Designing Healthy Communities: Lawrence Zoning & Public Health

1. Designing Healthy Communities: LawrenceZoning & Public Health Zoning Reform to Inspire Healthy Living Heather McMann, Groundwork Lawrence

2. Groundwork Lawrence • For people - creating opportunities for people to learn new skills and take local action • For places - creating better, safer and healthier neighborhoods • For prosperity - helping business and individuals fulfill their potential

3. Lawrence in 1850

4. LawrenceNow

5. Statistics • One of the poorest & most heavily Latino cities in NE • Population 76,000 in 7 square miles • 25%+ of families below poverty line • Low Homeownership & High Unemployment Rates • High rates of foreclosure • 37% of residents hold HS degree • Young population (~30% under age 24) • Diet & lifestyle-related disease rates soaring • Highest rates of youth obesity in MA • Food Desert: • 1 Grocery Store, 100+ Corner Stores • Fast Food Restaurants

6. Healthy Food Access

7. Dr. Nina Scarito Park • 1850s - Small mill built on the site, including several raceways running through the property • 1940s: - Site redeveloped into a commercial laundry • Late 1980s - Laundry buildings demolished, leaving the site vacant • 2001 - Neighborhood Summit identified site for a neighborhood park • 2006 - Completed remediation & construction, funding from EPA Brownfields, MA EOEEA, City of Lawrence & Bank of America

8. Dr. Nina Scarito Park

9. Manchester Street Park • Former incinerator • 1990s - Community succeeded in closing the incinerator • 2006 - Envisioned as a park • 2009 – Ribbon-cutting ceremony • 2010 & 2011 – 2 National Awards

10. Manchester Street Park

11. Spruce St. Vacant Lots

12. Spruce St. Community Garden

13. The Spicket River Greenway

14. Walkable Communities and Health • Walking is beneficial to people's health, to community vitality, and for the environment. • Improves community interaction as people are more likely to talk with neighbors and shop in local stores when they are walking through a community. • Provides easy, inexpensive and low-impact exercise that can improve the overall health of community residents. • Walking instead of driving protects environmental quality. Reducing vehicular emissions benefits plants, watersheds and the health of wildlife and people alike.

15. Walkable Communities and Economic Benefits • Housing Values are Higher • Attract "New Economy" Workers • Are becoming a Business Relocation Alternative • Reduce Commuting Costs • Cost the Taxpayer Less • Attracts Tourists • Can Capture an Emerging "Lifestyle" Retail Market Source: http://www.uwex.edu/ces/cced/downtowns/ltb/lets/0703ltb.html

16. Lesson learned: Challenges are Opportunities • Challenges • No Master Plan • Brownfields/Vacant lots • Illegal dumping • Flooding • Public Perception • Limited Access to Healthy Food • Limited Regional Cooperation • Opportunities • Open Space Plan • Dense, Walkable City • Mixed-Use Neighborhoods • Active Transportation • Open Spaces for Recreation & Exercise • Improved Environment (air, water, soil)

17. Connecting Public Health, Zoning & Community Development Heather McMann, Groundwork Lawrence www.groundworklawrence.org hmcmann@groundworklawrence.org (978) 974-0770 x7009