General Plan Opinion Survey Summary Reports. The City of Alhambra General Plan Update

Transcription

1 General Plan Opinion Survey Summary Reports The City of Alhambra General Plan Update Rincon Consultants, Inc. December 0

2 Introduction As part of the Alhambra General Plan Update (Vision 0 A Community Mosaic) two community surveys, referred to as the phone survey and the written survey, were conducted during the summer of 0 in the City of Alhambra. The phone survey was conducted by True rth Research, a fullservice survey research firm. The phone survey asked various questions related to current conditions and desired outcomes for the community. The phone survey was conducted between June and July, 0. To obtain a statistically valid, representative sample of Alhambra residents, 00 adult residents of Alhambra were randomly selected for the survey sample through a random selection of land lines and mobile phone numbers that service Alhambra households. Those selected for the survey sample were asked screening questions to ensure eligibility. Interviews, which averaged minutes in length, were conducted in English, Spanish, or Mandarin/Cantonese according to a respondent s preference. The written survey was conducted by Veronica Tam and Associates to assess the opinions of residents specifically interested in the topics that the Alhambra General Plan Update addresses. Unlike the phone survey, the written survey was filled out by those taking it, but it was designed to reflect the content of the telephone survey. The written survey was made available to the residents of Alhambra during the months of June and July 0 at Alhambra City Hall, the Alhambra Public Library and at the City of Alhambra s main web page. The City advertised the availability of the written survey via the Around Alhambra community newspaper, various social media applications, and blasts. The participants in this survey were selfselected rather than randomly selected, and the results therefore cannot be considered statistically reliable. The written survey is therefore representative of a selfselected segment of the community rather than the community as a whole, but it does provide insight on issues held by concerned citizens. Results from the written survey and phone survey will be used by the City to guide decisions with respect to land use, development and related policy matters in the Alhambra General Plan Update. The two reports summarizing the methodology and results of these surveys are contained in this document. The written survey report is presented first, followed by the phone survey report. P age

3 General Plan Written Opinion Survey Summary Report The City of Alhambra General Plan Update Rincon Consultants, Inc. October 0

4 City of Alhambra General Plan Update General Plan Written Opinion Survey Summary Report Prepared by: Veronica Tam and Associates, Inc. 0 S. Fair Oaks Avenue, Suite Pasadena, CA 0 Prepared with the assistance of: Rincon Consultants, Inc. 0 N. Ashwood Ventura, CA, 00 October, 0

5 Table of Contents Introduction... Overview of Methodology... Key Findings... About the Authors... Survey Demographics... Quality of Life... General Plan Priorities... Land Use and Development... Economic Development... Public Safety... Traffic and Mobility... Communication with Residents... 0

6 Introduction Community input is essential in creating the vision for the Alhambra General Update. To find out what issues are important to the Alhambra community, a community survey was conducted by Veronica Tam and Associates during the Summer of 0 to assess the opinions of residents specifically interested in the topics that the Alhambra General Plan Update addresses. The participants in this survey were selfselected rather than randomly selected, and the results therefore cannot be considered statistically reliable. The written survey is therefore representative of a selfselected segment of the community rather than the community as a whole, but it does provide insight on issues held by concerned citizens. Results from this written survey, combined with a statistically reliable telephone survey, will be used by the City to guide decisions with respect to land use, development and related policy matters in the Alhambra General Plan Update. Overview of Methodology This survey was designed to reflect the telephone survey conducted by True rth Research, Inc. between June and July, 0. The written survey was made available to the residents of Alhambra during the months of June and July 0 at Alhambra City Hall, the Alhambra Public Library and at the City of Alhambra s main web page. The written survey was advertised via: Around Alhambra community newspaper City of Alhambra s Facebook page Alhambra Police Department Facebook page and Next Door application City of Alhambra s Instagram account Chamber of Commerce blast Alhambra residents were able to submit surveys electronically and via hard copy. Hard copies were also distributed at several outreach events, such as the Alhambra Farmers' Market on June and July, 0. Out of the 0 survey submissions, were hard copies. The survey consisted of questions and was available in English, Spanish, and Chinese. Survey analysis was completed by Veronica Tam and Associates, Inc. and summarized by Rincon Consultants, Inc. Key Findings Generally, the citizens of Alhambra: Report a high quality of life Prioritize historic preservation of old homes and buildings Want more retail shops and entertainment amenities Feel safe in commercial areas Are dissatisfied with the City s efforts to improve traffic circulation Prefer communication with the City via traditional mail and Disclaimer The statements and conclusions in this report are those of the authors Veronica Tam and Associates, Inc. and not necessarily those of the City of Alhambra. Any errors and omissions are the responsibility of the authors. P age

