Planning Commissioners Journal

Here's to Your Health (part II)

From PCJ Editor Wayne Senville:

In Monday's post I wrote about the new health element in Richmond, California's general plan. But this focus on the relationship between public health and planning isn't just some California thing. At this month's national Smart Growth Conference, dozens of health professionals from across the country were in attendance, making connections with planners and local officials.

Take Columbus, Ohio. Planner Christina Godward (on left) was hired last year by Dr. Teresa Long, the city's health commissioner, to serve as the Public Health Department's "Healthy Places Coordinator." Godward's job is to bridge the gap between public health professionals and planners -- and also to work with neighborhoods to promote healthier living. As Long put it, "we needed a boundary spanner, someone with one foot in public health and the other in planning."

During the Conference, Godward described the "language" barriers between health and planning professionals, each with its own jargon and areas of emphasis. But a focus on increasing walkability and bikeability seems to be working. As she observed, "physical activity is something everyone 'gets,' adding that "it's hard to argue with health!"

One project has involved developing basic neighborhood walking maps.

The focus is on providing a simple map that indicates common daily destinations and possible walking routes within neighborhoods. (You can visit the site and download a map to see what they're like).

Here's to Your Health

From PCJ Editor Wayne Senville:

One of the fascinating themes at this February's national Smart Growth Conference in Washington, D.C., was the connection between public health and planning. Health professionals, as well as planners, are increasingly recognizing the benefits of collaboration.

Richard Mitchell, Planning Director of Richmond, California (on right), Tracy Rattray of the Contra Costa County Health Service Department (left below), and planning consultant Daniel Iacofano spoke about work recently completed on adding a "health element" to the City's general plan.

Richmond is a city of 102,000 on the East Bay, north of Oakland. It faces some pressing public health issues, from the impacts of crime, to injuries to bicyclists and pedstrians caused by motorists, to concerns about industrial contaminants, to concerns about sedentary lifestyles leading to poor health.

In fact, in hearing what's in their plan's new health element, I was amazed by its breadth. Beyond issues such as access to medical services and to healthy foods, the plan also covers concerns as diverse as promoting "green and sustainable" development, providing improved access to public transit, and ensuring quality affordable housing.

The health element also contains a wealth of data, some of which was displayed during the Conference session. One example: maps showing "hot spots" where there have been a number of accidents involving bicyclists or pedestrians. As Rattray explained, this kind of mapped data will be valuable for the city in prioritizing where to make streetscape safety improvements.

Rattray made another quite interesting observation -- one I heard echoed by others at the Conference -- public health professionals add credibility to discussions about development, placing, as she put it, "environmental justice front and center."

One of the issues facing Richmond is alcohol use and its impact on neighborhoods. Background reserach for the health element indicated that: "The density of alcohol outlets correlates with density of ...

Greening Up Vacant Lots

From PCJ Editor Wayne Senville:

Philadelphia, like other industrial cities, has seen many of its neighborhoods -- especially in lower-income areas -- fall victim to population loss and crime. A pervasive atmosphere of insecurity has plagued those residents who remain, while deterring revitalization efforts.

At the recent Smart Growth Conference in Washington, D.C., Blaine Bonham (on right) noted that there are some 40,000 vacant lots in Philadelphia, up from 31,000 in 1999. With the City engaged in extensive demolition of derelict, unsafe, abandoned buildings "the amount of vacant land coming online has been overwhelming."

Besides being a constant, visible reminder of hard times, vacant lots have often been the repositories of illegal trash dumping. As Bonham put it, "there are big costs to the city of Philadelphia" for extra sanitation and policing needs, "an additional $1.8 million spent annually with little impact."

In an effort to dramatically turn things around, the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society -- working in cooperation with city government -- has developed an innovative and aggressive citywide program to clear out vacant lots, and keep them clean.

Yes, you read that right, the Horticultural Society. Founded in 1827 by "old guard" Philadelphians, the Society has far outgrown its high society roots. Some thirty years ago, explained Bonham (the organization's Executive Vice President), the Society began plowing some of the revenue generated

Revised & Expanded "Planning Law"

From PCJ General Manager Betsey Krumholz:

We're pleased to announce the publication of our newly revised Taking a Closer Look: Planning Law reprint collection.

You'll find a number of the top articles we've published on basic legal issues facing planners and planning commissions, as well as a section containing five articles dealing with various aspects of property rights & takings. 

