Healthy Built Environment
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Healthy built environments positively impact:
- Physical activity and active living (and all related physical & mental health)
- Health care costs
- Children’s wellbeing & youth development
- Aging population
- Air quality, traffic congestion, road costs
- Traffic crashes & other safety
- Livability & affordability for all Missoulians
- Climate change & energy use
- Social connectedness and capital
- Community & economic vitality, appeal
- Water quality & other land use
Components of a healthy built environment:
- Complete streets, sidewalks & bikeways
- Places that are safe (perceived as safe)
- 0.25 miles from services and appealing destinations
- Trails and connectedness
- Access to parks, recreation sites and greenspaces
- Vital centers-mixed use
- Well designed density
- Appropriate mix of housing & affordability
- Reduced vehicle miles traveled
- Access to mass transit
- Green buildings & design
Healthy built environments components can be applied to large or small areas including:
- Parks or open space
- Three block areas
- Intersection
- Neighborhoods
- A river front
- City core
- New subdivisions
- Small towns (e.g. Seeley Lake)
- Regional centers (e.g. North Reserve & Southgate Mall)
Missoula Programs and Organizations
Office of Planning & Grants
The Missoula Office of Planning and Grants provides planning, program development and implementation services. OPG engages in natural resources and land-use planning, community development activities, and grant programs that effectively improve the health, safety, and welfare of Missoula County residents. You can find maps, data, subdivision regulations, zoning codes, all existing plans incl. growth master plan, transportation and neighborhood plans, and more.
Missoula Redevelopment Agency
City Council created the Missoula Redevelopment Agency to encourage new development and redevelopment in Missoula pursuant to its three adopted Urban Renewal District Plans. MRA reclaims blighted urban renewal areas by preserving existing public investment, enhancing the tax base, generating employment, and stimulating private investment. MRA encourages infill development and the adaptive reuse of the built environment.
City of Missoula Parks & Recreation Department
Beyond managing and developing an extensive park network, Parks & Rec also works on the trail system and open space concerns.
City of Missoula Bike-Pedestrian Program
HomeWORD uses innovative, sustainable, and replicable methods to
develop affordable housing and asset-building strategies for those most
in need.
Missoula In Motion champions carpooling, biking, walking, use of mass
transit, vanpooling, telecommuting.
Missoula In Motion champions carpooling, biking, walking, use of mass transit, vanpooling, telecommuting.
Bike Walk Alliance of Missoula (BWAM)
Missoula Institute of Sustainable Transportation:
- Defines and promotes principles of sustainable transportation
- Seeks out and implements optimal designs for public streets and trails
- Improves transportation options
Missoula Measures - indicators, other data, and pertinent links on scores of topics related to health and quality of life in Missoula County.
Eat Smart / Move More Program - A Health Department program started in 2002 to improve health by promoting physical activity and healthier food choices for all Missoula County residents.
Community Resources
Related information
Active Living by Design - Robert Woods Johnson Foundation
Active Environments - CDC
Physical Activity - Missoula
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