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Save the Date: Holiday Party
Puget Sound Section Holiday Party on December 4, 2008
Save the date Thursday, December 4th for the Holiday Party from 6:30 to 9:00 at the World Trade Center. As is our tradition, attendance is free for APA members.
As is our tradition, attendance is free for APA members and just $25 for non-member guests. Please RSVP for guests. Send RSVP messages to Hiller West at hwest@ci.monroe.wa.us or by calling 360-863-4531.
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SAVE THE DATE: PLANNING LAW CONFERENCE
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Save the date for the Planning Law Conference. The conference will be held April 16, 2009 from 8am to 4pm in a local venue. Watch for more information in early January.
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PLANNING A HEALTHIER TOMORROW
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By Rebecca Deehr and Seth Schromen-Wawrin from Feet First
Planners readily assess the impacts a project or plan will have on the environment, economy, transportation network, and other factors. But what about the health of an individual and a community?
There is a strong relationship between health and planning decisions. The space where one lives influences the options people have for transportation, employment, recreation, entertainment, food, and their social capital, among other things. These behaviors expose a person to various air qualities, noise levels, environmental stresses, risks of physical harm, toxins, and insufficient physical activity levels. At a larger scale, these behaviors put whole demographics at risk for obesity, diabetes, and heart disease, which is the number one killer among Americans.
Contemporary research continues to draw links between how we build and use our environment and how healthy people are. Current crises such as the obesity epidemic, the inability for many to age in place, and the rates of respiratory illnesses have propelled the study of health and the built environment forward and caused an upsurge in research activity.
Though many different approaches and tools have been developed recently, one of particular interest is the Health Impact Assessment (HIA). HIAs are very similar to an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) except they focus on the potential impacts to human health. Their practice began in the 1980s and the World Health Organization accepted a 'common approach' in the 1999 Gothenburg Consensus Paper. In this, an HIA is defined as:
"a combination of procedures, methods and tools by which a policy, program or project may be judged as to its potential effects on the health of a population, and the distribution of those effects within the population."
HIAs provide a planning tool to develop an understanding of the relationship between a project or policy and a population's health. They do not provide definitive estimates of the impact, but a series of recommendations to improve the health impact.
Process
Each HIA is tailored to the context of the specific project, but they follow a general process:
- Screening - a short mapping of the potential linkages between the project or policy and health; based on informed opinion and already available information.
- Scoping - determining the health focuses; parameters of the study; the level of detail of the assessment ('desk-based', 'rapid', and 'comprehensive').
- Appraisal - analyzing the nature, magnitude, extent, and likelihood of health impacts; gathering data and community engagement.
- Reporting - communicating the assessment and providing recommendations on ways to improve the health impact.
- Follow-up - acting on the recommendations and monitoring the health gains and losses in the area.
A map of the Beacon Hill assets used in the scoping of the HIA of the Beacon Hill Light Rail Station. Map Credit: Public Health - Seattle & King County |
Through conducting an HIA, planners and policy makers gain a deep understanding of the potential impacts on health. Additionally, the recommendations suggest improvements to the project or how future projects should be considered. Though the HIA's recommendations are not binding, the document provides valid guidance in planning decisions.
In addition to the strength of the recommendations, the process of completing an HIA is a powerful product in itself. Gathering data, conversing with stakeholders, and holding community meetings and workshops can unite various interest groups around developing a healthy solution. Partnerships that develop through an HIA process provide added strength and community buy-in to local planning decisions.
Also, as awareness of a health perspective grows, it can permeate into on going planning discussions. Health is a powerful argument in building a case. If you are promoting a traffic calming project, it is stronger to say "I support this project because I care about poor air quality from traffic, chronic stress from deafening traffic noise, and physical inactivity because it feels unsafe to walk down the street" than to say "I support this project because it will slow traffic."
