2003 Community Survey Report | Appendix A - the survey | Appendix B - Focus Group II Discussion Guide | Appendix C - Focus Group II Transcript
2003 Community SurveyReport to the City of Upper Arlington:2003 Community Survey and Focus Groups Executive Summary Overview The City of Upper Arlington commnissioned a community survey to measure residents' perceptions of the quality of life of the basic services provided by the City. As with any customer/provider relationship, it is in everyone's best interest to be certain that the services provided are the best mix and best quality possible from the perspective of those who receive the services - in this case, the residents of Upper Arlington. Obtaining residents' opinions via a community survey provides a number of benefits. First, it allows the City to set service goals and to measure how well they have been attained. Second, it provides an opportunity to assess residents' views on current policy issues that may be facing Upper Arlington - before City officials finalize those policy decisions. Third, it provides guidance as budgets are allocated for the coming year. For the 2003 Community Survey, 2,000 Upper Arlington households were selected at random and invited to participate. These households received a "heads-up" postcard alerting them to the fact they would receive the 2003 Community Survey in the mail in a week's time and encouraging them to participate. A week later, the 2003 Community Survey arrived in the mail along with a postage-paid business envelope and a request to complete and send it back within two weeks. Overall, over 600 completed surveys were returned, yielding a response rate of 33%. Demographic information from these completed surveys were compared to 2000 U.S. Census data to verify that those who completed the survey was in alignment with the demographic makeup of the City as a whole. The Key Research Findings - the core results - from the 2003 Community Survey (as well as from a post-survey focus group with Upper Arlington residents) are reviewed here. Each Key Research Finding is discussed in detail in the main report. Key Research Findings 1. The City's core purpose is to provide services that keep its residents safe and thriving. Overall, residents are please with the quality of the City's services. The public safety services (police, fire, EMS) top the list in services that are perceived to be of high quality, as do recycling and weekly trash collection, snow removal, neighborhood parks, and senior programs. Additionally, overall quality of life in Upper Arlington continues to be rated highly. Each of these City services received quality ratings of "6" or higher on a 7-point scale, with 7 = very high quality. For the great majority of City services included in this survey, quality ratings have remained stable over the past three years, indicating the City is continuing along the right path. A few City services, however, seem to be decreasing in ratings of perceived quality. Over 30% of the residents who participated believe that the condition of City streets/roads and the condition of sidewalks has declined in the past three years. Also, 21% of the residents believe that the quality of leaf collection has declined in the past three years. From the post-survey focus group, residents see the City as taking an active role to improve the condition of City streets/roads. Additionally, the majority of the focus group participants report feeling satisfied with the quality of leaf collection and snow removal, among other City services. 2. When asked to consider a variety of issues that confront the City and could affect residents' quality of life, a sizeable majority of residents who participated in the 2003 Community Survey believe the City should focus its efforts on attracting new businesses to Upper Arlington (67%) and on redeveloping Kingsdale Shopping Center (63%). Residents also want more attention paid to improving Upper Arlington's infrastructure, both surface and underground (56% and 53% respectively). These preferences were consistent with concerns voiced elsewhere in the survey. With regard to economic development, a great majority of residents who participated in the 2003 Community Survey agree that Upper Arlington needs an expanded commercial tax base (82%), that Kingsdale Shopping Center should be redeveloped into a town center with a variety of uses (78%), and that the City should take an aggressive role in the redevelopment of Kingsdale (69%). A majority of residents (62%) also believe the City should offer financial incentives to lure businesses to Upper Arlington in a manner similar to other cities in Central Ohio. The post-survey focus group confirmed the zeal with which many Upper Arlington residents want to see progress made on redeveloping Kingsdale. Although the City has made the effort to zone the area as "mixed use," it may be beneficial for the City to continue this thinking and present some alternative visions for how the Kingsdale Shopping Center could be transformed. This would be in spirit with the City's increased engagement of residents in community issues (i.e., Master Plan forums, pools visioning process) over the past year, and may help the community to better understand what the City is trying to accomplish with the redevelopment of this area. From the post-survey focus group, residents see the City as beginning to address some important infrastructure issues (e.g., increased activity in running new sewer lines, patching/resurfacing City Roads), and are satisfied with these efforts so far. 3. Opportunities exist for increased communication from the City and City Council to residents. Many residents (59%) who participated in the 2003 Community Survey agreed with the statement, "City staff are responsive to the needs of residents." During the post-survey focus group, 9 out of 10 participants had contacted the City at some point with a question or issue (the other participant had a neighbor who contacted the City). These participants were very pleased with how quickly they received accurate information back from City staff. In general, it seems that when Upper Arlington residents do take the time to contact the City and get information, they are satisfied with the results. Few of the post-survey focus group participants, on the other hand, have contacted the City's elected officials and leaders. In fact, many of these focus group participants did not know who the Mayor or Council members are. This may explain the responses of those who participated in the 2003 Community Survey when they were asked to report the extent to which they agree with the following statement: "Current City Council effectively represents the attitudes and opinions of Upper Arlington residents." Overall, 41% of the survey participants reported a "neutral" or "don't know" response to this statement. This lack of knowledge indicated an area of opportunity for both City Council members and City residents. 4. Communicating with residents. When it comes to preferences for City information they would like to learn more about, residents who participated in the 2003 Community Survey want to hear more about infrastructure updates (68%), Master Plan updates (62%), economic development activities (57%), and City Council policy decisions (56%). Note that these preferences are consistent with the attitudes and concerns shared throughout the survey - i.e., the focus on the City's economic development and concern about City infrastructure. The post-survey focus group confirmed these interests. Additionally, there may be a special need to get this type of information - as well as information about special events/recreational programs or activities in the City - to residents who are new to the community. Some of the focus group participants said more needs to be done to reach out to this group, that the City cannot assume that everyone knows all of Upper Arlington's traditions and opportunities. The UA Resident Guide may be a good first step in this direction. Upper Arlington residents express a strong preference for receiving City news and information via weekly newspapers - 87% of the survey participants would prefer to receive such information via the Upper Arlington News. As was learned from both the community survey and the post-survey focus group, Upper Arlington residents do not have strong opinions about the manner by which they should receive the City Newsletter (currently delivered via Upper Arlington Magazine). The City may need to look at all available facts regarding this issue and make a distribution decision that is best for the City. City Manager's Office City of Upper Arlington 3600 Tremont Road Upper Arlington, Ohio 43221 Phone: 614-583-5040 Fax: 614-457-6620 www.ua-ohio.net |
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