July 14, 2010
Can you walk, bike or take the bus to the places you frequent in Omaha? Are there sidewalks, trails, bike lanes and well-marked street crossings in your neighborhood? Believe it or not, these things can help make or break the overall health of the city, as does access to affordable, healthy food and personal decision making that supports healthy living.
Work on the community health section of Environment Omaha, a new policy development initiative that’s creating a comprehensive environmental section for the city’s master plan, is nearing completion. Environment Omaha covers five areas – the natural environment, urban form and transportation, building construction, resource conservation and community health.
The community health document has been developed by the Environment Omaha Community Health Advisory Committee, which is chaired by Mikki Frost, administrative director for healthier communities at Alegent Health. The committee, a group of 32 volunteers representing a diversity of professions and perspectives, included suggestions from the public in developing the content.
The draft – broken down into active, safe and healthy living components – calls for engaging the community to support policies, establish partnerships with community leaders and prioritize resources that support and sustain community health, such as:
- Neighborhoods with mixed uses and connectivity to destinations
- Parks, open spaces and recreational facilities
- Access to and availability of healthy foods
- Access to health services and economic opportunities
- Walking, biking and public transit
- High quality, healthy and affordable housing
- Safe and healthy neighborhoods and public spaces
- Environmental quality
The draft document will be reviewed by the Environment Omaha Core Committee later this month. The final community health draft will be posted on www.environmentomaha.com in early August, and feedback will be sought at that time, said Connie Spellman, director of Omaha by Design.
Funding for Environment Omaha, which is receiving significant city staff and resource support, is provided by grants from the Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District, the Metropolitan Area Planning Agency and the City of Omaha’s Stormwater Management Plan Program Grant from the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality. Omaha by Design serves as the project manager. For more information, call 402.554.4010 or email info@omahabydesign.org.