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Search Results for Topic : Healthy Communities
Seattle 2035: Growth and Equity Analysis
Date Added: Tuesday, June 7, 2022Healthy Communities, Equity, Displacement
Washington
Municipal
Seattle’s Growth and Equity Analysis, is a companion document to Seattle’s Environmental Impact Statement that evaluates four alternative ways for distributing growth throughout the city. The Growth and Equity Analysis created two data indexes – the Displacement Risk Index and the Access to Opportunity Index. Each index is made up of a list of indicators. The document maps Seattle based on these indexes and data, evaluating the four growth alternatives with a social justice and equity lens. Maps of each indicator are included...
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West Hartford, CT Removes ADU Barriers
Date Added: Tuesday, August 31, 2021Accessory Uses , Healthy Communities
Connecticut
Municipal
West Hartford previously permitted ADUs, but the lot must have been double the size of what was required for a particular zone. Additionally, only domestic employees or guests of the primary residence owner were permitted to reside in the ADU. A new ADU ordinance was passed, setting size, material, and parking requirements. The restrictive occupancy requirements were removed...
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Seattle, WA Removes Barriers to ADU Development
Date Added: Tuesday, August 31, 2021Accessory Uses , Healthy Communities
Washington
Municipal
Recently enacted zoning legislation that removes significant barriers to ADU development in order to address the city’s housing crisis. The new code removes off-street parking and owner occupancy requirements while also streamlining the approval process for ADU development. Seattle also created a user-friendly website to simplify the process for its residents, connecting homeowners considering ADUs to members of the design and construction community, even addressing the high cost of ADU development through access to low-interest financing..
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SeaTac, WA ADU
Date Added: Tuesday, August 31, 2021Accessory Uses , Affordable Housing , Healthy Communities
Washington
Municipal
Requires the primary residence or ADU to be occupied by the owner in order to build and rent out
an ADU. The city allows for ADUs in order to maximize the use of existing housing stock, improve
cost efficiency of existing infrastructure, increase opportunities for homeowners, and provide
housing options for a wide range of income and status. Most ADUs are required to meet a maximum
of 800 square feet while preexisting ADUs may have up to 45% of the square footage of the primary
residence. The code also sets maximum occupancy, height, desig..
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As-of-right ADU in Raleigh, NC
Date Added: Tuesday, August 31, 2021Accessory Uses , Affordable Housing , Healthy Communities
North Carolina
Municipal
Previously restricted ADU construction to a specific overlay zone, did not allow ADUs as of right in any residential zone, and required residents to petition their neighbors when seeking to develop ADUs on their property. Now, Raleigh allows ADUs as of right in all residential zones without any significant restriction on their construction or subsequent use. This promotes affordable housing and encourages diversity in both housing stock and occupancy...
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Portland, OR Green Roofs
Date Added: Tuesday, August 31, 2021Healthy Communities, Climate Change Planning
Oregon
Municipal
Portland requires all new buildings with a net building area of 20,000 square feet or more in the Central City Plan District zoned CX, EX, RX, and IG1 to have green roofs (33.510.243 Ecoroofs). Up to 40% of the roof can alternatively house mechanical equipment, skylights, solar panels, wind turbines, rain capture equipment, or common areas. Green roofs are cooler than conventional roofs, help with air pollution, and keep buildings cooler...
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Pinellas County, FL Incentivizes Affordable Housing
Date Added: Tuesday, August 31, 2021Affordable Housing , Incentive Zoning, Healthy Communities
Florida
Regional - Multiple Municipalities
Pinellas County provides numerous incentives for affordable housing development: expedited permit processing, review fee relief, reduced parking requirements, housing in commercial zones, donation of publicly owned land, identifying qualified renters or buyers, density bonuses, accessory structures, reduced setback requirements, street design modifications, and zero lot lines. Where 20% of the units are affordable to households at 60% AMI or below, these incentives may apply...
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Philadelphia, PA Voluntary Affordable Housing
Date Added: Tuesday, August 31, 2021Affordable Housing , Incentive Zoning, Healthy Communities
Pennsylvania
Municipal
Philadelphia includes in its housing code a provision for voluntary affordable housing. Moderate income units will be priced at levels affordable for 60% AMI, while low income units will be priced for 50% AMI. Where at least 50% of gross floor area will be designated for residential development, floor area, height, or dwelling density bonuses may apply. The bonuses are calculated depending on the zone and income designation. These affordable units must constitute at least 10% of all units, be affordable for 50 years, and be of comparable qualit..
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Norwalk, CT ADU Requirementd
Date Added: Tuesday, August 31, 2021Accessory Uses , Healthy Communities
Connecticut
Municipal
Norwalk sets multiple requirements for ADUs. The primary residence must have been in existence for at least three years and must meet minimum lot area requirements. Additionally, the owner of the property must reside on the premises. The ADU must only have one bedroom, which may be occupied by up to two adults and one child...
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Miami, FL Mandatory Inclusionary Zoning
Date Added: Tuesday, August 31, 2021Affordable Housing , Incentive Zoning, Healthy Communities
Florida
Municipal
Passed a mandatory inclusionary zoning ordinance in 2018 that requires affordable units in a certain 30-block district. Because the city ranked lowest in the country for affordable rental units and climate change is forcing residents inland, Miami chose to pass this ordinance. Now, rental developments within the zone must have a minimum 7% affordable or 14% workforce housing. Both of these are designated for households earning 80% less AMI. Developers will be permitted to increase project square footage if they fulfill this requirement. In Miam..
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Miami, FL Tree Requirements
Date Added: Tuesday, August 31, 2021Healthy Communities, Climate Change Planning
Florida
Municipal
The City of Miami requires a tree permit “prior to the removal, relocation, root pruning or trimming more than 25% of any tree” and “prior to the removal, relocation, root pruning or trimming of any tree, plant or shrub located in any portion of the City of Miami’s right-of- way.” Chapter 17 of the city’s code was enacted to protect, preserve and restore the tree canopy. It is notable in that this applies to private property owners too...
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Garden City Village, NY Affordable Housing
Date Added: Tuesday, August 31, 2021Affordable Housing , Healthy Communities, Density
New York
Municipal
Garden City Village enacted an Affordable Housing Density Bonus to promote affordable units within the village. Affordable housing is affordable for those whose income is 80% or less AMI. The density bonus includes a density increase by at least 10% or an increase in floor area ratio, and the additional units created must be dedicated affordable. These bonuses are permitted in any residential or mixed use zones in which five or more residential units are being developed. The ordinance also sets guidelines for permitting, deed, ownership, and co..
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Fairfax County, VA ADU
Date Added: Tuesday, August 31, 2021Accessory Uses , Healthy Communities
Virginia
Regional - Multiple Municipalities
ADUs in Fairfax County previously were only permitted in single family detached homes where approved by the Board of Zoning Appeals. The occupant of the main house or ADU was required to be at least 55 years old or have a disability. Only single-family residences are permitted to have an ADU and only interior ADUs are permitted as-of-right. The homeowner must live in one of the units and there must be at least one parking space for the ADU. The ADU can have a maximum of two bedrooms...
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Connecticut ADU Bill
Date Added: Tuesday, August 31, 2021Accessory Uses , Healthy Communities
Connecticut
State
Recently passed a bill that promotes development of ADUs. HB 6107 legalizes all ADUs in the state and removes off-street parking requirements. This bill allows ADUs as of right on all properties that contain at least one single-family home. It also lists several restrictions which municipalities are now prohibited from placing on ADU development, including minimum age and occupant relationship requirements...
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Chicago, IL Density Bonuses for Green Roofs
Date Added: Tuesday, August 31, 2021Energy Efficiency & Conservation, Healthy Communities, Density
Illinois
Municipal
Green roofs are periodically inspected by the Department of Zoning. The floor area bonus for qualifying green roofs is calculated as follows: Bonus FAR = (area of roof landscaping in excess of 50% of net roof area ÷ lot area) × 0.30 × Base FAR...
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Carrboro, North Carolina Tree Requirements
Date Added: Tuesday, August 31, 2021Energy Efficiency & Conservation, Healthy Communities, Climate Change Planning
North Carolina
Municipal
Town of Carrboro, North Carolina sets requirements for tree retention and protection in parking lots, new developments, and more. There is a tree canopy coverage minimum for every lot or tract for which a zoning, special use, or conditional use permit is issued. Residential developments must meet a minimum of 40% lot coverage. If existing canopy is less than this, additional trees should be planted. Increasing trees acts as “air conditioning for cities” and can help mitigate Urban Heat Island. No pavement can be closer than 15 feet to the trunk..
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City of Raleigh Equitable Transit-Oriented Development Guidebook
Date Added: Thursday, August 12, 2021Transit Oriented Development (TOD), Transit Oriented Development (TOD), Transportation & Land Use Planning, Transportation & Land Use Planning, Healthy Communities, Healthy Communities, Equity, Equity
North Carolina
Municipal
This guidebook is split into five sections: 1) introduction 2) design principles 3) station area 4) policy toolkit 5) action plan. The introduction discusses why it is important to plan development around transit and what the goals for growth and affordability. Sections two through five are aimed at how to achieve these goals. Specifically, the documents suggests using zoning to advance equitable transit-oriented development through a TOD overlay zone. Complete streets, density changes, and use changes are also advanced...