Though HIAs have been around for several decades and supported by health organizations such as the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, they are still relatively new and unheard of in the United States. The first was done in San Francisco on the 'Living Wage Ordinance' in 1999, and by last year around 21 were completed across the country. In the United Kingdom, Japan, Australia, and many other countries they are a common practice in planning decisions.
Beacon Hill Health Impact Assessment
In 2005, Feet First in partnership with Public Health - Seattle & King County (Public Health) began a pilot HIA project in King County as part of the "Promoting Healthy Built Environments" project. This HIA explored the development of the Sound Transit Light Rail Station in the Beacon Hill neighborhood of Seattle, Washington.
"Promoting Healthy Built Environments" focuses on outreach, education, and policy change to support changes to the built environment. It is funded as part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's "Steps to Health" project to address health disparities, obesity, diabetes, and other health problems. Feet First and Public Health used an HIA as a mechanism to raise awareness about health issues and educate policy decisions.
Screening several potential sites for an HIA, the Beacon Hill neighborhood of Seattle came up as a likely project because of a Sound Transit light rail station under construction in this area. As with all stations that are being constructed, there would be significant impact on the neighborhood. More traffic, more people, the possibility of gentrification - these are all concerns that may have health impacts. Unmitigated, these impacts would amplify a pre-existing hostile pedestrian environment, and likely contribute to physical inactivity. Combined with the diversity of the neighborhood, this was an appropriate project to complete a study of health impacts on.
In addition to the HIA project having a large impact on the neighborhood, there was a confluence of other things happening in the community that made the project a good choice for a pilot HIA. A neighborhood-based pedestrian advocacy organization (the Beacon Hill Pedestrians), a major cultural institution directly adjacent to the light rail station (El Centro de la Raza), and access to the design process presented opportunities for outreach and collaboration.
Because of construction timelines, the project took a 'rapid HIA' scope - the analysis primarily used pre-existing data. The HIA would explore the impacts of the light rail station and in particular its ability to develop a community hub in the area. The themes of the analysis were safety, physical activity, social connections, environment, and access to transit and healthy food. These themes addressed potential impacts of a light rail station, chronic disease prevention, and current neighborhood concerns. Based on time, resources, and interest many different themes could have been incorporated into the HIA.
Gathering Data and Momentum
Feet First led a walking audit of the Beacon Hill neighborhood with public health officials, community members, and city officials. While walking a set route, they discussed the local issues with the pedestrian environment. Credit: Margaret Kitchell |
Credit: Margaret Kitchell |
During the analysis, the existing data was supplemented with a walking audit, community input, and several planning charrettes. Feet First led the walking audit (a Feet First "re+walk") in the area surrounding the station. The re+walk's goal was to assess the pedestrian environment surrounding the future station as well as to engage community members and decision-makers. Looking for things such as availability of crossings, signal timing, streetscape quality, and a host of other factors, the walking audit report listed top observations and top recommendations for change.
A major recommendation from the report addressed Lander Street (adjacent to the station to the north) which is currently closed due to construction. Being closed, people realized its minimal importance in the driving network and the possibility to extend the station plaza into the street as a community gathering space.
During a planning charrette hosted by Seattle's Department of Planning and Development, Public Health, and Feet First, this recommendation gained recognition. This street closure would create a plaza space, it would function as a place for community gathering, contribute to the sense of community presence, bring a potential economic boon in the form of a farmer's market (also promoting access to healthy foods), and enhance the area as a major destination to walk to. Community health would be promoted from many different angles.
The process of analyzing the station with regards to health energized the community. To capture some of the discussions, Feet First released an edition of a "Neighborhoods on Foot" map focused on North Beacon Hill, the light rail station design, and encouraging members of the community to get involved in their neighborhood. This map was designed to encourage people to walk and explore their neighborhood, letting people know how long it takes to get places, designating walking routes, and highlighting bus and bike routes as well.
