ProGov21 Policy Library

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2018

Level City or Town

State(s) All States

Source Sustainable Development Code

Policy Areas Economic Justice, Food, Health, Public Spaces

Localities can promote farm stands by allowing them as by-right uses across zoning districts and streamlining permitting processes. This memo outlines how farm stand-friendly ordinances expand economic opportunities for small producers and increase the availability of fresh produce....

The Excellent City Park System: What Makes it Great and How to Get There

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2013

Level City or Town, County

State(s) All States

Source The Trust for Public Land

Policy Areas Community Development, Economic Justice, Public Spaces

This report outlines best practices for effective park development and recommends that cities take inventory of their land assets, prioritize park safety and equity, and regularly engage with the public. It also highlights case studies that have implemented successful park development...

Santa Clara Ordinance Regulating the Construction of Big-Box Stores

Type Ordinance or Resolution

Year 2003

Level City or Town

State(s) California

Source Santa Clara City Council

Policy Areas Environment & Natural Resources, Community Development, Public Spaces

This ordinance prohibits the construction of large-scale retail stores, or superstores, within Santa Clara. Any entity who wished to operate a large-scale retail store shall apply for and receive a Use Permit. Permit applicants must prepare an environmental impact report and economic...

Creating a Healthy Food Zone Around Schools

Type Fact Sheet or Infographic

Year 2009

Level County

State(s) All States

Source Mayors Innovation Project

Policy Areas Health, Children & Families, Democracy & Governance, Food, Economic Justice, Civil Rights, Education, Community Development, Public Spaces, Transportation & Mobility

Many schools are surrounded by fast food restaurants, which provide students with easy access to unhealthy foods and undermine schools' efforts to offer nutritious meals. Prohibiting fast food restaurants from locating near schools is one strategy to help reduce childhood obesity...

Green Roofing

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2020

Level City or Town

State(s) All States

Source Sustainable Development Code

Policy Areas Democracy & Governance, Environment & Natural Resources, Public Spaces

Cities can use their zoning codes to mandate sustainable development practices like green roofing, which promotes heat absorption, increases stormwater filtration, and provides recreational opportunities. This policy brief outlines how municipalities have leveraged incentives like...

New Orleans Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance

Type Ordinance or Resolution

Year 2019

Level City or Town

State(s) Louisiana

Source City of New Orleans

Policy Areas Community Development, Housing, Public Safety

This ordinance outlines use and design standards for both rental and owner-occupied affordable housing. It requires that at least 10% of units in new developments within eligible zones are made affordable and ensures that these units will incorporate the same design features and have...

Local Policies for Environmental Justice: A National Scan

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2019

Level City or Town, County

State(s) All States

Source The New School

Policy Areas Environment & Natural Resources, Health

While local zoning codes and land use policies historically have been tools for segregating people and concentrating pollution in low-income communities and communities of color, community-based advocacy can transform these same tools into means for addressing cumulative burdens borne...

Complete Parks Playbook

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2018

Level City or Town, County

State(s) All States, Pennsylvania, Texas

Source ChangeLab Solutions

Policy Areas Education, Environment & Natural Resources, Health, Public Spaces

Parks enhance communities by promoting physical, mental, and social health. This guide outlines the 'complete parks approach', which helps local governments promote parks improvements by engaging communities who have historically been overlooked during parks planning discussions,...

2004 Los Angeles Big Box Zoning Ordinance 176166

Type Ordinance or Resolution

Year 2004

Level City or Town

State(s) California

Source Los Angeles City Council

Policy Areas Environment & Natural Resources, Community Development, Public Spaces, Economic Justice

This ordinance requires planned superstores to complete an economic impact analysis before seeking approval for their projects. These reports shall identify whether the superstore would result in the physical displacement of any jobs and businesses; the demolition of housing; the...

Massachusetts Inclusionary Zoning Model Bylaw

Type Ordinance or Resolution

Year 2007

Level City or Town

State(s) Massachusetts

Source Executive Office Of Energy And Environmental Affairs

Policy Areas Housing, Public Safety

This ordinance: requires a permit for any development that results in a net increase of 10 or more dwelling units and the grant of a Special Permit from the Board of Appeals or other designated Special Permit Granting Authority for such a development; requires that any developer using...

Regulatory Barriers to Home Construction and Rehab

Type -

Year 2021

Level -

State(s) All States

Source The Project For Lean Urbanism

Policy Areas Economic Justice, Democracy & Governance, Community Development, Housing

Regulatory barriers make housing less affordable to millions of households in the US and abroad. If regulatory barriers were reduced, small developers could provide housing at more affordable prices. This article assesses the current state of knowledge about the effects of federal,...

Retrofitting the Suburbs to Increase Walking

Type Article

Year 2011

Level City or Town, County, State

State(s) California

Source Access Magazine

Policy Areas Community Development, Environment & Natural Resources, Transportation & Mobility

Suburban neighborhoods often develop without intentional land use policies or transportation infrastructure, and as they grow community members struggle with increased traffic congestion and limited mobility options. This policy brief recommends communities retrofit high-frequency...

Goals for better housing policy

Type Ordinance or Resolution

Year 2018

Level City or Town, County, State

State(s) All States

Source Brookings

Policy Areas Civil Rights, Economic Justice, Housing

Equitable housing policies should build safe units, mitigate environmental impacts, reduce barriers to high-opportunity neighborhoods, and supplement incomes for households in need. This article outlines six goals for improving housing equity and availability, including clarifying...

