Seven years ago the state legislature was in an uproar over growth in Colorado.

Lawmakers from both parties vowed to do something about the sprawling development that was gobbling up large areas of the state. Even former Gov. Bill Owens, a conservative Republican who resisted most government regulation, vowed to take action against sprawl.

When Democrats and Republicans deadlocked over reform, environmentalists appealed directly to voters. They sponsored an initiative, Amendment 24, which would have placed new restrictions on where development would be allowed.

Developers spent $5 million to defeat the proposal, which voters rejected overwhelmingly.

Fast forward to 2007, when Democrats control the governorship and both houses of the state legislature. You might think Colorado would see a new round of proposals to govern growth, but that's not the case.

"This won't be the land-use session of the legislature," said Elise Jones, director of the Colorado Environmental Coalition.

Jones said environmentalists have decided to take a new tack and try to work out solutions with developers, hoping to encourage denser mixed-use construction around transit lines.