Result Summary for Survey:Whitingham Community Survey 2008

Whitingham Community Survey 2008

1. Your age?
		Response Percent	Response Count
Under 20		1.6%	2
20-29		1.6%	2
30-39		11.2%	14
40-49		17.6%	22
50-59		30.4%	38
60-69		24.0%	30
70 or over		16.8%	21
	answered question		125
	skipped question		6

2. Are you a year round resident of Whitingham?
		Response Percent	Response Count
Yes		71.2%	89
No		28.8%	36
	answered question		125
	skipped question		6

3. Do you own land in Whitingham?
		Response Percent	Response Count
Yes		96.0%	119
No		4.0%	5
	answered question		124
	skipped question		7

4. Do you work in Whitingham?
		Response Percent	Response Count
Yes		19.2%	24
No		81.6%	102
	answered question		125
	skipped question		6

5. What is your employment status?
		Response Percent	Response Count
Employed		50.0%	62
Self-employed		17.7%	22
Retired		29.0%	36
Student		0.0%	0
Unemployed		4.8%	6
	answered question		124
	skipped question		7

6. In general, what are the three things you like about Whitingham?
		Response Percent	Response Count
Natural beauty		75.2%	94
Access to recreational activities		27.2%	34
Job opportunities		0.0%	0
Cultural attractions		1.6%	2
Property value appreciation		3.2%	4
Quality of life in the community		38.4%	48
Public Transportation (the Moover)		7.2%	9
Lack of urban congestion		47.2%	59
Small town atmosphere		70.4%	88
Slow pace of life		34.4%	43
Educational system		3.2%	4
Other (please specify)			6
	answered question		125
	skipped question		6

7. What three things do you like least about Whitingham?
		Response Percent	Response Count
Rapid developement		21.4%	27
Job opportunites		39.7%	50
Pollution		2.4%	3
Lack of recreational attractions		10.3%	13
Educational system		17.5%	22
Quality of life in the community		3.2%	4
Rundown areas of town		47.6%	60
Excessive traffic		13.5%	17
Public transportation		8.7%	11
Lack of affordable housing		17.5%	22
Taxes		65.1%	82
Other (please specify)			20
	answered question		126
	skipped question		5

8. Should the historical resources and architectural character of town be protected?
		Response Percent	Response Count
Yes		88.1%	111
No		1.6%	2
Not sure		10.3%	13
	answered question		126
	skipped question		5

9. Is parking adequate in the Village of Jacksonville?
		Response Percent	Response Count
Yes		43.4%	56
No		48.1%	62
Not sure		9.3%	12
	answered question		129
	skipped question		2

10. If you answered "No", should additional parking areas be created in the Village of Jacksonville?
		Response Percent	Response Count
Yes		65.8%	50
No		11.8%	9
Not sure		22.4%	17
	answered question		76
	skipped question		55

11. Is parking adequate in the Village of Whitingham?
		Response Percent	Response Count
Yes		48.8%	62
No		27.6%	35
Not sure		23.6%	30
	answered question		127
	skipped question		4

12. If you answered "No", should additional parking areas be created in the Village of Whitingham?
		Response Percent	Response Count
Yes		53.8%	28
No		13.5%	7
Not sure		32.7%	17
	answered question		52
	skipped question		79

13. Should we encourage the management of productive agricultural lands in the town plan?
		Response Percent	Response Count
Yes		72.7%	93
No		4.7%	6
Not sure		22.7%	29
	answered question		128
	skipped question		3

14. Should we encourage the management of productive forests in our town plan?
		Response Percent	Response Count
Yes		76.0%	95
No		4.0%	5
Not sure		20.0%	25
	answered question		125
	skipped question		6

15. Are you satisfied or dissatisfied with the current level of services?
	Satisfied	Dissatisfied	Response Count
Fire protection	98.3% (119)	1.7% (2)	121
Police protection	57.5% (69)	42.5% (51)	120
Education system	62.3% (66)	37.7% (40)	106
Road maintenance	93.6% (117)	6.4% (8)	125
Snow removal	93.5% (115)	7.3% (9)	123
Recreational Opportunities	76.9% (90)	23.1% (27)	117
Health Services	76.1% (83)	23.9% (26)	109
Library	91.1% (102)	8.9% (10)	112
Traffic control	75.7% (81)	24.3% (26)	107
Transfer station/recycling	87.9% (102)	12.1% (14)	116
Affordable housing	54.6% (53)	45.4% (44)	97
Ambulance service	83.2% (94)	16.8% (19)	113
	answered question		127
	skipped question		4

