Spatial Delineation and Facility Optimization of 15-Minute Community Life Circles: A Case Study of the Central Urban Area of Laiyang, Shandong Province

Addressing the key challenges of ambiguous spatial boundaries of 15-minute community life circles and inadequate coordination between facility supply and demand, this study critically revisits classical theoretical approaches and proposes a spatial governance model for community life circles, along with a three-dimensional integrated framework for facility optimization. Based on this, the study develops a comprehensive technical approach for spatial delineation and facility optimization, comprising four key steps: ① identifying existing facility service areas, ② delineating future community life circles, ③ conducting cluster analysis of supply-demand balance, and ④ formulating optimization strategies. It incorporates practical factors such as population distribution and land supply potential, while remaining closely aligned with subdistrict and community administrative boundaries, to provide methodological insights and complementary perspectives for optimizing community life circle governance in China. Taking the central urban area of Laiyang, Shandong Province, as a case study, the empirical analysis validates the spatial governance model by revealing the polycentric distribution of existing facilities and their overlapping service areas. The findings highlight a dual deficiency of public facilities in both the peripheral areas of the old town and newly developed areas, which is a critical barrier to establishing 15-minute community life circles in Laiyang. Finally, the study proposes classification-based governance optimization strategies for community life circle planning in Laiyang, while also providing a practical governance model applicable to other small- and medium-sized cities.