This year’s annual community survey resulted in nearly 550 citizen responses and ratings on the City’s appearance, government, community services, neighborhoods, safety, and priorities over the next few years. This comprehensive analysis compares the data with two previous surveys done in 1998 and 2000, where applicable. Since many of the questions were the same, trends have developed. However, it is important to note that the rating scale for general questions was different in 1998. Our surveys now use an ‘average’-centered rating method, so that a standard middle point is established. As a result, it is easier for individuals to rate their experiences and for the City to compare findings over time.

Ratings
Respondents rated items (in italics) as: excellent (1), above average (2), average (3), below average (4), poor (5). For easier comparison, average or better ratings are combined, and the remaining percentage represents below average and poor ratings.

Graphs
Items that have been repeated in 1998, 2000, and 2002 are displayed as line graphs (trends). Comparisons between items in 2000 and 2002 are shown as side-by-side bar charts. A new item, City priorities, is shown as a column chart.

• City street conditions – a 12-point drop since 1998
• Vehicle traffic enforcement – a 12-point drop since 1998
• Coding/zoning regulation enforcement – a seven-point drop since 1998

Safety concerns at night have increased for:

• Coastal/Rec Trail: Wharf to Aquarium
• Lighthouse Avenue business district

Safety concerns at night have decreased for:

• Downtown Monterey.

• Satisfaction with programs for teens (high school) have increased seven points

Highest ratings (99-94% favorable)

• Fire services
• City park maintenance
• Library services
• Garbage collection/recycling
• Harbor/Marina services
• City beach maintenance
• City medians, greenbelts and street trees

Lowest ratings (67-79% favorable)

• Availability of parking in business districts
• Considers/listens to citizen comments/input
• Street conditions (City and neighborhood)
• Programs for teens (high school)
• Coding/zoning regulation enforcement
• Neighborhood police patrol
• Vehicle traffic enforcement

The top items selected by citizens from a list of eight priorities were:

• Encourage development of a plan to increase water supply
• Improve traffic management program
• Build multi- and single-family affordable housing
• Create more open space (e.g. Window on the Bay)

The most dominant theme in the open-ended comment section of the survey relates to traffic management, from how slow it moves to how fast people drive, but particularly the impact of the Defense Language Institution & Foreign Language Center & Presidio of Monterey closing to public traffic. The comments indicate that, in effect, this has cut the City in half, creating traffic problems elsewhere and reducing commerce.

• Concerns about traffic
• Thanks to individual City employees, groups, the City and for the survey
• Concerns about local schools
• Concerns about affordable housing
• Concerns about Cannery Row
• Concerns about neighbors’ property upkeep
• Complaints about behavior of military guards at periphery of neighborhoods

Sample comments will be provided as they apply to each section of the report.

• Citizens appreciate the opportunity to voice their opinions about their City. They would like surveys and other forums to address issues on which the City Council decides.

• The trend data that the City has collected makes it easier to identify areas that are improving, such as programs for teens and the safety of Downtown Monterey, as well as those with less favorable ratings such as City street conditions and traffic management.

• Citizens are clearly concerned about water management and traffic management as important issues facing the community. Citizens seem supportive of efforts to improve transportation, from buses and trains to bike lanes on major streets.

• The closure of DLI to public traffic has seriously impacted citizens, as expressed in the survey. Citizens request negotiations with the military, both to alleviate this problem as well as to address the military’s respect of the neighborhoods.

• The City has strong support and approval for maintaining its beauty and charm. Its services, maintenance of public areas, programs for citizens and preservation of open space and historic resources are highly esteemed.

• Some of the comments suggest that many citizens are not clear about the distinction of the City’s role relative to the School District (MPUSD), the Water Management District (MPWMD), and other agencies. A future issue of City Focus might provide clarification for citizens.

• The Fire Department, again the highest rated item on the survey, received 36% "excellent" ratings and not a single "poor" rating. Library services, garbage collection/recycling and City park maintenance, all received "excellent" ratings from one third of respondents.