What is CPTED?

Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design or "CPTED" (pronounced sep-ted) is an approach to crime prevention that takes into account the relationship between the physical environment and the users of that environment. Criminals and honest people alike are unconsciously in tune with ''CPTED". We all recognize environmental cues tell us, "This is a safe place - or an unsafe place". The conceptual thrust of "CPTED" is that the proper design and effective use of the physical environment can produce behavioral effects that will reduce the incidence and fear of crime, thereby improving the quality of life. These behavioral effects can be accomplished by reducing the propensity of the environment to support criminal behavior.

There are three basic strategies in "CPTED". They are:

• natural access control;

• natural surveillance; and

• territorial reinforcement

Community Associations and the Planning Process:

Community Associations are one of many actors in the planning process. Generally, the Community Association Planning Committee is primarily involved with reviewing applications for development permits which is an essential part of the land use planning process. As advisors to the City (planners, approving authority, etc.), the Community’s job in this process is to comment on how a proposed development fits into the overall context of their community and, where necessary, suggest changes which could improve the fit.

Purpose:

The purpose of this tool is to provide Calgary’s residential communities with an effective crime prevention tool that integrates concepts of Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design with land use planning. Our approach has been the creation of an "assessment tool" framed in the form of questions intended to guide your review of development plans from a perspective of crime prevention. Our hope is that this tool will help contribute to the reduction or elimination of criminal activity and fear of crime and to increase security by addressing design and land use issues prior to development.

Goals:

• To encourage the inclusion of CPTED review within the City's Development Permit Application process or at the Land Use Redesignation process where development plans are provided.

• To support and/or compliment the goals of City-endorsed and Community policy plans.

• To facilitate and contribute to community education and awareness of CPTED within the context of Land Use Planning.

GENERAL QUESTIONS THAT INTEGRATE CPTED WITH LAND USE PLANNING

Following are some general questions that you may want to consider before using the "assessment tool". Questions in this section set the context of the specific site under review. They are basically preparatory questions intended to serve as a framework that provide a mindset for your evaluation.

1) What types of land uses exist in your Community?

• Residential - single detached (R1), duplex, semi-detached (R2), medium density (RM3, RM4, RM5) etc.
• Commercial (C1, C1A, C2, C3, etc.)
• Residential and Commercial (RM6, RM7, C1, etc.)
• Residential and Light Industrial (R2, RM3, I2, etc.)

These land uses (and their building forms) are a vital component of the physical context of your community. Bare this broader context in mind when you are evaluating the development permit application.

2) How do the building forms relate to each other and their surroundings (physical relationship)?

What is immediately around the proposed development? Is there any geographical separation between the proposed building and its neighbours (i.e. street/highway, open space, vegetation, river/lake)? And how might this affect the surveillance to and from the site?

Evaluating the building forms and how they relate to each other and their surroundings will provide you with a better understanding of the physical relationship(s) that exist in your community.

3) Are the different building forms compatible (functional relationship)?

Considering the local context of your community, is the proposed land use and its development "compatible" in terms of design, density, and intensity? Consider the effect the proposed building or development might have on its neighbours?

• Size and scale
• Parking and access
• Automobile movement and traffic
• Pedestrian movement

Evaluating the design, density and intensity of the building forms in your community will provide you with a better understanding of the functional relationship(s) that exist in your community.

4) Identify all key socio-physical components in your community

Consider elements of the proposed development in relation to the activities already taking place in your community. Will the proposed development be affected by:

• Transportation network and public systems

• Major corridors (automobile and pedestrian movement)

• Parks and Open Space system

• Location in relation to surrounding land use(s)
• Intended users (i.e. tot-lots, major playfields, passive park space, etc.)

• Unique or special character areas
• Memorials, murals, heritage buildings, fountains, other public spaces

• Schools/Community Facilities

• Type of school/facility
• Type of intended users (age groups, disabilities, etc.)
• Time of use of school or facility

Considering key socio-physical components establishes an awareness of important activity generators and the way people use space in your community.

5) Community History

Have there been any development permit applications (of a similar nature) on this site or elsewhere in your community previously? If so, consider why they were approved or refused. Were there/have there been any crime prevention and/or safety concerns associated with the development?

Following an understanding of context, you are encouraged to carry out a more site specific analysis based on the land use designation of the land on which the development proposal is situated. Please feel free to use the assessment tool.

Note: The scale and type of development will determine which questions are relevant. Not all questions may apply.