TO:
Honorable Mayor Powell and Members of the City Council
THROUGH:
David N. Carmany, City Manager
FROM:
Richard Thompson, Community Development Director
SUBJECT: Title
Resolution No. 12-6395 Endorsing Policies in the Pursuit of "Blue Zones" Certification Under the Vitality City Initiative
ADOPT RESOLUTION NO. 12-6395
Body
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RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council adopt Resolution No. 12-6395 endorsing policies in the pursuit of "Blue Zones" certification under the Vitality City Initiative.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
There are no fiscal implications associated with this recommended action.
BACKGROUND:
At the May 4, 2010, City Council Meeting the City Council approved a letter of support to become a Vitality City with a goal of improving the well-being of Beach City residents and City employees.
At the October 19, 2010, City Council Meeting the City Council approved the City's participation in this program.
At the November 15, 2011, Council Meeting the City Council adopted the Livability and Bicycle Master Plan to improve the vitality of the Manhattan Beach community. The Beach Cities Livability Plan provides a general assessment of existing conditions in the Beach Cities, followed by specific recommendations for improving policy and the built form to be more supportive of livability. The Bicycle Master Plan provides details and recommendations to bring approximately 30 miles of bike ways to Manhattan Beach.
On May 2, 2012, Healthways and Beach Cities Health District launched a community kick-off event to introduce and promote the Beach Cities to the new Blue Zones Project.
DISCUSSION:
Healthways│Blue Zones Vitality City Initiative is a community-wide, well-being improvement program to create healthier, happier and more productive citizens using evidence-based environmental and policy changes to motivate residents to adopt and maintain healthier lifestyles.
The Blue Zones Project is a national expansion of the Vitality City Initiative and its goal is to get the Beach Cities certified as a Blue Zones Community. In order to become a Blue Zones Community a certain percentage of residents, companies, and schools need to pledge to make the healthy choice the easy choice. The Blue Zones Project Certification is the focus of Vitality City in 2012. This community-based effort will create quantifiable ways to measure the progress of Manhattan Beach towards becoming a Blue Zones Community.
In an effort to become certified in the Community Policy Pledge, the City of Manhattan Beach needs to accomplish the following:
1. Support and implement open access to working fresh water drinking fountains in all municipal buildings and in outdoor public spaces including parks and the strand.
2. Support a healthy vending standard for all municipal buildings and public parks by which at least 50% of the products sold in vending machines will abide by Blue Zones' nutritional guidelines.
3. Support a healthy food and beverage policy at all city-sponsored youth sporting events under which any and all foods and beverages served shall be in accordance with Blue Zone nutritional guidelines.
4. Support for the right of city employees to have access to a clean, private, non-bathroom area in which they can breastfeed, and therefore provide such accommodations.
5. Support the availability of space on a weekly basis for a Manhattan Beach Farmers Market, and support the protection of land usage for community gardens.
The approval of this resolution will allow city staff to continue moving forward in the direction of becoming certified and ultimately become a Blue Zones Community. The policies that are identified in the attached resolution reflect our current practices.
Attachments:
1. Resolution No. 12-6395