7 About the Authors Veronica Tam and Associates, Inc. Veronica Tam and Associates is a consulting firm that has been providing housing and community development consulting to local jurisdictions throughout California since 00. Services include general plan programs specializing in housing element updates, zoning revisions for housingrelated issues, community outreach activities, environmental clearance for housingrelated plans and projects, grants applications and administration. Rincon Consultants, Inc. Rincon Consultants, Inc. is a multidisciplinary environmental science, planning, and engineering consulting firm that provides quality professional services to government and industry. Rincon professionals have extensive skills and onthe job experience, and are formally trained to manage and complete projects in environmental planning and compliance, sustainability, transportation and land use planning, biological resource evaluation, soil evaluation and remediation, and related studies and problemsolving services in geology, hydrology, noise, and waste management. Survey Demographics A total of 0 City of Alhambra residents responded to the General Plan Update written survey. The majority of surveys were completed in English ( surveys), while three surveys were completed in Spanish and another two were completed in Chinese. The majority of respondents selfreported as being /White ( percent), Latino/ ( percent) and ( percent). About percent of respondents were middleaged ( years old) and percent were younger adults ( years old). Only percent of respondents were age and older and 0 percent of respondents had children under the age of in their home. Nearly percent of survey respondents have lived in Alhambra for over years, while only percent reported having recently moved to the area within the last year. Of those that reported their current residency, 0 percent reported owning their residence; and percent described currently living in a single detached home. Additionally, a majority of respondents reported being employed fulltime and nearly 0 percent indicated spending less than half of their household retail shopping dollars in the City. P age

8 Quality of Life Generally, Alhambra citizens report a high quality of life in the City of Alhambra, as over percent of survey responses indicated an overall good quality of life while percent responded excellent and percent responded fair. When asked to report what the City should preserve in the future, the most frequent was for the City to prioritize the preservation of historic homes, buildings, and neighborhoods. Figure : Quality of Life in Alhambra When residents were asked what do you like most about Alhambra that the City government should make sure to preserve in the future, percent of the respondents did not provide a specific response. Among specific changes they desire, the top three amenities/qualities to preserve (in order of number of responses) are: Historic homes and buildings ( percent) Open space/parks and trees ( percent) Smalltown community atmosphere ( percent) The complete responses are shown in Figure. P age

9 / Historic homes and buildings Open space/parks and trees A smalltown community atmosphere A sense of safety and security in the City Zoning for homes Maintenance/cleanliness Access to alternative modes of transportation Good schools Other (unique responses) Free parking Cityplanned land uses City Programs/Events Public services Continued citywide improvements Proximity to areas, destinations outside of the Walkable community Figure : What to Preserve in Alhambra.%.0%.%.%.%.0%.%.%.%.% 0.% 0.% 0.% 0.% 0.%.%.%.% 0% % 0% % 0% % 0% % When residents were asked what would be the one change the City government could make to make Alhambra a better place to live, percent did not provide specific responses. Among those who did, the top three changes are: Engage in less highdensity development ( percent) Diversify restaurant/shopping options ( percent) Focus on improving traffic congestion ( percent) The complete responses are summarized in Figure. P age

10 Figure : Changes to Improve Alhambra Engage in less highdensity development / Other (unique responses) Diversify restaurant/shopping options Minimize traffic congestion Public Transit/Bicycle lanes Improve City government leadership Address/complete the 0 corridor Increase maintenance to City streets Update curblandscaping Address parking issues changes needed Increase pedestrian safety Increase police presence Open space/parks and recreation Implement a noise ordinance Develop affordable housing Develop new community programs and community events Improve City design/aesthetics Improve Cityresident communication Focus on environmental sustainability Improve safety/security Update/repair schools Improve infrastructure Improve zoning Increase safety/security Provide more mixeduse developments.%.%.%.%.%.%.%.%.%.%.%.%.%.% 0.% 0.% 0.% 0.% 0.% 0.% 0.% 0.%.%.0%.%.%.% 0% % % % % 0% % % % % 0% General Plan Priorities The City asked residents to set priorities for the objectives it will accomplish over the next 0 years. Residents were asked to rate priorities on a four point scale of high priority, medium priority, low priority, and should not spend resources. The frequencies of being identified as high priorities are as follows: Improve the flow of traffic in the City ( percent) Preserve historic areas and buildings in the City ( percent) Improve the maintenance of City streets and infrastructure (0 percent) Expand and improve local parks ( percent) P age

