle the difficult issues when the General Assembly session starts Jan. 10.

Stars aligned

A 1998 poll of state voters by Ciruli Associates showed that growth was their No. 1 issue of concern, topping education, transportation and crime.

An October 2000 poll by Ciruli showed that not much has changed in two years. Thirty-four percent of those polled said growth was the most important issue for lawmakers to address in Colorado, 19 percent said education, 11 percent said transportation and 4 percent said guns.

Despite that obvious pressure from voters, lawmakers have failed to pass any kind of comprehensive growth legislation, because compromise and consensus were impossible. Developers couldn't agree with municipalities and environmentalists couldn't see eye-to-eye with farmers.

For a variety of reasons, however, the time seems ripe for the General Assembly to make some decisions about how growth should be handled:

Democrats have taken over the state Senate for the first time in 40 years and have made growth one of their top priorities. Forty- four new bills dealing with growth already are in the works.

Owens, who two years ago dodged questions about growth with general comments about local control, is leading the charge for comprehensive growth laws on the state level.

People who couldn't stand being in the same room together in years past are sitting down to talk about growth issues. The fact that Owens and environmentalists met last week to discuss growth legislation is one example.

"There is an opportunity with this Legislature...we could see a piece of real comprehensive growth legislation come out of the process, which didn't happen last year," said Bob Myers, a member of the state Sierra Club chapter and part of a national Sierra Club effort to address suburban sprawl.

Owens said he listened to the environmentalists "in terms of what they'd like to see, the Legislature address, and we certainly are having that discussion almost as we speak."

Environmentalists say Owens is sending the right signals.

"It is probably the first time the governor has engaged the conservation community, and it was a very productive meeting," Myers said.

Amendment 24

The catalyst for action on a state growth plan is the failure of Amendment 24. That ballot initiative, backed by the Sierra Club and other environmental organizations, would have put growth-management requirements into the state constitution.

It would have required that cities set urban boundaries that could be expanded only by a vote of the people and that tough development regulations be adhered to within those boundaries.

Developers, home builders and the banking industry spent more than $6 million on a campaign telling voters that Amendment 24 was "too extreme for Colorado" and that it would stunt growth and end the boom.

Voters rejected it by a 2-to-1 margin. Even though it failed, backers think it sent a message.

"Twenty-four may have lost, but it wasn't a failure," said John Fielder, a well-known nature photographer who was the public face for Amendment 24 proponents. "Forty-four growth bills may be admitted next session. It shows that the pot has been stirred, and in defeat, Amendment 24 has won."

While many bills are being crafted now, they can't be filed until Jan. 5.

What many Amendment 24 opponents really are scared of is that it may get back on the ballot in 2002.

"If the Legislature doesn't do something in 2001, the voters' patience level would be minimal," Fielder said. "Clearly, I would look forward to bringing it back in 2002, and I think the citizens would support another initiative on the ballot."

Owens and others would rather not see that happen.

The ingredients

As the legislative session draws near, just about everyone with an interest in growth is staking out a position:

Owens wants to require all cities and counties to create comprehensive growth plans and force cooperative regional planning among adjacent municipalities.

Owens also wants limits on cities' annexation powers and a new way to resolve land-use fights to keep them out of costly court battles.

A coalition of home builders, the Colorado Municipal League and counties is working on a bill that would require every government in the state to create a comprehensive plan.

"The intention is to say there are certain things that a plan ought to cover, and we will leave that up to (cities and counties)," said Tom Ragonetti, a Denver land-use attorney who is writing the bill.

Rep. Keith King of Colorado thinks fellow Republicans will support some sort of voluntary growth boundaries.

"If we maintain local control, that is what I want. That's what local governments want, too," King said.

"I do not believe we need the state officials to tell us how to (manage growth) in Colorado Springs," City Manager Jim Mullen said. "I think the mantra of most of the cities ... is leave the decision- making at the local level."

Some general areas of agreement are evolving.

Even Mullen thinks cities should be required to have a comprehensive plan to guide growth. But he believes the plan should be created and controlled by local government.

In addition, many agree that lawmakers will have to address land use, transportation, open space and water issues in any growth plan.

For now, the exact shape and content of any growth laws coming out of the General Assembly is unknown.

"There are lots of players and it is too early to predict what kind of growth-management legislation will be considered and what it may be," Fielder said. "But the fact that there are so many growth management pieces floating out there right now is good."

The word "compromise" is even used for the first time in years.

"We want this bill to pass," said Merlin Wadick, president of the Colorado Association of Home Builders, referring to the bill being put together by Ragonetti.

"That means this will have some good in it for some of us and some bad in it for some of us. No one is going to come out unscathed."

- Edited by Judy Isacoff; Headline by Tim Chong

2001 General Assembly

The 2001 session of the General Assembly opens Jan. 10. Gov. Bill Owens' State of the State address most likely will be Jan. 11.

The preliminary deadline for filing bills is Jan. 5.

You can get information about the General Assembly at www.state.co.us/gov_dir/stateleg.html.

Copyright 2000
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