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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2009-10-27 - AGENDA REPORTS - ADOPT RESO TO BECOME HEAL CITY (2)CONSENT CALENDAR DATE: SUBJECT: DEPARTMENT: Agenda Item: CITY OF SANTA CLARITA AGENDA REPORT City Manager Approval Item to be presented by: October 27, 2009 Rick Gould Zz ADOPT A RESOLUTION TO BECOME A HEALTHY EATING, ACTIVE LIVING (HEAL) CITY City Manager's Office RECOMMENDED ACTION City Council adopt a resolution to become a Healthy Eating, Active Living (HEAL) City. BACKGROUND In 2004, the League of California Cities adopted an Annual Conference resolution to encourage cities to embrace policies that facilitate activities to promote healthier lifestyles and communities, including healthy diet and nutrition, and the adoption of city design and planning principles that enable citizens of all ages and abilities to undertake exercise. Two years later, in 2006, the League of California Cities adopted a resolution to work together with the Institute for Local Government, and the Cities, Counties, and Schools Partnership to develop a clearinghouse of information that cities can use to promote wellness policies and healthier cities. In response to the League of California Cities resolution, the League, along with the Cities, Counties, and Schools Partnership, and the California Center for Public Health Advocacy launched the "Healthy Eating Active Living (HEAL) Cities Campaign." HEAL campaign staff, under the guidance of an advisory committee of elected and executive staff leaders from 20 cities, reviewed survey responses from over 100 California Cities, analyzed existing policies, and identified key policies to assist elected officials. The HEAL campaign staff is encouraging all California cities to adopt one or more of these policies to become a HEAL City. By becoming a HEAL City and adopting one or more of the HEAL Campaign's policies, cities help: • Improve quality of life for its residents through active lifestyles • Improve community connections and civic life through interactions in public places and parks • Improve public safety and reduce crime by ensuring more "eyes on the street" when residents Adopted: keso, Oq-ID ri 0 1 walk, bike, or run • Create attractive destinations that offer good food, multiple activities, and places where people want to spend time and money • Reduce costs through employee wellness policies and health incentives. The policies identified by the HEAL campaign staff fall under three general categories: • Land Use • Availability of Healthy Food Choices • Employee Wellness Through the City's own "Healthy Santa Clarita" campaign, commitment to alternative modes of travel through the "Non -Motorized Plan," and the new Land Use element of the upcoming "One Valley, One Vision" general plan, the City has already adopted many of the policies advocated through the HEAL campaign. For example, in addition to the City's parks, trails, and Sports Complex, the "One Valley, One Vision" general plan includes land use goals and policies to foster active living such as: • Healthy, walkable communities with safe access to amenities • Adequate open space for environmental and recreational purposes • Integration of uses with pedestrian connections • Public spaces and amenities • Enhanced mobility through alternative travel modes • Equal access to facilities by all residents Further, the City's "Healthy Santa Clarita" campaign devotes space in each edition of "Seasons" to articles pertaining to health and fitness as well as quick and easy healthy recipes, provides for recommended nutrition standards to be applied in City activities and City staff meetings, a commitment to health and wellness fairs, and promotes wellness to City staff through the "Work Well" program. Based on the policies already adopted by Council, the City qualifies to become a HEAL City and does not need to take any further action. ALTERNATIVE ACTIONS Other action as detennined by the Council. FISCAL IMPACT There is no fiscal impact. ATTACHMENTS Resolution - HEAL Resolution I RESOLUTION 09- A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA CLARITA, CALIFORNIA, TO BECOME A HEALTHY EATING, ACTIVE LIVING (HEAL) CITY WHEREAS, in 2004, the League of California Cities adopted an Annual Conference resolution to encourage cities to embrace policies that facilitate activities to promote healthier lifestyles and communities, including healthy diet and nutrition, and adoption of city design and planning principles that enable citizens of all ages and abilities to undertake exercise; and WHEREAS,the League of California Cities has a strategic goal to promote and develop safe and healthy cities; and WHEREAS, recent data shows 23.8% of Santa Clarita's students are overweight; and