Important to any community is the health, safety and well-being of its citizens. Throughout the history of Lewisville, multiple organizations and civic entities have provided and continue to provide services to raise awareness for and promote public health, safety, and community hygiene.
Since the adoption of this chapter in 2005, the Lewisville Comprehensive Plan continues to reflect the important link between issues of public health, safety, and wellness to the overall quality of life of town residents. Recent polling reflects resident interest in facilities and services that support a safe, healthy and active lifestyle.
Prioritizing and weighing the competing goals of having a low tax rate against services and infrastructural needs required for safe, active, and healthy lifestyles is a challenge. Leadership and dialogue is key to finding the balance between town/residents’ needs for fiscal moderation and an investment in health and well-being. Efficiencies and economies of scale may be gained through the mutual reinforcement across land use and transportation decisions.
The intent of this chapter is to address how new and existing services and infrastructure may be continually enhanced to promote resident health, safety, wellness and town well-being.
Vision
Lewisville in the year 2035 will continue to actively promote the health, safety and well-being of our residents and town. This will be accomplished by connecting community planning goals across departments, boards, committees and Council to consider what efforts and/or initiatives are needed to create a more healthy and complete community. Examples of items for inclusion will be area plan recommendations, rezoning decisions, facility planning and adaptive reuse efforts.
The residents of Lewisville understand that the long term robustness, viability and general well being of the town is dependent upon the overall health, safety and quality of life enjoyed by its residents. Key to safe, healthy and active lifestyles is ensuring equal access to services, facilities, natural environments and infrastructure.
As such, future land development codes shall encourage smart growth land use codes to serve as a catalyst for neighborhood revitalization, environmental protection and economic vitality. These new practices will provide opportunities to improve the built environment and increase physical activity by promoting healthier communities.
Implementation Program
Recommended Action | Action Steps | Responsible Agency | Time Frame |
Recommended Action | Action Steps | Responsible Agency | Time Frame |
Goal - Integrate Comprehensive Health, Safety and Welfare goals into Planning. | |||
HSW1 - All community planning will consider overall health, safety and well-being of the town and its residents. | * All boards and committees should consider how their actions affect health, safety and wellness. | TC PB Staff Boards Committees | Ongoing |
Goal - Individual Accountability: For Lewisville residents to assume individual accountability for their personal, familial, residential and community obligations. | |||
HSW2 - Lewisville residents are encouraged to store, accumulate, maintain, collect, transport, dispose, and recycle waste in a manner consistent with town requirements and the vision and goals as set forth in this document. | * Continue to provide landfill vouchers. * Continue to review and improve solid waste and recycling services contract. * Continue to review and improve recycling programs by studying current barriers to recycling. * Publicize availability of a second free recycling container and options for those who cannot do curbside recycling. | TC Recycling Committee Staff | Ongoing |
HSW3 - Lewisville residents are encouraged to voluntarily stop the open burning of yard waste in order to maintain and improve air quality and respect the rights of neighbors, and follow all applicable county codes and ordinances regarding outdoor burning. | * Educate citizens on alternatives to dispose of yard waste. * See Chapter 3 Natural Environment. * Explore alternative to open burning of yard waste and educate citizens on these. * Research town wide leaf and limb program. * Explore laws relative to curbside pickup of leaf and limb, and advocate with county and state concerning changes to these laws. | TC Staff PSAC | Ongoing Annually |
HSW4 - Lewisville residents are encouraged to respect the rights of their neighbors to minimize behaviors which contribute to public nuisance. | * Provide information on the town’s web site, newsletter, cable television, and other media. * Develop ordinances and provide resource information. | TC PSAC Staff | Ongoing |
Goal - Community Accountability: For the Town of Lewisville to continue to develop and maintain policies, facilities, programs and services which ensure public health, safety, and community hygiene and support the personal wellness of Lewisville and its residents. | |||
* Monitor federal and state regulations for compliance. * Update Town Code and/or UDO as needed. | TC Staff | Ongoing | |
HSW6 - Neighborhood watches will be encouraged and coordinated with local law enforcement agents/representatives. | * Foster and increase participation in neighborhood watch programs. | Community Policing Officers | Ongoing |
HSW7 - The Town of Lewisville should continue to insure the prompt removal of snow and ice from all town maintained sidewalks and roads as necessary. | * Keep snow and ice removal contracts current. | Staff | Ongoing |
HSW8 - The Town of Lewisville should periodically review the adequacy of the service of the community policing program. Triggers for these periodic reviews should include but not be limited to: - Geographic growth. - Population changes. - Consistent complaints and patterns of slow response. - The update of the Comprehensive Plan. - An increase in reported crimes. | * Monitor factors that trigger service needs. | PSAC Staff | Ongoing |
HSW9 - The Town of Lewisville should continue to ensure its compliance with all governmental mandated stormwater regulations. | * Comply with requirements of the NCDENR permit. * Include information on how to dispose of different household wastes that cannot be recycled (e.g. car oil, batteries) on easy to access places (e.g. stickers that are adhered to recycling bins or on refrigerator magnets). | TC PB Phase II Stormwater Education Committee Staff | Ongoing |