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City of Raleigh Equitable Transit-Oriented Development Guidebook
Date Added: Thursday, August 12, 2021Transit Oriented Development (TOD), Transit Oriented Development (TOD), Transportation & Land Use Planning, Transportation & Land Use Planning, Healthy Communities, Healthy Communities, Equity, Equity
North Carolina
Municipal
This guidebook is split into five sections: 1) introduction 2) design principles 3) station area 4) policy toolkit 5) action plan. The introduction discusses why it is important to plan development around transit and what the goals for growth and affordability. Sections two through five are aimed at how to achieve these goals. Specifically, the documents suggests using zoning to advance equitable transit-oriented development through a TOD overlay zone. Complete streets, density changes, and use changes are also advanced...
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City of Raleigh Equitable Transit-Oriented Development Guidebook
Date Added: Thursday, August 12, 2021Transit Oriented Development (TOD), Transit Oriented Development (TOD), Transportation & Land Use Planning, Transportation & Land Use Planning, Healthy Communities, Healthy Communities, Equity, Equity
North Carolina
Municipal
This guidebook is split into five sections: 1) introduction 2) design principles 3) station area 4) policy toolkit 5) action plan. The introduction discusses why it is important to plan development around transit and what the goals for growth and affordability. Sections two through five are aimed at how to achieve these goals. Specifically, the documents suggests using zoning to advance equitable transit-oriented development through a TOD overlay zone. Complete streets, density changes, and use changes are also advanced...
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City of Raleigh Equitable Transit-Oriented Development Guidebook
Date Added: Thursday, August 12, 2021Transit Oriented Development (TOD), Transit Oriented Development (TOD), Transportation & Land Use Planning, Transportation & Land Use Planning, Healthy Communities, Healthy Communities, Equity, Equity
North Carolina
Municipal
This guidebook is split into five sections: 1) introduction 2) design principles 3) station area 4) policy toolkit 5) action plan. The introduction discusses why it is important to plan development around transit and what the goals for growth and affordability. Sections two through five are aimed at how to achieve these goals. Specifically, the documents suggests using zoning to advance equitable transit-oriented development through a TOD overlay zone. Complete streets, density changes, and use changes are also advanced...
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Phoenix's Transit Oriented Development Strategic Policy Framework
Date Added: Thursday, August 12, 2021Transportation & Land Use Planning, Healthy Communities, Complete Streets, Equity
Arizona
Municipal
This document describes the opportunity for transit-oriented development (TOD) for Phoenix. Specifically, it calls for a by-right zoning codes to create shorter and more predictable construction timelines. Form-based standards are promoted. Specifically, the document suggests increasing the permitted height of buildings within a quarter-mile radius of light rail stations and creating a minimum of 30 percent of housing units dedicated to long-term affordability in TOD zones. The update to this document also
includes a portion on equity...
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New York City's Racial Equity Reports Int. No. 1572-B
Date Added: Thursday, August 12, 2021Healthy Communities, Equity
New York
Municipal
This legislation calls for the development of an equitable development data tool that will contain citywide, boroughwide, community district, and neighborhood-level data in New York City. The tool will be available online for public use and will contain data on demographic conditions, economic security, neighborhood quality of life and access to opportunity, housing security/affordability/quality and housing production. The data tool will also include a Displacement Risk Index. Data is disaggregated by race and ethnicity. The tool must be avail..
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Montgomery County, Maryland Racial Equity and Social Justice Impact Statements
Date Added: Thursday, August 12, 2021Healthy Communities, Equity
Maryland
Regional - Multiple Municipalities
Bill 44-20 requires the Office of Legislative Oversight to submit a racial equity and social justice impact statement for each zoning text amendment. The bill encourages the Office of Legislative Oversight to work with the planning department to develop the impact statement. Montgomery County already had this requirement in place for bills and this new bill is an extension of that.
The county’s Racial Equity and Social Justice (RESJ) statements can be found here. One is also included here. After RESJ statements are completed, the bill is sen..
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King County Ordinance 16948 and the Determinants of Equity
Date Added: Thursday, August 12, 2021Healthy Communities, Equity
Washington
Regional - Multiple Municipalities
Ordinance 16948 is King County’s Equity and Social Justice ordinance. It supplies definitions related to equity and equitable development. It calls for the development of analytical tools to identify equitable policies. Overall, the ordinance tries to integrate equity principles in all systems of its governance. This ordinance also identifies 14 “determinants of equity.” These determinants were the basis of a separate report called “The Determinants of Equity Report.”
This report is part of an initial effort at determining if the county is a..
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Complete Streets Mean Equitable Streets
Date Added: Thursday, August 12, 2021Healthy Communities, Complete Streets, Equity
State: Not Applicable
N/A
This document presents data about the inequitable dangers of incomplete streets. Pedestrian fatality rates are much higher for Latino and African Americans than for Whites. Additionally, incomplete streets have disproportionate health impacts. Car-dependent communities discourage walking and biking. The document links the potential benefits of complete streets to data about obesity, heart disease, and respiratory illness disproportionately affecting people of color. The document also discusses the barriers that car-dependent communities create ..
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Complete Streets Mean Equitable Streets
Date Added: Thursday, August 12, 2021Healthy Communities, Complete Streets, Equity
State: Not Applicable
N/A
This document presents data about the inequitable dangers of incomplete streets. Pedestrian fatality rates are much higher for Latino and African Americans than for Whites. Additionally, incomplete streets have disproportionate health impacts. Car-dependent communities discourage walking and biking. The document links the potential benefits of complete streets to data about obesity, heart disease, and respiratory illness disproportionately affecting people of color. The document also discusses the barriers that car-dependent communities create ..
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The City of Chicago Equitable Transit-Oriented Development Policy Plan
Date Added: Thursday, August 12, 2021Transit Oriented Development (TOD), Transportation & Land Use Planning, Healthy Communities, Equity
Illinois
Municipal
This document begins by stating how Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) has unfolded in Chicago in inequitable ways, often indicating displacement patterns. In response, this document provides three Equitable Transit-Oriented Development (eTOD) policy recommendations. First, Chicago needs to build the city’s capacity to support eTOD. This includes formalizing cross-agency coordination, creating formal accountability, developing a comprehensive eTOD calculator mapping tool, and engaging communities. Second, this document suggests making eTOD requ..
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Accessory Dwelling Unit Handbook
Date Added: Thursday, August 12, 2021Accessory Uses , Affordable Housing , Healthy Communities
California
State
California’s new legislature reduces impediments on ADUs. Local legislatures may no longer use minimum lot sizes to limit ADU development, eliminates all owner occupancy requirements, prohibits local governments from setting maximum sizes under 850 square feet, renders CC&Rs void where unduly restrictive on ADU development, and requires local governments to create affordable units for various income levels. ..
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Evaluation of the City of Burlington's Inclusive Zoning Ordinance
Date Added: Thursday, August 12, 2021Affordable Housing , Healthy Communities
Vermont
Municipal
Passed ordinance that applies to any development of 5 or more dwelling units. The ordinance targets 65% AMI for rentals and 75% AMI for sales. Compliance with the ordinance provides developers with density and lot coverage bonus between 15% and 25% in addition to up to 50% parking waiver. Where the average price of units is 0-139% AMU, 15% of units must be affordable. Where the average price is 140-179% AMI, 20% of units must be affordable. Finally, where the average price of units is 180% or more AMI, or is located in the waterfront district, ..
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Accessory Dwelling Units
Date Added: Thursday, August 12, 2021Accessory Uses , Healthy Communities
Maine
Municipal
Allows ADUs to provide additional housing choice for its residents. This code focuses on moderate income housing and requires the owner of the primary dwelling and ADU reside in one of the units, but does not specify the requisite time period. The ADU may not exceed 900 square feet or 35% of the primary dwelling unit size. Biddeford sets moderately strict requirements for stairways, balconies, parking, entrances, exterior materials, lot orientation, and number of occupants...
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Affordable Housing
Date Added: Thursday, August 12, 2021Accessory Uses , Affordable Housing , Comprehensive Planning, Healthy Communities
Massachusetts
Municipal
Town of Barnstable, Massachusetts Chapter 9, Article II, Accessory Apartments and Apartment Units seeks to create additional affordable housing through permitting unpermitted existing accessory dwelling units (ADUs) and encourage the creation of new ADUs. The ordinance also creates a local chapter of the states 40B, “Comprehensive Permit” program which “encourages the development of low- and moderate-income rental and owner-occupied housing and provides a means for the Board of Appeals to remove local barriers to the creation of affordable hous..
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Affordability Unlocked Development Bonus Program Applicant Guide
Date Added: Thursday, August 12, 2021Affordable Housing , Incentive Zoning, Healthy Communities
Texas
Municipal
Austin’s “Affordability Unlocked” program provides waivers and bonuses in exchange for setting aside at least 50% of a new development’s units for a minimum of 40 years for rental and 99 years for ownership units. In rental units, 20% of all units must meet 50% AMI and affordable units must be affordable to households at 60% AMI or below to qualify. 25% of affordable units must either (a) have two or more bedrooms, (b) serve as supportive housing, or (c) serve as elderly housing. For sale units, affordable unit prices must be affordable to hous..
