Survey: San Carlos residents feeling ‘satisfied’

The City Council will hear the survey’s findings at its Monday night meeting.

The survey is used to determine how the city is perceived by residents and provides guidance to the council on how to make sound strategic and budget decisions, according to a report by Assistant City Manager Tara Peterson.

It was conducted by True North Research in February online and by telephone with 700 respondents.

When it comes to funding priorities, those surveyed said making improvements to storm drains to reduce flooding and accelerating the improvement of local streets was the top priority, with 75 percent saying each was a high or medium priority.

Second on the funding priority list, 70 percent, was to provide additional parking downtown.

Second-tier priorities included improving the appearance of downtown San Carlos, 55 percent, and creating more affordable workforce housing, 48 percent, according to the survey.

The survey shows too that residents have less satisfaction with police services, 76 percent in 2016 compared to 85 percent in 2014, but that there is no significant change in the feeling of safety in the community.

Nearly all residents surveyed indicated they felt very or reasonably safe walking alone in their neighborhood, 100 percent, and commercial and retail areas of San Carlos, 98 percent, during the day.

After dark, however, the corresponding percentages declined to 89 percent in neighborhoods and 80 percent in commercial and retail areas.

When it comes to quality of life, 47 percent reported it excellent while 49 percent reported it good. Just 4 percent indicated the quality of life was fair and less than 1 percent said it was poor or very poor.

Among specific changes mentioned in the survey, the most common were: limiting growth and development, 15 percent; reducing traffic congestion, 14 percent; improving and addressing parking issues, 14 percent; improving public safety, 6 percent; and adding and improving sidewalks, paths and bike lanes, 6 percent.

Respondents were less satisfied with the city’s efforts to manage traffic congestion on city streets, 57 percent; provide public parking, 64 percent; and maintain local streets, 72 percent, according to the survey.

When it comes to traffic, just over half, 54 percent, of residents rated traffic circulation overall in the city as excellent or good, with 40 percent providing similar ratings for traffic circulation on major streets. Circulation in residential areas was viewed more positively, with 71 percents of respondents citing it as excellent or good, according to the survey.

Related to growth, about half, 49 percent, of residents surveyed felt that the pace of development in San Carlos has proceeded at about the right pace in the past three years.

Among those who felt the pace of growth has been less than optimal, opinions were split between those who felt that the city has grown too fast, 29 percent, and those who felt that the city has grown too slowly, 12 percent, according to the survey.

Respondents were divided on their opinion of mixed-use development, with 57 percent saying there is about the right amount or having no opinion, 21 percent indicating there is too little and 22 percent saying there is too much, according to the survey.

The San Carlos City Council meets 7 p.m., Monday, March 28, City Hall, 600 Elm St., San Carlos.