At The Microscale : Compact Growth and Adverse Health Impacts

Note: The views expressed in this discussion paper are those of the author and are not necessarily those of the members or staff of the Puget Sound Regional Council. 2 Informational Paper on "Compact Growth and Adverse Health Impacts" This paper was developed by University of Washington Doctoral Student Gail Sandlin under a contract with the Puget Sound Regional Council. The scope of the contract contained the following primary tasks: • Provide information and perspective on the topic of " Compact Growth and Adverse Health Impacts " • Discuss the key findings from a literature review regarding the adverse health impacts of compact city design. • Discuss possible mitigation measures that might be appropriate as part of the analysis of alternatives and potential mitigation measures in the VISION 2020+20 environmental impact statement process. The purpose of the paper is to provide information to support the Environmental Impact Statement process for Vision 2020+20. The paper is meant to provide Puget Sound Regional Council a literature review on the environmental (adverse health) impacts of the compact city design. The final report summarizes some the major articles/reports on the topic, and includes a set of key findings. The paper provides a brief discussion of applicability to various growth scenarios and possible mitigation measures. 3 Purpose To advance a broader understanding of (1) the potential adverse health impacts of compact city design on vulnerable populations, and (2) the relationship of traffic, air quality and land use patterns within the micro or local scale of compact urbanization. This paper is meant to improve the understanding of these issues as part of the update of VISION 2020 + 20. Introduction The Washington State Growth Management Act is designed to protect the natural environment by such initiatives as controlling sprawl through regional countywide and local comprehensive plans. The antithesis of sprawl is compact growth that promotes active living by encouraging physical exercise through mobility-either walking or bicycling-in a pedestrian-friendly urban environment. Looking towards the future within its VISION 2020+20 update the Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC) proposes, for environmental assessment, four growth alternatives where population and employment increases are distributed throughout the various regional geographies categorized as metropolitan cities, core suburban cities, larger suburban cities, smaller suburban cities, unincorporated UGA or rural areas. The targeted growth areas of many of these regional geographies are transected by urban freeways thus creating at the microscale or local level a …