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PEW Health Informed Decisions Toolkit
Date Added: Thursday, August 12, 2021Healthy Communities, Health Impact Assessments
State: Not Applicable
N/A
PEW developed a toolkit of strategies that local governments are implementing to make better health-conscious decisions. You can search by type of strategy, geographically, research method, and more. The goal is by having a constantly updated health toolkit, local governments can see what other municipalities are doing to make better health choices when it comes to housing, education, and planning. ..
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10 Strategies for Implementing Placemaking in Cities
Date Added: Thursday, August 12, 2021Healthy Communities, Architectural Design Control
State: Not Applicable
N/A
The Project for Public Spaces published ten strategies to improve public spaces by using placemaking strategies. The strategies are broken down into general tips and explanations that any city or town can adopt to best fit into their community. Some of which include interconnect a public health agenda to a public space agenda, use the power of 10+, use the lighter, quicker, cheaper approach, improve streets as places, and more. ..
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10 Strategies for Implementing Placemaking in Cities
Date Added: Thursday, August 12, 2021Healthy Communities, Architectural Design Control
State: Not Applicable
N/A
The Project for Public Spaces published ten strategies to improve public spaces by using placemaking strategies. The strategies are broken down into general tips and explanations that any city or town can adopt to best fit into their community. Some of which include interconnect a public health agenda to a public space agenda, use the power of 10+, use the lighter, quicker, cheaper approach, improve streets as places, and more. ..
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Hartford CT Fresh Food Requirement for Stores
Date Added: Thursday, August 12, 2021Healthy Communities, Food Deserts, Low Nutrition Uses, Equity
Connecticut
Municipal
In Hartford, Connecticut, the zoning code requires twenty percent of the net floor area of any convenience store to sell fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, whole grain cereal, dairy products (excluding ice cream), and canned or dried goods without unhealthy additives. Requiring convenience stores and food trucks to provide more healthy food options helps combat food swamps and deserts. ..
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Town of Davidson, NC HIA in Comprehensive Plan
Date Added: Thursday, August 12, 2021Healthy Communities, Health Impact Assessments
North Carolina
Municipal
The Town of Davidson, North Carolina did a Health Impact Assessment to determine the progress they have made from their previous comprehensive plan and determine what must be included in the town’s new comprehensive plan to further the goals of the community. The goal was to collect data on the town’s current position and develop a myriad of suggestions to promote healthy programs, policies, and infrastructure. The HIA was funded by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Healthy Community Design Initiative and was a key resource for Da..
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Town of Warner Fast Food Density Cap
Date Added: Thursday, August 12, 2021Healthy Communities, Low Nutrition Uses, Equity
New Hampshire
Municipal
Town of Warner, NH has an ordinance that requires fast-food and drive-in restaurants to be at least 2,000 feet apart. This caps the density of fast-food restaurants and helps prevent food swamps near important public places. ..
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Arden Hills Minimum Distances Ordinance for Fast Food Restaurants
Date Added: Thursday, August 12, 2021Healthy Communities, Low Nutrition Uses, Equity
Minnesota
Municipal
Arden Hills, Minnesota enacted a minimum distance ordinance. In Arden Hills, “drive-in businesses” and “fast food restaurants” are not permitted within 400 feet of schools, churches, public recreation areas, and residentially zoned property. Fast-food restaurants also must be a minimum of 1,320 feet from one another. This helps prevent food swamps near important public places.
..
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Hillsborough County, FL Extensive HIA Process
Date Added: Thursday, August 12, 2021Healthy Communities, Health Impact Assessments
Florida
Regional - Multiple Municipalities
There is an extensive required Health Impact Assessment (HIA) process in Hillsborough County, Florida for any public projects that are proposed to the planning board. Hillsborough County has a six step HIA program, similar to an Environmental Impact Statement, which consists of a screening phase, scoping phase, assessment phase, recommendations phase, reporting phase, and monitoring phase. For all public projects being developed in the county, an HIA must first be completed before construction begins in order to mitigate the public health effec..
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Hartford, CT Anti-Blight
Date Added: Thursday, August 12, 2021Vacant & Distressed Properties, Healthy Communities
Connecticut
Municipal
Vacant and distressed properties are a financial burden on the community and have a negative effect on public health. Hartford, Connecticut has an “Anti-Blight Program” in its Municipal Code. The code contains provisions mandating the registration of vacant buildings, requiring a quarterly city report indexing blighted properties, and offering a property tax assessment deferral for owners who repair and rehabilitate blighted properties. ..
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PlanOKC Health Impact Assessment
Date Added: Thursday, August 12, 2021Healthy Communities, Health Impact Assessments
Oklahoma
Municipal
In Oklahoma City, Oklahoma they adopted a new comprehensive plan that was modeled after the findings of a Health Impact Assessment. They made three models of possible future growth plans for the city and identified 35 indicators that may change depending on the type of growth. When the city expands, they are prepared with strategies to implement to mitigate the community health effects of future developments. Oklahoma City created more opportunities for walking and biking, increased access to healthy produce, and improved the water quality afte..
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Town of Southampton, NY Pre-Application Process
Date Added: Thursday, August 12, 2021Pre-Application & Consensus Building, Healthy Communities, Health Impact Assessments
New York
Municipal
The Town of Southampton, NY requires an in-depth pre-application process for subdivision approval for developers. The zoning code involves detailed steps that requires a lot of information from the developer upfront. The developer is required to set up a fee schedule with the town and may have to pay the town an upfront cost to be held in escrow for any additional clerical or consulting costs incurred during the application process. The subdivision developer must also provide an alternative cluster plan to their development. The planning board ..
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General Plans and Zoning: A toolkit for building healthy, vibrant communities
Date Added: Thursday, July 19, 2018Land Use Planning, Healthy Communities, Zoning
State: Not Applicable
N/A
This resource is helpful for communities to look to see how zoning and public health relate. There is an overlap between public health and zoning. On page 135, the City of Berkley provides an example of zoning for food access. It discusses how local zoning and land use law influenced the city to cater to the needs of the town and push for a grocery store offering affordable fresh foods. When motivating community residents to speak for the needs of their fellow neighbors and quality of food access, projects get completed. This document also dis..
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National Healthy Housing Standard
Date Added: Wednesday, July 18, 2018Affordable Housing , Healthy Communities
State: Not Applicable
N/A
Affordability, location, and quality of housing have all been independently linked to health. The National Center for Healthy Housing (NCHH) and the American Public Health Association (APHA) have created an evidenced based National Healthy Housing Standard as a tool to reconnect the housing and public sectors, and as an evidence based-standard of care for those in the position of improving housing conditions. The Standard developed by these two groups provides health-based provisions to fill gaps where no property maintenance policy exists and ..
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Get Healthy Philly 2015 Annual Report
Date Added: Tuesday, July 17, 2018Land Use Planning, Healthy Communities
Pennsylvania
Municipal
The Get Healthy Philly program was launched in 2010 as a public health initiative aimed to prevent disease, increase accessibility to healthy foods, promote increased physical activity through open space design and planning for walkability, and encourage smoke-free policies. This program, developed by the City’s Department of Public Health, is focused on six major strategies: media and communication campaigns regarding the benefits of exercise and tobacco-free environments; policies aimed at decreasing exposure to secondhand smoke and increasin..
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Local Food Supply: A Chapter of the Marquette County Comprehensive Plan
Date Added: Tuesday, July 17, 2018Comprehensive Planning, Local Food Production, Healthy Communities, Zoning, Urban Farming & Community Gardens
Michigan
Municipal
The County of Marquette added a chapter to its Comprehensive Plan entitled Local Food Supply as a way to expand the local economy through increased local food production and to enhance the health of residents through better access to affordable, healthy foods. Some of the policies enacted via this Local Food Supply Plan include amending the zoning code to allow for small scale agricultural uses in residential zones, establishing community gardens, developing educational opportunities to teach the importance of local food production, supporting ..
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Austin Healthy Food Access Initiative
Date Added: Tuesday, July 17, 2018Transportation & Land Use Planning, Healthy Communities, Zoning, Urban Farming & Community Gardens, Vulnerable Populations
Texas
Municipal
This initiative began in 2015 with an American Planning Association Plan4Health grant to address access to healthy food in the North Central area of Austin, Texas. The City, through its Office of Sustainability, created a Food Planning Pilot Program focused on priority populations who have historically struggled to find healthy, fresh foods at affordable prices. These populations include school children who qualify for free lunches, immigrants, refugees, and other struggling low-income groups. In response to the City Council’s Resolution in 201..
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Seattle Food Action Plan
Date Added: Tuesday, July 17, 2018Land Use Planning, Local Food Production, Healthy Communities, Urban Farming & Community Gardens
Washington
Municipal
The city adopted the “Seattle Food Action Plan” in 2013, created by the Office of Sustainability and Environment, that lays out specific strategies to get more healthy food to more Seattle residents. This plan is aimed at expanding opportunities for people to grow and procure healthy food in the city, enhancing the regional economy, and reducing food-related waste. The Food Action Plan involves many departments of the city, including the Human Services Department, responsible for developing community gardens to provide meal programs for childre..
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Healthy Community Implementation Toolbox
Date Added: Thursday, July 12, 2018Comprehensive Planning, Healthy Communities, Zoning
California
N/A
Los Angeles wants to decrease health inequalities, chronic disease and obesity amongst the community. As a result, the ULI Los Angeles’ Healthy Community Implementation Toolbox was created for local governments and officials in public works, planning, and private developers. The goal of this toolbox is to create a healthy environment with creative active living design plans, incorporating fast food regulations and healthy retail incentives, along with farmers’ markets and community gardens. The toolbox outlines twelve tools for developing healt..
