HomeMy WebLinkAbout2011-02-08; City Council; 20453 EXB 1A; EXHIBIT A - 2010 PUBLIC OPINION SURVEY AND STATE OF EFFECTIVENESS REPORT2010 PUBLIC SURVEY STATE OF EFFECTIVENESSr4t» f
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CITY OF
CARLSBAD
2010 Public Opinion Survey Report
Presented to the City of Carlsbad
February 2011
RESEARCH
PARTNERSHIP
2541 State Street, Suite 108, Carlsbad, CA 92008 j p: (760) 730-9325 | f: (760) 730-9688 | www.bwresearch.com
City of Carlsbad
2010 Resident Survey Report
TABLE OF CONTENTS
List of Figures ii
List of Tables iii
Executive Summary 1
Introduction to the Study 1
Methodology Overview 1
Key Findings 2
Notable Changes from the 2009, 2008, and 2007 Surveys 5
Conclusions 2
Satisfaction with City Services 7
Satisfaction: Comparison to Other Cities 9
Quality of Life 10
Perceived Direction 12
Quality of Life: Comparison to Other Cities 14
Number One Way to Increase Quality of Life 16
Sense of Community 18
Sense of Community: Comparison to Other Cities 22
Safety 23
Safety: Comparison to Other Cities 25
Confidence in City Government 27
Satisfaction with Specific City Services 29
Recycling and Trash Service Preferences 34
Satisfaction with City-Resident Communication 36
Information Sources 39
Preventing Pollution of Creeks, Lagoons, and Ocean 42
Source of Information 43
Action Taken Based on Information 44
Experience Visiting the Carlsbad Village , 46
Methodology 51
Appendix A: Toplines A-1
|bw] RESEARCH PARTNERSHIP
City of Carlsbad
2010 Resident Survey Report
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1 Satisfaction with City Services 7
Figure 2 Satisfaction with City Services: Comparison to Other Cities 9
Figure 3 Quality of Life Rating 10
Figure 4 Quality of Life Direction 12
Figure 5 Quality of Life Rating: Comparison to Other Cities 14
Figure 6 Quality of Life Direction: Comparison to Other Cities 15
Figure 7 Number One Way to Increase Quality of Life (n=153) 16
Figure 8 Level of Agreement with Items 19
Figure 9 Sense of Community Index Levels 20
Figure 10 Sense of Community: Comparison to Other Cities 22
Figure 11 Safety in Carlsbad 23
Figure 12 Safety Walking Alone During the Day: Comparison to Other Cities 25
Figure 13 Safety Walking Alone After Dark: Comparison to Other Cities 26
Figure 14 Confidence in City Government to Make Decisions 27
Figure 15 Satisfaction with Local Issues and Services 29
Figure 16 Satisfaction with Local Issues and Services by Year (Top 5) 31
Figure 17 Satisfaction with Local Issues and Services by Year (Mid 5) 32
Figure 18 Satisfaction with Local Issues and Services by Year (Last 5) 33
Figure 19 Recycling and Trash Service Preferences 34
Figure 20 Satisfaction with City-Resident Communication 36
Figure 21 Frequency of Using Information Sources 39
Figure 22 Overall Use of Information Sources 40
Figure 23 Informed about Preventing Water Pollution 42
Figure 24 Source of Pollution Prevention Information (n=652) 43
Figure 25 Action Taken Based on Pollution Prevention Information (n=652) 44
Figure 26 Frequency Visiting Carlsbad's Downtown Village 46
Figure 27 Experience Visiting Carlsbad Village (n=966) 48
Figure 28 Recommended Improvements to Carlsbad Village (n=966) 50
RESEARCH PARTNERSHIP
City of Carlsbad
2010 Resident Survey Report
LIST OF TABLES
Table 1 Number One Way to increase Quality of Life 17
Table 2 Sense of Community Index 18
Table 3 Confidence in City Government to Make Decisions 27
Table 4 Satisfaction with Local Issues and Services 30
Table 5 Contacting the Appropriate Person at the City 38
Table 6 Overview of Project Methodology 51
City of Carlsbad
2010 Resident Survey Report
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY
The City of Carlsbad and its Performance Measurement Resource Team partnered with
BW Research Partnership, Inc. (BW Research) to conduct its annual public opinion
survey of residents for the fourth consecutive year.
The main research objectives of the 2010 study were to:
• assess residents' perceptions regarding satisfaction with city services, quality of life,
sense of community, safety in their neighborhood, city government, and city-
resident communication;
• evaluate residents' preferences for the City's trash and recycling containers;
• identify residents' awareness of water pollution prevention; and
• assess residents' experience visiting the Carlsbad Village.
METHODOLOGY OVERVIEW
The city-wide telephone survey of residents was administered from September 8 through
16, 2010 and averaged 20 minutes in length. In total, a statistically representative
sample of 1,000 Carlsbad residents 18 years and older completed a telephone survey,
resulting in a maximum margin of error +/- 3.08 percent (at the 95 percent level of
confidence) for questions answered by all 1,000 respondents.
Prior to beginning data collection, BW Research conducted interviewer training and also
pre-tested the survey instrument to ensure that all the words and questions were easily
understood by respondents. Interviews were generally conducted from 5:00 pm to 9:00
pm Monday through Friday and 10:00 am to 2:00 pm on Saturday and Sunday to ensure
that residents who commuted or were not at home during the week had an opportunity to
participate.
Prior to analysis, BW Research examined the demographic characteristics of the 1,000
respondents who completed a survey to the known universe of residents 18 years and
older using the San Diego Association of Government's (SANDAG's) 2010 demographic
estimates for the City of Carlsbad. It is estimated that among Carlsbad's 106,804
residents, 83,248 are 18 years and older. After examining the dimensions of zip code,
gender, ethnicity, and age, the data were weighted to appropriately represent the
universe of adult residents and ensure generalizability of the results. The results
presented in this report accurately reflect Carlsbad's adult population by age, gender,
ethnicity, and geographic distribution (zip code) within the City.
2010 Public Opinion Survey- Report
City of Carlsbad
CONCLUSIONS
The 2010 survey shows that in spite of a down economy and high profile government
scandals elsewhere in the state, residents continue to have a high level of confidence in
their city government and give the City high marks in everything from quality of life to
safety, parks, libraries, and other important services.
• 96 percent of residents feel the quality of life in Carlsbad is good or excellent.
