Southlake City Council adopted a health and wellness master plan at its June 18 meeting. It is a new element of the city's 2035 Comprehensive Plan that encourages the overall health of the community. Southlake currently offers health and wellness initiatives—such as the LiveFit program—but the plan features proposals for future potential improvements. The health and wellness master plan includes 36 recommendations focusing on four areas of life: built and natural environments, mental and physical health, age-friendly community, and community resiliency, according to meeting documents. Built and natural environment The environment in which people live in has influences on overall health, according to the plan. For example, buildings can affect health with its ventilation systems, natural lighting availability, dust and pests, and other factors. Recommendations under this section relate to building design, infrastructure and natural spaces. It includes proposals such as updating the city’s off-street parking ordinance to preserve natural space, incorporating building design elements and features to promote healthy living, considering potential future plans for centralized exercise areas, and encouraging waste reduction and diversion of trash from landfills. Mental and physical health Some recommendations include promoting educational campaigns about public health, providing mental health support and resources, collaborating with Carroll ISD on future health and wellness initiatives, and expanding Southlake’s existing fitness programs. Age-friendly community This section of the plan emphasizes the need to consider policies from the perspectives of multiple age groups, according to the plan’s draft. Some recommendations include continuing to work with groups such as the Southlake Senior Advisory Commission to get input on projects, developing an age-friendly park, and promoting safety programs that are relevant to both older residents and youths. Community resiliency Community resiliency recommendations address ways to promote emergency preparedness, response and recovery. But it also goes beyond potential emergencies to include topics such as enforcement of building codes, mosquito vector control and connecting with people in the community. Some specific recommendations include implementing a volunteer program for emergency response, investing in new technology that would benefit resiliency, improving the city’s emergency operations center, and offering programs to familiarize residents about Southlake’s public safety initiatives and goals. The health and wellness master plan is available for perusal here.