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Building Healthy Communities: Residents Live in Communities With Health-Promoting Land use, Transportation, and Community Development
Date Added: Thursday, July 12, 2018Comprehensive Planning, Healthy Communities, Complete Streets, Urban Farming & Community Gardens
State: Not Applicable
N/A
The purpose of this guide is to provide strategies to help local planners improve health in their communities through land use design, transportation and community development. The document is broken down into twelve different categories of promising strategies used by local governments to improve overall public health. The it discusses how communities can measure progress after implementing these policies. This document focuses on centering the built environment around a walkable/bikeable community with complete streets policies, safe routes f..
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Promoting Public Health Through Smart Growth: Building Healthier Communities Through Transportation and Land Use Policies and Practices
Date Added: Thursday, July 12, 2018Smart Growth, Healthy Communities
State: Not Applicable
N/A
This document emphasizes how living smart growth communities leads to greater overall public health. It discusses practices that can be used in a variety of locations and focuses on how planners should create compact development that allow people to walk to their homes, supermarkets, schools and retail. These strategies are also used to achieve economic, social and environmental objectives goals, such as reducing climate change, air pollution and traffic congestions, increasing convenience and accessibility for people of all ages and increasing..
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Land Use Planning for Public Health: The Role of Local Boards of Health in Community Design and Development
Date Added: Wednesday, July 11, 2018Comprehensive Planning, Land Use Planning, Local Boards, Healthy Communities, Zoning
State: Not Applicable
N/A
This article focuses on the health issues arising from the built environment and the roles of both the government and private sector must do to combat these issues. First the article discusses issues affecting the built environment, such as decreases in water and air quality, loss of farmland, increase in traffic and residential segregation. A key focus in the article is how transportation plays a major role in shaping the built environment and how urban design can create greater quality neighborhoods. The article also goes into detail about wa..
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PAS Essential Info Packet: Planning & Zoning for Health in the Built Environment
Date Added: Wednesday, July 11, 2018Comprehensive Planning, Land Use Planning, Healthy Communities, Zoning
State: Not Applicable
N/A
The Essential Info Packet provides planners with a collection of examples that demonstrate a connection between health and the built environment. These examples include zoning laws, policies, and how-to guidance on how communities across the country have addressed issues of public health. First it provides a list of sources which analyze the importance of creating a connection between health and the built environment. It also includes, collaborations with local governments and agencies, health impact assessments, comprehensive plans and toolkit..
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Multigenerational Planning: using smart growth and universal design to link the needs of children and the aging population
Date Added: Wednesday, July 11, 2018Smart Growth, Healthy Communities, Equity
State: Not Applicable
N/A
This article discusses how multigenerational planning is a “holistic approach” that assess the needs of many different age groups while planning policies that include zoning, local laws and building codes. The ultimate goal is creating a community that ensures “generational equality”. The article begins by discussing changes in population and demographics that impact how planners address certain issues. It articulates the needs, wants and concerns of each age group and what kind of communities they look to live in. Planners must provide a desig..
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Metrics For Planning Healthy Communities
Date Added: Wednesday, July 11, 2018Comprehensive Planning, Healthy Communities
State: Not Applicable
N/A
This project focuses on improving community healthy through the environments people “live, work and play.” The built environment is important because it can be used to reduce health inequities, strengthen the integration of health and planning and reduce socioeconomic issues. The project discusses the five categories that impact overall health and determines how planners can promote healthy lifestyles to counteract these factors through the built environment. Planners must be a focus on both traditional and social factors which impact human hea..
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Healthy Planning: An evaluation of comprehensive plans addressing public health (APA)
Date Added: Wednesday, July 11, 2018Comprehensive Planning, Healthy Communities
State: Not Applicable
N/A
The purpose of this project is to create a framework which communities can follow that outline strategies of how to implement public health goals into comprehensive plans. More specifically, the project includes four sustainability plans that have been implemented across the United States. In “Examples” of Robust Public Health Policy, it discusses community examples which include active living, emergency preparedness, environmental exposures, food and nutrition, health and human services policies and social cohesion and mental health. The proje..
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Healthy Plan Making Integrating Health Into the Comprehensive Planning Process: An Analysis of Seven Case Studies and Recommendations for Change (APA)
Date Added: Wednesday, July 11, 2018Comprehensive Planning, Healthy Communities
State: Not Applicable
N/A
The purpose of this document is to identify specific tools and strategies used when incorporating public health policies and goals and the processes of implementing these goals. Based on a study in 2010 by the American Planning Association, the organization generated a list of strategies used in the planning process to integrate public health. This study provides an in depth, qualitative case study analysis of how public health became a part of the planning process” and background on what creates successful policies...
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Healthy Plan Making (APA)
Date Added: Tuesday, July 10, 2018Comprehensive Planning, Healthy Communities
State: Not Applicable
N/A
This document lays out a chart discussing important methods of integrating public health practices into comprehensive plans. Based on a study in 2010 by the American Planning Association, the organization generated a list of strategies used in the planning process to integrate public health. The major components of the list include community engagement, active living, emergency preparedness, environmental health, food and nutrition, public services and social cohesion and mental health. The document also provides examples of places where these ..
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Health in the Development Review Process
Date Added: Tuesday, July 10, 2018Comprehensive Planning, Healthy Communities
State: Not Applicable
N/A
This article discusses how design strategies of roads, buildings and public can be used to incorporate health. The document is split into four sections which discuss the detailed direction on how communities can consider their individuals must take into account the specific needs of the environment and what direction planners must take to generate a healthy community. The first section discusses how a community can use their comprehensive plan to envision and ensure healthy lifestyles by incorporating the importance of health into the planning ..
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Health and Planning Roundtable
Date Added: Tuesday, July 10, 2018Comprehensive Planning, Healthy Communities
Oregon
State
This article discusses how the Oregon Chapter of the American Planning Association is has focused on improving policies to advance community public health on the state-level and local-level. The Oregon American Planning Association is working with health-related organizations, such as the Centers for Disease Control and the American Public Health Association, to improve health through planning practices. In Oregon currently, at the state-level, there is limited mention of the built environment’s impact on health. At the local-level, in places l..
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Health and Planning Roundtable
Date Added: Tuesday, July 10, 2018Comprehensive Planning, Healthy Communities
Oregon
State
This article discusses how the Oregon Chapter of the American Planning Association is has focused on improving policies to advance community public health on the state-level and local-level. The Oregon American Planning Association is working with health-related organizations, such as the Centers for Disease Control and the American Public Health Association, to improve health through planning practices. In Oregon currently, at the state-level, there is limited mention of the built environment’s impact on health. At the local-level, in places l..
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Economic Development and Redevelopment: A Toolkit on Land Use and Health
Date Added: Tuesday, July 10, 2018Economic Development, Healthy Communities
State: Not Applicable
N/A
The Economic Development and Redevelopment Toolkit was designed to improve low-income community access to food by providing a fundamental understanding of economic development and redevelopment and how these tools can provide opportunities to increase food retailing in the community. These economic development strategies breakdown the type of economic revitalization based on business attractions, physical redevelopment and the community members. The toolkit discusses the advantages and challenges of specific food systems, including, supermarke..
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Comprehensive Planning for Public Health: Results of Planning and Community Health Research Survey
Date Added: Tuesday, July 10, 2018Comprehensive Planning, Healthy Communities, Equity
State: Not Applicable
N/A
The American Planning Association devised a guide to reduce health inequities amongst communities. The guide states that careful designing, implementation strategies and individual or community resources can be used to reduce these health inequities. The guide is organized into four major points; “incorporating health equity into foundational skills for public health, maximizing tobacco-free living strategies to advance health equity, maximizing healthy food and beverage strategies and maximizing active living strategies to advance health equit..
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Building Healthy Places Tool Kit: Strategies for Enhancing Health in the Business Environment
Date Added: Tuesday, July 10, 2018Land Use Planning, Healthy Communities, Architectural Design Control
State: Not Applicable
N/A
The Building Healthy Places Tool Kit focuses on community opportunities to promote health and prevent its members from chronic diseases. This toolkit is meant to serve as a resource for shapers of buildings and projects interested in making “specific evidence supported design” to create a healthier environment. The report lists twenty-one recommendations for promoting “gold star” health organized into three separate categories; “physical activity, healthy food and drinking water, and healthy environment and social well-being”. These strategies ..
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From Fitness Zones to the Medical Mile: How Urban Park Systems Can Best Promote Health and Wellness
Date Added: Tuesday, July 10, 2018Healthy Communities, Parks & Recreation
State: Not Applicable
N/A
The Trust for Public Land conducted a study and determined that in order for a park system to poster mental and physical well-being, it must be used by the public. The professionals in the fields of public and mental health, parks and recreation, landscape architecture, and urban planning discussed and analyzed park elements such as trails, sports fields, playgrounds, drinking fountains, restrooms, and other facilities, and how they are provided, promoted, and signed. The professionals also considered important variables external to the parks s..
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Health & Green Infrastructure
Date Added: Tuesday, July 10, 2018Healthy Communities, Low Impact Development & Green Infrastructure
State: Not Applicable
N/A
The three pillars of sustainability (economy, environment, and equity) provide a useful framework for understanding the health benefits of green infrastructure. This report provides examples of how green infrastructure promotes health through all three pillars, and provides explanations, examples, and best practices for each pillar. ..