• 92 percent of residents are satisfied with the job the City is doing.
• 78 percent of residents have confidence in Carlsbad city government to make
decisions that positively affect the lives of community members.
The percentage of residents satisfied with the job the City is doing to provide services
increased from 89 percent in 2009 to 92 percent in 2010. Satisfaction with the City's
efforts to manage traffic congestion on city streets was one of the more significant
increases over previous years, with 74 percent in 2010 reporting satisfaction compared
to 70 percent in 2009, 68 percent in 2008, and 64 percent in 2007.
Overall Indicators for the City of Carlsbad
There are several key metrics or indicators that we evaluate every year from the survey
results to gauge residents' overall level of satisfaction with the City and the perceived
quality of life in the community. These indicators include an assessment of the overall
job the City is doing to provide services as well as some of the issues that have
historically been of high importance to residents such as maintaining public safety and
managing growth and development. In 2010, many of these broad indicators reached
new high levels of satisfaction among Carlsbad residents. They include:
• Residents who indicated they were very satisfied with the overall job the City
is doing to provide services - For the first time, 60 percent of residents indicated
they were very satisfied with the overall job the City is doing to provide services.
This is only a percentage point or two above the previous high, but it still a notable
threshold to achieve.
• Perception of public safety and law enforcement efforts - Ninety-three percent
of residents who provided an opinion were satisfied with the City's efforts to provide
law enforcement services and less than ten percent (9%) of residents indicated they
felt unsafe walking alone in their neighborhood after dark. Again, the proportional
increase above the previous high was only incremental but still notable in the
threshold (below 10 percent) that was achieved.
• Managing the City's growth and development - Just over two-thirds of residents
(67%) are satisfied with the job the City is doing to manage growth and
development, an increase of ten percentage points from 2007. This finding is likely
due the decrease in growth and development in Carlsbad since 2007 as a result of
the economy.
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2010 Public Opinion Survey- Report
City of Carlsbad
Additional Analysis
Neighborhood Differences
The sampling methodology used for this study was implemented to ensure that overall
results were reflective of the City's entire adult population as well as each of the four zip
codes that make up Carlsbad (based on the San Diego Association of Government's
2010 zip code estimates). However, the four zip code quadrants of Carlsbad do not
allow us to adequately differentiate all of the neighborhoods that exist in Carlsbad. Part
of the challenge in comparing Carlsbad's neighborhoods is that not all neighborhoods in
Carlsbad have an agreed upon name. For example, the neighborhood around Carlsbad
High School represents a considerable portion of the City's population but does not have
a commonly identifiable title as a neighborhood.
The following results provide an analysis of the neighborhoods within Carlsbad where
there were large enough sample sizes to reliably compare differences within the City.
1. Residents who identified themselves as living in Calavera or Calavera Hills as
well as Carrillo Ranch were more likely to indicate they were very satisfied with
the overall job the City of Carlsbad is doing to provide services and were more
likely to indicate they were very confident in Carlsbad city government in
comparison to the average response of Carlsbad residents.
2. Residents who identified themselves as living in La Costa, La Costa Canyon, or
La Costa Oaks as well as Downtown Carlsbad or the Village were less likely to
indicate they were very satisfied with the overall job the City of Carlsbad is doing
to provide services and were less likely to indicate they were very confident in
Carlsbad city government in comparison to the average response of Carlsbad
residents.
3. Residents who identified themselves as living in Calavera or Calavera Hills as
well as Carrillo Ranch were also more likely to have a high sense of community
whereas residents that identified themselves as living in La Costa, La Costa
Canyon, or La Costa Oaks as well as Downtown Carlsbad or the Village were
less likely to have a high sense of community.
2010 Public Opinion Survey - Report
City of Carlsbad
KEY FINDINGS
Based on the analysis of the survey data, BW Research is pleased to present the
following key findings. Please refer to the body of the report for a more comprehensive
analysis of findings, including comparisons among resident sub-groups.
• Ninety-two percent of residents were satisfied with the job the City of Carlsbad is
doing to provide city services. Sixty percent of residents were "Very satisfied" and
32 percent were "Somewhat satisfied" with the job the City is doing.
• An overwhelming 96 percent of residents indicated a positive quality of life in
Carlsbad ("Excellent" 61%, "Good" 36%).
• Seventeen percent of residents viewed the quality of life as "Getting better" and 15
percent viewed it as "Getting worse." The strong majority (65%) of residents felt the
quality of life in Carlsbad was "Staying about the same."
o When the 153 respondents (out of the total sample size of 1,000) who rated
the quality of life as "Poor" or "Very poor" or felt it was getting worse were
asked about the number one way to increase quality of life, the most
frequently cited recommendations were to stop building and growth (34%),
improve the quality of the roads and other infrastructure (13%), and fix the
traffic problems (11%).
• Assessed through a seven-question series, 44 percent of residents were classified
as having a "High" sense of community, 44 percent as "Medium," and 12 percent as
having a "Low" sense of community. Respondents demonstrated the highest level of
agreement with items related to "Mutual concerns" and "Community values."
• Nearly all (98%) residents felt safe walking alone in their neighborhood during the
day ("Very" 87%, "Somewhat" 11%). Eighty-seven percent of residents felt safe
walking alone after dark ("Very" 51%, "Somewhat" 36%).
• Seventy-eight percent of residents have confidence in Carlsbad city government to
make decisions that positively affect the lives of its community members ("Very"
22%, "Somewhat" 55%).
• At least 90 percent of residents who provided an opinion were satisfied with the
City's efforts to:
o "Provide library services" (96% satisfaction);
o "Maintain city parks" (96%);
o "Provide fire protection and prevention services" (95%);
o "Provide sewer services" (93%);
o "Provide law enforcement services" (93%); and
o "Provide water services" (90%).
RESEARCH PARTNERSHIP
2010 Public Opinion Survey- Report
City of Carlsbad
• When offered two conflicting opinions regarding trash and recycling services,
respondents indicated a preference for the current system (57%) rather than three
new city-provided bins accompanied by a two dollar monthly increase in trash and
recycling service fees (36%).
• Seventy-four percent of residents were either "Very" (31 %) or "Somewhat" (42%)
satisfied with the City's efforts to communicate with residents.
• Nearly two-thirds of residents (65%) have seen or heard information in the past year
about how residents can prevent the pollution of local creeks, lagoons, and the
ocean.
