State legislators will begin a special session Thursday after failing to reach agreement on on growth. Angry Lawmakers Point Fingers The legislature wrapped up its regular session Wednesday night around 9:30. Gov. Bill Owens then ordered legislators to return at noon Thursday and limited the session to growth issues. Before the Legislature adjourned, the Republican governor urged Senate Democrats to accept part of House Bill 1225 that Republicans favor. Democrats rejected the governor's plan, saying that it did nothing to limit sprawl. Owens' final proposal would have required most counties to have a comprehensive plan, end leapfrog annexations and provide a way to resolve disputes. The governor later added a request for regional planning that he said would provide checks and balances on growth when combined with a way to resolve conflict. "This is not a sham or a blank check for developers," Owens said. Senate President Stan Matsunaka, D-Loveland, disagreed and said that he would not support any bill that does not set growth limits in urban and rural areas. "If the governor thinks that solves growth, he's duping Colorado," Matsunaka said. House Speaker Doug Dean, R-Colorado Springs, criticized Senate Democrats for boycotting the final meeting of the conference committee and said voters expect the Legislature to come up with a workable growth plan. Sen. Ed Perlmutter, D-Golden, who initially sponsored the House measure, said he was angry that House Republicans refused to even consider an 86-page compromise the Democrats finished early Wednesday. It outlined areas where development would be allowed in return for guarantees for developers. Growth management has been debated, often contentiously, since the Legislature convened in January. Owens has said he would call a special session to consider growth management if lawmakers failed to agree on a bill. Pollster Floyd Ciruli said all sides on the issue had a lot to lose without a compromise because voters listed it as one of their top issues. "The governor made it his No. 1 state of the state priority, Dean and Matsunaka made it clear they wanted growth bills, so it's clearly going to be perceived as a failure," Ciruli said. Rich McClintock, who is with a public policy lobbying group that sponsored a growth control amendment rejected by voters last November, said his group is concerned there will be even more pressure on lawmakers in a special session. "There could be an effort to pass legislation with no teeth and claim credit for solving the problem. We'll be watchful," he said. Previous Stories:

• May 10, 2001: Angry Lawmakers Can't Compromise On Growth Bill
• May 9, 2001: No Growth Bill As Midnight Deadline Approaches
• May 8, 2001: Growth Bill Stalls In Conference Committee
• May 7, 2001: Growth Bill Still In Limbo
• May 7, 2001: Groups Put Colorado Growth Info On Net
• May 4, 2001: State Senate Approves Growth Bill
• May 2, 2001: Residents Wonder: Would Boeing Be A Good Thing?
• April 15, 2001: Growth Plan Would Erode Neighborhoods, Residents Say
• March 29, 2001: Growth Poll Reveals New Concerns
• March 20, 2001: Colorado Suburbs Booming, Latest Census Shows