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Grocery Store Attraction Strategies
Date Added: Tuesday, July 10, 2018Healthy Communities, Food Deserts
State: Not Applicable
N/A
Lower income communities can have difficulties accessing fresh food, which can affect the physical health of the community residents and the economic health of the neighborhood. This report discusses research that has been conducted which highlights the difficulties that communities face in attracting a grocery store and having the store be successful, and serves as a resource to help communities organize a strategy to attract grocery stores. It also discusses the resources of local governments and local community-based organizations which have..
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Biking and Walking in the United States 2016
Date Added: Tuesday, July 10, 2018Pedestrian Oriented Design (POD), Healthy Communities, Bicycle Infrastructure
State: Not Applicable
N/A
The Benchmarking Project has 3 primary objectives: 1) to promote data collection and availability, 2) to measure progress and evaluate results, and 3) to support efforts to increase bicycling and walking. The project is also motivated by making the connection between active transportation and healthy communities. The first half of this report contains a review of relevant research that supports biking and walking improvements, and the second half of the report provides state and city data. Part one explains the Benchmarking Project and the data..
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Establishing Land Use Protections for Community Gardens
Date Added: Tuesday, June 26, 2018Healthy Communities, Urban Farming & Community Gardens
State: Not Applicable
N/A
Local governments are promoting healthy eating and active living by supporting community gardens, which are spaces where community residents can gather to cultivate different crops. Planning for Healthy Places, which is a Public Health Law & Policy, has created a set of complementary model land use policy to help communities, specifically in California, create and preserve community gardens. This resource provides examples of communities that have existing laws and policies promoting community gardens and other resources that provide helpful in..
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Establishing Land Use Protections for Community Gardens
Date Added: Tuesday, June 26, 2018Healthy Communities, Urban Farming & Community Gardens
State: Not Applicable
N/A
Local governments are promoting healthy eating and active living by supporting community gardens, which are spaces where community residents can gather to cultivate different crops. Planning for Healthy Places, which is a Public Health Law & Policy, has created a set of complementary model land use policy to help communities, specifically in California, create and preserve community gardens. This resource provides examples of communities that have existing laws and policies promoting community gardens and other resources that provide helpful in..
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Safe Routes to Parks (APA)
Date Added: Tuesday, June 26, 2018Healthy Communities, Parks & Recreation
State: Not Applicable
N/A
Access to green space and open space is important for personal health and well-being. This fact sheet provides city and regional planners resources to help foster an environment that establishes safe routes to parks. The APA provides outlines of plans, policies, and strategies that planners can pursue and provides examples of communities with safe routes to parks. ..
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Plan4Health Active Living (APA)
Date Added: Tuesday, June 26, 2018Pedestrian Oriented Design (POD), Transportation & Land Use Planning, Healthy Communities, Complete Streets
State: Not Applicable
N/A
The Plan4Health American Planning Association Project released a report on Active Living. The Plan4Health coalition considers how the build environment supports or hinders active living (incorporating physical activity into everyday activities). The toolkit provides several resources to help communities incorporate active living principles into their community planning. This report also provides examples of communities who have best practices regarding bike-friendly businesses, smart trips (framework encouraging people to reduce solo trips and ..
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Plan4Health Food Systems (APA)
Date Added: Monday, June 25, 2018Healthy Communities, Urban Farming & Community Gardens
State: Not Applicable
N/A
The Plan4Health American Planning Association Project released a report on Food systems. The Plan4Health coalition identifies the factors that impact a community’s access to healthy food, compiles Best Practices, and provides additional resources regarding these factors that impact food systems. The report provides information about and suggestions for community gardens, home gardens, healthy corner stores, mobile markets, food hubs, and food banks. The report also provides a list of communities with Plan4Health Cohorts. ..
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Plan4Health Food Systems (APA)
Date Added: Monday, June 25, 2018Healthy Communities, Urban Farming & Community Gardens
State: Not Applicable
N/A
The Plan4Health American Planning Association Project released a report on Food systems. The Plan4Health coalition identifies the factors that impact a community’s access to healthy food, compiles Best Practices, and provides additional resources regarding these factors that impact food systems. The report provides information about and suggestions for community gardens, home gardens, healthy corner stores, mobile markets, food hubs, and food banks. The report also provides a list of communities with Plan4Health Cohorts. ..
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Philadelphia, PA Executive Order NO. 5-09: Establishment of a Complete Streets Policy
Date Added: Monday, June 25, 2018Healthy Communities, Complete Streets
Pennsylvania
Municipal
Executive Order NO. 5-09 establishes a Complete Streets Policy, and recognizes that increasing public transit use, walking, and bicycling can result in a healthier population, cleaner air, reduced traffic, livable neighborhoods, and less reliance on fossil fuels. It also provides that all City departments and agencies shall give full consideration to accommodation of the safety of all users of transportation systems (pedestrians, bicyclists, public transit users, vehicle drivers) regarding decisions made. The Complete Streets Policy is an integ..
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Philadelphia Complete Streets Design Handbook
Date Added: Monday, June 25, 2018Healthy Communities, Complete Streets
Pennsylvania
Municipal
This Handbook will help inform the City, design professionals, developers, and community groups that are involved in the planning and design of streets and changes to the public right-of-way in Philadelphia. The Handbook identifies 7 conceptual complete streets components that make up the public right-of-way: Pedestrian, Building & Furnishing, Bicycle, Curbside Management, Vehicle/Cartway, Urban Design, and Intersections & Crossings. This Handbook will promote more efficient project implementation by serving as a comprehensive resource to guide..
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Philadelphia Bill No. 120532 Complete Streets
Date Added: Monday, June 25, 2018Healthy Communities, Complete Streets
Pennsylvania
Municipal
This Ordinance amended Title 12 of The Philadelphia Code, the “Traffic Code,” providing for the manner in which bicyclists may operate bicycles in the streets, and by prohibiting motor vehicles from obstructing or creating hazards in bicycle lanes. This Ordinance also amends Title 11 of the Philadelphia Code, the “streets” section, providing for the establishment and implementation of a Complete Streets Policy. ..
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City of Kingston Complete Streets Policy Framework
Date Added: Thursday, June 21, 2018Healthy Communities, Complete Streets
New York
Municipal
The City of Kingston Complete Streets Policy Frameworks, adopted 11/9/2010, details Kingston’s Complete Streets policies. This policy reflects that the City of Kingston encourages walking, bicycling, and public transit for transportation, health, fitness, and recreation. This document also identifies that the City has a goal to develop a Complete Streets program, initiated by a Complete Streets Advisory Council, which is established by this document. The intent of this policy is to recognize pedestrians, bicyclists, transit riders, and people w..
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City of Buffalo, NY Chapter 413 Streets and Sidewalks, Article XIV: Complete Streets
Date Added: Thursday, June 21, 2018Healthy Communities, Complete Streets
New York
Municipal
Article XIV within Chapter 413 of the City of Buffalo, NY Code outlines the Complete Streets code provisions for the city. This Section provides that the Commissioner of Public Works, Parks, and Streets shall include pedestrian and bicycle facilities in all new street construction, reconstruction, maintenance, public works, and projects undertaken by the City. The Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board reviews all new construction/projects and provides consultation regarding the implementation of complete streets. The inclusion of bicycle and pe..
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Promoting Enhanced Bicycle Infrastructure
Date Added: Wednesday, June 20, 2018Economic Development, Transit Oriented Development (TOD), Healthy Communities
Michigan
Municipal
Grand Rapids, Michigan has created legislation to improve existing bike paths and install new bike paths that accommodate recreational trips as well as trips to work, shopping and school. The goal of this legislation is to meet the City’s plan to make 10% of all regional travel made on bicycle. Limiting dependency on cars has manifold benefits: serves those without the capacity to drive (senior and minors); reduces congestion and time spent commuting; reduced land consumption through roadways and parking; tax re-allocation from roadways; improv..
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Clean Air for Future Generations
Date Added: Wednesday, June 20, 2018Transportation & Land Use Planning, Healthy Communities, Vulnerable Populations
Minnesota
Municipal
Chapter 13 of Ramsey, Minnesota’s Comprehensive Plan sets a clear strategy of preserving existing tree canopy and promoting planting more trees in new developments to increase the air quality of the community for future generations. They further set a policy of finding opportunities to plant additional trees along Highway 10 and other major roadways...
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Future Development promoting increased Air Quality
Date Added: Wednesday, June 20, 2018Transportation & Land Use Planning, Healthy Communities, Vulnerable Populations
Florida
Municipal
To help avoid urban sprawl and reduce automobile use, Nassau created and adopted the East Nassau Community Planning Area (ENCPA) for future land use. The county has certain goals for development within the ENCPA, including: facilitating multi-modal transportation and creating communities that discourage urban sprawl. The goals of development within the ENCPA directly promote public health through encouraging walking and biking, making sure they are safe by planning for them to exist in the future, and decreasing the amount of pollution created ..
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Air Quality Liability
Date Added: Wednesday, June 20, 2018Transportation & Land Use Planning, Healthy Communities, Vulnerable Populations
New York
Municipal
Buffalo holds not only violators of the ordinances responsible and liable for infringements, but they also hold owners, proprietors, lessors, agents, tenants, managers, superintendents, captains, etc. responsible and liable for any unlawful emission...