• Nearly all (97%) residents have visited Carlsbad's Downtown Village.
o The majority of residents regularly visited (53%), 24 percent sometimes
visited, and 19 percent visited the Village less than once a month.
o Nine of ten residents who visited Carlsbad's Downtown Village rated their
experience positively.
o The two most common recommendations for improving Carlsbad's Downtown
Village included improving parking (18%) and adding unique businesses or
better restaurants (16%).
NOTABLE CHANGES FROM THE 2009, 2008, AND 2007 SURVEYS
Below are the most notable changes in Carlsbad residents' opinions, perceptions, and
behaviors from the 2009, 2008, and 2007 surveys.
• Residents' overall satisfaction with the job Carlsbad is doing to provide services in
2010 improved from 2009 (92% vs. 89%), driven by an increase in the percentage
"Very satisfied" (60% vs. 56%). The increase from 2009 places the 2010 satisfaction
back in line with the percentages reported in 2008 (91%) and 2007 (92%).
• Each year, more residents have indicated that the quality of life in Carlsbad is
"Staying about the same." From 2007 to 2010, this response has increased from 48
percent to 65 percent of residents.
• The number of respondents reporting some measure of dissatisfaction with the
quality of life in Carlsbad1 was statistically lower in 2010 than previous years (2010:
15%; 2009: 21%; 2008: 20%).
o The leading suggestion, from the relatively small percentage (15%) of
residents who indicated some measure of dissatisfaction with the quality of
life in Carlsbad, remained that the City should halt building and growth.
Although still in the top position, the percentage citing this response has
declined each year (2010: 34% 2009: 37%; 2008: 48%) and was statistically
lower than 2008 (statistically unchanged from 2009).
1 Residents who rated the quality of life in Carlsbad as "Poor* or "Very poor" or felt it was getting worse.
2010 Public Opinion Survey - Report
City of Carlsbad
o Among the 153 respondents, the most significant difference in responses
from prior years was an increase in the percentage of respondents indicating
that the City should "Improve the quality of the roads and other
infrastructure," which moved from a less common response to the second
most common response (2010: 13% 2009: 3%; 2008: 2%).
• The proportion of residents classified as having a "High" sense of community
increased in 2010 as compared with 2009 (44% vs. 38%) and the percentage in the
"Medium" category decreased (44% vs. 48%), placing the results back in line with
2008 and 2007.
• Statistically fewer respondents indicated feeling unsafe when walking alone in their
neighborhood after dark in 2010 (9%) when compared to 2007 (11%).
• In 2010, overall confidence in city government improved from the level reported in
2009, making it statistically consistent with the levels reported in 2008 and 2007
(2010: 78% 2009: 74%; 2008: 76%; 2007: 79%).
• All changes in satisfaction with specific city services evidenced from previous years
were positive improvements.
o From 2009 to 2010, there was a statistically significant increase in
satisfaction for providing law enforcement services (2010: 93%; 2009: 90%;
2008: 92%; 2007: 92%).
o The percentage of residents satisfied with the City's efforts to manage traffic
congestion on city streets was significantly higher in 2010 than each of the
three previous years (2010: 74%; 2009: 70%; 2008: 68%; 2007: 64%).
o The percentage of residents satisfied with the City's efforts to manage growth
and development has also increased each year, with the percentage
statistically higher than 2008 and 2007 (2010: 67%; 2009: 64%; 2008: 62%;
2007: 57%).
For additional detail on the research findings and a complete assessment of the survey
results, please proceed to the body of the report beginning on the next page.
City of Carlsbad
2010 Resident Survey Report
SATISFACTION WITH CITY SERVICES
Sixty percent of residents were "Very satisfied" and 32 percent were "Somewhat
satisfied" with the job the City is doing to provide services in 2010, resulting in an overall
satisfaction rating of 92 percent.
Residents' overall satisfaction with the job Carlsbad is doing to provide services in 2010
improved from the percentage reported in 2009 (92% vs. 89%), driven by an increase in
the percentage "Very satisfied" (60% vs. 56%). The rebound from 2009 places the 2010
satisfaction back in line with the percentages report in 2008 (91%) and 2007 (92%).
Dropping below two percent, a statistically significant decrease was observed in the
percentage of residents "Very dissatisfied" from 2009 to 2010 (4% vs. 2%). This drop
accompanies a statistically significant decrease in the overall percentage of residents
reporting dissatisfaction ("Very" plus "Somewhat") when compared to each of the past
three years (2010: 4%; 2009: 8%; 2008: 6%; 2007: 6%).
Figure 1 Satisfaction with City Services
80%
60%
40%
• 2010
02009
• 2008
02007
Somewhat
dissatisfied
1 Statisticaily significant change from 2009 (p< .05)
Statistically significant change from 2008
Statistically significant change from 2007
2010 Public Opinion Survey - Report
City of Carlsbad
Analyses of 2010 survey responses by resident sub-groups will be presented in text
boxes throughout this report.
To follow is the assessment of residents' 2010 satisfaction with the job the City of
Carlsbad is doing to provide city services by sub-groups.
• As residents' quality of life perception increased, so did their reported satisfaction
with the job the City is doing to provide services ("Excellent" quality of life 96%
satisfied; "Good" 88%; "Fair" 64%). Those that felt the quality of life was getting
worse were significantly less likely to be satisfied with the job the City is doing to
provide services ("Getting better" 97% satisfied; "Staying about the same" 93%;
"Getting worse" 82%).
• As expected, confidence in Carlsbad government and satisfaction with city-
resident communication were both positively correlated with respondents'
satisfaction with the delivery of city services. Experience visiting Carlsbad Village
was also positively correlated with how satisfied respondents were with city
services.
• Respondents who felt unsafe walking around their neighborhood alone after dark
were more likely to be dissatisfied with city services ("Safe" 3%; "Unsafe" 9%).
• As residents' sense of community increased, so did their reported satisfaction
("High" sense of community 96% satisfied; "Medium" 89%; "Low" 84%).
• A regression analysis revealed the following as the top predictors of satisfaction
with the job the City is doing to provide services:
o Confidence in Carlsbad government to make decisions that positively
affect the lives of residents;
o Ratings for the quality of life in Carlsbad; and
o Satisfaction with the City's efforts to repair and maintain local streets and
roads.
