The Vision and The Plan

“The vision for Rio Nuevo is the creation of a network of unique experience areas, linked by shaded plazas which connect new cultural, civic, entertainment and business uses interwoven in a historically accurate and aesthetically pleasing manner throughout the Rio Nuevo District.”

“Tucson evolved as a community of cultures intimately connected to the mountains, the Sonoran Desert, and its rivers. As the City has grown, these connections have become tenuous, and the community is now working to reestablish them, beginning with the core of the City.”

“It is our firm belief that many of the projects evaluated herein can be designed, constructed, and launched into operation within the 10-year window, effectively implementing the Master Plan, thereby enhancing the City of Tucson, Arizona with exciting, culturally rich, and economically sustainable development. It can also succeed at strengthening neighborhoods, and restoration of the natural environment that is of central importance to the heart and soul of Tucson.”

The Master Planning Team

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I. Executive Summary

• The Rio Nuevo Master Plan, 10-Year Development and Long-Range Vision is a comprehensive study that delves into the sociology and economy of Tucson, and weaves a rich cultural past together with a vibrant economic future. The boldness of the Rio Nuevo Master Plan is testament to its strong neighborhoods, visionary citizens, and the commitment to success as evidenced by the City of Tucson. The Plan’s implementation will define the future face of Tucson, while at the same time returning the people to their culture and roots. The opportunity created by Proposition 400 is maximized by the Rio Nuevo Master Plan.

• Outreach efforts have been very substantial and have resulted in significant community input for the Rio Nuevo Master Planning Project. Mailings have reached more than 5,000 area neighborhood residents and 600 groups and individuals that expressed interest in the Project. The public outreach program included numerous multi-neighborhood planning meetings and Citizens Advisory Committee meetings, three major Public Forums, and two multi-day public design and landscape design workshops. Outreach was done in both English and Spanish, including meeting notices and handouts. Meetings have included Spanish translation and sign language for the hearing impaired.

• Community input has been received in a number of ways, including comment sheets provided at public forums, as well as lengthy question and answer periods following public presentations. In addition, the consulting team interviewed more than 160 individuals associated with Tucson institutions, organizations, associations, businesses, public agencies, multi­cultural groups, and others, to gain information and insight. A series of three Design Workshops were attended by approximately 100 people each, with workshops lasting from four to five hours. The sessions broke into small groups with a member of the Master Plan team participating in each. Presentations by the “citizen planners” from each of the six to seven groups, including their own often extensive and detailed sketches and drawings, culminated each workshop. It was through the public outreach and interview process that consensus on the vision for Rio Nuevo was reached, and a host of exciting projects emerged to be incorporated in the Plan.

• The Master Plan Team acknowledged community input in a number of ways. First, notes of questions and comments from public meetings were included in Technical Memoranda. Local media also conveyed community responses and reactions. Subsequent meetings enabled the Team to convey aspects of the Plan development that had been initiated or influenced by previous community input. Overall, there has been great interest in this project demonstrated by large attendance at meetings, and community response appears predominantly positive.

• Concerns expressed during the course of the planning process were translated into positive action by the team that resulted in four primary tenets of the Rio Nuevo Master Plan: . Protect the Neighborhoods . Revere the Environment . Be True to Tucson’s Heritage . Invigorate the Downtown.

• These tenets were further expanded as the team identified the following themes of public consensus:

What Is Desirable :

— New Residential Opportunities

— An Exciting Mix of Cultural Attractions

— Arts & Entertainment/Restaurants/Retail

— A Pedestrian-Friendly Environment

— Abundant Natural Landscaping

What Is Not Desirable :

— Traffic Impacts on Neighborhoods

— Fake or Intrusive Design Concepts

— Development that’s Out-of-Character or Out-of-Scale for Tucson.

• At the approximate mid-point of the planning process, the team was able to cite an understanding of certain key determinants of the evolving plan. These were as follows:

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