Closing a street in Seattle in a project of this size has many challenges, as one might expect. Pushback from Sound Transit on the need for access to the facilities, paratransit needs, and traffic flow was substantial. Nonetheless, the process of the HIA has directly altered the plans for the station. On Beacon Hill, the current design configuration of the street is a "Festival Street", where the pavement of the street mirrors the pavement of the plaza, and bollards can be installed on weekends or for events, creating the space that the community and others had envisioned. This design was achieved through advocacy, buy-in from agency members, and through activities of the HIA project - the walking audit, key informant interviews, and community organizing.
The design for Lander Street adjacent to the Sound Transit Station. The streetscape extends the stations plaza through the roadway. It still allows for local traffic to pass through (above), yet can be closed down to create a larger public space for events like farmer's markets or outdoor theater (below). Credit: Anita Lehmann |
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The outcome of an HIA is not based solely on the document itself. Though the report was not published during the time the majority of activities took place, efforts were and are still being made for neighborhood plans to promote healthy living. The neighborhood is more aware and responsive to the station and discusses local issues with regards to health. Planners and policy makers have stronger connections with the community and are more educated about the impact of the built environment on health.
This is why we believe that carrying out an HIA provides substantial benefit to community organizing and educating decision-makers and agency officials. When neighborhood activists, planners, and community groups participate in HIA activities, seeds are planted that will grow over time. With multi-year projects, the best reward for involvement is hearing an elected official or activist talk about the value of "walkable communities" and the health benefits they provide.
Another result of the "Promoting Healthy Built Environments" project has been its impact on other transportation projects. Through hosting HIA training workshops attended by local advocates (among others), those advocates gained further knowledge of HIAs. They then recommended an HIA to be required by the Washington State legislature as part of the State Route 520 Bridge replacement, a multimillion dollar transportation project. This SR 520 Health Impact Assessment was published in September of 2008, and is the first HIA published in Washington State. As HIA's become more common, we hope the process and intent of HIA's will continue to promote and encourage design for healthier communities.
Feet First is an advocacy organization building walkable communities. We help people take simple steps to create better places to live, learn, shop, work, and play - a world that cares about health, community, and design. Some of the services we provide for communities, cities, and planners include walking audits, the "Neighborhoods on Foot" map series, and Health Impact Assessments. For more information, contact: 206-652-2310 or becca@feetfirst.info.
The Beacon Hill Health Impact Assessment will be available on the Feet First website when published, at www.feetfirst.info/phbe/beacon-hill-hia
For more information on Public Health - Seattle & King County and their work on HIA's, contact Julie West at julie.west@kingcounty.gov.
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TOOLS TO DESIGN FOR HEALTHY COMMUNITIES
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By Wesley Edwards, Transportation Planner, KCDOT Director's Office, Regional Transportation Planning
The King County HealthScape program is an initiative designed to improve public health and air quality by making informed land use and transportation choices. The program has focused on developing two interesting transportation research tools that have potential applications in other municipalities. The first tool, the Transportation Programming Tool, is a ranking system for non-motorized projects which helps prioritize projects based on their health, environmental, and safety benefits. The second tool, the Development Impact Assessment, combines transportation and land use modeling, using the I-PLACE3S modeling program, to predict potential changes in public health, travel behaviors, and the environment based on a change in land use. This tool is currently being used in a local case study in White Center, an unincorporated urban area south of Seattle. This article focuses primarily on the second tool, however we encourage all planners to watch the King County HealthScape web site for information on both tools as they become available.
A Summary of the I-PLACE3S Model
I-PLACE3S is a web-based modeling platform for scenario planning. It can evaluate how alternative development approaches or transportation investments may impact a number of indicators, including transportation patterns, energy usage, cost efficiency, and climate change. I-PLACE3S analysis is conducted through a web-based map display. This strong visual component and interactivity supports scenario development and testing by non-technical users in settings such as public workshops, as well as in more technical settings.