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Pervious Pavement for Off-Street Parking
Date Added: Wednesday, June 6, 2018Stormwater Management, Healthy Communities, Low Impact Development & Green Infrastructure
Minnesota
Municipal
In 2010, the surfacing ordinance for Minneapolis’ off-street parking was amended to allow pervious pavement to be used as surfacing. The Code of Ordinance also gives strict guidelines to be followed with implementing the pervious pavement as surfacing for parking. (541.300–305). The 2010 amendment to the original ordinance states that the implementation of pervious pavement will further the city’s comprehensive plan by encouraging developments to use best management practices for stormwater management through sustainable design practices...
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Establishing Land Use Protections for Community Gardens
Date Added: Wednesday, June 6, 2018Healthy Communities, Urban Farming & Community Gardens
State: Not Applicable
N/A
Planning for Healthy Places put together a model zoning code which would be successful through a two-pronged approach: (1) making community gardening an approved use in appropriate use-based zones to prevent them from being closed down as illegal and (2) establishing a separate use-based zone dedicated to the use of community gardens. The model code is well written, and includes additional comments for ways that different municipalities may choose to alter the language to effectuate different types of gardens (allowing chickens, for example).
..
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Establishing Land Use Protections for Community Gardens
Date Added: Wednesday, June 6, 2018Healthy Communities, Urban Farming & Community Gardens
State: Not Applicable
N/A
Planning for Healthy Places put together a model zoning code which would be successful through a two-pronged approach: (1) making community gardening an approved use in appropriate use-based zones to prevent them from being closed down as illegal and (2) establishing a separate use-based zone dedicated to the use of community gardens. The model code is well written, and includes additional comments for ways that different municipalities may choose to alter the language to effectuate different types of gardens (allowing chickens, for example).
..
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Agricultural District
Date Added: Wednesday, June 6, 2018Healthy Communities, Urban Farming & Community Gardens
New York
Municipal
The town of Ulysses, New York created policy to protect an area of historical and functional use as an agriculture district. The stated purpose of this zone is “to protect the agricultural production resources. . . viable agricultural operations and the agricultural heritage of the town.” This zoning district – called A1 – has been designated as an area whose primary land use is agriculture; the town created limitations on what structures can be erected and what purpose the land can be used for within the district. They also state that any prac..
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Sustainable Development Checklist
Date Added: Monday, June 4, 2018Healthy Communities, Climate Change Planning
New York
Municipal
Kingston’s Comprehensive Plan provides a sustainable development checklist that is to be used for applicants seeking City funding. Each applicant must fill out the checklist and achieve a minimum score to receive funding. The goal of the checklist procedure is to fund more sustainable projects that reduce energy consumption, CO2 emissions, water consumption, waste generation, and stormwater runoff.
An increase in the number of sustainable projects that create reduced CO2 emissions and waste generation will inherently benefit the public healt..
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Minneapolis Healthy Corner Store Program
Date Added: Monday, June 4, 2018Healthy Communities, Food Deserts
Minnesota
Municipal
The Minneapolis Health Department conducted studies which concluded that impoverished areas, and particularly communities of color, had less access to healthy produce within the City. These communities most often use corner stores for daily food purchases, and these stores rarely have fresh produce for sale. As a result, these communities often have disproportionate health risks.
The Minneapolis Health Department teamed up with corner store owners to improve access to fresh produce and healthier foods. The program’s objectives are to (1) in..
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Carbon Footprint Decrease
Date Added: Monday, June 4, 2018Healthy Communities, Climate Change Planning
New York
Municipal
Nassau County’s development through the 20th century gave rise to sprawling suburban developments that necessitated the automobile and extensive roadway development. Nassau’s County’s 2010 Master Plan projected expected land use expansion over the next few decades based on current land use trends and population growth to discover an unsustainable trajectory. If this growth is dispersed throughout the county consistent with current land use trends, it is expected that traffic congestion, energy consumption and carbon emissions will continue to g..
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Establishing Land Use Protections for Community Gardens
Date Added: Monday, June 4, 2018Healthy Communities, Food Deserts
New York
Municipal
New York City passed a zoning resolution defining “FRESH” food stores as a store with at least 6,000 sq. ft. of space utilized for selling grocery products intended for home preparation and consumption. At least 50% of the space must be used for non-perishable items, and at least 30% must be used for the sale of perishable goods. At least 500 ft. of the perishable food section must be dedicated to fresh produce. The city has offered to modify density and parking requirements to encourage establishment of “FRESH” food stores.
Dedicating these..
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Recreation Complexes for Families
Date Added: Monday, June 4, 2018Healthy Communities, Parks & Recreation
Wisconsin
Municipal
The Oneida Nation in Wisconsin created a Comprehensive Plan which outlines reservation-wide objectives to be met between 2005 and 2025. The “Parks and Recreation” chapter outlines three goals: provide the people of the Oneida Nation with a state of the art family fitness, adventure and recreation complex in Oneida; develop an interconnected reservation-wide trail system; and develop a “central Park” in central Oneida where families can come together to participate in healthy activities.
In building a recreation complex within Oneida, the com..
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Philadelphia Food Trust
Date Added: Monday, June 4, 2018Healthy Communities, Food Deserts
Pennsylvania
Municipal
In 2010, Philadelphia received $25 million from the Department of Health and Human Services to combat obesity and lower tobacco consumption through a variety of policy, systems, and environmental interventions. In response to studies which showed that Philadelphia’s population had significantly higher health risks than the rest of the country, as well as a low availability of healthy food options, money from this grant was directed into improved food programs. This funding included the creation of The Food Trust, a healthy corner store initiati..
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Park Development in Industrial Zones
Date Added: Monday, June 4, 2018Healthy Communities, Parks & Recreation, Equity
Oregon
Municipal
Part of Portland’s economic development goals include ensuring that parks, trails, natural areas, and a healthy environment continue to protect the city’s quality of life and attract businesses and the workforce alike. Accordingly, Portland set forth a policy of allowing park development within industrial zones to guarantee adequate park service within one-half mile of every resident.
This policy will make green infrastructure conveniently accessible to all residents of Portland. Additionally, the added green spaces will aid the city in the ..
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Parks Planning
Date Added: Monday, June 4, 2018Healthy Communities, Parks & Recreation, Equity
Washington
Municipal
Ridgefield, Washington’s original Comprehensive Plan evaluated a need for improved park and recreation access, particularly in underserved neighborhoods. In 2014, the city took a substantial step toward park acquisition and development by publishing the Parks and Recreation Comprehensive Plan. This document sets out a 6-year plan for providing community-driven parks, trails, open spaces and recreational opportunities. The plan includes an evaluative process for current park systems, criteria for where new parks should be created, and way to upd..
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City of Villages
Date Added: Monday, June 4, 2018Transportation Efficient Development, Healthy Communities, Climate Change Planning
California
Municipal
San Diego’s Land Use and Community Planning Element includes a series of goals which effectuate the amelioration of climate change through the mitigation of greenhouse emissions. One of these efforts is creating a “City of Villages,” which is the goal to develop mixed-use activity centers within villages. This concentration of activity offers better access to pedestrian-friendly travel options, including walking, biking, and public transit. This will enable large numbers of people to make fewer and shorter auto trips, a large component of San D..
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Energy Efficient Technology and Renewable Energy
Date Added: Monday, June 4, 2018Smart Growth, Healthy Communities, Climate Change Planning
California
Municipal
San Jose, California has made it a priority to combat climate change through energy efficient technology and renewable energy use. In their General Plan, Envision 2040, they enumerate a series of actions and goals to achieve this end.
They plan to measure and report annually the shares of the City’s total Carbon Footprint
resulting from energy use in the built environment, transportation, and waste
management. By partnering with public, private, and non-profit agencies, they plan to develop policies that require existing residents and bu..
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Energize NY
Date Added: Monday, June 4, 2018Healthy Communities, Climate Change Planning
New York
Municipal
It is the policy of both the Town of Yorktown and the State of New York to achieve better energy efficiency and renewable energy goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, mitigate the effect of global climate change, and advance a clean energy economy. Yorktown has partnered with the Energy Improvement Corporation, a local development corporation, to make funds available to qualified property owners who meet the energy efficiency qualifications.
Potentially qualified residents can apply for funding through the EIC, who run energy audits to t..
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Building Height Limits
Date Added: Monday, June 4, 2018Healthy Communities, Traffic Calming & Safety
New York
Municipal
Washington’s zoning code provides height limitations for structures placed at or near street intersections. The code states that no new structure can be over thirty inches in height above the grade of the street. The restrictions create intersections that are more convenient and safe for the town residents, free from potentially dangerous obstructions in order to minimize traffic accidents and fatalities...
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Recreation Marketing
Date Added: Monday, June 4, 2018Healthy Communities, Parks & Recreation, Equity
New York
Municipal
Chenango County has set goals relating to the health of their community as well as increasing the use of their outdoor recreation facilities. To ensure the health of all their residents, the county will assess the health needs of all residents. The data collected from the assessment will be used to support existing programs and identify gaps in service that can be filled.
The county also plans to heavily market their outdoor recreation opportunities to encourage the use by all residents with a specific focus on targeting the youth group. Hop..
