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5.a. Town of Vail Community Survey Results_links
Town of Vail Community Survey Results – Complete Report -Link: http://www.vailgov.com/docs/dl_forms/Vail_Community_Survey_2014_Report_w_Survey_Res ults_Appended_6_17.pdf Press Release: http://www.vailgov.com/release.asp?r_id=8341 T o w n o f V a i l N e w s R e l e a s e 2014 Community Survey Results 6/17/2014 Respondents to Vail’s community survey are generally supportive of the overall direction of the town and the areas of focus identified by the Town Council. In addition, overall satisfaction levels with town services and programs have been rated exceptionally high, while public engagement activities by the town can be improved. These and other findings from the 2014 community survey were presented to the Town Council on June 17 by the research firm RRC Associates which conducted the questionnaire at the close of the 2013-14 ski season. The survey is conducted every other year. When asked if the town is going in the “right direction” or had “gotten off on the wrong track,” about 64 percent of the respondents said the town is going in the “right direction,” while 22 percent said “wrong track.” This compares to 70 percent who indicated Vail is going in the right direction in the 2012 survey and 58 percent in 2010, respectively. In delivering the results, RRC researcher Chris Cares noted perceptions related to the decision-making process and subsequent lawsuit regarding the golf course clubhouse remodel and a companion project to relocate the 18th hole was a source of dissatisfaction with the town compared to 2012. While some open-ended comments were negative, Cares said there were also positive and constructive suggestions that can be used to improve the town’s accountability. In preparing topics for the 2014 survey, three new questions were added to probe satisfaction with the town’s efforts to provide information to citizens, offer public engagement opportunities and be collaborative in decision-making processes. Cares says the responses to the questions were relatively low compared to ratings of other areas of town services, especially in the area of collaboration, and should be used to benchmark future improvements. When asked to rank a list of 11 community topics, priorities identified in the past remain top priorities in 2014, according to Cares. All of the topics or categories that were evaluated received ratings above 3 on a scale of 1 to 5 with 1 being “not a priority” and 5 a “hig h priority.” All of the topics received over 50 percent of responses earning a rating of 4 or 5. In a follow-up question, respondents were asked to select the one topic from the list that was the highest priority. The results in rank order were: • Actions to improve Vail’s appeal as a well-rounded community • Economic vitality (investing in facilities, services) • Budget and capital management (keeping Vail fiscally healthy) • Environmental sustainability (waste and energy conservation) • Focus on housing for middle income workers • Parking opportunities for residents • Transportation needs (bus service – local and regional) • Parking opportunities for visitors and guests • Guest relations and customer service • Focus on housing for service workers • Parking opportunities for employees These rankings also coincide with support for the Town Council’s long -term goals and initiatives to: improve economic vitality, grow a balanced community and to continually elevate the quality of the experience. Respondents provided a large number of comments concerning the long-term goals; the input addressed the goals in constructive terms with suggestions and insights that provide a more complete understanding of how the community at large views the priorities that have been set by Council, according to Cares. The survey also contained a series of questions related to the topic of environmental policies and priorities. Responses showed strong support for protecting Gore Creek, both in terms of water quality and quantity, with support extending to increased education and potentially regulations. The survey also showed relatively strong support for waste and recycling efforts. Questions concerning opinions on retail marijuana sales in the town show the majority of respondents are not in favor of such regulations with 57 percent against, 30 percent in favor and 13 percent undecided. There were very strong differences in opinion on this question based on age, with strong support, 69 percent in favor, among those respondents under 34 years. Conversely, there was only 14 percent support among those 65 and over. The survey also contained a series of questions concerning events in Vail. Overall, most respondents, both year-round and part-time residents believe events create a positive experience in Vail with about 84 percent rating events a 4 or 5 on a five-point scale. Most, 74 percent, believe there are the right number of events, with about 12 percent saying there are “too many.” The survey also indicated high satisfaction for a variety of aspects of events that were evaluated: overall quality, ease of access, and bus transportation all have high satisfaction, but there is lower satisfaction with parking availability during events. Respondents were asked to suggest a “big idea” they would like to see pursued by the town. The most mentioned comments suggested changes and improvements to parking. Not only did these comments encourage more parking, but they also touched upon more free parking, areas which could be utilized for skier parking and suggestions of transportation options to reduce reliance on using a personal vehicle. A separate question asked if there is enough parking in the town in which 65 percent responded “no,” while 27 percent said “yes” and 8 percent were “uncertain.” Parking as a common theme for the “big idea” question was closely followed by comments which addressed I-70 including construction of under/overpasses, burying I-70 and addressing noise issues. Events were also frequently mentioned with specific ideas for ac tual events, as well as suggestions for events which may align with Vail’s image. Other transportation-related topics such as a train or light rail from Vail to Denver were identified. A similar number suggested various ideas related to a focus on the environment and sustainability. The survey also asked respondents “what’s missing” in Vail. The most identified areas included: more parking and/or more affordable parking; grocery store for Vail Village area such as Natural Grocers or Whole foods, indoor or outdoor pool, recreation center and affordable goods and services including housing, restaurants, shopping and movie theater. In rating their satisfaction with a variety of municipal services with 5 being “very satisfied,” the highest scores were given to the following categories: • “Free after 3” program in parking structures, 4.8 • Courtesy and helpfulness of firefighters and fire prevention staff, 4.7 • Response times to basic medical emergencies, 4.6 • “Two hour free” parking, 4.5 • Cleanliness of the pedestrian villages, 4.5 • Dependability of bus service, 4.5 • Overall feeling of safety and security, 4.5 • Attention to wildfire mitigation, 4.4 • Bus driver courtesy, 4.4 • Cleanliness of buses, 4.4 • Frequency of town shuttle, 4.4 • Overall park maintenance, 4.4 • Snow removal on road, 4.4 • Overall quality of police service, 4.3 Relatively lower rated services included: overall parking fees/pricing structure, 2.9; building permit review, 3.4; and level of crowding on buses, 3.5. In summarizing the results from the survey, Cares noted the overall mood of the town is favorable and that the tone of comments on open-ended questions is constructive and generally positive with ideas that merit attention. The survey was conducted online and in a paper format during the spring and includes responses from 779 individuals representing participation from both year -round and part-time residents as well as business owners. This was a larger response than in 2012 when 667 participated. The full report, including extensive comments from respondents is available by clicking here. Copyright © 2014 | Town of Vail 75 S. Frontage Road, Vail, CO 81657 | Toll Free: (866) 650 - 9020 | (970) 479-2100