I-PLACE3S was developed in the public sector by the California Energy Commission (CEC), the California Department of Transportation and the U.S. Department of Energy, and is currently managed by the Sacramento Council of Governments (SACOG). The current version I-PLACE3S is an overhaul of the PLACE3S model, which was initially developed in the early 1990s. I-PLACE3S is currently managed by the SACOG, and a private company provides programming, maintenance and web hosting.
I-PLACE3S has a number of key advantages as a modeling platform:
I-PLACE3S INDICATORS
Employees
Dwelling units
Population
Water consumption
Jobs by sector
Vehicle trips per household
Vehicle miles traveled per household
Transit ridership
Pedestrian friendliness
Pedestrian and bike trips.
Electricity / natural gas / gasoline demand
Return on Investment
Indicators can be calculated at the region, city or neighborhood level, or any other defined geography or subarea.
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INTERACTIVITY: I-PLACE3S supports interactive workshops to meaningfully involve stakeholders and quantitatively evaluate numerous, complex planning issues within a collaborative setting. From an administrative perspective, because I-PLACE3S is accessed through a server, there is only one dataset to maintain and update, and access can be secured to maintain quality control.
INTERNET-BASED USER INTERFACE: Because it is an internet-based system, no specialized hardware or software is required to operate I-PLACE3S. Particularly for public health staff, who may not be trained in or have access to a GIS platform, this feature will allow more in-depth participation and insights into the planning process.
ROBUST: I-PLACE3S is capable of working with detailed data at scales from neighborhood to multi-county regions, yet still provides results in real time. I-PLACE3S can easily perform analysis on extremely large datasets (over 750,000 records) within a several second time-frame. I-PLACE3S can easily store and process terabytes of data, distinguishing it from other land use planning tools. PLACE3S can also incorporate data from regional travel models, and can feed back its own model outputs into the regional travel model, giving it the potential to illustrate regional transportation benefits of local-level land use change.
FLEXIBLE: I-PLACE3S is designed for flexibility; it can be expanded by adding new or updated modules and can be customized to meet the needs of individual organizations. Any new functionality added by any one agency is made available for use or customization for all users, thus enabling synergy and cost savings between the I-PLACE3S users. This flexibility has been crucial as we expand this tool for King County as part of the HealthScape project. I-PLACE3S has been able to incorporate a robust functionality that can analyze study area demographic changes and can measure the built environment within the actual walking distance of each parcel in the study area.
Sample I-PLACE3S Map Interface. I-PLACE3S uses parcel level land use data for integrated, rapid analysis at county, regional, or neighborhood scale.  |
Case Study: SACOG's Sacramento Region Blueprint Project
In 2003, the Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG) launched a region wide growth analysis called Blueprint. The award-winning Blueprint project has been a resounding success in helping planners and citizens in the six county Sacramento region make informed land use choices for future growth.
I-PLACE3S was used to determine how different regional growth alternatives would affect the transportation system, air quality, housing, natural resource protection, and many other issues. The Blueprint project required a high-performance, robust, planning analysis tool capable of integrated planning analysis. I-PLACE3S was also successful in helping SACOG work effectively with the cities and counties of the region, elected officials, and the public. The real value of I-PLACE3S is that all the participants were working off a single common data set and all participants gained immediate feedback to easily view the ramifications of their own ideas for improving each regional, county, city or neighborhood level growth scenario. I-PLACE3S analysis helped avoid "dumbing down" the data to summary aggregations, while still providing results in real time.
Based on the I-PLACE3S scenario analysis, the SACOG Board of Directors adopted a regional vision for 2050 that "promotes compact, mixed-use development and more transit choices as an alternative to low density development." Since the adoption of the Blueprint vision, a number of the region's counties and jurisdictions have been implementing the principles of the vision in their planning and development processes.
