Metropolitan Centers: Evaluating Local Implementation of Regional Plans and Policies

The Denver and Salt Lake City Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) have embarked upon regional visioning strategies that promote development around higher density, mixed use centers with current or future access to transit. This study examines the programs and policies in the Salt Lake City and Denver regions to examine regional vision influence on local planning and the opportunities and constraints facing centers. The research team analyzed local plans over the past several decades, interviewed planners, and examined demographic, land use and transportation characteristics in select centers across the region. We found that the regional vision had a moderate influence on local planning, due to vague definitions and criteria. However, light rail investment and market forces have had a more substantial influence—resulting in cities developing supportive transit oriented development policies. While over 100 centers have been designated, many face significant challenges to support regional goals, particularly because many light rail lines were located along rail and freeway alignments. A limited number of “tipping point centers” already contain the necessary elements to be successful with city and private investment. Many “greenfield centers” offer significant future opportunity for development, but their suburban location and infrastructure needs present significant costs and challenges. Many other “redevelopment centers” are dominated by industrial, commercial or office development, and the land use and transportation patterns within these centers present substantial hurdles that may limit their potential to achieve regional goals

Number of teeth, C‐reactive protein, fibrinogen and cardiovascular mortality: a 15‐year follow‐up study in a Finnish cohort

Aim To test whether the number of teeth, an inverse proxy for composite oral infection scores is associated with better survival. Materials and Methods The Kuopio Oral Health and Heart study initiated a case–control study in 1995–1996 consisting of 256 consecutive coronary artery disease patients and 250 age and gender‐matched controls. We appended the mortality data and formulated a longitudinal study. By May 31st, 2011, 124 mortalities had occurred and 80 of which were of cardiovascular origin. Using Cox proportional hazards models, we assessed the association of the teeth group (Teethgrp) – consisting of 10 teeth – with cardiovascular and all‐cause mortality after 15.8 years of median follow‐up. Results In multivariate models, with the edentulous state as reference, one level increase in Teethgrp was associated with significantly increased survival from cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality with a Hazard Ratio (HR) 0.73, p ‐value = 0.02 but not with all‐cause mortality (HR = 0.87, p  = 0.13). The findings were not mediated by C‐reactive protein (CRP) levels ≥3 mg/L or by median fibrinogen levels, but were mediated by CRP levels >5 mg/L. Conclusion Each increment of 10 teeth from the edentulous state was associated with a 27% improved CVD survival, independent of low‐grade systemic inflammation.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/102655/1/jcpe12192.pd

Regional Governance: Local Planning and Development Implications in Denver, Colorado

123 pagesIn the absence of broad planning authority the Denver region is taking a collaborative approach to regional governance. Metro Vision’s designation of ‘urban centers’ -areas slated to develop as dense nodes of mixed-use development- is explored to determine regional planning influences on local programs and policies. Based on a review of regional plans, content analysis of eight local plans and interviews with six local planners, I examine how the centers policy is being implemented at the local level across five cities. I found that a combination of financial incentives, transit investment, and opportunities to promote commercial and residential redevelopment support regional buy-in for implementation of centers policy