Survey offered New Albany residents a voice

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CityScene – June 27, 2018

The City of New Albany recently retained central Ohio research firm Saperstein Associates to conduct a resident survey, seeking responses to questions pertaining to citizens’ quality of life, services, desires and concerns. This feedback provides guidance to city leaders about how they are doing today and what residents may desire in the future. In all, Saperstein Associates talked to 316 randomly selected residents from Feb. 19 through March 4, a representative sample that is very similar to New Albany’s entire adult population.

Quality of Life
In their own words, residents praised New Albany as safe, beautiful, convenient and well-maintained with a small-town feel, a strong sense of community and quality schools.

  • 99 percent feel safe living in New Albany.
  • 96 percent view New Albany as vibrant and attractive.
  • 91 percent view New Albany as a desirable place to live.
  • 85 percent view New Albany as unlike any other central Ohio community.
  • 83 percent feel New Albany is heading in the right direction.

While the majority of residents do not believe there are too few housing options for millennials, 50 percent of residents aged 18-34 believe there should be more housing options for millennials.
While the majority of residents do not believe there are too few housing options for empty nesters, 49 percent of residents aged 55 or older believe there should be more diverse housing options.

Services
Satisfaction with city services rate very high, especially police protection, refuse collection, snow removal and management of architectural standards for new construction.

  • 96 percent are satisfied with the city’s police services.
  • 95 percent are satisfied with trash, recycling and waste collection.
  • 95 percent are satisfied with snow removal on main roads (89 percent are satisfied with removal on neighborhood roads).
  • 90 percent are satisfied with management of architectural standards for new construction.
  • 80 percent are satisfied with recruitment of business to expand the tax base as well as development of park land.
  • 80 percent are satisfied with efforts to keep residents informed; 61 percent are satisfied with efforts to seek input and feedback; and 56 percent think the city does a good job of listening to concerns.

Market Square/Village Center

  • Nearly six out of 10 would like more family friendly, casual dining restaurants in the Village Center.
  • Just over six out of 10 believe there are an appropriate number of parking spaces.
  • Most agree that the Jeanne B. McCoy Community Center for the Arts is an excellent performing arts venue.

In their own words, residents described taxes (especially property taxes), maintaining the quality and safety of schools, and traffic as their largest concerns, followed by general growth, school overcrowding, general safety and growth in apartments.

Potential Initiatives
Residents had the opportunity to rank five potential community initiatives – field house or multipurpose sports facility, food waste recycling, more park land, leisure trails, or senior programs – as their top priority. None of the initiatives tested appear to satisfy a deeply-felt, widespread need.

To review the full presentation of Saperstein’s Community Attitudes Survey to City Council, visit www.newalbanyohio.org/answers/survey.