I-PLACE3S and Healthscape
For the Healthscape project, we are adding two new modules to I-PLACE3S:
- Public health (outcomes: physical activity, BMI, walk and bike trips)
- Climate change and air quality (outcomes: CO2, NOX, HC, and CO; vehicle trips and VMT)
To estimate changes in these outcomes, I-PLACE3S measures changes in land use, demographics and transit/auto accessibility from one scenario to another. In King County's LUTAQH (Land Use, Transportation, Air Quality and Health) project, all of those characteristics of the built environment were associated with the outcomes above.
An updated analysis of built environment, transport, physical activity, and air pollution data in King County generated the statistical relationships that were programmed into I-PLACE3S, creating a version of I-PLACE3S that is calibrated especially for the County. To match the methodology used in the analysis, I-PLACE3S programmers added the ability to measure land use patterns within a 1-km network buffer around every parcel in a scenario.
White Center / 98th St. Case Study
I-PLACE3S is being tested on a case study area in White Center, the 98th Street corridor. This corridor is undergoing a potential adjustment of the zoning code to increase allowable densities and allow mixed use development. A pedestrian walkway between the Greenbridge public housing development and 98th Street is also being planned. Using I-PLACE3S, we are testing how these changes might impact public health and climate change. The White Center case study also provides a way to calibrate the new I-PLACE3S modules.
Three development scenarios have been created for the 98th Street corridor, the small area within the box in the map below. I-PLACE3S also analyzes the surrounding parcels in White Center in order to measure land use patterns within walking distance of the 98th Street corridor.
Existing conditions scenario: The existing land use pattern, plus full buildout of Greenbridge public housing and pedestrian connection between Greenbridge and 98th Street.
Interim buildout scenario: Assumes buildout at less than maximum zoned density along 98th St. and 16th Ave., full buildout of Greenbridge public housing and the new pedestrian connection.
Full buildout scenario: Assumes buildout at maximum zoned density along 98th St. and 16th Ave., full buildout of Greenbridge public housing and the new pedestrian connection.
White Center Case Study (98th St. study area in center box)  |
Wesley Edwards, Transportation Planner, KCDOT Director's Office, Regional Transportation Planning, may be contacted at wesley.edwards@kingcounty.gov or 206-263-4711.
We thank Christina O'Clair for contributing information to this article.
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FALL '08 BROWN BAG SCHEDULE
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APA Brown Bag Fall 2008 Series Schedule
By Stan May
Announcing the Puget Sound Section APA Fall '08 Brown Bag Series of continuing education!
Come to the FREE session you need to do your job better!
APA-subsidized lunches, only $3!
RSVPs are not required to attend or to buy a lunch. RSVPs are used to estimate the number of lunches to order. Please RSVP before 9:00 am Monday morning each week to Stan May at stan.may@bhcconsultants.com or (206) 505-3400.
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Navigating the Shoreline Update and Critical Areas regulations given the recent State Supreme Court Decision
Currently, the Supreme Court decision provides that Critical Areas within the Shoreline jurisdiction are only protected by the Shoreline Master Program regulations, and NOT the Critical Areas Ordinance adopted under the Growth Management Act. Questions have arisen regarding the applicability of current critical area regulations for those critical areas within the Shoreline Jurisdiction. The Hearings Board and Court decisions leave many unanswered questions about this new process linking the Growth Management and Shoreline Management Acts.
AICP credit application pending
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Noon to 1:15, Wed.,
December 3
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Mercer Island City Council
Chambers, 9611 SE 36th St.
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Tom Clingman,
DOE Ecology
Tim Trohimovich, Futurewise
Eric Lashaver, Stoel Rives
George Steirer, City of Mercer Island
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A Roadmap to Sustainability
Sustainability is a word that conjures lots of images - from recycling to climate change. This session will provide some guidance on how to get started on your organization or community's journey toward a sustainable future.
AICP credit application pending
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Noon to 1:15, Wed.,
December 10
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Mercer Island City Council
Chambers, 9611 SE 36th St.
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Ikuno Masterson, AICP, Director Planning Services NW Region,
ESA Adolfson
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