| Policies that Support Access to Healthy Foods | Local Examples - Municipal Policies from the Region | Supporting Documents & Resources |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Include provisions in your Comprehensive Plan that address access to affordable, nutritious foods | Promoting Food Access with Comprehensive Zoning Ordinances Innovative Municipal Policies to Address Food Systems Integrating Food Policy in Comprehensive Planning – Seattle, WA | |
| 2. Expedite permitting for new stores that offer healthy food | Model Licensing for Healthy Food Retail (ChangeLab Solutions) | |
| 3. Provide density bonuses or economic incentives for new grocery store development, especially in under-resourced communities | Incentive Policies for the Private Sector (ChangeLab Solutions) Economic Development Resources to Improve Access to Healthy Food (ChangeLab Solutions) | |
| 4. Provide density bonuses or economic incentives for improved healthy food offerings in existing corner or convenience stores | Incentive Policies for the Private Sector (ChangeLab Solutions) | |
| 5. Establish standards as a licensing requirement for new food retailers | Model Licensing for Healthy Food Retail (ChangeLab Solutions) | |
| 6. Encourage menu labeling with nutrition facts | ||
| 7. Economic Incentives for restaurants that offer healthy foods | ||
| 8. Establish a Memorandum of Understanding or Joint Use Agreement formalizing use of land for Farmers’ Market | ||
| 9. Encourage SNAP/EBT to be accepted at your city or town's farmers market | USDA Resources on SNAP at Farmers' Markets | |
| 10. Institute guidelines and/or zoning controls that allow Farmers’ Markets | Baltimore City Permit Guide for New or Existing Farmers’ Markets | |
| 11. Develop a process by which vacant land becomes available for community gardens/urban agriculture | From Neglected Parcels to Community Gardens | |
| 12. Adopt a Community Garden/ Urban Agriculture Ordinance to promote and protect community gardens and urban agriculture | Establishing Protections for Community Gardens | |
| 13. Adopt zoning ordinances that allow backyard poultry/animal husbandry | ||
| 14. Create a Food Policy Council or Task Force tasked with identifying recommendations for the City/Town to follow | ||
| 15. Conduct a community food assessment | Everyone Eats! A Community Food Assessment for Areas of North and Northeast Portland, Oregon | |
| 16. Adopt a Food Charter | ||
| 17. Adopt a Community Food System Plan | Food System Plan: Portland, OR |
Helping Municipal Leaders Create Healthy, Prosperous Communities
The Healthy Eating Active Living (HEAL) Cities & Towns Campaign provides free training and technical assistance to municipal leaders to adopt policies that make it easier for residents to eat better and move more.
The HEAL Cities & Towns Campaign is an initiative of The Institute for Public Health Innovation in partnership with the Maryland Municipal League and the Virginia Municipal League.