Demographically
• Although overall satisfaction was comparable among men and women, men
were more likely to feel "Somewhat satisfied" (36%) than "Very satisfied" (55%)
when compared to women ("Somewhat" 28%; "Very" 64%).
• There was no difference in total satisfaction with the job the City is doing to
provide services by zip code. However, respondents in the 92010 were the most
likely to report being "Very satisfied" (92008: 53% "Very satisfied"; 92009: 58%;
92010:72%; 92011:64%).
• By neighborhood, fewer residents of The Village/ Downtown (83%) were satisfied
with city services when compared to Calavera/ Calavera Hills (97%), Aviara
(97%), and La Costa/ La Costa Canyon/ La Costa Oaks (93%).
2010 Public Opinion Survey - Report
City of Carlsbad
SATISFACTION: COMPARISON TO OTHER CITIES
Figure 2 below shows examples of the range of satisfaction scores evidenced in cities
throughout California that have conducted comparable studies within the past five years.
With 92 percent satisfaction, Carlsbad remained in the top tier in 2010.
Figure 2 Satisfaction with City Services: Comparison to Other Cities
Small City, Riverside County
Mid-Sized City, Santa Clara County
Mid-Sized City, Orange County
Small City, San Diego County
City of Carlsbad, San Diego County
Small City, Orange County
Small City, Contra Costa County
Mid-Sized City, San Diego County
Mid-Sized City, San Diego County
Small City, Riverside County
Mid-Sized City, Sacramento County
Large City, Santa Clara County
Mid-Sized City, Contra Costa County
Small City, Riverside County [
Mid-Sized City, Santa Clara County
Mid-Sized City, Los Angeles County
Small City, Kern County
89%
88%
85%
83%
80%
78%
77%
75%
67%
53%
o%20%40%60%80%100%
Small cities were defined as those with a total population up to 50,000. Mid-sized cities were those with a
population between 50,001 and 150,000. Large cities were those with a population of 150,001 or more.
City of Carlsbad
2010 Resident Survey Report
QUALITY OF LIFE
Overall, 96 percent of residents provided a positive rating for the quality of life in
Carlsbad in 2010 (statistically unchanged from the 96% and 95% reported in 2009 and
2008 respectively). Sixty-one percent of residents rated the quality of life in Carlsbad as
"Excellent" and 36 percent rated it as "Good."
Although statistically more residents provided a negative quality of life rating in 2010
than 2009, the increase was only 0.4 percent3 (2010: 0.4% vs. 2009: 0.0%). Compared
with 2008, statistically fewer residents in both 2010 and 2009 reported a negative quality
of life (1.5% in 2008).
Figure 3 Quality of Life Rating4
Excellent
Good
Fair
Poor
Very poor
DK/NA
Positive
2010 = 96%
2009 = 96%
2008 = 95%
o%20%40%60%80%
0 Statistically significant change from 2009 (p< .05)
¥ Statistically significant change from 2008
" Discrepancy in the text versus the graphic is due to rounding ("Poor" shown in the graphic as 0.3% is
0.28% and "Very poor" shown in the graphic as 0.2% is 0.16%).
4 Question not asked in 2007.
2010 Public Opinion Survey - Report
City of Carlsbad
To follow is the assessment of quality of life ratings by sub-groups.
• Quality of life ratings were positively correlated with a number of other metrics
throughout the survey, including: satisfaction with city services; satisfaction with
city-resident communication; sense of community; confidence in city government;
perceptions regarding the direction of the community; safety walking alone in
their neighborhood both during the day and at night; and experience visiting
Carlsbad's Downtown Village.
• All respondents who felt the quality of life in the City was "Getting better" rated
the quality of life favorably (73% "Excellent" and 27% "Good").
• Nearly all residents (99.7%) "Very confident" in Carlsbad city government to
make decisions that positively affect the lives of its community members rated
the quality of life favorably (81% "Excellent" and 18% "Good"). Overall, 98
percent of those confident in city government provided a positive rating
compared with 89 percent of those not confident in city government.
• Residents satisfied with the job the City is doing to provide services were much
more likely than those dissatisfied to positively rate the quality of life in the City
(97% vs. 80%).
• A regression analysis revealed the following as the top predictors of residents'
views on quality of life:
o Satisfaction with the job the City is doing to provide services;
o Satisfaction with the City's efforts to provide local arts and cultural
opportunities; and
o Experience visiting Carlsbad's Downtown Village.
Demographically
• Ninety-nine percent of residents in both the 35 to 44 year age group and the 65
or older age group indicated a positive response regarding their quality of life.
Residents in the 18 to 24 year age group provided the lowest "Excellent" or
"Good" ratings of all the age groups (although still at 91%) and were the most
likely to rate the quality of life as "Fair" (9%).
• Carlsbad residents who lived in a single family detached home were more likely
to offer a positive assessment of their quality of life (97%) compared to
apartment residents (91%).
• Ail respondents who lived in Calavera/ Calavera Hills indicated that they felt the
quality of life in the City was "Excellent" (63%) or "Good" (37%). Other
neighborhoods with high positive quality of life ratings included Carrillo Ranch
(98%) and Aviara (97%).
2010 Public Opinion Survey
City of Carlsbad
Report
PERCEIVED DIRECTION
Residents were next asked whether they thought the quality of life in the City was getting
better, getting worse, or staying about the same. In 2010, 65 percent viewed the quality
of life as "Staying about the same," 17 percent of residents viewed it as "Getting better,"
15 percent viewed it as "Getting worse," and four percent did not know or declined to
state.
Each year, more residents have indicated that the quality of life in Carlsbad is "Staying
about the same." From 2007 to 2010, this response has increased from 48 percent to 65
percent of residents. The large increase in this response category has resulted in a
decrease across the other response categories as compared with 2007 and 2008.
The percentage of residents that felt the quality of life was "Getting better" remained
statistically unchanged from 2009, but declined from the percentages reported in 2008
and 2007 (2010: 17%; 2009: 15%; 2008: 21%; 2007: 22%).
Compared with each of the three prior years, fewer residents indicated that the quality of
life was "Getting worse" (2010: 15%; 2009: 21%; 2008: 20%; 2007: 27%).