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Zoning Prohibiting Fast-Food Establishments
Date Added: Monday, June 4, 2018Healthy Communities, Low Nutrition Uses
New York
Municipal
This zoning code removes fast-food establishments from the community and improves the public health through reducing consumption of unhealthy foods. Section 4.7.1 of Concord’s zoning code expressly states: “Drive-in or fast food restaurants are expressly prohibited. A drive-in or fast food restaurant is defined as any establishment whose principal business is the sale of foods or beverages in a ready-to-consume state, for consumption within the building or off-premises, and whose principal method of operation includes: (1) sale of foods and bev..
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Buffalo Bicycle Riverwalk
Date Added: Monday, June 4, 2018Healthy Communities, Bicycle Infrastructure
New York
Municipal
Chapter 91, Article I of Buffalo, New York’s Charter and Ordinances addresses the activities allowed on the Riverwalk path. Riverwalk is a paved, double-lane pedestrian bicycle trail that travels 13.2 miles north from downtown Buffalo to Tonawanda, New York. The legislation states: “No person shall operate or drive any vehicle which is propelled by any power other than muscular power on that property in the City known as the "Riverwalk."..
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Multi-Family Dwelling District
Date Added: Sunday, June 3, 2018Transportation Efficient Development, Healthy Communities
New York
Municipal
The City of Beacon plans to create a new community center for youth and seniors in or next to the central business district. The City encourages the police department to be involved in the planning and implementation of some of the youth planning through community policing. The goal is to create new opportunities for community development and for the youth and seniors to partake in activities to lead active and healthy lifestyles. The program also helps form a positive image of police officers in the community, which helps create stronger relat..
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Promoting Enhanced Bicycle Infrastructure
Date Added: Thursday, April 26, 2018Healthy Communities, Bicycle Infrastructure
Michigan
Municipal
Grand Rapids, Michigan has created legislation to improve existing bike paths and install new bike paths that accommodate recreational trips as well as trips to work, shopping and school. The goal of this legislation is to meet the City’s plan to make 10% of all regional travel made on bicycle. Limiting dependency on cars has manifold benefits: serves those without the capacity to drive (senior and minors); reduces congestion and time spent commuting; reduced land consumption through roadways and parking; tax re-allocation from roadways; improv..
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Environmental Conservation Commission
Date Added: Thursday, April 26, 2018Open Space Preservation, Healthy Communities
New York
Municipal
The village of Ardsley, New York adopted an Environmental Conservation Commission to help preserve and improve the quality of the natural and man-made environments within the community. The commission advises the Village Board of Trustees on features and conditions of the village insofar as beauty, quality, biologic integrity and other environmental factors are concerned and, in the case of man's activities and developments with regard to any major threats posed to environmental quality, so as to enhance the long-range value of the environment ..
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Development and Design Standards
Date Added: Thursday, April 26, 2018Open Space Preservation, Healthy Communities
Alaska
Municipal
In chapter 21.07 of the Code of Ordinances of Anchorage, Alaska, the city outlines an updated standard of city planning based on the relationship between urban development and the natural environment. The purpose of the chapter is to encourage a prudent use of the local land by promoting a balance between the built environment and the preservation of open space and natural resources. This can be simplified into two primary objectives.
First, their public planning integrates usable open space and natural attractions in order to tailor the cit..
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Promoting Public Transportation
Date Added: Thursday, April 26, 2018Smart Growth, Healthy Communities
New York
Municipal
As part of their plan to overhaul their transportation network, Buffalo plans to use mixed-use corridor development and other land use policies that complement and promote the use of public transit options, reducing dependency on individual automobiles and parking. This plan works well with their established public transit options which they can build and improve upon to complement the mixed-use development in a symbiotic fashion. One of their biggest projects in their 2030 plans is implementation of high quality public transit between downtown..
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Infrastructure Upgrades and Multi-Modal Transportation
Date Added: Thursday, April 26, 2018Healthy Communities, Transportation Demand Management, Complete Streets
New York
Municipal
A particular element of Buffalo, New York’s Comprehensive Plan 2030 is to redesign and repurpose their transportation network. Their goal is to promote transportation policies and projects that will help create an economically and environmentally healthy region, reverse current negative economic, land use, social and demographic trends, foster growth in areas with existing infrastructure, and promote equitable services for all residents.
In the first four years of the program, there are over 40 projects aimed at upgrading existing infrastru..
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Transforming Vacant Properties
Date Added: Thursday, April 26, 2018Open Space Preservation, Healthy Communities
Maryland
Municipal
Baltimore has a vacant property reclamation project termed “Project 5000.” The purpose of the project is to purchase vacant properties in “competitive, emerging, and stable” neighborhoods, but the most recent Master Plan calls for an extension of this project to “transitional and distressed” areas. Further, the plan calls for offering interest groups the chance to convert or purchase the vacant lots for conversion into community gardens, among other uses.
In combination with Project 5000, the Master Plan calls for support of a Community Gard..
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Recreation Marketing
Date Added: Thursday, April 26, 2018Healthy Communities, Complete Streets, Bicycle Infrastructure
Maryland
Municipal
The city of Baltimore has implemented a Bicycle Master Plan. The plan sets out the vision of making significant improvements in providing access to safe and user-friendly bicycling facilities over the course of 15 years. From 2005-2015, with dedicated funding, more than 100 miles of bicycle facilities have been installed in the city already. There is a full-time Bike Planner on staff at Baltimore’s Department of Transportation; but improvements are still necessary.
The Bicycle Master Plan proposes to increase bicycle infrastructure and bette..
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Soil Contamination Strategies
Date Added: Thursday, April 26, 2018Healthy Communities, Brownfields
New York
Municipal
Syracuse, New York created a Comprehensive Plan with a singular focus on sustainability. One of the objectives within their efforts to increase sustainability is the remediation of brownfields. The remediation of brownfields can improve environmental conditions, public health, and the local economy.
Syracuse has partnered with several government agencies, including the New York DEC and the U.S. E.P.A, to design brownfield remediation plans. These plans work to evaluate, inventory, and plan for the redevelopment of brownfield areas. Syracus..
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Establishing Urban Farming and Community Gardens
Date Added: Thursday, April 26, 2018Healthy Communities, Urban Farming & Community Gardens
Washington
Municipal
Broadview, Bitter Lake, and Haller Lake (BBH) is a collaboration of neighborhoods in the city of Seattle who help to provide vision and planning procedures for community growth. One of these visions is greater access to local and healthy foods. Healthy food access has been shown to increase the health of the population, stimulate the local economy, and provide a better sense of community. In 2012, the BBH Neighborhood Plan Update included a short article on community-member interest in local and healthy food access. With the use of community re..
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Enhanced Public Rights of Way and Pedestrian-Oriented Features
Date Added: Thursday, April 26, 2018Healthy Communities, Complete Streets
California
Municipal
The Mobility Element section of San Diego’s Comprehensive Plan makes facilitating walking and biking as viable forms of transportation a priority for the city. The plan calls for the creation of mixed-use neighborhoods connected by public transportation; building residences closer to parks, schools, shopping, employment and transit; and a safe and accessible walking environment created by designing streets to increase pedestrian safety.
To accomplish this, San Diego plans to—among other things—enhance public rights of way, design site plans ..
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Traffic Safety Policy
Date Added: Thursday, April 26, 2018Healthy Communities, Traffic Calming & Safety
California
Municipal
The goal of San Diego, California’s “Mobility Element” plan is to develop a multi-modal transportation network that gets citizens where they want to go while minimizing environmental and neighborhood impacts. Among the goals of this policy, San Diego aimed to increase general traffic safety of pedestrians.
The city collaborated with community groups and interested private and public parties to design and implement safe pedestrian routes to schools, transit centers, and other highly frequented destinations. After locating these priority areas..
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Transportation and Street Design
Date Added: Thursday, April 26, 2018Healthy Communities, Traffic Calming & Safety
Texas
Municipal
Section 35-506(t) of San Antonio’s Unified Development Code states that the City has identified long, wide streets encourage speeding. The code requires that the length of blocks comply with section 35-15(b)(3); however, blocks can be lengthened if traffic calming features are implemented.
Approved traffic calming features include roundabouts, median islands, and “T” intersections.
The shorter block and increase in traffic calming features will cause residents to feel safer using alternative methods of transportation such as biking or wa..
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Increasing Available Housing through Infill Development
Date Added: Thursday, April 26, 2018Affordable Housing , Healthy Communities, Brownfields
California
Municipal
Sacramento’s 2035 General Plan sets a goal of ensuring that the production of housing will meet future needs. To meet this goal the General Plan establishes policies that require the promotion of quality infill development specifically focused on the creation of affordable units. The City plans to offset the costs of developing affordable housing through deferred fees and financial incentives including water development fee waivers and sewer credits.
Not only will this help to eliminate brown zones in the city, but the increase in affordable..
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City-Wide Design Guidelines and Standards
Date Added: Thursday, April 26, 2018Healthy Communities, Traffic Calming & Safety
New York
Municipal
Section 120-157(E) of Rochester’s Zoning Code encourages structures and public spaces to be pedestrian-oriented and promote safe pedestrian movement, access and circulation. Additionally, if a service alley is available, garages and loading areas should only be accessed via the alley.
This ordinance increases pedestrian safety and encourages people to walk as a primary form of transportation which will help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
..
