Strategic Plan Community Survey

City Council, as part of its effort to update the City's Strategic Plan, commissioned a demographically and geographically balanced survey of the community in July of 2004. The survey, conducted by Dan Jones & Associates, an independent public opinion research firm, asked 400 respondents for their ideas about the future of the community. As you might expect, opinions varied. Complete results of the survey are available, but here are the highlights.

How would you rate Grand Junction as a place to live?

Overall, most residents enjoy living in Grand Junction. Specifically, nine out of ten respondents rate Grand Junction as an excellent (28%), very good (46%), or good (19%) place to live. People tend to say that they give Grand Junction the rating they did because it is a great place to live (12%), it has a small-town feel (11%), good climate and weather (9%), and lived here a long time (9%).

Unaided, residents affirm that the things they most like about living in Grand Junction are the climate/weather (21%), scenery/mountains/outdoors (12%), location/convenience (9%), recreational opportunities (9%), and the size of the town (8%). In the 2002 study, climate/weather (29%) and scenery/mountains/outdoors (12%) were also the top two responses. Some of the things that residents like least about living in Grand Junction include: traffic (13%), weather (10%), population growth (9%), low wages (9%), and politics/bureaucracy (7%). In the 2002 survey, traffic (23%) and weather (13%) were also the top two responses.

According to residents, the most important issue facing Grand Junction today is growth (32%), traffic (10%), and water/drought (8%). In 2002, nearly one-half of respondents (49%) mentioned growth as the most important issue facing Grand Junction, noticeably higher than the 32% recorded in 2004. Respondents indicate that they are very concerned about the transient population in Grand Junction (5.22), population growth (5.15), the local economy (5.07), indicated by mean scores above five on a 1-7 scale where one is not at all concerned and seven is very concerned. Residents are moderately concerned about a safe and healthy environment for youth (4.82), affordable housing (4.81), agricultural lands (4.60), open spaces (4.45), physical appearance of Grand Junction (4.42), a small-town atmosphere (4.33), the transportation system (4.25), and air quality (4.11), indicated by mean scores between four and five on the 1-7 scale. In comparison, respondents are not quite as concerned about culture and arts (3.96), neighborhood parks (3.75), and neighborhoods in general (3.64), given the mean scores between three and four on the 1-7 scale. Interestingly, residents are not nearly as concerned about most issues as they were in 2002, although some of this could be explained by the change in completed interviews by Zip Code. The only area where they appear to be more concerned is with the transient population in Grand Junction.

What would you consider to be the most important issue facing Grand Junction today?

The Youth of Grand Junction

Residents indicate that they would like to see the Youth Council work on more activities for kids (14%), a recreation or activity center (8%), sports activities (7%), and drug/alcohol prevention (6%). Four in five respondents (81%) declare that they would definitely or probably like to see more youth programs or activities implemented in Grand Junction, with responses leaning toward definitely. Some of the things that people would like to see implemented include: more activities (14%), more sports or outdoor programs (14%), a recreation center (14%), education programs such as art and drama (7%), and a safe place for kids to go (6%).

Keeping the Small-Town Feel in Grand Junction

There continues to be a consensus among 64% of residents that Grand Junction has a small-town feel. Respondents tend to say that Grand Junction has a small-town feel because of good/friendly people (20%), Main Street and downtown (16%), knowing people (15%), events (7%), and population (7%). Among those who feel that Grand Junction does not have a small-town feel, they say that the growth/population (35%), traffic (29%), and commercial building (6%) detract from it. Four in five residents (81%) confirm that it is very important or somewhat important to them that Grand Junction has that small-town character, up eight percentage points in the past two years.

     In your opinion, does Grand Junction have a small-town feel?

Other Important Issues in Grand Junction

Economy. Similar to 2002 findings, a slim majority of residents (51%) rate the overall economy of Grand Junction as excellent or good, with responses leaning toward good. One-third of those interviewed (35%) continue to describe the economy of Grand Junction as fair, while 11% maintain that it is poor. As might be expected, a high percentage of people (92%) think that the City of Grand Junction should definitely or probably work to promote better paying jobs in Grand Junction, with responses leaning heavily toward definitely.

Transportation. Residents report that they are most concerned about traffic (20%), public transportation (16%), congestion (7%), and inadequate roads (7%) – many of the same transportation concerns that were expressed in 2002. When asked to rate Grand Junction on the pedestrian system, bus system, and bicycle system, residents give the city its highest ratings for the pedestrian system (sidewalks and walking paths). Specifically, three-fourths of respondents (75%) rate the pedestrian system in Grand Junction as good or excellent, with responses leaning toward good. Slightly less than one-half of those interviewed rate the bus system (49%) and bicycle system (46%) as good or excellent; once again, responses lean toward good. It is important to keep in mind that one-fourth of respondents acknowledge that they don’t know how they would rate the bus system. Compared to 2002, ratings have improved considerably for the pedestrian system while dropping slightly for the bus system and bicycle system.

Two-thirds of those polled (67%) confirm that they are very satisfied or somewhat satisfied with the road system in Grand Junction, up nine percentage points in the past two years. When asked for suggestions of what the City could do to improve transportation for the future, respondents suggest better planning (10%), build more roads (9%), improve the bus system (8%), limit road construction (7%), and widen roads (6%). A significant percentage of residents (18%) admit that they don’t know how the City could improve future transportation.

Housing. Residents are divided over whether or not there is adequate affordable housing in Grand Junction. Less than one-half of those interviewed (46%) claim that there definitely is not or probably is not enough affordable housing in Grand Junction. Slightly fewer people (44%) think that there is definitely or probably adequate affordable housing in Grand Junction. Two years ago, a noticeably higher percentage of people felt that Grand Junction had enough affordable housing (54%) compared to those who believe there was not (37%). As might be expected, a high percentage of residents (78%) think that the City of Grand Junction should work to promote affordable housing for the citizens of Grand Junction. Nearly three-fourths of respondents (72%) declare that the City of Grand Junction should definitely or probably develop programs to assist its neighborhoods. The types of programs that residents would like to see developed include: Neighborhood Watch (15%), low-income housing 8%), as well as clean-ups and weed control (8%). Three in ten respondents (29%) acknowledge that they don’t know what types of programs should be developed that would allow Grand Junction to assist its neighborhoods.

In your opinion, is there adequate affordable housing in Grand Junction?

Improving the Appearance of the City

Four in five residents (82%) declare that they are very satisfied or somewhat satisfied with the aesthetic appearance of the city, similar to the percentage that said the same thing in 2002. It is worth mentioning the increase among those who are very satisfied with the aesthetic appearance, increasing from 20% in 2002 to 27% in 2004. On the other hand, one in six people (16%) maintain that they are very dissatisfied or somewhat dissatisfied with the aesthetic appearance of Grand Junction, changing little since the last survey. Some of the suggestions that residents give to improve the appearance of the city include: landscaping (10%), keep the city clean (7%), and improve the entrance to the city (6%).