Parkites are displeased with growth, the National Community Survey, conducted in late 2022 and early 2023, shows.
The results would likely not surprise longtime Parkites after decades of disputes about developments of all sizes, from neighborhood-level quarrels to years-long, community-wide debates.
The growth discussions typically encompass a wide range of issues that stretch well beyond any individual parcel of land where a project is proposed. Topics like traffic generation, the loss of open space and the design of buildings typically garner attention in growth debates.
The National Community Survey for the first time inquired about certain aspects of growth, and the results to two of the questions were quite low.
Just 26% provided a positive answer to a question inquiring about well-planned residential growth. The figure was 28% when the survey asked about well-planned commercial growth. Forty-nine percent provided a positive answer when asked about well-designed neighborhoods.
The number jumped when the survey asked about the preservation of the community’s historical or cultural character, a question that can be seen as relating to the broader topic of growth. The percent positive was 75%.
However, a question about the overall quality of new development resulted in a 35% positive response, the lowest of five surveys dating to 2011. The number tumbled 25 percentage points from the 60% in 2011.
In a related question, the survey asked Parkites to rate the quality of land use, planning and zoning. Those functions of the municipal government are central to growth matters. The percent positive response was 43%, the lowest of the five surveys.