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Community Survey 2003 -
Comprehensive
Summary
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More than 250 citizens responded to this year’s
survey, sent out in the City Focus. Three issues were addressed in
ten questions:
Storm Water Management
Most raters said they know how to
dispose of yard waste, household hazardous waste and kitchen grease and that
they know the difference between sewers and storm drains. About 66% of
respondents know how to dispose of used car oil; less than 50% know the laws
regarding storm drains and the laws that pertain to blowing yard waste in
the street. Only one in five know whom to call if someone is breaking storm
drain laws.
In the 2001 survey, community members were asked what they knew about
stormwater management. In the 2003 survey, four of these items were repeated
and an additional four items were added. Most respondents said that they
know how to dispose of yard/landscaping waste, household hazardous waste and
kitchen grease and that they know the difference between sewers and storm
drains. About 66% of respondents know how to dispose of used car oil, as
compared to 80% in 2001. Less than 50% know the laws regarding storm drains
and those that pertain to blowing yard waste in the street. Only one in five
(20%) knows whom to call if someone is breaking storm drain laws.
Sample Comments on Stormwater Management
- Almost none of my neighbors know these or about
recycling at all.
- Publicize toxic waste curb pickup once or twice a year.
- Please reinstate recycling bins in Cannery Row and
around City.
- The things I don’t know the gardener knows or I haven’t
found a need to know.
- Congrats on our wonderful landfill and recycling
efforts.
- I learned a lot by reading here how to dispose of oil.
It would also be nice if you write about the other items.
- Need easy-to-access info about hazardous waste
disposal.
Sample Comments on Stormwater Management Continued
- If you trimmed the trees properly there would be a lot
less sidewalk and yard waste.
- Didn’t know there were laws on these.
- It is important to inform public on how to dispose of
prescription medications without polluting the Bay or endangering
wildlife.
- Please print in next City Focus.
- I’d like this information.
- The Marina Recycling Center is very helpful. So is
Monterey Disposal when it comes to recycling questions.
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Traffic Management
According to respondents, prohibiting left
turns off Lighthouse Avenue has restricted ease of access to neighborhoods
in that area; however, traffic flow and congestion have dramatically
increased for more than half of these travelers. Fourteen of the 23 business
owners who returned the survey said it made business worse.
In the 2002 Community Survey, respondents identified traffic management
as a top priority for the City. In May 2003, the City prohibited left-hand
turns off Lighthouse Avenue. Community members and business owners were
asked to rate the impact of this change on a number of factors. Virtually
all respondents had driven on Lighthouse Avenue since the restrictions were
in place.
Business owners who responded (23) were much more negative about all
factors, particularly the influence on access to their business. Other
community members, however, did not have the same response; they indicated a
huge improvement in congestion and traffic flow at all times – during
commutes, weekdays and weekends. Access to the Aquarium/Cannery Row and
parking/shopping on Lighthouse Avenue has remained the same for more than
half of respondents. Access to neighborhoods appears worse to almost half of
respondents as a result of the change.
Sample Comments on Traffic Management
- Still many drivers attempt left turns.
- Time traffic lights and increase Lighthouse green-light
time.
- When will Hawthorne St. be one-way south?
- Resurface Foam St. and make street above Lighthouse
one-way opposite of Foam.
- People are still often making left turns.
- Lighthouse Ave could be an excellent shopping, eating
business district. It’s an access street now.
- Please allow right turns onto Lighthouse from both
lanes of north-bound Reeside.
- Let’s just face it. When the DLI closed it’s just bad.
- You guys are doing a good job despite what you’ve been
dealt with in the traffic dept. Thank you!
- A great improvement. Thank you!
- Nice alternative. Congrats to City.
- The "no left turns" improves flow and relieves
congestion, however, this is defeated by cars turning left into business
parking lots. This should not be allowed.
- Foam St. is much worse.
- You are doing a heroic job!
- No left turn on Lighthouse has proven to be a huge
detriment for residents living in New Monterey. Sincerely hope you
carefully re-evaluate this.
- Didn’t know left turn was restricted; there are no
signs.
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General Survey
Comments
- Traffic control – there is too much speeding on
residential streets, not enough stop signs.
- Save the State Theater.
- Sidewalk connection on Via Gayuba from Walter Colton
to Mar Vista.
- Bicyclists do not stop at stop signs or lights and do
not yield to pedestrians.
- Van to transport high school students to Youth Center
after school.
- Paint curbs red where there are "No parking" signs.
- Thank you for providing superb facilities, clean
restrooms, etc.
- I love this city and thank you for making continued
improvements.
- All of the road construction is horrible! I know it
has to be done, but so many at once?
- Problems: parking in neighborhoods and ivy growing up
trees.
- Address issues of noise and noise abatement.
- You need to do something about street cleaning; have
people move their cars during those hours.
- How can the City make North Freemont Street more
attractive?
- Raccoons – the Alta Vista area is overrun.
- Isn’t there a way to obtain right-of-way through the
Presidio and still allow security to be high?
- The "bike path/lighthouse/tunnel" project seems to be
taking a very long time.
- Since the Presidio closed to traffic, Skyline Forest
Drive is being used as a "cut-through." We hope a traffic light can be
installed before long. Thank you for whatever you can do.
- Do not build the City Office Bldg.
- Sea lions coming ashore are a striking nuisance.
- Given the budget cuts, I have not noticed a reduction
in city services. Reduced hours in some City departments are not
impossible to live with. Good job!
- The police presence in downtown Monterey is way too
much.
- Great job on volunteers, slurry seals (quick and
painless), upgrade on Rec trail, just to mention a few.
- How about rent control for working people.
- The most problematic street for me is Del Monte
between off-ramp to downtown.
- How about restricting left-hand turns onto Sloat from
west-bound Del Monte.
- Enforce the stop sign on the corner of Cass and
Webster.
- Thin out some of the pine trees in Skyline Forest.
- Please consider issuing a temporary City parking pass
for City volunteers during their services (esp. Urban Watch).
- I would like to hear more about the water situation
and what the City is doing about it.
- An additional trashcan is needed at David & Ocean,
the bus stop outside of Nob Hill.
- Thank you for this report. I really like it!
- Nice job on this material.
- Traffic signal at Pacific and Martin has extremely
long wait time and short green time.
- Like the Library open on Sunday. Thank you.
- What plans do you have for lower Presidio Park and
old Tynan lumber site?
- Whose bright idea was it to close Pacific St. after
DLI closed?
- What genius decided to repair the Rec Trail in the
middle of summer?
- The City must do more to halt our property damage and
risk to health caused by the sea lion infestation in the Marina and
outer harbor.
- The timing of many City lights is still awful.
- Please restore access through the Presidio or have
them move to former Fort Ord. This military facility is causing huge
problems while returning very little.
- I’m so glad the City continued to fund the Bookmobile
and Sunday hours at the Library.
- I’d like to see some street cleaning in my
neighborhood – Villa Del Monte.
- Traffic enforcement strikes me as lax at times.
- Eliminate the Youth Diversion program.
- Thanks for listening.
Survey prepared by: Lighthouse
Research, 933 Fountain Ave., Monterey, CA 93940 Return
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