11 Require the use of environmentally friendly building practices when constructing or remodeling public buildings in the City ( percent) Strengthen economic development programs that improve the local economy and increase the revenues needed to provide City services ( percent) Improve bike lanes and bike paths ( percent) Improve public transit ( percent) Attract businesses that provide high salary to the community ( percent) Require the use of environmentally friendly building practices when constructing or remodeling private buildings in the City ( percent) Creating new neighborhood parks (0 percent) Improve sidewalks ( percent) Redevelop and revitalize older, outdated commercial centers in the City ( percent) As a followup, openended question, residents were asked Is there a goal that we didn t mention that you think should be a high priority for the City s future? A majority of residents ( percent) did not provide a specific additional goal. The top specific goals mentioned by residents include: Historic preservation and less development ( percent) Improvement of City infrastructure ( percent) Diversification of the available restaurants and retail in the City ( percent) Environmental sustainability ( percent) Less development ( percent) Completion of the 0 corridor ( percent) Traffic reduction ( percent) Open space ( percent) Alternative modes of transportation ( percent) Community programs ( percent) Land Use and Development In this series of questions the survey asked residents to rate the development of existing properties, by type of use, on a three point scale of too much, about right and too little. d on frequency of response, residents indicated there existed too much : Development of condominiums ( percent) Apartments (0 percent) use housing ( percent) Commercial offices ( percent) Hotels ( percent) Restaurants ( percent) Retail stores ( percent) Hospital and medical offices ( percent) Traditional homes ( percent) Entertainment uses ( percent) P age

12 Figure : Rating Existing Properties use % % % 0% Hospital and Medical Offices % % % % Hotels % % % % Entertainment Uses % % % % Commercial Offices % % % % Apartments 0% % % % Condominiums % % % % Traditional Family Homes % % % % Restaurants % % 0% % Retail Stores % 0% % % 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 00% Too Much About Right Too Little Opinion/t Sure/Prefer t to Answer Economic Development Survey respondents were asked what percentage of their household s retail shopping dollars are spent in the City of Alhambra. Nearly 0 percent indicated spending less than half of their household retail shopping dollars in the City. When asked about what are the names of one or two stores or restaurants they would most like to have located in Alhambra, residents responded they would like to have: Gourmet/organic grocery stores (ex. Trader Joe s/whole Foods) and traditional grocery stores (ex. Vons, Ralphs) ( percent) Family restaurant chains (Red Lobster, Sizzler, etc.) (0 percent) Large retail stores (rdstrom, Marshalls etc.) ( percent) Other (including coffee shops, spas, sporting goods stores, book stores) ( percent) Don t know ( percent) P age

13 Public Safety In regards to an individual s sense of safety in the City, residents were asked to rate on a fourpoint scale of very safe, reasonably safe, somewhat safe and very unsafe. d on frequency of response, residents indicated that they felt very safe : When walking alone in commercial and retail areas during the day ( percent) When driving on city streets during the morning or afternoon commute ( percent). Walking alone in your neighborhood after dark ( percent) Walking across major streets during the morning or afternoon commute hours ( percent) Walking alone in commercial and retail areas after dark ( percent) Riding a bike on city streets ( percent) Figure : Perception of Personal Safety 00% 0% 0% % % % % % % % % % % % 0% % % 0% 0% 0% % % % 0% % % 0% 0% 0% % % % % % 0% 0% % Walking alone in your neighborhood after dark Walking alone in commercial and retail areas during the day % Walking alone in commercial and retail areas after dark Driving on city streets during the morning or afternoon commute hours % Walking across major streets during the morning or afternoon commute hours % % Riding a bike on city streets Very Safe Reasonably Safe Unsafe Very Unsafe Opinion/ Doesn t Apply/ P age

14 Traffic and Mobility Survey respondents were asked to rate traffic circulation in Alhambra on a five point scale of excellent, good, fair, poor, and very poor., residents rated the City s traffic circulation as follows: Circulation: 0 percent as either Excellent or Good Circulation on Major Streets: percent as either Excellent or Good Circulation in Residential Areas: percent as either Excellent or Good Figure : Rating Traffic Circulation 00% 0% 0% % % % % % % % 0% 0% 0% % % % 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% % % % % % % traffic circulation Traffic circulation on major streets % % Traffic circulation in residential areas Excellent Fair Very Poor Good Poor Opinion/ Prefer t to Answer Generally speaking, survey respondents were asked about their satisfaction with the City s efforts to improve traffic circulation (through the improvement of roads and intersections, timing traffic signals, and other measures). Approximately percent of responses indicated experiencing a level of satisfaction (very or somewhat satisfied) with the City s efforts, while close to 0 percent indicated a level of dissatisfaction (very or somewhat dissatisfied). P age

15 Figure : Satisfaction with Traffic Improvements Communication with Residents About percent of survey respondents indicated being very satisfied or somewhat satisfied with the City s efforts to communicate with residents through newsletters, the Internet, Social Media and other means. Figure : Satisfaction with CityResident Communication 0 P age