I invite you to take a look at the detailed contents of this publication. You can order online or by calling our office at: 802-864-9083 (best between 9am and 3pm Eastern time). Local government orders can request to be invoiced when phoning in their order.

Green Roofs are Cool

... and can make a major dent in the "urban heat island" effect in our cities -- that is, the increased temperature due to lots of paved surfaces that absorb the sun's heat.

As part of this February's Smart Growth Conference, a group of us had the chance to visit the green roof atop the headquarters of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) in their historic downtown Washington, D.C. offices.

But before Nancy Somerville, ASLA's Executive Vice President, shepherded us up to the roof, she told us about some of the benefits -- and challenges -- of installing the green roof.

Retrofitting a green roof on an older, historic building was not easy -- or cheap. One of the major expenses was the need to construct a new stairway to the roof, so visitors wouldn't have to clamber up a ladder. The roof also includes a grate walkway so people can circumnavigate the roof and view the varied plantings. And given that this roof is under the stewardship of landscape architects, it's not surprising that the roof's design is quite attractive and the plantings diverse.

The ASLA green roof has a unique feature: it is shaped into two "waves" or mounds. They're formed with thin layers of styrofoam insulation, and serve to hide the HVAC systems. As Somerville explained, they also allow the plantings to be at eye level, helping create a more attractive amenity for visitors. [Click on the drawing to view it at larger size].

But you have to bear in mind that ASLA's green roof is a model / demonstration project, a living

laboratory to help landscape architects learn about the functioning of an urban green roof. So it wouldn't be fair to hold it to a strict cost-benefit accounting.

In fact, as Somerville (above left) noted, one of their goals is to carefully monitor and measure the impacts the roof has on temperatures and rainfall retention, and to also see which plants thrive best.

Which brings us to potential benefits. Somerville ticked off several, from lowering urban temperatures, to reducing stormwater runoff, to improving air quality, to reducing energy use inside the building, to creating new biohabitats.

Perhaps the key reason for the growing popularity of green roofs lies in the fact that between 15 and 25 percent of the surface area of our cities is comprised of roof tops. Since most rooftops today consist of impervious, often dark-color surfaces, they do nothing to reduce either temperatures or stormwater runoff. But add a few inches of soil and plantings, and you get some dramatic differences.

The first year results for ASLA's green roof, for example, showed that it retained 74 percent of all rainfall (some 29 inches) -- including 100 percent of all rainfalls of less than 1 inch. Reducing urban stormwater runoff can yield environmental benefits, as well as save cities costly infrastructure investments.

How much of a soil layer do you need on a green roof? There's no single answer. As Somerville pointed out, what are termed "extensive" green roof areas typically consist of just 2 to 6 inches of soil or growing medium, and are quite light in weight. "Intensive" roof areas can have depths of 6 inches or more, and will support a broader range of plants. Part of what is possible, depends on the roof's structural capacity. On the ASLA building this varies in different parts of the roof. For example, more intensive planting are possible above the elevator shaft which offers greater structural support.

Before we left Somerville reminded us of the "amenity value" of having a green roof. With wonderful views and cooler temperatures, it can offer a great place for employees to take a break. Not surprisingly, green roofs can increase a building's real estate value.

Can't visit the ASLA's green roof? Take a look with their rooftop webcam! And visit their green roof project web site for more details and performance data on the roof.

Hospital Boom(ers)

"There are $4 billion worth of projects underway in Philadelphia and surrounding counties. In western Pennsylvania, an additional 1 million square feet of hospital space will be added by 2009," from the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (Feb. 25, 2007).

"Hospital boom felt in rural areas: 3 projects totaling $158 million finished in last 6 months; more on way," reports the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel (Feb. 19, 2006).

"56 out of 148 Minnesota hospitals since 2002 have planned or are conducting new building or expansion projects. The projects' total is estimated (conservatively) at $1.57 billion," notes a discussion paper posted by Minnesota Blue Cross/Blue Shield.

Wherever you turn, there are signs of a remarkable surge in hospital construction.

Hospitals Pitch Their Economic Impact

I was waiting to get my flu shot a few weeks ago. I happened to pick up a copy of a glossy brochure prepared by our local medical center, Fletcher Allen. While scanning through it and learning about all the great health care services they provide, I was a bit surprised to also see a "pitch" for the economic benefits Fletcher Allen brings to the area (see sidebar on the right).