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Traffic Signals and Narrower Lanes to Improve Safety
Date Added: Thursday, April 26, 2018Healthy Communities, Traffic Calming & Safety
New York
Municipal
Ossining, New York’s Comprehensive Plan includes traffic-calming measures to be implemented throughout the village, though particularly on Route 9. Route 9 is the primary north-south arterial reaching through Ossining and onto major highways in New York. Route 9’s increasingly congested condition has resulted in residential road use throughout the village. These residential roads are narrow, steep, and winding, and often dangerous during inclement weather. Ossining’s goal is to improve pedestrian safety and comfort, and to change the behavior o..
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Promoting Bicycling through Improved Infrastructure
Date Added: Thursday, April 26, 2018Healthy Communities, Bicycle Infrastructure
Nebraska
Municipal
Omaha, Nevada’s Master Plan includes a Transportation Element which outlines a future bicycle network through Omaha. The purpose of the network is to provide a bicycle facility (bike-oriented path) to all mixed-use centers in Omaha. The facilities were chosen based on traffic volume of the proposed route, distance between centers, and topography of the area. These facilities allow for safe passage and recreational activity.
Bicycle facilities have three classifications: trails, paths, and routes. Bicycle trails give people a facility exclus..
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Reduce Dependency on Automobiles by Promoting Walking and Bicycling
Date Added: Thursday, April 26, 2018Pedestrian Oriented Design (POD), Healthy Communities, Bicycle Infrastructure
New York
Municipal
Niagara County, New York’s Public Health and Safety Chapter of their Comprehensive Plan outlines their goal to create safe, healthy, and walkable communities. They recognize health and safety of communities as one of the most important but overlooked aspects of a high quality of life. It stimulates the local economy and increases the variance and character of a community.
One objective to accomplish this goal is to reduce the community’s dependency on automotive transportation by increasing the network of pedestrian and bicycle trails. To op..
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Programs for Brownfield Remediation
Date Added: Thursday, April 26, 2018Healthy Communities, Brownfields
New York
Municipal
The City of Newburgh, New York hosts a range of brownfield sites due to its industrial legacy. Newburgh currently has identified eight municipally owned brownfields, and there is potential for others existing on both private and public lands throughout the city. The perceived or actual risks of remediation can have far-reaching and negative side effects; brownfields have been shown to deter future growth, increase urban sprawl, lower the economic value of surrounding communities, and pose a threat to the health of local communities. Fortunately..
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Replacing Paving with Trees
Date Added: Thursday, April 26, 2018Healthy Communities, Low Impact Development & Green Infrastructure
New York
Municipal
Nassau County suggests planting medium height plants and trees on paved medians. Nassau goes further by promoting the use of double curbs to improve the aesthetics and allow rain to percolate into the ground, reducing runoff and improving water quality. These low impact development and green infrastructure policies will reduce sotrmwater runoff and improve water quality...
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Double Curbs for Complete Streets
Date Added: Thursday, April 26, 2018Healthy Communities, Complete Streets
New York
Municipal
Included in Nassau’s 2010 Master Plan is an initiative to improve the aesthetic and environmental performance of their downtown area through the repurposing of medians. Landscaping medians along arterial roadways and in use as parking lot buffers can improve the physical appearance and the environmental performance of a city.
Trees in parking areas can provide shade and reduce heat generated by large areas of asphalt. This is a simple measure to combat the larger issues of heat island effect and climate change mitigation. Planting areas also..
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Multi-modal Transportation Support
Date Added: Thursday, April 26, 2018Healthy Communities, Transportation Demand Management
Florida
Municipal
Nassau County’s Comprehensive Plan calls for all development proposals to be reviewed for compliance with goal to promote multi-modal transportation that is safe and efficient, meeting minimum acceptable levels of service for all roadway segments. Chief among reviewing criteria is the project’s contribution to public health. The County will be using the most recent version of the FDOT Quality/Level of Service Handbook definitions to determine levels of service for roadways. Additionally, to promote walking and biking, the County will incorporat..
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Resource Protection and Open Space
Date Added: Thursday, April 26, 2018Healthy Communities, Low Impact Development & Green Infrastructure
New York
Municipal
Marlborough is increasingly concerned about the quality of their water (most of the drinking water is supplied by private wells). To combat this, their comprehensive plan suggests maintaining and increasing the amount of vegetation adjacent to streams, revising regulations when necessary to allow the planning board to require information regarding water quality of proposed on-site wells, and better locating septic tanks to avoid as much concentration of nitrate in the drinking water as possible.
These policies will help to maintain the quali..
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Complete Streets Policy
Date Added: Thursday, April 26, 2018Healthy Communities, Complete Streets
Tennessee
Municipal
Section 23-19 of Knoxville’s Zoning Code is dedicated to their complete streets policy. This section dictates that the city adopt a complete streets policy, and plan for, design, construct, maintain, and operate all streets to reflect complete streets principles to accommodate all users and modes. The section also allows for updates to be made as needed.
The demand that the city maintain its streets to reflect complete streets policies will increase the likelihood of citizens utilizing alternative modes of transportation to vehicles. The red..
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Promoting Farmers Markets
Date Added: Thursday, April 26, 2018Healthy Communities, Farmers Markets
New York
Municipal
Kinderhook specifically permits farmer’s markets (farm markets) in two thirds of its zoning districts, promoting both farm operations and tourism. They define farm markets as permanent structures that primarily sell agricultural products and related goods to the general public. Additionally, the farm markets can either sell pre-harvested goods, or allow customers to pick their own products. The town also permits seasonal farm stands in four of its zoning districts with fewer requirements...
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Policies Encouraging Farmers Markets
Date Added: Thursday, April 26, 2018Healthy Communities, Farmers Markets
New York
Municipal
Ithaca, New York a diverse and flourishing local food community with a deep and enduring interest in organic foods, sustainable local agriculture, cooperative food markets, community gardens, agricultural education, and a more equitable local food system. Despite this solid foundation, Ithaca has noticed that there is more work to be done. Primarily, this food needs to be made accessible and affordable to all members of the population.
Ithaca’s Comprehensive Plan established a goal to locally integrate the production, processing, and distrib..
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Fence Regulations to Help Decrease Crime
Date Added: Thursday, April 12, 2018Healthy Communities, Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design
Ohio
Municipal
Cleveland’s zoning code requires that fences in side street yards not exceed 4 feet in height, and also requires that they be at least 50% open. These limitations create better line of sight to main causeways and help to reduce crime due to more eyes being on the street...
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Bicycle Parking Regulation to Promote Biking
Date Added: Thursday, April 12, 2018Healthy Communities, Bicycle Infrastructure
Massachusetts
Municipal
Article 6.100 of Cambridge, Massachusetts’s Zoning Ordinance was designed to expand bicycle parking requirements to promote bicycle use within the city. Bicycle transportation provides economic, environmental, and human health benefits by promoting a smaller carbon footprint, a more diverse consumer market, cardiovascular exercise, and reduced street congestion.
Article 6 of the Zoning Ordinance includes a table of metrics which designates the number of bicycle parking spaces that must be available in correlation with the type of structure (..
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Planning for Active Transportation - Bicycles and Pedestrians
Date Added: Thursday, April 12, 2018Healthy Communities, Transportation Demand Management, Complete Streets
New York
Municipal
A particular element of Buffalo, New York’s Comprehensive Plan 2030 is to redesign and repurpose their transportation network. Their goal is to promote transportation policies and projects that will help create an economically and environmentally healthy region, reverse current negative economic, land use, social and demographic trends, foster growth in areas with existing infrastructure, and promote equitable services for all residents.
In the first four years of the program, there are over 40 projects aimed at upgrading existing infrastru..
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Avoiding Accumulation of Standing Water and Mosquitoes
Date Added: Thursday, April 12, 2018Healthy Communities, Infectious Disease Control
Florida
Municipal
To avoid accumulation of standing water, Brevard County is planning for public facilities to be located outside of floodplains or wetlands. One of the goals of this policy is to avoid water damage of those facilities due to flooding, but the policy was also implemented to control the mosquito population in public facilities. Avoiding the accumulation of both standing water and mosquitoes in public facilities will help to reduce the spread of infectious diseases within the County...
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Babylon, NY Flood Damage Protection
Date Added: Thursday, April 12, 2018Healthy Communities, Disaster Mitigation
New York
Municipal
The purpose of the Flood Damage Protection legislation is to promote the public health, safety, and general welfare, and to minimize public and private losses due to flood conditions.
The City of Babylon created a floodplain development permit which requires all construction in areas designed by the city as “special flood hazards.” Applications for these permits require certificates from a licensed professional engineer or architect showing that they meet the floodproofing requirements established in the legislation. The local administrator..
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Alachua County’s Access to Healthful, Affordable, and Nutritious Food Initiatives
Date Added: Thursday, April 12, 2018Healthy Communities, Urban Farming & Community Gardens
Florida
Municipal
Alachua’s Comprehensive Plan promotes equal access to healthful, affordable, and nutritious food through a community garden and agriculture programs offered by the USDA Farm to School Programs. Programs promoting gardening, healthy food access, and nutrition improvement are targeted at low-income households and populations at high-risk for health disparity. The County is simultaneously discouraging sale of less healthy foods in government facilities.
Additionally, the County plans to partner with local organizations and develop standards to ..
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