The Much-Touted Civano 'Solar Village' Is Drawing Heat Over City Subsidies. By Dave Devine IT'S NO SECRET that whole neighborhoods on Tucson's south and east sides suffer from urban decay--old, rusty swingsets sit forlornly in local parks which have few amenities; street lights are non-existent; the streets themselves were poorly built and will have to be replaced, a very expensive process. But just five miles east of Wilmot Road on 22nd Street, the landscape is mostly rolling desert with sparse development. Turning south on Houghton Road for three miles, driving down through the Pantano Wash, and passing two stables and occasional emerging subdivisions with names like "Rancho del Rincon," the visitor comes upon the future 820-acre site of Civano, Tucson's so-called "Solar Village." The yet-to-be-developed site is identified only by a sign and a partially completed building for the Global Solar Energy Company, which believes in "building green," according to the sign. It's been almost one year since the Tucson City Council, by a four-to-three vote, agreed to spend $3 million to support the Civano project. Before that, when the Solar Village had been a concept and not a financial request, the Council was often unanimous in supporting it. Since then, Mayor George Miller and council members Janet Marcus, Shirley Scott and Michael Crawford have continued to provide the votes needed to maintain the local subsidies for the project. Councilmen José Ibarra and Steve Leal have opposed it, saying the money is needed for improvements to existing neighborhoods. The deep political split on the Council about public funding is obvious. It has led to snide comments about the integrity of those on the other side of the issue and one theory that the whole effort will turn out to be just a big public-housing complex. But according to John Laswick, the city's manager for the project, Civano will be an alternative to sprawl and typical subdivision development. Through reductions in the use of water, solid waste disposals, transportation fuels and other energy requirements, Laswick believes the development "is a community vision which will have echoes throughout the city." The original developer of Civano, David Butterfield, of the Trust for Sustainable Development, was out of the process within a few months of the project receiving city funding. He's been replaced by Case Enterprises, a builder of low-income, tax-credit apartment complexes and other "infill" projects in Tucson for the past seven years. Company owner David Case says that despite the lack of activity on the site now, by the end of the year much will have changed. He expects to have at least four model homes completed by early 1998. He estimates 100 housing units will be built next year, and then 200 to 300 in following years, until a total of 2,500 is reached. Case says 10 percent of the profits will be put back into infill and other projects, and that $10 million in private funds will be invested in the first phase of development. Some local real estate developers think the 200 to 300 homes per year estimate is unrealistic. But Laswick says to be successful the subdivision must achieve those numbers. "Civano must be a home run to succeed," he says. Doubts have also arisen concering the energy savings attributed to Civano. Some critics question how much commercial or industrial development will occur in the first several years of the project. As Ibarra points out, the project "is in the middle of nowhere." The city's commitment of $3 million is to be spent over a three-year period. Those funds will be used to install sewer and water lines, upgrade Houghton Road, and build other infrastructure improvements. These are costs which would typically be paid by private financing. In addition, local taxpayers have also picked up a $4,000 Australian trip for Councilmember Shirley Scott and her aide Melissa Hartman. Scott was discussing Civano at a "Pathways to Sustainability" conference of the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives. Scott defended her trip, saying it allows Tucson to participate on an international playing field and to demonstrate its commitment to the practice of sustainability as a public policy. J.W. Miller, president of the Civano Institute, a citizens' group participating in the project, is straightforward about why he thinks the city should be a financial partner: "It's long passed time" Miller says, "for the city to put its money where its mouth is to support sustainable development." He cites figures indicating the project will pay a handsome return to the city. Of course, that reasoning is similar to the arguments used by supporters of spring-training baseball, Microsoft's ill-fated relocation here, and the chronically unprofitable Copper Bowl. Leal, another foe of city funding for the project, complains a number of areas of town have long-standing needs which have been put on hold even longer while the Council majority votes to fund Civano. And while Ibarra calls Civano a "solid idea," he adds, "Its location should be closer to the city center." He believes funding for Civano will definitely be a campaign issue in this fall's city elections. Some potential City Council candidates have already spoken out against public financing of the project.

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