Land Use Planning

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Planning issues remain at the root of some of the most intractable public health problems, including the declining rates of physical activity resulting from automobile-dependent environments or the isolation of poor and minority communities in areas plagued by environmental pollutants, violent crime, and high rates of disease. Land use, community design, and transportation systems substantially impact local air quality, water quality and supply, traffic safety, physical activity, and exposure to contaminated, industrial “brownfields.”

 

NALBOH is committed to developing new planning tools and strategies that help to raise public health considerations in land use and planning, as well as specific strategies or actions that local board of health members can undertake in this area. We are here to assist local board of health members and other public health professionals in their efforts to educate planners and public officials about the health implications of their decisions on growth, development, and transportation.

 

In the News   NEW! Florida voters may earn approval of land use changes.   Legislation has been introduced in Alaska to establish a health impact assessment program in the Alaska State Department of Health and Social Services.   Communities in central Oregon are examining how the physical environment can affect childhood obesity.   The growing popularity of local food presents new challenges for local planners.   The EPA and the Smithsonian Institution are collaborating on a land-use and biodiversity study.   Land use planners in Arizona have tested development scenarios for northern Pinal County with the public.   Financier is looking to put $30 million into building urban farms on Detroit’s vacant lots.

 

 

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Did You Know...

 

 Human Impact Partners release updated health impact assessment guide.

A Health Impact Assessment Toolkit: A Handbook to Conducting HIA, 2nd Edition introduces and defines HIA, as well as each step of the HIA process, and includes practice exercises for the user.

 

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation sponsored investigator maps out keys to healthy cities in new book.  Toward the Healthy City: People, Places and the Politics of Urban Planning examines public policies to see how city planners, health departments, community activists and others can work together to eliminate inequities in urban living. Author Jason Coburn offers a template for solving urban problems, advocates for collaboration across agencies, and recommends conducting health impact assessments.  

Learn more about the book and read a blog post by the author.

 

The American Academy of Pediatrics released a policy statement, “The Built Environment: Designing Communities to Promote Physical Activity in Children”, which contains strategies to improve the built environment and make communities healthier. Access the policy statement

 

The American Planning Association and the National Association for City and County Health Officials have developed a course online course detailing health impact assessments.  Planning for Healthy Places with Health Impact Assessments explains the value of, and steps involved, in doing a health impact assessment, and can be used for certification maintenance credits for American Planning Association members. Click for more information.

 

APHA has released a report, At the Intersection of Public Health and Transportation: Promoting Healthy Transportation Policy (pdf) at their annual meeting late last month. This is the first of several documents that APHA will be releasing in the coming months. Check back often for the latest news and reports! 

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For questions or more information about NALBOH's Environmental Health programs, please contact Carrie Hribar.

 

 

 

Page updated 6/15/2010.

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