Estimating Parking Utilization in Multi-Family Residential Buildings in Washington, D.C.

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2015

Level City or Town

State(s) -

Source Center for Neighborhood Technology

Policy Areas Transportation & Mobility, Community Development, Public Spaces, Data & Technology

The District Department of Transportation and the District of Columbia Office of Planning led an effort to develop an empirical model for parking utilization in Washington, D.C, and to apply that model to an interactive, web-based tool utilizing the model named ParkRight DC, to support...

No Room for Rent: Addressing Rising Rent Prices Through Public Investment and Public Power

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2021

Level City or Town, State

State(s) All States

Source Roosevelt Institute

Policy Areas Economic Justice, Housing

This report urges policymakers to implement policies that tackle the rising cost of rent. In particular, states and cities should fund a major increase in the supply of affordable housing, adopt new forms of zoning regulation that can enable the increase in supply of affordable housing,...

2004 Sacramento Ordinance 60 Establishing Affordable Housing Requirements

Type Ordinance or Resolution

Year 2004

Level City or Town

State(s) California

Source Sacramento City Council

Policy Areas Community Development, Public Spaces, Economic Justice, Civil Rights, Housing, Public Safety

This ordinance specifies that a portion of every new housing development project must include housing which is affordable for low income and very low income people. The percentage of the new development which much be affordable to these groups is subject to change conditional upon...

2021 Madison Resolution 21-00413 Authorizing the Creation of a City Land Bank

Type Ordinance or Resolution

Year 2021

Level City or Town

State(s) Wisconsin

Source City of Madison

Policy Areas Public Spaces

This Resolution authorizes the creation of the City of Madison Land Bank and approves the City of Madison Land Banking Fund. The Land Banking Fund's policy, attached to this document, establishes guidelines to inform how real estate will be acquired and how uses of acquired property...

Addressing Health Disparities in Cities: Lessons from the Field

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2015

Level County

State(s) All States

Source Mayors Innovation Project

Policy Areas Health, Children & Families, Democracy & Governance, Food, Environment & Natural Resources, Economic Justice, Civil Rights, Education, Community Development, Public Spaces, Transportation & Mobility

A child's health is a key predictor for his or her future success and well-being. Unfortunately, far too many children face barriers that prevent them from reaching their full potential because of where they live, learn and play. The inequitable distribution of social, economic and...

Live-Work Units

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2018

Level City or Town

State(s) All States

Source Sustainable Development Code

Policy Areas Community Development, Economic Justice, Public Spaces, Transportation & Mobility

Live-work units are properties that combine residential and nonresidential uses in either commercial or residential zoned areas. This memo explains how live-work units reduce car usage and greenhouse gas emissions, minimize urban sprawl, and encourage local economic development. It...

The Impact of the Built Environment on Mental Wellness

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2018

Level City or Town

State(s) All States

Source Urban Habitat

Policy Areas Civil Rights, Environment & Natural Resources, Community Development, Public Spaces, Housing, Public Safety, Health, Transportation & Mobility

The physical landscapes of places and the sociocultural context in which people live and build communities have direct and indirect effects on mental wellness. This report looks at how factors related to the built environment, such as exclusionary land use practices, green spaces,...

Bridging the Gap: Creating Income Restricted Housing Through Inclusionary Development

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2020

Level City or Town

State(s) Massachusetts

Source Boston Planning and Development Agency

Policy Areas Civil Rights, Community Development, Economic Justice, Housing

Boston's Inclusionary Development Policy (IDP) bridges the affordability gap faced by households that are ineligible for subsidies but still unable to afford housing. The policy requires developers to include affordable units in their projects or contribute to a city-wide affordable...

Purchase of Development Rights

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2018

Level City or Town

State(s) All States

Source Sustainable Development Code

Policy Areas Community Development, Democracy & Governance, Environment & Natural Resources, Public Spaces

Local governments prevent environmentally damaging land development by developing purchase of development rights (PDR) programs. PDR programs enable landowners to sell the development rights of their land to a trust while keeping ownership and use. This brief outlines best practices...

Community Design and Policies for Free-Range Children: Creating Environments That Support Routine Physical Activity

Type Policy Brief or Report

Year 2012

Level County

State(s) All States

Source Mayors Innovation Project

Policy Areas Health, Children & Families, Food, Community Development, Transportation & Mobility

This report outlines four key factors that promote routine physical activity: compact land use, comprehensive bicycle and pedestrian networks, inviting site designs, and prioritizing user safety. To address physical inactivity and childhood obesity, this report suggests inclusive...

2006 Inglewood Big Box Zoning Ordinance 06-12

Type Ordinance or Resolution

Year 2006

Level City or Town

State(s) California

Source City of Inglewood

Policy Areas Economic Justice, Community Development, Public Spaces

This ordinance requires planned superstores to complete an economic impact analysis before seeking approval for their projects. These reports shall identify whether the superstore would result in the physical displacement of any jobs and businesses; the demolition of housing; the...

Sustainable Development Code

Type Ordinance or Resolution

Year 2018

Level City or Town, County, Other Boards and Agencies

State(s) All States

Source Sustainable Development Code

Policy Areas Democracy & Governance, Environment & Natural Resources, Community Development, Energy, Housing, Transportation & Mobility

The Sustainable Development Code offers best practices for community development to build resilient, environmentally conscious, economically secure, and socially equitable communities. Many development codes are decades old and not prepared to confront today’s changes, such as environmental...

ProGov21 Policy Library

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