CCP 03-10-1997 - Laserfiche WebLink

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I I Decision Resources, Lid. {' February, 1997 I General Perceptions of the City: Location, high quality schools, and available housing were the major reasons offered for settling I in the community; thirty-seven percent mentioned the first reason, while twenty percent cited schools and eighteen percent pointed to housing. Small town ambience, parks, peacefulness, strong neighborhoods, ruralness, and lower taxes were also positive attributes. A very strong I ninety-seven percent rated the quality oflife as either "excellent" or "good;" the fifty-one percent rating it as "excellent" again placed Arden Hills among the strongest ratings within the Metropolitan Area, In comparison with seven years ago, residents remained extremely satisfied I with their lives in the community and were still drawn to Arden Hills by the same historically important factors. I "Location" within the Metropolitan Area was the most liked feature of the city. At thirty-eight percent, a level identical to the 1990 benchmark, it dwarfed all other responses. Quiet, strong I neighborhoods, open spaces, rural ambience, well-run community, good schools, and friendly people were each cited by between four and nine percent. On the other hand, inadequate city services, at fifteen percent, unresponsive city govemment, at twelve percent, traffic congestion Ie and property taxes, each at ten percent, were the most unpopular features of the community. One change, in line with the rest of the Metropolitan Area, was the decrease in "boosters" who disliked "nothing" about the city. In 1990, thirty-two percent reported there was "nothing" they I disliked about Arden Hills; in 1997, the number had dropped to fourteen percent. Even so, this "booster" segment remained well above the Metropolitan Area suburban norm. I The trade-off between city services and property taxes appeared to have emerged as the greatest tension within the community. Proponents of a more activist city government providing a greater array of city services tended to be relatively recent -- that is, less than ten year -- residents of the I community. Those much more intense about holding the line on property taxes through a less activist city government concentrating on basic city services were most apt to be longer term residents, particularly those living in Arden Hills over twenty years. If this dichotomy continues I into the future, the City should anticipate a growing demand for a "full line" of city government services in line with neighboring Ramsey County communities. I Seventy-eight percent rated the sense of community among Arden Hills citizens as "excellent" or "good." This result was virtually unchanged from the 1990 benchmark and did not reflect the I growing trend among suburbs toward greater fragmentation. I Perceptions of the City "Enterprise:" Residents continued to feel empowered within the community. Seventy-four percent reported t' Page 2 I