16 The most effective ways of communication by order of frequently rated as very effective by residents are: Newsletters mailed to your home ( percent) Social media like Facebook and Twitter (0 percent) Newsletters sent by ( percent) City s website ( percent) A mobile application ( percent) Advertisements in local papers ( percent) Flyers, postcards and brochures available at public locations ( percent) P age

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19 T ABLE O F C O N T E N T S Table of Contents i List of Tables ii List of Figures iii Introduction Purpose of Survey Overview of Methodology Organization of Report Disclaimer About True rth Key Findings Quality of Life Quality of Life Question What Should We Preserve? Question What Should We Change? Question Land Use & Development Question Economic Development Retail Shopping Behavior Question Desire Additional Shopping & Dining Opportunities? Question Which Stores & Restaurants do you Want in Alhambra? Question Public Safety Perceived Safety Question Mobility Traffic Circulation Question Satisfaction With Efforts to Improve Circulation Question Priorities Question Question CityResident Communication Satisfaction Question Communication Preferences Question Background & Demographics Methodology Questionnaire Development Programming, PreTest & Translation Sample Statistical Margin of Error Data Collection Data Processing Rounding Questionnaire & Toplines City of Alhambra True rth Research, Inc i Table of Contents

20 L I S T O F T ABLES Table Effectiveness of Communication Methods by Age (Showing% Very Effective)..... Table Demographics of Sample List of Tables City of Alhambra True rth Research, Inc ii

21 L I S T O F F I G U R E S Figure Quality of Life Figure Quality of Life by Age, Child in Hsld & Figure Quality of Life by Years in Alhambra, Status & Home Type Figure Quality of Life by Ethnicity & Employment Status Figure Like Most About Alhambra & Want to See Preserved Figure Changes to Improve Alhambra Figure Opinion of Property Types in City Figure Household Retail Shopping Dollars Spent in City of Alhambra Figure Household Retail Shopping Dollars Spent in City of Alhambra by Age, Child in Hsld & Figure 0 Household Retail Shopping Dollars Spent in City of Alhambra by Years in Alhambra, Status & Home Type Figure Household Retail Shopping Dollars Spent Within City of Alhambra by Ethnicity & Employment Status Figure Desire Additional Stores, Restaurants in Alhambra Figure Desire Additional Stores, Restaurants in Alhambra by Age, Child in Hsld & Figure Desire Additional Stores, Restaurants in Alhambra by Years in Alhambra, Figure Status & Home Type Desire Additional Stores, Restaurants in Alhambra by Ethnicity & Employment Status Figure Additional Stores, Restaurants Desired in Alhambra Figure Perception of Personal Safety Figure Rating Traffic Circulation Figure Satisfaction With City s Efforts to Improve Traffic Circulation Figure 0 Satisfaction With City s Efforts to Improve Traffic Circulation by Age, Child in Hsld & Figure Satisfaction With City s Efforts to Improve Traffic Circulation by Years in Alhambra, Status & Home Type Figure Satisfaction With City s Efforts to Improve Traffic Circulation by Ethnicity & Employment Status Figure Spending Priorities Figure Spending Priorities Among Those Who Rated Quality of Life as Fair, Poor, or Very Poor Figure Additional High Priorities in Alhambra Figure Satisfaction With Communication Figure Satisfaction With Communication by Age, Child in Hsld & Figure Satisfaction With Communication by Years in Alhambra, Status & Home Type Figure Satisfaction With Communication by Ethnicity & Employment Status Figure 0 Effectiveness of Communication Methods Figure Maximum Margin of Error Due to Sampling List of Figures City of Alhambra True rth Research, Inc iii

