Tucson growth plan (Phoenix, Marana, Three Points: homes, where to buy, public transportation)

[LordBalfor]

A recent posting asking about Three Points reminded me of a link I had to the official Tucson growth plan. I dug this up while researching what area to buy retirement property in (back late in 2006) and thought it might be useful to folks trying to decide where to buy themselves.

Essentially this plan outlines where the city of Tucson is intending to direct growth as well as where they expect it to occur. If you pull up the plan you can see that most of the growth will likely be along I-10 up towards Marana and north and south of I-10 out towards Vail. There is very little growth being directed out to the south or south-west towards the Three Points area.

http://www.tucsonaz.gov/pdf/csp-growth2.pdf

Hope some folks find this useful. I know I did.

Ken

[BillyBaroo]

Plans and studies, Tucson is a world champion of those two things. I'd like to see a little more action and less talk. There's so much fear of growth around here that many people like to hide their head in the sand and pretend it won't happen if we don't let it. That was a big reason why a crosstown freeway was never built. People thought that not building a freeway would limit growth. Instead, the result is crowded surface streets.

[sierraAZ]

Originally Posted by BillyBaroo

People thought that not building a freeway would limit growth.

And preserve their views... based on what I've heard.

[_Charles_]

Tucson is 20 years behind Phoenix. If you want to know what Tucson will be like in 2025 - look at Phoenix now. Growth plans don't mean anything in AZ - developers rule.

[Magnum Mike]

Originally Posted by _Charles_

Tucson is 20 years behind Phoenix. If you want to know what Tucson will be like in 2025 - look at Phoenix now. Growth plans don't mean anything in AZ - developers rule.

I don't know about 20 years, it might be 30 or 40 years. Personally, I hope Tucson stays the nice small town it's always been.

I also agree with your analogy on developers. The only thing I hope they won't do is create the sprawl they created here in Maricopa County/Phoenix area, and I certainly hope they consider vertical development instead of sprawl. The Arizona desert is not the ideal location for sprawled out metro areas.

[Bummer]

HEY, Charles and Mike . . .

We like it that way, haven't you heard?

[LordBalfor]

Originally Posted by _Charles_

Tucson is 20 years behind Phoenix. If you want to know what Tucson will be like in 2025 - look at Phoenix now. Growth plans don't mean anything in AZ - developers rule.

Well, I do have to say that RIGHT NOW (ie the developments now in work or on the drawing boards - at least that I've heard of) growth does indeed seem to be pretty much all occuring in the areas designated by the plan. Does that mean it will continue to follow the plan 5-10 years down the road? Of course not. But it seems pretty clear to me that the areas designated for growth will be the areas most likely to grow first and fastest (as they seem to be doing already). Other areas will of course follow, but will probably be slower. For example, if you look at the plan you'll notice there is very little designated growth on Ajo Highway out towards Three Points - and I have to say that I don't know of too many people promoting that direction as the way to grow and singing it's praises. I do think growth will certainly appear in the designated areas - and may occur elsewhere as well - just not as soon.

Ken

[Ozark Nana]

Originally Posted by Bummer

HEY, Charles and Mike . . .

We like it that way, haven't you heard?

Well put Bummer....

O.Nana

[eric351982]

Tucson's growth plan? Sprawling Walgreens, Fry's, and tract homes as far as the eye can see, built without future water plans or public transportation. Congratulations Tucson! You are officially the ugliest, most pointless, and trashy city in the developed world.

[miamiman]

Originally Posted by Magnum Mike

I don't know about 20 years, it might be 30 or 40 years. Personally, I hope Tucson stays the nice small town it's always been.

I also agree with your analogy on developers. The only thing I hope they won't do is create the sprawl they created here in Maricopa County/Phoenix area, and I certainly hope they consider vertical development instead of sprawl. The Arizona desert is not the ideal location for sprawled out metro areas.

Tucson isn't a small town. There are almost 520,000 people. More people than Atlanta, Miami, or Pittsburgh.

Tucson doesn't need to maintain its small town nature. The city is in desperate need of a crosstown freeway and vertical development downtown. The Arizona desert shouldn't have been developed at all, but since it has been, let's address real issues instead of trying to be nostalgic of what Phoenix and Tucson once were.