16. How important are the following criteria in evaluating new development in town? Please rank from 1 to 5 (1 is most important);
	1	2	3	4	5	Rating Average	Response Count
Effect on adjacent property	56.9% (70)	22.8% (28)	16.3% (20)	1.6% (2)	2.4% (3)	1.70	123
Tax benefits to town	43.3% (52)	20.8% (25)	27.5% (33)	5.8% (7)	2.5% (3)	2.03	120
employment and business opportunities created	38.5% (45)	23.1% (27)	22.2% (26)	8.5% (10)	7.7% (9)	2.24	117
Increased burden on town services	33.1% (39)	29.7% (35)	22.9% (27)	7.6% (9)	6.8% (8)	2.25	118
Increased population	28.7% (33)	27.8% (32)	26.1% (30)	12.2% (14)	5.2% (6)	2.37	115
Effect on natural environment	60.0% (72)	25.8% (31)	8.3% (10)	3.3% (4)	2.5% (3)	1.63	120
Social and cultural benefits	16.2% (19)	35.0% (41)	32.5% (38)	8.5% (10)	7.7% (9)	2.56	117
Long term planning	41.0% (50)	34.4% (42)	13.1% (16)	5.7% (7)	5.7% (7)	2.01	122
Increased traffic	33.9% (40)	29.7% (35)	24.6% (29)	5.9% (7)	5.9% (7)	2.20	118
Overall density	38.1% (43)	30.1% (34)	23.0% (26)	6.2% (7)	2.7% (3)	2.05	113
Loss of agricultural land	51.2% (63)	24.4% (30)	17.9% (22)	4.1% (5)	2.4% (3)	1.82	123
	answered question						125
	skipped question						6

17. Are you concerned about how the following environmental issues affect Whitingham? Please rank from 1 to 5 (1 is most important);
	1	2	3	4	5	Rating Average	Response Count
Loss of agriculture	51.2% (64)	25.6% (32)	13.6% (17)	6.4% (8)	3.2% (4)	1.85	125
Visual pollution (signs, windmills, etc.)	24.8% (30)	21.5% (26)	22.3% (27)	13.2% (16)	18.2% (22)	2.79	121
Ground water pollution	60.8% (76)	24.0% (30)	8.8% (11)	1.6% (2)	4.8% (6)	1.66	125
Air pollution	47.5% (58)	28.7% (35)	13.9% (17)	3.3% (4)	6.6% (8)	1.93	122
destruction of wildlife resources	59.7% (74)	27.4% (34)	7.3% (9)	3.2% (4)	2.4% (3)	1.61	124
Wastewater treatment	43.8% (53)	29.8% (36)	18.2% (22)	3.3% (4)	5.0% (6)	1.96	121
Solid waste management	47.2% (58)	29.3% (36)	17.9% (22)	4.1% (5)	1.6% (2)	1.84	123
Traffic	28.9% (35)	30.6% (37)	24.8% (30)	7.4% (9)	8.3% (10)	2.36	121
Junk on properties	56.2% (68)	19.0% (23)	7.4% (9)	9.1% (11)	8.3% (10)	1.94	121
	answered question						128
	skipped question						3

18. How important are the following kinds of development to our town?
	Important	Not important	Response Count
Professional services (Lawyers, Doctors, etc.)	44.8% (56)	55.2% (69)	125
Motels, inns, restaurants	43.2% (54)	56.8% (71)	125
Tourist/recreation attractions	52.8% (66)	47.2% (59)	125
Light industry (Offices, small manufacturing)	60.3% (76)	39.7% (50)	126
Heavy industry (factories, etc.)	12.1% (15)	87.9% (109)	124
Agriculture	91.4% (117)	8.6% (11)	128
Retail shops	50.8% (61)	49.2% (59)	120
Craft/art shops	69.0% (87)	31.0% (39)	126
Home occupations	66.4% (83)	33.6% (42)	125
Educational institutions	66.4% (81)	33.6% (41)	122
Health care facilities	54.9% (67)	45.1% (55)	122
Single family homes	83.9% (104)	16.1% (20)	124
Multi family homes	39.2% (47)	60.8% (73)	120
Affordable housing	73.8% (93)	26.2% (33)	126
Vacation homes	54.0% (67)	46.0% (57)	124
	answered question		129
	skipped question		2

