Active Design: Redefining Richland

Active Design: Redefining Richland Workshop Summary Report

A. Introduction B. Workshop Agenda C. Emerging Implementation Framework D. Tactical Recommendations E. Supporting Resources

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A. Introduction

Richland County is poised for change, with a growing alliance of stakeholders who are passionate about positioning the community as a vibrant, active, and attractive place to live and work. Recognizing this momentum, on April 16, 2015 Richland Public Health convened a day-long multi-disciplinary workshop at the Gorman Nature Center to discuss design solutions that support this vision.

Nearly 50 people attended the event, known as Active Design: Redefining Richland. The workshop was facilitated by the Center for Active Design, an NYC-based nonprofit organization that promotes architecture and urban planning solutions to improve public health.

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Why Active Design Matters Active Design strategies support physical activity and healthy food access in order to address today’s growing obesity and chronic disease epidemics. In the U.S., chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and certain cancers account for 7 out of 10 deaths, and more than 83% of the $1.4 trillion spent annually on health care. Sadly, today’s kids represent the first generation of Americans expected to live shorter lives than their parents.

In Richland County about 34% of adults are obese, which is higher than Ohio’s statewide rate of 30%. Unfortunately, trends show that obesity rates are continuing to rise in Richland County, even as they are leveling off at state and national levels. The April 16 workshop convened a range of stakeholders seeking to reverse this trend by redefining Richland County as a healthier, more active community.

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Workshop activities were crafted around four main objectives: 1. Understand how design impacts health. Speakers introduced the concept of Active Design, with specific emphasis on active transportation and complete streets initiatives. Participants identified and analyzed a range of local assets that support health, and considered ways to improve access to these places via walking, biking, and public transit.

2. Convene multi-disciplinary stakeholders. The workshop brought together a wide range of experts and a variety of perspectives, creating an opportunity to foster new relationships and lay the groundwork for future collaboration.

3. Share ideas – feel inspired, informed, and engaged.

The workshop struck a balance between presentations, discussion, and hands-on activities. Speakers helped establish a common understanding of key concepts, and illuminated success stories from communities around Ohio and beyond. Participants shared their own thoughts through hands-on, participatory activities designed to spark new ideas and generate unique community solutions – including a mapping activity, a street design exercise, and a community walk audit.

4. Begin to identify implementation priorities. By the end of the workshop participants had identified several of the most significant implementation priorities for re-defining Richland County as a vibrant, active, and attractive place to live and work.

This summary report outlines workshop activities and highlights implementation priorities that emerged from workshop discussions.

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B. Workshop Agenda Part 1: Understanding Active Design 8:00 AM Breakfast + Registration 8:15 AM

Welcoming + Opening Remarks

8:30 AM

Keynote Presentation: Shaping Healthy Communities with Active Design

Karyl Price, Richland Public Health Caitlin Harley, Ohio Department of Health Jotika Shetty, Richland County Regional Planning Commission

Suzanne Nienaber, Center for Active Design

9:15 AM

Hands-on Exercise: Mapping Community Health Assets • 10: 35 AM Break •

Part 2: Active Transportation Insights 10:45 AM

Panel Discussion: Implementing Complete Streets Amelia Costanzo, Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission Kate Moening, Safe Routes to School National Partnership Nelson Shogren, Richland Moves!

11:30 AM

Hands-on Exercise: Complete Streets Game • 12:15 PM Lunch •

Part 3: Surveying Our Community 1:15 PM

Facilitated Walking Audits

3:15 PM

Report Back + Closing Discussion

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C. Emerging Implementation Framework The following table captures key implementation priorities that emerged at the Active Design: Redefining Richland event.

Overarching Goals • Prioritize walking, biking, and transit as healthy, enjoyable, efficient transportation choices • Design for physical and economic mobility to support the neediest residents of Richland County • Celebrate and enhance our parks as vital community health assets • Strengthen Mansfield’s identity, culture, and community pride

Places to Target • Downtown Mansfield – Brickyard and Central Park • North End – North Lake Park and surrounding neighborhoods • Ohio State campus – new development plans Partners to Engage • • • • • • • • • • •

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Richland Public Health Richland County Regional Planning Commission Richland Moves!

