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Cantor: Scottsdale’s sustainability director ought to go big with ideas

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Sustainability — It was good to hear about the workshop at the Design Studio, held by Scottsdale’s Sustainability Director, Lisa McNeilly. And to see so many attendees understand, and have given serious thought to the whole subject, was a relief.

For the last 12 years (and we have seen a lot of development in that time) mentioning “sustainability” at City Council meetings often drew a response from developers having them read the definition of that word right out of Webster’s Dictionary.

When Scottsdale was first considering the redevelopment of the SkySong site, Mike Merrill, chair of Citizens for Responsible Development, brought the subject up at a City Council meeting. The next speaker at the podium was an attorney for a developer wanting to build on that sight. First thing, out came the dictionary. Merrill, a few others and me, at the back of the Kiva just shook our heads.

Nobody had the comprehension or vision to see where things were headed. Nor was there the curiosity to find out.

In 2004, Arizona State University came forward with the University’s Global Institute of Sustainability, thanks to an investment by Julie Ann Wrigley.

The ASU School of Sustainability followed her second donation, creating the world’s first school with programs lead by leading scholar-researchers to fill four professorships to focus on renewable energy systems, sustainable business practices, global environmental change and “complex system dynamics (which involves the conceptual modeling of human-environmental interactions.)

In 2007 then-Mayor Mary Manross had the foresight to send some of us on the Housing Board to a series of workshops covering those four areas of sustainability acquisition. City Manager Jan Dolan and Manross could see things beginning to evolve with climate and environment and felt that a growing Scottsdale would be wise to develop an understanding of what challenges lay ahead.

The vice chair of the Housing Board, myself, and one other member attended those workshops, as did a member of staff. The late Joe Campodallorto who already had a background in green building and energy conservation was a tremendous resource as we brought new information to the other members of the board.

Problem grew because no one in the development community, well one group, wanted to get into the subject of sustainable development, most often saying it was too expensive to pursue. I really thought that the Webster’s dictionary was about to be dragged out, again.

For the last 14, 15 years I have put “sustainability” out there in what I have written.

Council leadership never picked it up, leaders within the Chamber of Commerce did nor said a word. The various professional builders groups never talked about it, let alone study it for use.

So, Director McNeilly, GO BIG! Change is not easy, but this is necessary and understanding how to create sustainability needs intelligent advocacy.

Those who choose to quickly point fingers at some who question projects when they come forward are doing a disservice to the city. Ninety percent of those who question aren’t NIMBYs or Say No to Growth. They just do not want to see projects heedlessly regurgitated. Responsible development is important and it can be accomplished and still be profitable.

It is critical. In 1960 my family moved here from Ohio. I had one of the coats with the raccoon collars and I wore to school from the end of December through the first of March. It was cold. So cold that if my mom and grandma were cooking up a storm and the windows were sweating, ice would form on the windows of our house on 86th Street, south of Thomas. Puddles of water froze over and pipes were freezing. Rain we had it. It filled the wash and garbage trucks had to carry patients to the ER in order to get to the hospital.

Finally, when the city sends board and commission members to workshop, conferences, etc., they should at least expect a report to the City Manager and/or Council.

Editor’s Note: Nancy Cantor is a longtime resident of Scottsdale and community advocate.