ABSTRACT
A small village, a large metropolis, and many urban types in between can form healthy communities. This proposition is about two issues-whether there is an ideal size for a healthy environment and how different health issues relate to different scales of intervention. Many have investigated the ideal size of a city or town. A second level of consideration is the ideal size of districts and neighborhoods. One key issue is the common assumption that people conduct a large part of their activities within the neighborhood. However, people use services outside the neighborhood related to issues such as transportation connections, options offered, and personal preferences. This chapter explains the Glossary, at a very brisk 4 miles or 6 kilometers an hour, someone can walk from the center to the edge of a round district of 778 acres, or 314 hectares, in 10 minutes.