22 I N T R O D U C T I O N Like all cities in California, the City of Alhambra relies on its General Plan to guide decisions with respect to land use, development and related policy matters. Often referred to as a blueprint for achieving residents vision for the future, the General Plan addresses a variety of topics that affect the quality of life in the City, including circulation, community design, conservation and open space, land use, safety, parks and recreation, and sustainability. Introduction The City of Alhambra s current General Plan was adopted in, nearly 0 years ago. Feeling that it was time to revise the Plan to ensure that it reflects current community values, updated technical and environmental information, and addresses relevant issues that have surfaced since the existing General Plan was created, in 0 the City embarked upon a process to update the General Plan entitled Vision 0 A Community s Mosaic. The General Plan update is an opportunity for the Alhambra community to comprehensively evaluate and strategize on local opportunities, trends, and needs. Although City Council, staff and consultants will play an important role in gathering data, organizing the update process, and assisting in the production of the General Plan document, input from citizens of Alhambra will play a major role in guiding the updated policy framework. Through their participation in public workshops, community events, and surveys, Alhambra residents will help to ensure the creation of a General Plan that is consistent with their values, priorities, and concerns for the City and its future. PURPOSE OF SURVEY The purpose of the survey described in this report was to provide objective, statistically reliable measures of residents opinions on a number of key issues that will be addressed in the General Plan update. The results of the survey will be combined with the information gathered through other public input methods to help Council, staff, and the Rincon Consulting team update the General Plan. OVERVIEW OF METHODOLOGY A full description of the methodology used for this study is included later in this report (see Methodology on page ). In brief, a total of 00 randomly selected adult residents participated in the survey between June and July, 0. Individuals were selected for the survey sample by randomly selecting land lines and mobile phone numbers that service Alhambra households and asking followup screening questions to ensure eligibility. Interviews, which averaged minutes in length, were conducted in English, Spanish or Mandarin/Cantonese according to a respondent s preference. ORGANIZATION OF REPORT This report is designed to meet the needs of readers who prefer a summary of the findings as well as those who are interested in the details of the results. For those who seek an overview of the findings, the section titled Key Findings is for you. It provides a summary of the most important factual findings of the survey and a discussion of their implications. For the interested reader, this section is followed by a more detailed questionbyquestion discussion of the results from the survey by topic area (see Table of Contents), as well as a description of the methodology employed for collecting and analyzing the data (see Methodology on page ). And, for the truly ambitious reader, the questionnaire used for the interviews is contained at the back of this report (see Questionnaire & Toplines on page ), and a complete City of Alhambra True rth Research, Inc

23 set of crosstabulations for the survey results is contained in, which is bound separately. DISCLAIMER The statements and conclusions in this report are those of the authors (Dr. Timothy McLarney and Richard Sarles) at True rth Research, Inc. and not necessarily those of the City of Alhambra. Any errors and omissions are the responsibility of the authors. Introduction ABOUT TRUE NORTH True rth is a fullservice survey research firm that is dedicated to providing public agencies with a clear understanding of the values, perceptions, priorities and opinions of their residents and customers. Through designing and implementing scientific surveys, focus groups and oneonone interviews, as well as expert interpretation of the findings, True rth helps its clients to move with confidence when making strategic decisions in a variety of areas such as planning, policy evaluation, performance management, establishing fiscal priorities, passing revenue measures, and developing effective public information campaigns. During their careers, Dr. McLarney (President) and Mr. Sarles (Principal Researcher) have designed and conducted over 00 survey research studies for public agencies, including more than 00 studies for California municipalities and special districts. City of Alhambra True rth Research, Inc

24 K E Y F I N D I N G S As noted in the Introduction, this study was designed to the provide the City of Alhambra with statistically reliable information regarding residents opinions on key issues and themes that will be addressed in the General Plan. Whereas subsequent sections of this report are devoted to conveying the detailed results of the survey, in this section we attempt to see the forest through the trees and note how the collective results of the survey some of the key questions that motivated the research. Key Findings What do residents most value about Alhambra that the General Plan should seek to preserve? What changes do residents seek to improve the quality of life in Alhambra? A clear theme of the survey results is that residents are focused on maintaining rather than changing the character of Alhambra. Nearly every resident surveyed held a positive opinion regarding the quality of life in the City, with 0% rating it as excellent or good, % stating it is fair, and just % using poor or very poor to describe the quality of life in Alhambra. The parks and recreational opportunities in Alhambra, the small town feel/sense of community involvement, the safety/low crime rate, and the wellkept appearance of the City were just some of the key things that residents feel make Alhambra a special place to live. These are the aspects of the City that residents value most, as well as those that they are most interested in preserving through the General Plan process. For more on this topic, see Quality of Life on page. Consistent with the aforementioned theme of maintaining the City s character, most of the changes that residents desire could more appropriately be described as efforts to preserve or enhance existing qualities of the City. When asked what they would most like to change about the City, oneinfive residents could not think of a desired change (%) or stated flatly that no changes were needed/everything is fine (%), both of which are indicative of a respondent who does not perceive any pressing issues or problems in Alhambra that can be addressed by local government. Among specific changes that were desired, the most common were managing growth and development (0%), improving public safety (%), reducing traffic congestion (%), providing affordable housing (%), improving local shopping/dining opportunities (%), and improving streets and roads (%). For more on this topic, see What Should We Change? on page. Although the related themes of preserving the City s character and managing growth and development were prominent in the survey, it should also be recognized that Alhambra residents are generally quite forwardthinking and recognize that some types of change would be good for the City. Economic development, in particular, was widely recognized to be a top priority for Alhambra both for the businesses and high paying it can attract to the City, as well as the revenues it will generate to help fund city services and capital improvements. City of Alhambra True rth Research, Inc