Figure 4 Quality of Life Direction
80%
60%
40%
20%
0%
• 2010
02009
Staying about theGetting better Gettingsame worse
16.5% *'
15.1% ¥l
64.7%
DK/NA
15.2%
20.9%,o/ *
3.6%
4.2% *
• 2008 21.1%56.5% '20.0%
02007 21.5%47.9%26.5%4.0%
a Statistically significant change from 2009 (p< .05)
* Statistically significant change from 20081 Statistically significant change from 2007
2010 Public Opinion Survey - Report
City of Carlsbad
To follow is the assessment of perceived direction of the quality of life by sub-groups.
• The majority of residents who viewed the quality of life in the City as "Fair"
viewed the direction as "Getting worse" (65%), whereas the majority of residents
who viewed the quality of life as "Excellent" (67%) or "Good" (65%) viewed the
direction as "Staying about the same."
• As residents' sense of community increased, their perceptions regarding the
direction of the quality of life in Carlsbad became more positive.
• Thirty-one percent of residents who felt unsafe walking alone in their
neighborhood after dark rated the quality of life as "Getting worse" (compared
with 14% among those who felt safe).
• Respondents who indicated that they were "Very confident" in city government to
make decisions that positively affect the lives of residents were the most likely to
view the quality of life as "Getting better" (33%). Forty-two percent of residents
who indicated a lack of confidence viewed the quality of life as "Getting worse."
• Residents satisfied with the job the City is doing to provide services as well as
those satisfied with city-resident communication were more likely than those
dissatisfied to feel that the quality of life in the City was improving.
• A regression analysis revealed the following as the top predictors of residents'
views on the direction of the community:
o Satisfaction with the City's efforts to manage residential growth and
development and
o Confidence in Carlsbad government to make decisions that positively
affect the lives of residents.
Demographically
• Residents 45 to 54 years old were the most likely among the age groups to view
the quality of life as "Getting worse" (21%), followed closely by residents 55 to 64
(19%). Young adults aged 18 to 24 years were the most likely to believe the
quality of life was "Getting better" (30%).
• Negative perceptions regarding the direction of the community were more
common from residents that have lived in Carlsbad for 15 or more years (23%)
compared to those who have lived in Carlsbad for less than 15 years (11%).
• Apartment residents were less likely than those living in single-family detached
homes to believe the quality of life was staying the same (49% vs. 66%) and
more likely to view the quality of life as "Getting better" (27% vs. 14%).
2010 Public Opinion Survey- Report
City of Carlsbad
QUALITY OF LIFE: COMPARISON TO OTHER CITIES
This section shows examples of resident perspectives regarding the quality of life in
cities that have conducted comparable studies within the past five years. With a 96
percent overall quality of life rating, the score given by Carlsbad residents placed within
the top tier among comparable resident research studies.
Figure 5 Quality of Life Rating: Comparison to Other Cities5
% of Residents that Rate the Quality of Life in their City as "Excellent" or "Good"
Mid-Sized City, Orange County
Mid-Sized City, Ventura County
City of Carlsbad, San Diego County
Small City, Orange County
Small City, San Diego County
Mid-Sized City, San Mateo County
Mid-Sized City, Riverse County
Mid-Sized City, San Diego County
Mid-Sized City, Orange County
Small City, Riverside County
Mid-Sized City, San Diego County
Mid-Sized City, Alameda County
Large City, San Diego County
Mid-Sized City, San Bernardino County
Large City, Santa Clara County ;
Large City, Riverside County i
4
Small City, El Dorado County i
Mid-Sized City, Contra Costa County
Large City, Los Angeles County j
Mid-Sized City, Riverside County
Small City, Riverside County
Small City, Sacramento County
o%
QSJ70
88%
87%
86%
77%
75%
74% I
72%|
70%
64%
62%
56%
20%40%60%80%100%
5 Small cities were defined as those with a total population up to 50,000. Mid-sized cities were those with a
population between 50,001 and 150,000. Large cities were those with a population of 150,001 or more.
2010 Public Opinion Survey - Report
City of Carlsbad
Figure 6 displays the percentage of residents that viewed the quality of life in their City
as either "Getting better" or "Staying about the same" from comparable research studies
throughout California that were conducted within the past five years. Carlsbad rose from
the middle tier in 2009 to the top tier in 2010.
Figure 6 Quality of Life Direction: Comparison to Other Cities6
% of Residents that View the Quality of Life in their City as
"Getting better" or "Staying about the same"
Small City, Alameda County
Mid-Sized City, Sacramento County
City of Carlsbad, San Diego County
Small-Sized City, San Diego County
Large City, Sacramento County
Large City, San Bernardino County
Small City, Los Angeles County
Small City, Riverside County
Large City, Riverside County
Large City, Marin County
Large City, Kern County
Mid-Sized City, Contra Costa County
Mid-Sized City, Riverside County
73%
69%
66%
64%
60%
51%
47%
o%20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Small cities were defined as those with a total population up to 50,000. Mid-sized cities were those with a
population between 50,001 and 150,000. Large cities were those with a population of 150,001 or more.
City of Carlsbad
2010 Resident Survey Report
NUMBER ONE WAY TO INCREASE QUALITY OF LIFE
As a follow-up question, the 15 percent of residents (153 respondents) who rated the
quality of life in the City as "Poor" or "Very poor" or felt it was getting worse were asked
to report the number one thing that the City could do to improve the quality of life within
the community. The number of respondents in this group was statistically lower than in
previous years (2010: 15%; 2009: 21%; 2008: 20%).
The most frequently cited response among this group was to stop building and growth
(34%) to increase the quality of life, followed by "Improve the quality of the roads and
other infrastructure" (13%), "Fix the traffic problems" (11%), and "Better economic plan/
lower taxes" (7%).
Please note that the percentage of respondents for each issue only represents the 15
percent of Carlsbad residents who indicated some measure of dissatisfaction with the
quality of life in Carlsbad. As such, the 34 percent of residents who answered this
question by stating that the City should stop building and/ or stop growth represent only
five percent of all respondents who answered the survey (15% of respondents asked the
question multiplied by the 33.5% who provided that response).
Figure 7 Number One Way to Increase Quality of Life (n=153)
Stop building/ stop growth
Improve roads/ other infrastructure
Fix the traffic problems
Better economic plan/ lower taxes
Increase/ improve police services
Improve schools
More public transportation
Increase recreation opportunities
Remove the illegal immigrants
More jobs
Preserve more open space
Need new mayor and/ or city council
Improve beach access
Limit airport growth/ reduce noise
Other
DK/NA
0%20%40%60%
2010 Public Opinion Survey - Report
City of Carlsbad
The leading suggestion for the number one way to improve the quality of life among the
sub-group asked the question each year has been that the City should halt building and
growth. Although still in the top position, the percentage citing this response has
declined each year (2010: 34% 2009: 37%; 2008: 48%) and was statistically lower than
2008 (statistically unchanged from 2009).
