Several months ago I made one of my first FOIA request for Town of Christiansburg information. I wanted to find out about the process they used to write their comprehensive plan. I did receive a copy of the data that they used as citizen input. It came from a 1998 Citizen Satisfaction Survey and was used as the basis for the 2003 Comprehensive Plan. (copies of data and survey form used are available upon request OR simply use the Citizen Satisfaction Survey Form Used for Comprehensive Plan or the Citizen Survey Data links on the
citizens information website comprehensive plan site).
(BASED on 1998 Survey)
Number of respondents =1027 |
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Question 1: How satisfied are you in regards to the following Town services? |
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5=VERY SATISFIED |
4 (not labeled) |
3=SATISFIED |
2 (not labeled) |
1=NOT VERY SATISFIED |
0=no answer |
TOTAL |
Police Protection |
28.14% |
21.91% |
38.07% |
5.16% |
3.12% |
3.60% |
100.00% |
Fire Protection |
37.39% |
21.81% |
34.57% |
0.68% |
0.88% |
4.67% |
100.00% |
Rescue Services |
40.39% |
22.44% |
29.17% |
1.95% |
0.98% |
5.07% |
100.00% |
Parks and Recreation |
26.90% |
21.64% |
30.31% |
9.36% |
4.78% |
7.02% |
100.00% |
Planning and Zoning |
7.79% |
11.59% |
38.56% |
17.33% |
14.51% |
10.22% |
100.00% |
Water and Sewer |
13.34% |
15.29% |
38.75% |
14.12% |
13.53% |
4.97% |
100.00% |
Street Maintenance |
12.57% |
14.13% |
40.64% |
16.28% |
11.89% |
4.48% |
100.00% |
Garbage Collection |
23.86% |
20.35% |
37.49% |
4.28% |
5.06% |
8.96% |
100.00% |
Municipal Bldg. Administrative Services |
17.62% |
20.06% |
45.57% |
5.45% |
4.38% |
6.91% |
100.00% |
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Question 2: How do you view the follosing fees/rates in relation to quality of services? |
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5-HIGH |
4 (not labeled) |
3=ABOUT RIGHT |
2 (not labeled) |
1=LOW |
0=no answer |
TOTAL |
Water service fees |
21.23% |
14.02% |
53.65% |
3.31% |
2.04% |
5.74% |
100.00% |
Sewer service fees |
41.29% |
15.09% |
29.89% |
2.53% |
2.43% |
8.76% |
100.00% |
Garbage Collection fees |
18.60% |
12.56% |
54.14% |
3.31% |
1.27% |
10.13% |
100.00% |
Tax Rates |
24.15% |
18.21% |
46.84% |
4.58% |
2.14% |
4.09% |
100.00% |
Building Permits Fees |
8.88% |
7.90% |
53.85% |
2.34% |
1.37% |
25.66% |
100.00% |
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Question 3. How do you view the quantity of the following private development types in Christiansburg? |
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5=TOO MUCH |
4 (not labeled) |
3=ADEQUATE |
2 (not labeled) |
1=NOT ENOUGH |
0=no answer |
TOTAL |
Retail establishments |
10.71% |
13.53% |
53.55% |
7.69% |
7.89% |
6.62% |
100.00% |
Restuarants |
11.88% |
17.33% |
50.15% |
9.15% |
6.52% |
4.97% |
100.00% |
Professional (doctors, lawyers, etc.) |
6.43% |
15.68% |
63.29% |
6.13% |
3.51% |
4.97% |
100.00% |
Single-family housing |
2.73% |
11.00% |
61.25% |
9.83% |
6.72% |
8.47% |
100.00% |
Multi-family housing |
11.78% |
15.48% |
51.61% |
7.40% |
4.28% |
9.44% |
100.00% |
Industrial |
4.00% |
8.67% |
43.47% |
17.64% |
17.74% |
8.48% |
100.00% |
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Question 4. How do you view the quality of the following private development types in Christiansburg? |
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5=HIGH QUALITY |
4 (not labeled) |
3-ADEQUATE |
2 (not labeled) |
1-LOW QUALITY |
0=no answer |
TOTAL |
Retail establishments |
4.97% |
15.58% |
59.01% |
10.61% |
3.21% |
6.62% |
100.00% |
Restuarants |
8.18% |
20.84% |
54.92% |
8.57% |
2.24% |
5.26% |
100.00% |
Professional (doctors, lawyers, etc.) |
8.28% |
21.03% |
57.64% |
5.65% |
1.85% |
5.55% |
100.00% |
Single-family housing |
2.92% |
16.85% |
58.81% |
8.18% |
3.31% |
9.93% |
100.00% |
Multi-family housing |
2.53% |
12.85% |
55.70% |
13.73% |
4.48% |
10.71% |
100.00% |
Industrial |
2.82% |
12.07% |
56.57% |
11.68% |
5.74% |
11.10% |
100.00% |
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Question 5. How do you view the quality of life in Christiansburg in comparison to similar sized communities? |
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5=Much Higher |
4 (not labeled) |
3=About the Same |
2 (not labeled) |
1=Much Lower |
0=no answer |
TOTAL |
Quality of life |
10.22% |
32.91% |
41.87% |
8.76% |
2.34% |
3.89% |
100.00% |
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Question 6. During the six years from 1990 to 1996, Christiansburg experienced 4.6% growth in population (compared to 7.7% for Virginia and 6.6% for the United States). This is a yearly average growth of 0.8% (compared to 1.3% for Virginia and 1.1% for the United States. Do you feel this is: |
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5=Too High |
4 (not labeled) |
3=Appropriate |
2 (not labeled) |
1=Too Low |
0=no answer |
TOTAL |
Growth Rate |
9.18% |
11.52% |
66.70% |
5.96% |
2.54% |
4.10% |
100.00% |
Now, while looking at these questions and the summary information presented remember that a Comprehensive Plan is used to evaluate future growth patterns. You will find that all of the questions pertain to conditions as they existed in 1998. Although only part of the questions were used here, NONE of the questions asked about how people wanted to see the town in 5, 10, 20, 30 years (the object of a Comprehensive Plan). At the time the Comprehensive Plan was adapted, the data used was already 5 years old.
Since 1998, there have been HUGE changes in the Town of Christiansburg. I would like to know how citizens would rate there satisfaction with these issues today. The data above represents a nice snapshot of the way things use to be but tell us nothing of how people at that time wanted Christiansburg to grow and develop.
Maybe it is time for a new look at the comprehensive planning process in Christiansburg and try to be a little bit progressive by looking towards the future in stead of the past to decide what the Town will become. Maybe it is time to ask current citizens about their satisfaction with Town services.