25 Many residents also felt Alhambra would benefit from more entertainment venues (music and arts), hotels, retail stores, and restaurants. It was striking that twothirds of Alhambra households reported that they spend less than 0% of their retail shopping dollars in the City of Alhambra, which undermines the local economy and the City s sales tax revenues. Among the businesses they currently patronize outside of the City that they would like to have available in Alhambra, the most desired were gourmet/organic grocery stores such as Trader Joe s or Whole Foods, restaurant chains like Red Lobster or Sizzler, traditional grocery stores such as Ralphs or Food for Less, and large discount stores including Sam s Club and WalMart. For more on these topics, see Land Use & Development on page 0 and Economic Development on page. Key Findings How do residents prioritize among various projects and programs the City is considering for its future? The objective of the General Plan is to identify residents shared vision for the City s future, identify and prioritize specific goals that are consistent with that vision, as well as develop policies to help the City achieve its goals. Because the City has limited resources, however, the survey asked residents to prioritize among a series of projects, programs, and policies that the City is considering for the future. What are residents views of traffic congestion and the City s efforts to improve mobility? Once again, residents struck a balance between enhancing existing City services, protecting the City s character/quality of life, and ensuring the health of the City s economy and job market. Among the items tested, residents assigned the highest priority to improving the flow of traffic in Alhambra (% citing it as at least a medium priority), followed by strengthening economic development programs that improve the local economy and increase the revenues needed to provide City services (%), requiring the use of environmentally friendly building practices when constructing or remodeling public buildings in the City (%), improving the maintenance of City streets and infrastructure (%), and attracting businesses that provide high salary to the community (%). For more on how residents prioritized among various potential initiatives, see Priorities on page. In nearly all southern California cities, traffic congestion ranks among the most pressing problems that residents would like local and regional governments to solve. The survey presented an opportunity to measure residents perceptions of traffic congestion in Alhambra, as well as their satisfaction with the City s efforts to improve circulation by improving roads and intersections, timing traffic signals, and other measures. Most residents had positive perceptions of traffic circulation in residential areas of Alhambra, with % describing it as excellent, % good, % fair, % poor, and % very poor. Perceptions of overall traffic circulation in the City were less favorable, with % describing it as excellent, 0% good, % fair, % poor, and % very poor. Traffic congestion on major streets in Alhambra, meanwhile, received the least favorable rat City of Alhambra True rth Research, Inc

26 ings, with % describing it as excellent, % good, % fair, % poor, and % very poor. Perceptions of traffic conditions in a city do not necessarily dictate how a resident will rate the city s performance in addressing traffic congestion. This is especially the case for cities like Alhambra where local traffic conditions are heavily impacted by regional traffic flows and incomplete infrastructure (0 Freeway). Despite recognizing that traffic congestion is a significant problem in Alhambra, more than twothirds of Alhambra residents stated they were either very (%) or somewhat (%) satisfied with the City s efforts to improve traffic circulation by improving roads and intersections, timing traffic signals, and other measures. Approximately onequarter were very (%) or somewhat (%) dissatisfied with the City s efforts to improve traffic circulation, whereas % were unsure or unwilling to share their opinion on this topic. Key Findings City of Alhambra True rth Research, Inc

27 Q U A L I T Y O F L I F E The opening series of questions in the survey was designed to assess residents top of mind perceptions about the quality of life in Alhambra, what they would most like to preserve about the city, as well as ways to improve the quality of life in Alhambra now and in the future. OVERALL QUALITY OF LIFE At the outset of the interview, respondents were asked to rate the quality of life in Alhambra using a fivepoint scale of excellent, good, fair, poor, or very poor. As shown in Figure below, 0% shared favorable opinions of the quality of life in Alhambra, with 0% reporting it is excellent and 0% stating it is good. Approximately % of respondents rated the quality of life in the city as fair, whereas just % used poor or very poor to describe the quality of life in Alhambra. Quality of Life Question How would you rate the overall quality of life in the City? Would you say it is excellent, good, fair, poor or very poor? FIGURE QUALITY OF LIFE Fair. Poor. Good. Very poor. 0. Excellent 0. For the interested reader, Figures show how ratings of the quality of life in Alhambra varied by age, the presence of children in the home, gender, length of residence, home ownership status, type of housing, ethnicity, and employment status. Although there was variation across subgroups such as new residents being more likely than their counterparts to rate the quality of life in the city as excellent the most striking pattern in the figures is one of consistency. At least 0% of residents in every identified subgroup rated the quality of life in Alhambra as excellent or good. FIGURE QUALITY OF LIFE BY AGE, CHILD IN HSLD & GENDER % Respondents Good Excellent to to to to to or more Age (QD) Child in Hsld (QD) City of Alhambra True rth Research, Inc

