Creating Healthy Communities Through Urban Form by Deirdre M. Liptay A thesis presented to the University of Waterloo in fulfillment of the thesis requirement for the degree of Master of Environmental Studies in Planning Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, 2009 ©Deirdre M. Liptay 2009 AUTHOR’S DECLARATION I hereby declare that I am the sole author of this thesis. This is a true copy of the thesis, including any required final revisions, as accepted by my examiners. I understand that my thesis may be made electronically available to the public. ii ABSTRACT The manner in which we design and build our communities can affect our physical and mental health. When we think about urban planning, we reflect on the form and arrangement of community, of urban, city and town planning. Urban form looks at the integration of land use and explores a complex range of the built and social environment: the environment, infrastructure, people, form and economics. The research recognizes cultural behaviours and activity patterns that affect air quality and environmental conditions; a lack of physical activity, community cohesion, highlights safety issues, and places individuals at risk for health illness. The research evaluates the built form of the neighbourhood community and asks ‘What are the attributes of a healthy community’? The research will verify the extent to which the neighbourhoods selected in the study replicate these attributes and focus on how these neighbourhoods could be improved from a ‘healthy city’ perspective. Key urban form features related to healthy communities focus on the relationship between land use mix, network connectivity and street design, site design, and density. Sustainable planning of communities and efficient land use planning are relevant to healthy communities with the trend towards increasing population density. While the research reinforces the connection between built form and public health planning, it also provides future direction for urban form policy; with improvements towards street connectivity, non-motorized transportation, expansion of regional trail and cycle networks, increasing transit access, encouraging mixed land use and greater land density to shorten travel distances. The research provides a basis for future studies in Canadian growth policy and healthy neighbourhood form, with significance as a Southwestern Ontario study. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The author would like to thank individuals who provided support throughout the pursuit of this project. Acknowledgement to the Thesis Defence Committee with the University of Waterloo Planning department: Professor Pierre Filion, Professor Mark Seasons, Professor Laura Johnson. Thank you to the Region of Waterloo Public Health department Planners: Patrick Fisher, for initial insight into healthy community planning; David Roewade, Popy Dimoulas-Graham, Amanda Tavares, Stephen Drew for health data. Thanks to the Transportation, Planning, Housing and Community Services department Planners; JoAnne Woodall, Chantelle Thompson, Becky Schlenvogt, Gethyn Beniston, Paul Fleming in traffic engineering; as well, the Cartographic team for assistance with the GIS mapping; Elizabeth Siddorn, Henry Leung, Chris Rumig. In Social Planning, Angela Pye, Kelly Higgs, Sharon Froelich for Social Planning data. Trudy Beaulne with the Waterloo Region Social Planning Council. Anthony Piscitelli of the Community Safety & Crime Prevention Council. Special thanks to the Kitchener, Waterloo and Cambridge neighbourhood representatives that offered insight into their respective communities. Thank you for the love and understanding of my children, Rachel and Aaron Liptay-Fischer, who in their own academic resilience inspired me to complete this goal. Go raibh maith agat mum, Maureen O’Hara. Lhe agradeça meu amor, Antonio Cabral for your overwhelming patience, passion and support in life’s balance. For the ongoing encouragement from friends, and Social Services colleagues; Beverly Green, David Derouin, Jim Dales, Lea Porter, Sharon Walpole, Leo Verschoor, Bonnie Diggins, Margaret McVey, Linda Roy, Manuela Eichberger, Raunie Busman, Glenna Reynolds, Anthony Davidson, Clara D’Cunha, Catherine Chapman, Maureen Scucz, Zdenka Lucka, Tracy Livingstone, Patricia Zinger, Caprice Micher, Kathie Lamie, JoAnne Dubois, Candace Wormsbecker, Wendy Hood-Morris, Christa Strub, Lisa McArthur, Cyndi Cartwright. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES.......................................................................................................................vii LIST OF MAPS .........................................................................................................................viii LIST OF FIGURES......................................................................................................................ix GLOSSARY..................................................................................................................................xi CHAPTERS 1. INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW 1.1 Research Question, Objectives, Theoretical Framework ......................................................... 1 1.2 Topic Interest............................................................................................................................ 4 1.3 Geographical Context............................................................................................................... 4 1.4 Structure of the Thesis.............................................................................................................. 7 2. LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Overview .................................................................................................................................. 9 2.2 The Healthy Community Concept.......................................................................................... 10 2.3 What the Healthy Neighbourhood Community Looks Like .................................................. 12 2.3.1 Walkable Neighbourhoods........................................................................................ 13 2.3.2 Variety in the Neighbourhood................................................................................... 14 2.3.3 Neighbourhood Sense of Place.................................................................................. 14 2.3.4 Conservation.............................................................................................................. 15 2.3.5 Connectivity .............................................................................................................. 16 2.3.6 Transit Supportive ..................................................................................................... 17 2.3.7 Safety......................................................................................................................... 18 2.3.8 Balance and Livability............................................................................................... 19 2.4 Smart Growth Model............................................................................................................. 22 2.5 Land Use Mix and Density.................................................................................................... 25 2.6 Network Connectivity and Street Design.............................................................................. 29 2.7 Site Design and Green Infrastructure .................................................................................... 37 2.8 Relationship between Community Health and Urban Form ................................................. 40 2.9 The Land Use Planning Policy Context: Regional and Municipal ....................................... 45 2.10 Public Health Reports: Fisher (2005), McCormick (2006), Schumilas (2007)..................... 50 2.11 The Economics of Urban Form............................................................................................. 54 2.12 Comparative Ontario Municipalities, Urban Form Community Guidelines......................... 58 2.13 Key Findings and Conclusions: Literature and Existing Policy............................................ 73 3. RESEARCH METHODS 3.1 Research Question and Research Design .............................................................................. 78 v 3.2 Benefits and Disadvantages of Quantitative and Qualitative Research ................................ 80 3.2.1 The Quantitative Approach ....................................................................................... 80 3.2.2 The Qualitative Approach ......................................................................................... 80 3.3 Pros and Cons of Specific Research Methods Used.............................................................. 82 3.3.1 Observation ............................................................................................................... 82 3.3.2 Key Informant Interviews ......................................................................................... 84 3.3.3 Key Informant Questionnaire.................................................................................... 88 4. OBSERVATION, KEY INFORMANT INTERVIEWS AND KEY INFORMANT QUESTIONNAIRE 4.1 Healthy Neighbourhood Urban Form..................................................................................... 91 4.2 Neighbourhood Study Overview and Public Health Reports Published................................ 92 4.3 Neighbourhood Study Evaluation, Region of Waterloo ........................................................ 95 4.3.1 Clair Hills,