1. Overview of Changing the Physical Structure of the Community

2. What do we mean by changing the physical structure of the community?
The built environment is composed of those physical features of the community created or changed by people.
The natural environment is composed of those physical elements of the community that existed before people came, or have been reclaimed by nature.

3. Changing the physical structure of either the built or natural environment involves:
Building, installing, or creating something new
Altering something that already exists
Destroying or eliminating something
The community should be viewed as a whole when considering changing physical structure.

4. Why would you change the physical structure of the community?
Health promotion and disease prevention
Safety/security
Increasing community pride and changing attitudes
Assuring access for people with disabilities
Transportation
Conservation of natural resources
Economic development

5. Why would you change the physical structure of the community?
Restoration/expansion of green space
Environmental protection
Meeting community members’ housing needs
Expanding opportunity for low-income residents
Historic preservation
Encouragement of arts and culture
Providing aesthetic experience
Recreation

6. Why would you change the physical structure of the community?
Physical comfort
Encouraging social interaction
Addressing social problems and concerns, such as diversity and racial harmony
Equity

7. When would you try to change the physical structure of the community?
When a new development or project is starting
When funding is available for a project, with the stipulation that planning has to involve the community
When a particular issue suddenly rises to the top of the public consciousness
When someone is negotiating with the community about changes, especially if those changes will inconvenience it
When a problem has become too serious to ignore

8. Who should be involved in changing the physical structure of the community?
Community members
Policy makers and public officials
Business community
Corporations
Developers

9. How do you change the physical structure of the community?
You might change the physical structure of the built environment by building or adding, altering, or eliminating:
Housing
Commercial buildings and development
Industrial buildings and development
Office and government buildings
Cultural centers
Recreation and entertainment complexes
Historic buildings and monuments
Educational facilities

10. How do you change the physical structure of the community?
You might change the physical structure of the built environment by building or adding, altering, or eliminating:
Spaces around buildings
Parks
Pedestrian areas
Waterfronts
Neighborhood spaces
Vacant lots
Public art
City streets

11. How do you change the physical structure of the community?
You might change the physical structure of the built environment by building or adding, altering, or eliminating:
Placement and maintenance of roads and train tracks
Public transportation
The creation of walking and bike trails
Electricity, telephone, water, and gas lines

12. Changes in physical structure that directly affect the natural environment include:
Open space preservation
Reclamation of environmentally damaged areas
Prevention of pollution
Correction of pollution problems
Sustaining the effort.

13. In Summary
The built and natural environments together make up the physical structure of a community. By changing that structure, you may be able to change community members’ attitudes, behaviors, prospects for health and well-being, economic opportunity, social interactions, and quality of life. It’s one of the ways to approach creating a healthy community.