The most significant difference in responses from prior years was an increase in the
percentage of respondents indicating that the City should "Improve the quality of the
roads and other infrastructure," which moved from a less common response to the
second most common response (2010: 13% 2009: 3%; 2008: 2%).
Respondents in both 2010 and 2009 were much more likely to cite an economic-related
response such as the need for a "Better economic plan/ lower taxes" or "More jobs" than
in 2008 (2010: 10%; 2009: 14%; 2008: 4%). Respondents in 2010 and 2009 were also
more likely than in 2008 to decline to state or not know how to improve the quality of life
(2010: 7%; 2009: 7%; 2008: 3%).
Tabie 1 Number One Way to Increase Quality of Life7
Number one thing that Carlsbad could do to
improve quality of life
Number of respondents
Stop building/ stop growth
Improve the quality of the roads and other
infrastructure
Fix the traffic problems
Better economic plan/ lower taxes
Increase/ improve police services
Improve schools
More public transportation
Increase recreation opportunities
Remove the illegal immigrants
More jobs
Preserve more open space
Need new mayor and/ or city council
Improve beach access
Limit airport growth/ reduce noise
Build desalination plant
More programs for seniors
Nothing needs improvement
Other
DK/NA
2010
153
33.5% *
12.9%"¥
1 1 .2%
7.2% ¥
3.6%
3.5%
3.2%°
2.8%
2.4%
2.3%°
2.1%
1 .9%
1 .0%
0.9%
-
-
-
4.1%
7.3% ¥
2009
209
36.7% ¥
2.5%
12.0%
6.4% *
6.3%
2.9%
¥
3.7%
2.4%
7.8% ¥
2.8%
2.9%
0.7%
1.4%
0.7%
-
0.4%
3.8%
6.6%
2008
202
47.7%
2.1%
12.2%
2.3%
4.3%
5.7%
2.6%
1.2%
1.6%
1.8%
2.6%
1.2%
-
1.3%
2.1%
1.5%
0.7%
6.6%
2.6%
0 Statistically significant change from 2009 (p< .05)
¥ Statistically significant change from 2008
7 2007 responses are not presented since the follow-up question was asked of a different sub-group of
residents (the overall quality of life question was not asked in 2007),
City of Carlsbad
2010 Resident Survey Report
SENSE OF COMMUNITY
To assess sense of community among residents, a seven-question series known as the
"Brief Sense of Community Index"8 was utilized. The series assessed the three
underlying dimensions of sense of community: "Social connections," "Mutual concerns,"
and "Community values." Table 2 displays the questions used to measure sense of
community among Carlsbad residents and overall agreement with each statement
(disagreement for reverse-coded items).
Carlsbad residents reported the highest level of agreement with items related to "Mutual
concerns" (76% average) and "Community values" (74% average).
Table 2 Sense of Community Index
Social Connections
I can recognize most of the people
who live in my neighborhood
I have almost no influence over
what my neighborhood is like
Very few of my neighbors know me
Mutual Concerns
My neighbors and I want the same
things from this community
If there is a problem in my
neighborhood, people who live here
can get it solved
Community Values
It is very important for me to feel a
sense of community with other
residents
How strongly feel sense of community
Strongly
agree
29.2%
12.6%
22.2%
24.6%
20.8%
28.9%
Very
strong
28.6%
Agree
46.0%
38.5%
40.0%
51.4%
54.8%
51.2%
Some-
what
strong
39.4%
Total
Agree
75.2%
36.9%*
32.1%*
76.0%
75.6%
80.1%
Total
Strong
68.0%
Average
48.1%
75.8%
74.1%
* Items reverse coded. Percentage shown is total disagreement. Disagreeing with these
statements indicates a higher sense of community.
8 Long, D,A. and Perkins, D.D (2003), "Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the Sense of Community Index and
Development of a Brief SCI." Journal of Community Psychology 33(3): Pages 279 - 296.
2010 Public Opinion Survey- Report
City of Carlsbad
Figure 8 displays residents' level of agreement across the seven-question series from
2007 to 2010 (after adjusting for reverse-coded items).
The percentage of respondents that agreed with six or seven items (indicating a high
sense of community) has varied over the past four years similar to those who indicated a
medium sense of community by agreeing with three to five items. In 2010, both proved
statistically indifferent from 2007 figures. Please proceed to the next page for more
information on the sense of community levels.
Figure 8 Levei of Agreement with items
7 of 7
6 of 7
5 of 7
4 of 7
3 of 7
2 of 7
1 of 7
Oof 7
17.4%mom
18.1%
21.2%
10.1%mwm
1.5%
0.8%
1 1.1%
B2010
D2009
• 2008
Q2007
0%5%10%15%20%25%30%
° Statistically significant change from 2009 (p< .05)¥ Statistically significant change from 20081 Statistically significant change from 2007
RESEA.'RCH; PARTNERSHIP
2010 Public Opinion Survey - Report
City of Carlsbad
Forty-four percent of residents in 2010 agreed with at least six of the seven items and
were classified as having a "High" sense of community. An additional 44 percent agreed
with three to five items and were placed in the "Medium" category. Twelve percent of
respondents agreed with zero, one, or two of the questions and were classified as
having a "Low" sense of community.
The proportion of residents classified as having a "High" sense of community increased
in 2010 as compared with 2009 (44% vs. 38%) and the percentage in the "Medium"
category decreased (44% vs. 48%), placing the results back in line with the 2008 and
2007 findings.
Figure 9 Sense of Community Index Levels
2010
2009
2008
2007
0%
43.9% "12.2%
48.3% '13.3%
46.4% '12.7%
40.0%12.0%
20%40%60%80%100%
High DMedium DLow
0 Statistically significant change from 2009 (p< .05)¥ Statistically significant change from 2008
1 Statistically significant change from 2007
2010 Public Opinion Survey - Report
City of Carlsbad
To follow is the assessment of sense of community levels by resident sub-groups.
