Land use planning: why public health must be involved

The way that land is used has a direct impact on public health. Legislators and other with responsibility for land use planning need to be aware of the public health connection and need to promote effective land use planning as a means of improving the public's health. This article discusses the public health/land use connection and the role that local, state, and national legislators can play in promoting land use planning that supports the public's health. It also provides an example of a collaborative local land use initiative aimed at addressing a public health problem in a city and at providing a model that other locations can use in making land use conform to sound public health policy. Finally, it provides an overview of initiatives to promote healthy land use in the New York metropolitan area by Regional Plan Association, a private non-profit planning organization.