MT10: Community Design and Safety

Framework Component

Changes - Multi-Sector

Indicator Description

Community A group of people defined by geographic, demographic, and/or civic/political boundaries. -based design and safety policies and systems changes that create safer, more appealing places for physical activity.

Background and Context

Indicator MT10 is a "developmental" indicator that examines community-level multi-sector efforts to adopt policies and systems changes that result in safer, more appealing places for physical activity. This indicator measures the number of communities within a defined geographic area (e.g., local, state, territorial, or tribal) that have adopted policies or systems change approaches that directly address community design and safety. The role SNAP-Ed plays is focused on cultivating partnerships and providing education to support the creation and adoption of community design and safety policies and systems changes.

As a "developmental" indicator, there is not an existing authoritative secondary data source that provides the necessary data to measure this indicator. Instead, information such as lists of communities that have adopted Crime Prevention Through Environmental Includes the built or physical environments, which are visible or observable and may include economic, social, normative, or message environments. Design (CPTED) or Complete Streets A transportation policy and design approach that requires streets to be planned, designed, operated, and maintained to enable safe, convenient, and comfortable travel and access for users of all ages and abilities. policies or Community A group of people defined by geographic, demographic, and/or civic/political boundaries. Policing approaches could be found on websites like the Community A group of people defined by geographic, demographic, and/or civic/political boundaries. Commons, the National Complete Streets A transportation policy and design approach that requires streets to be planned, designed, operated, and maintained to enable safe, convenient, and comfortable travel and access for users of all ages and abilities. Coalition Group of individuals and organizations that commit to joint action, typically for a longer term, in adopting nutrition or physical activity practices, supports and/or standards. , or the Department of Justice.

Outcome The desired benefit, improvement, or achievement of a specific program or goal. Measures

MT10a.	Number or percentage of communities that have adopted policies that include at least one of the following elements that promote safety for parks, open space, trails, or greenways: Improved access Improved signage Improved lighting Improved operating hours
MT10b.	Number or percentage of communities that have adopted a Complete Streets A transportation policy and design approach that requires streets to be planned, designed, operated, and maintained to enable safe, convenient, and comfortable travel and access for users of all ages and abilities. policy
MT10c.	Number or percentage of SNAP-Ed eligible areas (neighborhoods) with community policing initiatives
MT10d.	Estimated number of people in the target population who have increased access to or benefit from the community design and safety policy or intervention Total number of persons in the census-defined area(s) Number and proportion of persons who are SNAP-Ed eligible

What to Measure

Whether local zoning and planning codes and regulations include elements consistent with Crime Prevention Through Environmental Includes the built or physical environments, which are visible or observable and may include economic, social, normative, or message environments. Design (CPTED) principles

Access: Local Relating to or occurring in a particular area, city, or town. zoning and planning codes and regulations include access control standards, such as:

• Clearly defining point of entry
• Fencing defining access is opaque or designed to have open space so as to avoid a visual barrier
• Foliage defining access that is between the heights of 3 and 6 feet is designed and maintained so as to not impede line of site
• Installing a locking gate (if appropriate for the context)

Signage: Local Relating to or occurring in a particular area, city, or town. zoning and planning codes and regulations include signage standards, such as:

• Ensuring signs are clear, consistent, and legible (e.g., design, messaging)
• Locating signs by entrances and activity nodes
• Placing signs at the proper height to maximize visibility
• Creating a wayfinding signage system
  • Information signs that orientate someone to the built environment
  • Directional signs that provide distance and direction to destinations
  • Identification signs with information about individual locations
  • Warning signs that indicate safety procedures or regulations

Lighting: Local Relating to or occurring in a particular area, city, or town. zoning and planning codes and regulations include lighting standards, such as:

• Lighting that is installed to ensure consistent levels of Illumination to prevent areas of shadow or glare-blindness
• Using shielded lights to control glare
• Placing lighting at proper heights to illuminate the faces of people using the space
• Adequately lighting inset spaces, signs, entrances, and exits
• Proper maintenance of lighting fixtures to prescribed standards (e.g., practices of the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America)

Operating Hours: Local Relating to or occurring in a particular area, city, or town. zoning and planning codes and regulations include details such as:

• Standard operating hours for each facility type (e.g., 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. or dawn until dusk)
• Indication at the entrance of when and where exits are closed

Complete Streets A transportation policy and design approach that requires streets to be planned, designed, operated, and maintained to enable safe, convenient, and comfortable travel and access for users of all ages and abilities.