• Sense of community was positively correlated with a number of factors
throughout the survey, including: satisfaction with the job the City is doing to
provide services; satisfaction with city-resident communication; perception of
safety walking alone in their neighborhood; quality of life ratings; perceptions
regarding the direction of the quality of life; and confidence in city government.
• Residents who had heard about water pollution prevention in the past year had a
higher sense of community than those who had not heard about ways to prevent
the pollution of local creeks, lagoons, and the ocean ("High" 48% vs. 37%).
• A regression analysis revealed the following as the top predictors of residents'
sense of community:
o Confidence in city government to make decisions that positively affect the
lives of community members and
o Ratings for the quality of life in Carlsbad.
Demographically
• Residents 35 to 54 years of age were the most likely to place in the "High" sense
of community group and those 18 to 24 or 55 to 64 were the most likely to fall in
the "Low" group.
• Residents who have lived in the City for five years or more had a higher sense of
community than those who have lived in Carlsbad less than five years ("High"
46% vs. 36%).
• Homeowners had a higher sense of community than renters ("High" 49% vs.
28%).
• Residents with children in their home had a higher sense of community than
those without children ("High" 52% vs. 38%).
• Among the zip codes, residents in zip codes 92009 and 92008 were the most
likely to place in the "Low" sense of community group (92008: 13%; 92009: 16%;
92010:6%; 92011:9%).
[few] RESEARCH PARTNERSHIP
2010 Public Opinion Survey- Report
City of Carlsbad
SENSE OF COMMUNITY: COMPARISON TO OTHER CITIES
Figure 10 below shows the percentage of residents in comparable research projects that
reported feeling a "Strong" sense of community9 living in their City. Carlsbad residents
placed in the middle tier with regard to sense of community in 2010.
.Figure 10 Sense of Community: Comparison to Other Cities10
Small City, Solano County
Mid-Sized City, Los Angeles County
Small City, San Diego County
Mid-Sized City, Alameda County
City of Carlsbad, San Diego County
Small City, San Mateo County
Mid-Sized City, Santa Clara County
Mid-Sized City, San Mateo County
Mid-Sized City, Santa Clara County
Mid-Sized City, Sacramento County
Small City, El Dorado County
Small City, Riverside County
_ ' .. .75%
68%
66%; j
: ... 61%
59%
58%
52%
50%
50%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 1C
9 Question 1 of the survey: "Would you say that you feel a strong sense of community, a weak sense of
community, or no sense of community at all?"
10 Small cities were defined as those with a total population up to 50,000. Mid-sized cities were those with a
population between 50,001 and 150,000. Large cities were those with a population of 150,001 or more.
RESEARCH PARTNERSHIP
City of Carlsbad
2010 Resident Survey Report
An overwhelming 98 percent of residents felt safe walking alone in their neighborhood
during the day (with 87% reporting they felt "Very safe") and 87 percent of residents felt
safe walking alone after dark (51% "Very safe"). Only one percent of residents reported
feeling unsafe walking alone in their neighborhood during the day and nine percent felt
unsafe after dark.
The overall percentages of residents that felt safe and unsafe walking alone in their
neighborhood during the day in 2010 were statistically consistent with past years. The
only statistically significant difference for the question was in the percentage of residents
who either declined to state or were not sure how safe they felt (2010: 1%; 2009: 1%;
2007: 0%).
The overall percentage of residents that felt safe walking alone after dark in 2010 was
also statistically consistent with past years. However, statistically fewer respondents
indicated feeling somewhat unsafe when compared to 2007 levels (2010: 7%; 2009: 8%;
2007: 9%) and feeling unsafe in general when walking alone after dark in 2010 (9%)
when compared to 2007 (11%).
Figure 11 Safety in Carlsbad
100% i
80% -j
60% 4
40% -
20% -
0%
100% -s
80%
60%
40% H
20%
0%
2010 2009 2007 2010 2009 2007
Walking alone in neighborhood
during the day
Walking alone in neighborhood
after dark
E Very safe DSomewhat safe QSomewhat unsafe BVery unsafe QDK/NA
a Statistically significant change from 2009 (p< .05)1 Statistically significant change from 2007
Question not asked in 2008.
2010 Public Opinion Survey - Report
City of Carlsbad
Given the very high percentage of residents that felt safe walking alone in their
neighborhood during the day (and thereby the limited amount of differentiation
among sub-groups), the focus of the sub-group analysis to follow is on safety
walking alone after dark.
• Several sub-groups were more likely to report feeling unsafe than their
counterparts, including: residents who reported dissatisfaction with the job the
City is doing to provide services; those who were very dissatisfied with the City's
efforts to communicate with residents; those who felt the quality of life in
Carlsbad was "Getting worse"; those who had not heard anything about
preventing water pollution; and residents who were not confident in city
government to make decisions that positively affect the lives of residents.
• Residents with a high sense of community were more likely to report feeling safe
walking alone in their neighborhood after dark than those with a medium or low
sense of community ("High" 91% safe; "Medium" 85%; "Low" 78%).
Demographically
• Female residents were four times more likely to report feeling unsafe walking
alone in their neighborhood after dark as compared to male residents (13% vs.
3%).
• Residents in the 18 to 24 year age group were more likely than the other age
cohorts to report feeling "Somewhat safe," however; total safety ("Somewhat
safe" plus "Very safe") was statistically indifferent from the other age groups.
• Residents with children in the house were more likely to feel unsafe when
walking alone at night when compared to those without children (11% v. 7%).
• Respondents who have lived in Carlsbad for less than five years were more likely
than those who have lived in the City longer to report feeling safe walking alone
in their neighborhood after dark ("Less than five years" 92%; "Five years or more"
85%).
• There were no differences in the overall percentages of respondents reporting
they felt safe or unsafe by zip code. However, more residents in zip code 92010
reported feeling "Very safe" than residents in other zip codes (92008: 47%;
92009: 50%; 92010: 62%; 92011: 50%). Residents of 92011 were the most likely
to report feeling "Very unsafe" (92008: 1%; 92009: 1%; 92010: 0.0%; 92011:
4%).
• Residents of Calavera/ Calavera Hills (95%) were the most likely to report feeling
safe when walking alone in their neighborhood after dark.
2010 Public Opinion Survey - Report
City of Carlsbad
SAFETY: COMPARISON TO OTHER CITIES
As discussed in the previous section, Carlsbad residents felt safe walking alone in their
neighborhood during both the day and night.