28 FIGURE QUALITY OF LIFE BY YEARS IN ALHAMBRA, HOME OWNERSHIP STATUS & HOME TYPE % Respondents Good. Excellent Quality of Life 0 to 0 to or more Apartment Years in City of Alhambra (Q) Status (QD) Home Type (QD) FIGURE QUALITY OF LIFE BY ETHNICITY & EMPLOYMENT STATUS % Respondents Good. Excellent / White Americ an Fulltime Parttime Student Between Ethnicity (QD) Employment Status (QD) WHAT SHOULD WE PRESERVE? The next question in this series asked residents to identify what they value most about Alhambra that should be preserved in the future. This question was posed in an openended manner, thereby allowing residents to mention any aspect or attribute that came to mind without being prompted by or restricted to a particular list of options. True rth later reviewed the verbatim responses and grouped them into the categories shown in Figure on the next page. Approximately 0% of respondents were unsure/unable to offer a specific aspect of Alhambra that the city government should make sure to preserve in the future. Among the specific suggestions that were offered, preserving parks and recreation opportunities (%), the small town feel/sense of community involvement (0%), and public safety/low crime rate (0%) were the most frequently mentioned. City of Alhambra True rth Research, Inc

29 Question What do you like most about Alhambra that the city government should make sure to preserve in the future? FIGURE LIKE MOST ABOUT ALHAMBRA & WANT TO SEE PRESERVED / Cannot think of anything Parks / Recreation opportunities Small town feel / Community involvement Public safety / Low crime rate Positive comments in general Cleanliness of City, infrastructure Restaurants, stores Cultural diversity Community programs, amenities Other (unique responses) Schools / Quality of education Proximity to areas, destinations outside City Limited growth, development Historical buildings Public transportation system Everything, do not change anything Downtown area Easy access to freeways Quality of Life % Respondents WHAT SHOULD WE CHANGE? In an openended manner similar to that described above for Question, all respondents were also asked to indicate the one thing that the city government could change to make Alhambra a better place to live. True rth reviewed the verbatim responses to Question and grouped them into the categories shown in Figure on the next page., the most common responses to this question were that they could not think of any desired changes (%) or that no changes were needed/everything is fine (%), both of which are indicative of a respondent who does not perceive any pressing issues or problems in the city that can be addressed by local government. Among specific changes that were desired, the most common were managing growth and development (0%), improving public safety (%), reducing traffic congestion (%), providing affordable housing (%), improving local shopping/dining opportunities (%), and improving streets and roads (%). other single issues were mentioned by at least % of respondents. City of Alhambra True rth Research, Inc

30 Question If the city government could change one thing to make Alhambra a better place to live, what change would you like to see? FIGURE CHANGES TO IMPROVE ALHAMBRA / Cannot think of anything Manage growth, development changes needed Improve public safety Reduce traffic congestion Provide affordable housing Improve shopping, dining options Improve streets, roads Improve parking Provide more entertainment, programs, events Address, complete 0 Freeway project Improve, maintain infrastructure Improve schools, education Other (unique responses) Improve government, leadership, process Address cultural, languages issues Provide more bike lanes Improve public transportation Improve assistance for elderly, disabled Improve Cityresident communication Address water issues Improve environmental efforts Ban fireworks Quality of Life 0 0 % Respondents City of Alhambra True rth Research, Inc

31 L A N D U S E & D E V E L O P M E N T The General Plan will help shape the nature of Alhambra s future development and redevelopment including the size, type, character and location of new developments and redevelopment projects as well as the pace at which these changes occur. Recognizing that opinions about development often hinge on the type of use being considered, Question sought to profile Alhambra residents opinions about a variety of different development types. After explaining that there are many properties in the City of Alhambra that have yet to be developed but will be developed in the future for residential and commercial purposes, respondents were presented with the development types shown on the left of Figure and asked for each type whether there is currently too much, about the right amount, or too little in Alhambra. Question w I'd like to ask you a few questions about planning and policy issues. There are a number of properties in Alhambra that have yet to be developed, but will be developed in the future for residential and commercial purposes. There are also existing properties that can be redeveloped to serve a different purpose. As I read the following list of development types, please tell me whether you feel there is currently too much, about the right amount, or too little of this type of development in Alhambra. Land Use & Development FIGURE OPINION OF PROPERTY TYPES IN CITY Too little About right Too much Qd Qj Qe Qf Qb Qi Qc Qh Qa Qg Entertainment uses such as music and arts Retail stores Hotels Traditional homes Hospital and medical offices Restaurants Commercial offices Apartments use, residential and commercial/office Condominiums % Respondents As expected, residents expressed quite different opinions depending on the type of development. Nearly twothirds (%) of residents indicated that there is currently too little entertainment uses such as music and arts, compared with % who said it was about right, and less than % who said there was too much. Many also viewed a deficiency in the amount of retail stores (%) and hotels (%) in Alhambra, followed by traditional homes (%) and hospital/ medical offices (%). City of Alhambra True rth Research, Inc