19. What type of development would you support in the residential areas of town?
	Yes	No	Not sure	Response Count
Professional services (Lawyers, Doctors, etc.)	62.8% (76)	28.1% (34)	9.1% (11)	121
Motels, inns, restaurants	34.7% (42)	43.0% (52)	22.3% (27)	121
Tourist/recreation attractions	43.7% (52)	36.1% (43)	20.2% (24)	119
Light industry (Offices, small manufacturing)	51.2% (62)	40.5% (49)	8.3% (10)	121
Heavy industry (factories, etc.)	5.8% (7)	85.0% (102)	9.2% (11)	120
Agriculture	84.6% (104)	8.9% (11)	6.5% (8)	123
Retail shops	47.9% (57)	39.5% (47)	12.6% (15)	119
Craft/art shops	67.2% (80)	21.8% (26)	10.9% (13)	119
Home occupations	71.9% (87)	12.4% (15)	15.7% (19)	121
Educational institutions	54.6% (65)	26.9% (32)	18.5% (22)	119
Health care facilities	52.5% (62)	28.8% (34)	18.6% (22)	118
Single family homes	91.7% (110)	6.7% (8)	1.7% (2)	120
Multi family homes	43.7% (52)	42.0% (50)	14.3% (17)	119
Affordable housing	67.2% (80)	20.2% (24)	12.6% (15)	119
Vacation homes	62.8% (76)	28.1% (34)	9.1% (11)	121
	answered question			125
	skipped question			6

20. What types of land-use patterns would you prefer for housing development? Please rank from 1 to 5 (1 most important)
	1	2	3	4	5	Rating Average	Response Count
Large single family lots	50.9% (59)	19.8% (23)	14.7% (17)	6.9% (8)	7.8% (9)	2.01	116
Clustered housing with large plots of open land	20.4% (23)	19.5% (22)	24.8% (28)	12.4% (14)	23.0% (26)	2.98	113
High density near villages	21.1% (24)	20.2% (23)	28.9% (33)	8.8% (10)	21.1% (24)	2.89	114
High density in specific areas outside of villages	13.0% (14)	11.1% (12)	32.4% (35)	14.8% (16)	28.7% (31)	3.35	108
Other (please specify)							3
	answered question						121
	skipped question						10

21. Should the Town Planning and Zoning Regulations encourage specific kinds of housing?
		Response Percent	Response Count
Yes		48.0%	60
No		13.6%	17
Not sure		38.4%	48
	answered question		125
	skipped question		6

22. Large tracts of undeveloped land are important for agriculture, the environment and wildlife. Would you support any of the following methods to preserve land?
	Yes	No	Not sure	Response Count
Purchase of lands by the town	63.4% (78)	17.1% (21)	19.5% (24)	123
Purchase, donation or transfer of development rights (land trust, current use, etc.)	74.4% (90)	10.7% (13)	14.9% (18)	121
Adjust zoning in those areas	60.8% (73)	20.8% (25)	18.3% (22)	120
No changes are needed	25.6% (23)	24.4% (22)	50.0% (45)	90
Other (please specify)				1
	answered question			129
	skipped question			2

23. What kinds of recreation should the town improve or develop over the next five years? Select no more then three;
	3 Choices	Response Count
Playgrounds	100.0% (29)	29
Campsites	100.0% (13)	13
Picnic areas	100.0% (27)	27
Ice skating	100.0% (15)	15
Swimming areas	100.0% (50)	50
Hiking trails	100.0% (51)	51
pedestrian paths	100.0% (30)	30
Equestrian trails	100.0% (6)	6
Snowmobile trails	100.0% (13)	13
ATV trails	100.0% (9)	9
Basketball courts	100.0% (3)	3
Tennis courts	100.0% (8)	8
Baseball/softball fields	100.0% (10)	10
Soccer fields	100.0% (2)	2
Nature study areas	100.0% (27)	27
Youth center	100.0% (28)	28
hunting	100.0% (8)	8
Shooting range	100.0% (11)	11
Lake access boat launch areas	100.0% (43)	43
Other (please specify)		7
	answered question	127
	skipped question	4

24. Currently, commercial development is only allowed in the village areas. The reason for this is to put commercial development on the town sewer lines. To facilitate commercial development in the villages, minimum lot size is at 1/4 acre.Do you support keeping commercial development in the villages?
		Response Percent	Response Count
Yes		64.8%	83
No		17.2%	22
Not sure		18.0%	23
	answered question		128
	skipped question		3

25. Should Whitingham consider hiring a full time law enforcement officer?
		Response Percent	Response Count
Yes		37.8%	48
No		34.6%	44
Not sure		27.6%	35
	answered question		127
	skipped question		4

26. Zoning is only effective if its enforced. Knowing that enforcement may create legal costs to the town, do you think Whitingham should enforce its zoning regulations as strictly as possible?
		Response Percent	Response Count
Yes		54.0%	68
No		13.5%	17
Not sure		32.5%	41
	answered question		126
	skipped question		5

27. Do you think the current level of zoning enforcement is
		Response Percent	Response Count
Too lax		25.9%	28
Too stict		7.4%	8
About right		66.7%	72
	answered question		108
	skipped question		23

28. Please make any comments or suggestions regarding future development in town not covered by this survey.
		Response Count
		29
	answered question	29
	skipped question	102