Friends of the Mansfield Parks Convention and Visitor’s Bureau Chamber of Commerce Community Development Block Grant partners Mansfield YMCA Richland County Development Group Richland Young Professionals North End Community Improvement Collaborative

Actions to Take »» Adopt & implement a Complete Streets policy. »» Contribute to the Long-Range Transportation Plan to ensure pedestrian, bicycle, and transit priorities are addressed. »» Implement strategic pedestrian enhancements county-wide, targeting key community health assets and areas of concern. »» Implement the Mansfield Bike Loop, and provide more bicycle parking in strategic locations (e.g. Downtown, at trail entrances, etc.) »» Improve access to the B&O Trail. Make entrances visible, accessible, and safe for all users. Build momentum around the trail’s 20th anniversary happening this year. »» Improve the transit system, including visibility and comfort at bus stops. Provide route maps and schedule information. »» Introduce wayfinding signage oriented toward pedestrians, cyclists, and transit users. »» Redesign surface parking lots to maximize utility for all users. For example, introduce pedestrian pathways, plazas, plantings, and bicycle parking. »» Develop a downtown parking strategy that encourages visitors to “park once and walk” to a variety of destinations. For example, encourage shared parking among businesses, review pricing policies for parking, and eliminate parking minimums in order to encourage downtown infill development. »» Involve local businesses in supporting active transportation initiatives (e.g. hosting events, installing infrastructure like bike racks and benches, planting trees along streetscape, etc.) »» Encourage residents to support the parks system, for example via the Adopt-a-park program. Introduce more positive programming into parks with safety concerns. »» Support neighborhood revitalization, particularly in North End. Encourage property improvements, neighborhood cleanup, safe lighting, etc. »» Implement Active Design strategies in new and existing public buildings and public spaces. Look for strategic opportunities to encourage active transportation, active recreation, health food access, and active circulation within buildings.

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D. Tactical Recommendations When New York City’s award-winning Active Design Guidelines were published in 2010, they presented a groundbreaking approach for using evidence-based built environment strategies to support physical activity and healthy food access. Since then, the concept of Active Design has inspired designers, developers, and policymakers around the world to play a direct role in supporting healthier communities through the design of buildings, streets, and neighborhoods. The following tactical approaches have emerged from years of implementation efforts in NYC, and may have resonance in Richland County.

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a. Test before investing. Look for opportunities to temporarily test design ideas before undertaking more costly capital investments.

Low-cost, temporary interventions using paint, planters, and moveable seating can create an opportunity to garner community input, evaluate results, and revise designs as needed. Successful temporary installations can translate into permanent capital projects that are supported by the community. b. Design for flexibility. Design public spaces to accommodate flexible programming and a range of activities, in order to attract users of all ages and abilities. c. Continue inter-disciplinary collaboration. Look for synergies across agencies and sectors, and find new ways to support each other and work toward common goals. Cross-collaboration can also open doors to innovative funding strategies. For example, NYC uses DEP funds allocated for stormwater management and flood mitigation to support the development of greener streetscapes, public plazas, and playgrounds. d. Grow a community of advocates. Use social media, crosspromotion among partner organizations, and local media contacts to help spread the word about key initiatives and keep Active Design concepts at the forefront of people’s minds. Jointly organize and host public events that celebrate Richland County’s push to become a more vibrant, active, healthy place to live and work. e. Encourage collective stewardship. Engage a range of public, private, and non-profit partners who can support the funding, programming, and maintenance of parks and public spaces. f. Share success stories. Spread innovative ideas and convert skeptics by sharing success stories from other communities. See Part E – Supporting Resources for more ideas. g. Review regulations, including plans and zoning codes. Look for opportunities to remove barriers that detract from healthy development (e.g. parking minimums) as well as opportunities to deliberately encourage pedestrian and bicycle-friendly development (e.g. requiring sidewalk installation and streetscape improvements).

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E. Supporting Resources The following organizations and resources can be tapped to support Richland County’s implementation efforts. Click on the links provided to learn more.

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Organizations Center for Active Design

Resources Active Design Guidelines publication, as well as case studies and award-winning projects from communities around the world

Creating Healthy Communities / Richland Public Health

Local initiatives and resources

Mid Ohio Regional Planning Commission

Video: “Rethinking Streets for Successful Communities”

Ohio Safe Routes to School State Network

Sample laws and policies, funding announcements

Richland Moves! Facebook page

Local advocacy and events

Smart Growth America’s National Complete Streets Coalition

Safe Streets, Stronger Economies: Complete Streets outcomes from across the country

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Participants completed anonymous exit questionnaires to share their impressions about the day. 96% of respondents said they learned something new that will influence their professional or personal life.

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(I enjoyed) hearing positive results from other cities’ complete streets projects—reduced accidents, better retail commerce, etc. The street audit was a good eyeopener to look at everything from a pedestrian’s point of view.”

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“ I hope we continue to have these informative conversations.”

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Would love to see the momentum move on forward to produce results.”

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