In browsing online the other day, I quickly understood that Fletcher Allen was far from alone in highlighting these kinds of economic benefits. In fact, hospital after hospital, in all parts of the country, are touting the considerable impacts they have on the local economy.

Just two quick examples I ran across. The first, Brookhaven Memorial Hospital Medical Center in East Patchogue, New York. Take a look at the Economic Impact Statement they've prepared -- which I'll quote briefly from:

"In 2004, the facility had an estimated total annual economic impact of $396,116,000. The hospital supported 2,970 jobs, which paid $16,138,000 in state and local personal income and sales taxes. Brookhaven Memorial Hospital employs 1,546 FTE’s, with a total payroll of $111,859,000

... Hospital payroll expenditures serve as an important economic stimulus, creating and supporting jobs throughout local and state economies ... Dollars earned by the Medical Center employees and spent on groceries, clothing, mortgage payments, rent, etc., generate approximately $238,540,000 in economic activity for the local economy ... The Medical Center spends about $66,990,000 per year on the goods and services it needs to provide health care -- for example, medical supplies, electricity for its buildings, and food for patients ... Brookhaven generate approximately $142,855,000 for the local economy."

And notice the concluding line of their report: "We urge our legislators, members of Congress, and community leaders to recognize that our hospital is instrumental to supporting our state and local economy and that vital steps need to be taken to continue to invest in New York States’ health care system."

Checking in from Washington, D.C.

From PCJ Editor Wayne Senville:

I spent the day at the national Smart Growth Conference in Washington, D.C. organized by the non-profit Local Government Commission. Started out the morning by sitting in on a fascinating session moderated by Joe Schilling of Viginia Tech's Metropolitan Institute on "right sizing" American cities that have been losing population. The session included an overview -- given by Blaine Bonham, Jr. -- of how Philadelphia is working to clean up and "green up" an enormous number of vacant lots; and then heard Terry Schwarz discuss how Cleveland planners are seeking to staunch the steady hemorraging of their city's population (despite Cleveland being home to major employers like the Cleveland Clinic).

Also sat in on a session focusing on the connection between land use and water, and how that's related to smart growth. Coincidentally, one of the speakers, Lynn Richards, is preparing an article for the Planning Commissioners Journal on stormwater management.

During the afternoon, I joined about 30 conference attendees on a tour of three "green" projects in Washington, D.C.: the green roof atop the American Society of Landscape Architects headquarters; low-impact stormwater management practices at the historic Navy Yard; and the EPA's Rios Courtyard, which features some creative stormwater retention features (some of you might recall that our general manager, Betsey Krumholz, reported on this Courtyard several months ago -- see "In Their Own Backyard").

I'll follow up with more detailed reports about the Conference in a week or so.

Want to buy a bridge? And I'm not talking about the Brooklyn Bridge!

I was thumbing through my local paper's classfied ads a few days ago, and came across something that caught my eye: Historic Bridge Available.

That's right. Our Agency of Transportation here in Vermont (known as "VTrans") has a bridge it wants to sell you. Actually, they're not even selling it -- they'll give it to you free!

It's a "historically significant" 122 foot-long metal truss bridge across the White River in Stockbridge, Vermont (see photos below). Unfortunately, it needs to be replaced.

About ten years ago, VTrans completed a comprehensive study of which of Vermont's many historic bridges were worth preserving. It looked at factors such as the bridge's structural condition, hydraulics, traffic loads, historic significance, and cost.

Some bridges have been put to new use, often as bike and pedestrian facilties. Others remain in place for vehicular use. But still others -- such as Bridge No. 130 -- fall into the "documentation and demolition" category.

According to Catherine Quinn, a historic preservation specialist with VTrans, "we are required to make historic bridges that are slated for demolition available for reuse to a responsible entity, hence the advertisement in the newspaper for Bridge No. 130 in Stockbridge."

Downtown Futures: Our Winter Issue

Our Winter issue focusing on Downtown Futures concludes PCJ Editor Wayne Senville's reports from Across the U.S. on Route 50:

Like a Business Park with Amenities. How one West Virginia city is trying to "position" its downtown.

Behind the Curtains. The surprising impact that theater restorations can have in small city downtowns.

Coming Together, Coming Back. A remote Nevada town learns how to help itself.

A River Runs Through It. How developing a riverwalk has brought new life to a Colorado downtown.

Downtown Housing. Discovering that new downtown housing is not just a big city phenomenon anymore.

Future Downtowns. Why two outer-ring suburbs want their own downtown..