2015 Citizen Survey Presentation of Results Survey Backgrounds & Methods Hallmarks of a Scientific Survey Random Selection of Households Best Practices to Increase Response Rate From a Source with High Coverage Weight the Survey Data
Survey Backgrounds & Methods Mailed 3,000 households 893 completes (31% response rate) 4% margin of error Results weighted Benchmark comparisons o National o Front Range
Demographic Using Survey Results Monitor trends in resident opinion Measure government performance Inform budget, land use, strategic planning decisions Benchmark service ratings KEY FINDING Residents view quality of life in and aspects of Wheat Ridge positively Quality of Life How would you rate the overall
quality of life in Wheat Ridge? Fair 21.16 % Do you think the quality of life in Wheat Ridge is likely to improve, stay the same, or decline over the next 5 years? Excelle nt Poor 13.92 1.33% % 36% 2004 Good 63.59 %
46% 50% 53% 2006 2008 2012 Percent improve a lot/slightly 61% 2015 Reasons for Living in Wheat Ridge 7 in 10
Location 5 in 10 Neighborhood 4 in 10 Feel safe Affordable housing 3 in 10 Affordable cost of living Friends/family in the area Proportion of respondents Wheat Ridge as a Place to Live Plan to remain in Wheat Ridge for the next 5 years
Recommend living in Wheat Ridge Community Characteristics Paths and walking trails 74 % Bike trails Air quality Percent excellent or good 71 % 67 %
Overall natural environme nt 68 % Recreatio nal opportuni ties 66 % 9 2015 Community Characteristics Ratings Compared to National Benchmarks 1 received
higher ratings 7 received similar ratings 15 received lower ratings 2015 Community Characteristics Ratings Compared to Front Range Benchmarks 0 received higher ratings
7 received similar ratings 16 received lower ratings KEY FINDING Residents appreciate pedestrian improvements and support future changes, but have concerns about transportation and travel in the city
Ease of walking 58% Ease of bicycle travel 58% Declined in 2015 Improved in 2015 Changes in Transportation Ratings Over Time Ease of car travel City street condition Street repair and maintenance
Traffic flow Percent excellent or good 58% 54% 42% 33% Support for Bicycle and Pedestrian Improvements To what extent do you support or oppose the City of Wheat Ridge funding bicycle and pedestrian improvements throughout Wheat Ridge? Strongly oppose Somewhat oppose Neither support nor oppose Somewhat support 35% 34% 18% 84 %
Walking trails 77 % 74 % 67 % 65 % To what extent do you support or oppose each of the following types of bicycle and pedestrian improvements? Percent strongly or somewhat 9% 4% 61 %
Sidewalk connections Biking trails Bicycle and pedestrian signage Bike lands Bicycle racks KEY FINDING Residents feel less positive about City government and employee performance in 2015 than in previous years Government Performance How would you rate the overall performance of the Wheat Ridge city government? Excellent 3.00%
Poor 14.00% Fair 35.00% Good 60% 48.00% 62% 65% 2004 2006 2008 64% 51% 2012
Percent excellent or good 2015 City Government Performance 6 in 10 Quality of work performed by City employees Overall direction the City is taking 5 in 10 Value of services for taxes paid Welcoming citizen involvement 4 in 10 3 in 10 Proportion excellent or good Acting in best interest of community Informing residents about major
issues Contact with City Employees Contact with City Employees 75% Courtesy Knowledge No 58.00% Yes 42.00% 72% Responsivenes 71% s Overall impression Felt valued
65% 60% KEY FINDING Residents appreciate the services provided in the City but see room for improvement Quality of City Services Poor 2.00% Excellent 7.00% Good 65.00% Fair
26.00% 2015 City Services Ratings Compared to National Benchmarks 1 received higher ratings 14 received similar ratings 6 received lower ratings 2015 City Services Ratings
Compared to Front Range Benchmarks 1 received higher ratings 12 received similar ratings 7 received lower ratings Importance of City Services 97% Police response time to emergency calls
95% Street repair and maintenance 90% Snow removal 87 Policing services % Police response time to non87%emergency calls 86 Crime prevention % 84 Percent rated essential or very% 86 % Maintenance of existing city parks Maintenance of open space and trails KEY FINDING Respondents are unsure about which area should be the Citys Center, but are
clear about their opposition to 38th Avenue projects Level of Agreement that 38th Avenue is the City Center Strongly agree 20.00% Somewha t agree 29.00% Strongly disagree 17.00% Somewha t disagree
14.00% Neither agree or disagree 20.00% Importance of 38th Avenue Features How important, if at all, are each of the following features for 38th Avenue between Upham to Marshall? Develop retail commercial 55% Encourage/incentivize private sector investment 55% Maintain 4-5 vehicle lanes 50%
Hold community events Install better sidewalks, landscaping, pedestrian amenities On-street parking 49% Pedestrian friendly 2-3 lane roadway Additional housing options Percent essential or very important 48% 40% 37% 29% Level of Support for 38th Avenue Projects Strongly oppose Strongly support Somewhat oppose
Neither support or oppose Temporary restriping, outdoor cafes and lanscape planters installed in ... 13% Reducing vehicle lanes to expand sidewalks and pedestrian ameni... 16% Long term vision of 2011 38th Ave. Corridor ... 12% 23% 19% Somewhat support 14% 18% 12% 18% 21% Preliminary design for street reconstruc... 12% 18%
Proposed cost of pro... 9% 13% 19% 20% 20% 32% 36% 15% 34% 15% 35% 15% 44%
Additional Policy Topics Improvements to Wheat Ridge Corridors Essential or very important to improve attractiveness of City corridors If Wheat Ridge were to seek to improve the attractiveness of Wheat Ridge corridors, to what extent do you support or oppose dedicating resources to code enforcement for this effort? Strongly oppose Somewhat oppose Neither support nor oppose
Somewhat support Strongly support 19% 41% 20% 10% 10% Potential Reasons for Not Supporting Measure 2A Strongly disagree Somewhat disagree Neither agree nor disagree Insufficient information about what specific projects would be funded by the sales tax inc...
31% Felt that the tax increase would likely be used to fund 38th Avenue streetscape improve... 31% 30% Wheat Ridge tax rates are already suffi... 31% 28% The tax measure supported programs or services that are not a priority ... 16% Sales tax is not a fair and equitable source of municipal general fund re... 13% The City does not need to make additional investments in its infrastructure and facil... 6% 13% 34% 23%
23% 18% Somewhat agree 21% 9% 4% 29% 5%5% 22% 30% 27% 28%
14% 5% 15% 20% 16% 17% 35% Level of Support for Characteristics of Future Tax Measure Having a specific list of capital projects and cost estimates and a timeframe within which projects would be completed 59 Limiting the sales tax increase to less than 1% %
Not using any bonded debt to pay for a portion of the projects Using a tax or fee option other than a sales tax 31 % Percent essential or very important 54 % 86 % Questions? Thank you!
Erin Caldwell, Presenter Laurie Urban, Project Manager [email protected] [email protected]
