Tri-County Health Department in Colorado does more than just review a development plan.

Introduction Are you involved in land use planning? Do you review applications for development? In Colorado, as in many other states, local pub­ lic health agencies (LPHAs) do provide these services. When local planning departments want to know the public health impacts of a proposed project, they generally refer the de­ velopment application to the LPHA’s environ­ mental health (EH) division. Typically, local EH officials limit their comments to regulatory requirements for air and water quality, waste and wastewater management, and sanitation. It is essential for LPHAs to identify these require­ ments for preventing human exposures to envi­ ronmental hazards. However, LPHAs also work on preventing chronic illnesses (e.g., heart disease, diabetes) and promoting healthy be­ haviors such as physically active lifestyles. EH specialists have the opportunity to identify not only case-specific regulations to protect public health, but also non-regulatory approaches to promote health through planning and develop­ ment activities. To advocate for public health in its broadest sense, LPHAs should also recom­ mend the inclusion of public health policies in community master plans for land use, transpor­ tation and open space, trails and parks systems, and strategies to implement these policies in local codes and standards. In this way, LPHA input can educate planning professionals and policy makers about potential health impacts and benefits of land use choices and improve the quality of land use decision making.