WHEREAS, more children are being diagnosed with diseases linked to overweight and obesity previously seen only in adults, such as Type 2 diabetes and heart disease; and WHEREAS, more than half of California's adults are either overweight or obese; and WHEREAS, overweight children and adults are at greater risk for numerous adverse health consequences, including stroke, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, certain cancers, asthma, low self-esteem, depression, and other debilitating diseases; and WHEREAS, obesity shortens the average lifespan by at least four to nine months, and if childhood obesity continues to increase, it could reduce life expectancy by five years over the next several decades; and WHEREAS, overweight, obesity, and physical inactivity takes a tremendous toll on the health and productivity of all Californians - exceeding $41 billion annually; and WHEREAS, the United States Surgeon General has issued a call to action to prevent and decrease overweight and obesity, and the United States Department of Health and Human Services has made reducing the proportion of overweight and obese children and adolescents a key goal, and WHEREAS, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommends at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity at least five days a week for adults, and at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity for children every day; and WHEREAS, the quality of the built environment, including neighborhood safety, sidewalks, streets, public transportation, restaurant and convenience store density, access to parks, trails, and grocery stores has a significant impact on obesity rates; and WHEREAS, in light of the foregoing statistics and considerations, the City of Santa Clarita commits to do all it can to decrease the rate of obesity and overweight in its communities 3 and is committed to implementing the necessary policies to create healthier work, school, and neighborhood environments conducive to healthier eating and increased physical activity among residents. NOW, THEREFORE, the City Council of the City of Santa Clarita does hereby resolve as follows: SECTION 1. The City of Santa Clanta will become a Healthy Eating, Active Living (HEAL) City; and SECTION 2. The Santa Clarita City Council passed Resolution No 04-131 supporting the Healthy Santa Clarita initiative designed to provide healthier option of food, beverages, and snacks authorized for sale in vending machines at all City facilities and recommending that local schools do the same; encourage all community youth -oriented programs, events, and activities to ensure a message of health is modeled for participating youth; support and encourage an employee wellness program that provides healthy opportunities to its employees; encourage its employees to provide healthy alternatives for food and beverages provided at meetings and gatherings; build awareness in the community to the epidemic of obesity and the programs that are available to prevent or reverse obesity through marketing and outreach efforts; and SECTION 3 The One Valley, One Vision General Plan will include Land Use and Circulation policy goals such as: healthy, walkable communities with safe access to amenities; adequate open space for environmental and recreational reasons; integration of uses with pedestrian connections; enhanced mobility through alternative travel modes to link City geography; additional trails, parks, bike paths, and landscaped sidewalks; equal access to facilities by all residents; and SECTION 4. The City Clerk shall certify to the adoption of this Resolution. PASSED, APPROVED, AND ADOPTED this day of )2009. MAYOR ATTEST: CITY CLERK y STATE OF CALIFORNIA ) COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES ) ss. CITY OF SANTA CLARITA) I, Sharon L. Dawson, MMC, City Clerk of the City of Santa Clarita, do hereby certify that the foregoing Resolution was duly adopted by the City Council of the City of Santa Clarita at a regular meeting thereof, held on the day of , 2009, by the following vote: AYES: COUNCILMEMBERS: NOES: COUNCILMEMBERS: ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS: CITY CLERK 5 STATE OF CALIFORNIA ) COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES ) ss. CITY OF SANTA CLARITA ) CERTIFICATION OF CITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION I, Sharon L. Dawson, City Clerk of the City of Santa Clarita, do hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of the original Resolution 09- adopted by the City Council of the City of Santa Clarita, California on , 2009, which is now on file in my office. Witness my hand and seal of the City of Santa Clarita, California, this day of )2009. Sharon L. Dawson, MMC City Clerk By Susan Caputo, CMC Deputy City Clerk