Whether the policy includes at least five Complete Streets A transportation policy and design approach that requires streets to be planned, designed, operated, and maintained to enable safe, convenient, and comfortable travel and access for users of all ages and abilities. elements:

• Includes a vision for how and why the community wants to complete its streets
• Specifies that "all users" includes pedestrians, bicyclists, and transit passengers of all ages and abilities, as well as trucks, buses, and automobiles
• Applies to both new and retrofit projects, including design, planning, maintenance, and operations, for the entire right of way
• Makes any exceptions specific and sets a clear procedure that requires high-level approval of exceptions
• Encourages street connectivity and aims to create a comprehensive, integrated, connected network for all modes
• Is adoptable by all agencies to cover all roads
• Directs the use of the latest and best design criteria and guidelines while recognizing the need for flexibility in balancing user needs
• Directs that Complete Streets A transportation policy and design approach that requires streets to be planned, designed, operated, and maintained to enable safe, convenient, and comfortable travel and access for users of all ages and abilities. solutions will complement the context of the community
• Establishes performance standards with measurable outcomes
• Includes specific next steps for implementation of the policy

Community A group of people defined by geographic, demographic, and/or civic/political boundaries. Policing

• The number of partnerships between the law enforcement agency and those they serve, including government agencies, community members/groups, nonprofits/service providers, private businesses, and media.
• Measures of police performance include improvement in the quality of life for residents, less fear of crime, and greater neighborhood satisfaction.

Population

N/A

Surveys and Data Collection Tools

N/A

Key Glossary Terms

Community policing A philosophy that promotes organizational strategies that support the systematic use of partnerships and problem-solving techniques to address the immediate conditions that give rise to public safety issues. , Complete Streets A transportation policy and design approach that requires streets to be planned, designed, operated, and maintained to enable safe, convenient, and comfortable travel and access for users of all ages and abilities. , Crime Prevention Through Environmental Includes the built or physical environments, which are visible or observable and may include economic, social, normative, or message environments. Design (CPTED), Greenway A linear open space established along a natural corridor.

Additional Resources or Supporting Citations

National Complete Streets A transportation policy and design approach that requires streets to be planned, designed, operated, and maintained to enable safe, convenient, and comfortable travel and access for users of all ages and abilities. Coalition Group of individuals and organizations that commit to joint action, typically for a longer term, in adopting nutrition or physical activity practices, supports and/or standards. https://smartgrowthamerica.org/what-are-complete-streets/

Trust for Public Land ParkScore https://www.tpl.org/parkscore/about

LISC Community A group of people defined by geographic, demographic, and/or civic/political boundaries. Safety Initiative Safety Team Assessment Tool 

LISC Community A group of people defined by geographic, demographic, and/or civic/political boundaries. Developer-Police Partnership Survey https://www.lisc.org/media/filer_public/a2/0d/a20dd971-17e0-43e8-b508-3c6aaa1cb060/community_developer-police_partnership_survey.pdf

LISC Quality of Life Survey https://www.lisc.org/media/filer_public/b0/d6/b0d624f2-8f2e-4126-83d5-923bad638b1f/quality_of_life_survey.pdf

LISC Crime Prevention Through Environmental Includes the built or physical environments, which are visible or observable and may include economic, social, normative, or message environments. Design Resources List https://www.lisc.org/our-initiatives/safety-justice/our-strategies/community-engaged-safety-work-environmental-approach/

National Crime Prevention Council Crime Prevention Through Environmental Includes the built or physical environments, which are visible or observable and may include economic, social, normative, or message environments. Design Guidebook https://rems.ed.gov/docs/Mobile_docs/CPTED-Guidebook.pdf

Department of Justice Community A group of people defined by geographic, demographic, and/or civic/political boundaries. Oriented Policing Services - Resources https://cops.usdoj.gov/resources