HSW10 - The Town of Lewisville will continue to review and update the sanitary services plan to keep it current. Triggers for these periodic reviews should include but not be limited to: - Geographic growth. - Population shifts. - Accelerating rates of septic system failures. - Update of the Comprehensive Plan including waste water removal. (See Chapter 4 Facilities & Services.) | * As appropriate, review sanitary services plan to keep current as public health issues arise. | Staff LUC | Ongoing |
HSW11 - Residents are encouraged to exercise. | * A link to an online site will be developed where residents can register new and existing walking, biking and other exercise groups for each Lewisville neighborhood. * Opportunities for neighborhood exercise will be posted on the Lewisville web site and Facebook pages with contact information of leaders (as available). * Seniors are encouraged to utilize the exercise room at the G. Galloway Reynolds Community Center. | PIO Citizens | Ongoing |
HSW12 - Lewisville will increase health and fitness organizations in order to improve opportunities for personal health maintenance. | * The YMCA will continue to be encouraged to build a facility in Lewisville area. * Citizens will be encouraged to contact the YMCA leadership to advocate for a Lewisville YMCA. | TC PRCD Staff | Ongoing |
HSW13 - The Town of Lewisville should encourage improved access to locally grown vegetables and fruits. | * Encourage citizens to plant their own gardens. * Encourage community members to form community gardens and farmer’s markets. | TC | Ongoing |
HSW14 - Encourage local growers to create cooperatives to provide locally grown fruits and vegetables. | * Support local farmers. | Local growers TC Staff | Ongoing |
HSW15 - Continue to review major intersection locations outside the downtown for lighting to provide safety for walkers and motorists. (See Chapter 4 Facilities and Services.) | * Survey locations. * Develop and implement a plan as needed. | TC Staff PSAC | Immediate Ongoing |
HSW16 - The Town of Lewisville should encourage communication and integration between health and safety service providers, civic groups and non profit organizations in targeting high risk issues to maximize public awareness and the possibility of behavior change. | * Provide public information. * Encourage community participation. * Raise awareness and encourage appropriate organizations or agencies to offer programs aimed at the following: - Cardiopulmonary resuscitation and basic life support training. - Smoking cessation and prevention. - Fire and home safety, smoke/carbon monoxide detector inspections. - Child safety seat and seat belt usage. - Water safety. - Bike safety and road/path usage for adults and children. - Issues of abuse risk prevention: * Alcohol/substance. * Domestic. * Sexual. * Animal. * School bullying. | TC PSAC Fire Departments Community Policing Officers Staff | Ongoing |
* Provide education on recreational bicycle safety. | TC PSAC Fire Departments Community Policing Officers Staff | Ongoing | |
HSW18 - The Town of Lewisville should continue to utilize the traffic mediation policy and update as necessary. | * Respond to requests for traffic mediation. * During subdivision plan review, place traffic mediation devices where appropriate. | TC PB PSAC Staff | Ongoing |
HSW19 - The Town of Lewisville shall regularly revise and educate citizens on local disaster preparedness plan (severe storm conditions, ice, tornado, flooding, etc.) at the earliest possible time. | * Regularly review local disaster preparedness plan. | PSAC Staff | Ongoing |
HSW20 - Lewisville will continue its commitment to health and fitness. | * The town will sponsor a contest to choose a health and fitness town slogan (e.g. Lewisville fit, fun and green!) that shows the community’s value on a healthy environment and population. * Place this slogan on Lewisville curb-side banners and use in rotation with other town banners. | TC PRCD Staff | Ongoing |
Goal - Promote Health: To promote activities which enhance the public health and safety of the community, the environment and the personal wellness of Lewisville residents. | |||
HSW21 - Encourage area businesses, organizations, etc. to partner in promotional ventures which support wellness projects such as Adopt a Street/Lake/Creek and other such projects. | * Encourage community participation. | PSAC LBC | Ongoing |
HSW22 - Encourage area businesses, organizations, etc. to partner in promotional ventures which support wellness similar but not limited to the following ways: - Increasing exercise groups, clubs and facilities. - Smoking cessation and prevention. - Weight loss opportunities. - Healthy diet education promotion. - Health fairs for disease prevention and early detection. - Blood drives. | * Encourage community participation. * Coordinate with Safe Routes to School. | PSAC | Ongoing |
HSW23 - The Town of Lewisville should continue to maintain and develop sidewalks, pathways, bike lanes and recreation spaces which support resident wellness and disease prevention through cardiovascular exercise. | * Continue participation in county greenway planning efforts. * Research sidewalk needs. * Fund sidewalk CIP. * Explore areas where low-cost (e.g. dirt, split-rail) sidewalk alternatives that encourage walking and biking could be developed. * Encourage neighborhood organizations, scouts, and citizens to construct these sidewalk alternatives. (See Chapter 6 Transportation.) | TC PB PRCD Staff | Ongoing |
HSW24 - Cyclists in Lewisville will be educated on the rules of the road. (See Chapter 6 Transportation.) | * Welcome and rules signs will be posted in places where cyclists congregate in order to ensure that all cyclists understand the rules of the road. | TC PRCD PSAC Staff | Ongoing |
HSW25 - Encourage the NCDOT to provide additional cycling trails in the Lewisville area. | * Seek opportunities to create bike paths and trailways when possible. (See Chapter 6 Transportation.) | NCDOT Regional Chamber of Commerce | Ongoing |
Time Frame: Immediate = directly - without delay Annually = once each year Short Term = within 5 years Long Term = within 5-10 years Ongoing = continuous | |||