GUIDEBOOK ON LOCAL PLANNING FOR HEALTHY COMMUNITIES (2014) Prepared and Presented by: Jerry Weitz, Ph.D., FAICP Associate Professor and Director, Urban and Regional Planning Program Department of Geography, Planning, and Environment Adjunct Associate Professor, Department of Public Health Brody School of Medicine East Carolina University
ABOUT THE DOCUMENT First planning technical assistance guidebook produced by NC Department Commerce since 1999 Lee Padrick, Chief Planner and Project Manager, Northeastern Regional Office Funded with Community Transformation Grant (CTG) funds in 2013 (Region 9, Albemarle Regional Health Services) Graphic design and expert review arranged by North Carolina Division of Public Health Recipient (upcoming October 2, 2014) of 2014 North Carolina Marvin Collins Outstanding Planning Award in the Innovations in Planning Services, Education, and Public Involvement Category, North Carolina Chapter of the American Planning Association (APA-NC) Link to Download Guidebook: http://www.ecu.edu/cs-dhs/chsrd/upload/ Guidebook-on-Local-Planning-for-Healthy-Communities.pdf or go to: http://www.ecu.edu/plan/outreach.cfm 2
GUIDEBOOK AUDIENCE & OBJECTIVES A how to guide for planners and consultants to build healthy community considerations into local plans (data collection, analysis, policy, action programming) Public health officials will better understand local planning functions and learn how to participate in local comprehensive planning Comprehensively consider various ways planning and public health intersect North Carolina legal context with references to state statutes Examples are from northeastern North Carolina but guidebook is applicable statewide 3
OVERVIEW OF GUIDEBOOK 4
DATA FOR COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING Describes various state and federal data sources (LINC, American Community Survey, etc.) County community health assessments a process usually separated from preparation of plans Emphasizes identification of vulnerable populations and small area analyses 5
EXAMPLE: POTENTIAL TARGETING 6
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH Water quality (Impervious surface limits; low impact development; agricultural runoff; groundwater Air pollution: facilities that emit air pollutants; toxic release inventory Tree protection; enhancing tree canopies Overhead power lines Suggestions for Distance Separation Due to Air Pollutants 7
PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND ACTIVE LIVING Data: means of transportation to work; vehicle availability; accidents; outdoor recreation acreage Analyzing walkability Connectivity and accessibility of the local street network 8
ACCESS TO HEALTHY FOODS Farmland preservation Local food production close to where we live Urban agriculture (other public health issues) Food deserts : incentives for stores w/ healthy food Community gardens: what role for the public? Farm stands (municipal zoning issues) and farmer s markets 9
CONTACT WITH NATURE Subdivision regulations Conservation subdivisions Planned unit development Traditional neighborhood development Transit-oriented and mixed-use development 10
Multiple home health risks (e.g., lead) Data: age of housing units; overcrowding Housing codes Make the connection with community development agencies and non-profits HEALTHY HOMES 11
HEALTHY COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE Health care delivery system Public water Wastewater Hazardous and solid waste management Transportation system (emphasis usually here) Schools (change needed) Intergovernmental coordination (know the players) Photo Credit: Danielle M. Hewson, MPH, CHES N.C. Department of Health and Human Services Division of Public Health 12
For a condensed version of how to incorporate health considerations into comprehensive plans, see: NORTH CAROLINA GUIDE TO INCORPORATING HEALTH CONSIDERATIONS INTO COMPREHENSIVE PLANS
APPLICATION Town of Snow Hill, NC (Greene County, CTG Region 10) Active living: greenway and sidewalk network appropriate for urban form Implementation: build subdivisions that integrate the greenway network 14
CHALLENGES/LIMITATIONS: PLANNING NC localities are not required to plan (except Coastal Area Mgmt. Act) Several counties in state don t have countywide zoning When planning is done, it doesn t have to be comprehensive (no standards); guidebook standards are voluntary Health planning may remain a mostly separate activity from land use, transportation, and other planning Fewer concrete ways the concepts can be integrated in plans that are not comprehensive 15
CHALLENGES/LIMITATIONS: DATA Extra data collection involved in identifying clusters of vulnerable populations some may not take this step Walkability studies can be complex (can use existing evaluations like WalkScore) Some of the state data cited are not very meaningful without additional analysis Many suggestions for active living pertain to more urban areas and are not feasible for low-density rural areas (e.g., installation of sidewalks and access to transit) 16
CHALLENGES/LIMITATIONS: RURAL Setting out larger distance requirements for industries that have health effects or air pollution may be impractical considering economic development objectives Importance of local food is under-recognized in rural farm counties; how much agriculture should be in cities and towns? Not all cities and few rural counties have housing and community development programs (codes, inspections, etc.) needed to pursue healthy homes objectives Tree protection and tree canopy: important but an additional layer of regulation some rural localities may not pursue 17
Need to promote comprehensive planning that includes health considerations Community Transformation Grant has done just that Rural areas are especially challenged to implement healthy community planning CONCLUSION The Guidebook should be viewed as a list of possible applications Localities can choose which analyses and policies that are right for them Even a few key applications will be an improvement over current conditions 18