32 Although the majority of residents felt there was currently about the right amount of the other development types tested (or did not express an opinion either way), among those who felt the balance was not right the tendency was to perceive too much of this type of development already in Alhambra as opposed to too little. This was the case for condominiums (% too much vs. 0% too little), mixeduse (% vs. %), apartments (% vs. %), commercial offices (% vs. %), and restaurants (% vs. %). Land Use & Development City of Alhambra True rth Research, Inc

33 E C O N O M I C D E V E L O P M E N T A key challenge for all cities is to create sustainable economic development and redevelopment initiatives that will support the tax base required for current and future needs. Naturally, the success and sustainability of future retail economic initiatives depend in part on the shopping behaviors and preferences of Alhambra residents. Businesses that meet these preferences will thrive, whereas those that do not will not succeed. Accordingly, the survey included three questions to profile residents shopping behaviors and their desire for new shopping/dining opportunities in Alhambra. RETAIL SHOPPING BEHAVIOR The first question in this series was designed to profile residents retail shopping habits, focusing on the proportion of retail shopping dollars they spend within the City of Alhambra. As shown in Figure, nearly twothirds of Alhambra households reported that they spend less than 0% of their retail shopping dollars in the City of Alhambra, with % spending less than 0% of their retail shopping dollars in the City, and % spending between 0% and % of their retail shopping dollars in Alhambra. Approximately onethird (%) of Alhambra residents spend at least half of their retail shopping dollars in the City. Economic Development Question What percentage of your household's retail shopping dollars do you spend in the City of Alhambra? FIGURE HOUSEHOLD RETAIL SHOPPING DOLLARS SPENT IN CITY OF ALHAMBRA 0% to 00%.. 0%. 0% to %. 0% to %. Figures show how the local retail spending habits of Alhambra residents varied by age, the presence of children in the home, gender, length of residence, home ownership status, type of housing, ethnicity, and employment status. When compared to their respective counterparts, residents between and years of age, those with children in the home, females, individuals who have lived in Alhambra between and years, apartment dwellers, those of other/mixed ethnic backgrounds, and residents currently inbetween were the most likely to report spending at least 0% of their retail shopping dollars in the City of Alhambra. City of Alhambra True rth Research, Inc

34 FIGURE HOUSEHOLD RETAIL SHOPPING DOLLARS SPENT IN CITY OF ALHAMBRA BY AGE, CHILD IN HSLD & GENDER % Respondents Who Provided Opinion % 0 0% to % % to % % to 00% to to to to to or more Economic Development Age (QD) Child in Hsld (QD) FIGURE 0 HOUSEHOLD RETAIL SHOPPING DOLLARS SPENT IN CITY OF ALHAMBRA BY YEARS IN ALHAMBRA, HOME OWNERSHIP STATUS & HOME TYPE 00 % Respondents Who Provided Opinion to 0 to or more Apartment 0% 0% to % 0% to % 0% to 00% Years in City of Alhambra (Q) Status (QD) Home Type (QD) City of Alhambra True rth Research, Inc

35 FIGURE HOUSEHOLD RETAIL SHOPPING DOLLARS SPENT WITHIN CITY OF ALHAMBRA BY ETHNICITY & EMPLOYMENT STATUS % Respondents Who Provided Opinion / White.0 Americ an Fulltime Parttime Student Between 0% 0% to % 0% to % 0% to 00% Economic Development Ethnicity (QD) Employment Status (QD) DESIRE ADDITIONAL SHOPPING & DINING OPPORTUNITIES? All residents were next asked to indicate whether, among the retail stores and restaurants their household currently patronizes outside the City, there are any they would like to have available in Alhambra. Sixtyone percent (%) of residents ed this question in the affirmative (see Figure ), with residents between and years of age, those living with children, females, those who have lived in Alhambra between and years, Latinos, and fulltime employees expressing the most interest in attracting new retail and dining opportunities to the City (see Figures ). Question Thinking of the retail stores and restaurants that your household visits outside of the City, are there any that you would like to have available in Alhambra? FIGURE DESIRE ADDITIONAL STORES, RESTAURANTS IN ALHAMBRA 0.. Do not desire additional stores 0., desire additional stores 0. City of Alhambra True rth Research, Inc