The current state of the economy and real estate is a temporary slowing of growth for the Tucson region — and the time to seize the opportunity to improve the planning process for accommodating the new arrivals that will come decades into the future.

A Community Conversation on Regional Land Use will be held from 7:30 a.m. - 2 p.m. Wednesday (Dec. 3) at the Tucson Convention Center, 260 S. Church Ave.

Today is the last day to register for $45. Late registrations will be accepted but at an additional cost of $25.

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Topics on the agenda include:

• Current state of land-use planning in each regional jurisdiction.

• How other communities have implemented regional plans.

• Ways to improve regional planning, collaboration and implementation.

Community leaders, environmentalists, developers, homebuilders, planners, neighborhood representatives and everyone else interested in planning the region’s future is encouraged to attend.

The Urban Land Institute’s Southern Arizona division is co-hosting the event. To register, go to the institute’s website: http://arizona.uli.org. The $45 fee includes breakfast and lunch.

The meeting is the sixth community-wide discussion and part of a continuing follow-up to a Tucson Regional Town Hall held in May 2007.

“It’s important for our community to develop a plan that encourages intelligent growth and preserves our important cultural and biological resources,” said retired University of Arizona President Peter Likins, chair of the Tucson Regional Town Hall. “We cannot properly move forward together in one direction without our region’s input.”

Contact reporter Joe Pangburn at jpangburn@azbiz.com or (520) 295-4259.