Walking Alone in their Neighborhood During the Day
Figure 12 shows examples of residents' feelings of safety walking alone in their
neighborhood during the day in cities throughout California that have conducted
comparable studies within the past five years. Carlsbad was in the top tier with regard to
this metric.
Figure 12 Safety Walking Aione During the Day: Comparison to Other Cities12
Small City, Orange County
City of Carlsbad, San Diego County
Small City, El Dorado County
Small City, San Mateo County
Mid-Sized City, Los Angeles County
Mid-Sized City, San Diego County
93%
Mid-Sized City, San Bernardino County
Mid-Sized City, Riverside County
90%
GOTO
Mid-Sized City, Sacramento County
Large City, San Francisco County
85%
83%
Small City, Riverside County 81%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
12 Small cities were defined as those with a total population up to 50,000. Mid-sized cities were those with a
population between 50,001 and 150,000. Large cities were those with a population of 150,001 or more.
RESEARCH PARTNERSHIP
2010 Public Opinion Survey - Report
City of Carlsbad
Walking Alone in their Neighborhood After Dark
As is always the case with this type of question, residents reported lower safety ratings
for walking alone in their neighborhood after dark as compared to during the day.
With 87 percent of residents reporting they felt safe walking alone in their neighborhood
after dark, Carlsbad placed within the top tier among comparable resident research
projects.
Figure 13 Safety Walking Alone After Dark: Comparison to Other Cities13
Mid-Sized City, Orange County
Mid-Sized City, Orange County
Small City, Orange County
Large City, Orange County
Small City, Riverside County
City of Carlsbad, San Diego County
Small City, El Dorado County
Small City, San Mateo County
Mid-Sized City, San Mateo County
Mid-Sized City, Santa Clara County
Mid-Sized City, San Diego County
Mid-Sized City, Los Angeles County
Mid-Sized City, San Bernardino County
Mid-Sized City, Sacramento County
Mid-Sized City, Sacramento County
Mid-Sized City, Riverside County
Large City, San Francisco County
80%
78%
71%
68%
66%
61%
55%
52%
50%
0%20%40%60%80%100%
13 Small cities were defined as those with a total population up to 50,000. Mid-sized cities were those with a
population between 50,001 and 150,000. Large cities were those with a population of 150,001 or more.
[bw|:. R E S E ARCH PARTNERSHIP
City of Carlsbad
2010 Resident Survey Report
CONFIDENCE IN CITY GOVERNMENT
Seventy-eight percent of residents reported confidence in Carlsbad city government to
make decisions that positively affect the lives of its community members. Twenty-two
percent indicated they were "Very confident" and 55 percent were "Somewhat confident."
Figure 14 Confidence in..City Government toMakeDecisions
Somewhat
confident
55.2%
Somewhat
unconfident
12.0%
Very
unconfident
5.5%
DK/NA
In 2010, overall confidence in city government improved from the level reported in 2009,
making it statistically consistent with the levels reported in 2008 and 2007 (2010: 78%
2009: 74%; 2008: 76%; 2007: 79%).
Table 3 Confidence in City Government to Make Decisions1
Confidence in Carlsbad
government to make
decisions that positively
affect the lives of residents
Base
Very confident
Somewhat confident
Total confident
Somewhat unconfident
Very unconfident
Total unconfident
DK/NA
2010
1,000
22.4%
55.2%
77.6% °
12.0%°
5.5%
17.4%"
4.9%
2009
1,000
21.6%
52.2%
73.7%'
15.7%
6.5%
22.2%'
4.0%
2008
1,000
23.6%
52.1%
75.7%
12.9%
7.5%
20.4%
3.9%
2007
1,001
23.1%
55.4%
78.5%
12.7%
5.4%
18.1%
3.4%
Statistically significant change from 2009 (p< .05)
Statistically significant change from 2008
Statistically significant change from 2007
14 Discrepancy in the percentage total confident in 2009 as compared to the percentage "Very" and
"Somewhat" confident is due to rounding.
2010 Public Opinion Survey - Report
City of Carlsbad
To follow is the assessment of residents' 2010 confidence in Carlsbad government by
sub-groups.
• In general, residents confident in Carlsbad city government were more likely to
rate other aspects of life in Carlsbad favorably. Confidence was positively
correlated with: residents' views regarding quality of life; direction of the
community; sense of community; safety walking alone in their neighborhood;
satisfaction with city services; satisfaction with city-resident communication; and
residents' experience visiting Carlsbad's Downtown Village.
• Residents with a "High" sense of community (87%) were more likely than those
with a "Medium" (75%) or "Low" (52%) sense of community to indicate
confidence in city government.
• A regression analysis revealed the following as the top predictors of residents'
confidence in Carlsbad government:
o Satisfaction with the job the City of Carlsbad is doing to provide city
services;
o The degree to which respondents felt a strong sense of community, weak
sense of community, or no sense of community at all (Question 7 of the
survey);
o Perceptions regarding the direction of the quality of life in Carlsbad; and
o Satisfaction with the City's efforts to maintain the business climate in
Carlsbad.
Demographically
• Among the age groups, confidence was lowest among those 18 to 24 (73%) and
highest among those 65 years and older (87%).
• Confidence was higher among residents in zip code 92010 as compared to the
other three zip codes (92008: 77%; 92009: 75%; 92010: 85%; 92011: 78%).
RESEARCH PARTNERSHIP
City of Carlsbad
2010 Resident Survey Report
'-
SATISFACTION WITH SPECIFIC CITY SERVICES
Over 90 percent of residents who provided an opinion15 were satisfied with the City's
efforts to "Provide library services" (96%), "Maintain city parks" (96%), "Provide fire
protection and prevention services" (95%), "Provide sewer services" (93%), "Provide taw
enforcement services" (93%), and "Provide water services" (90%).
Figure 15 Satisfaction with Local Issues and Services
Provide library services
Maintain city parks
Provide fire protection and emergency
medical services
Provide sewer services
Provide law enforcement services
Provide water services
Provide recreation programs
Provide trails and walking paths
Provide local arts and
cultural opportunities
Repair and maintain local
streets and roads
Maintain the business climate in Carlsbad
Protect water quality in the City's
creeks, lagoons, and the ocean
Manage traffic congestion on city streets
Provide enough undeveloped areas
in the City for habitat protection
Manage residential growth
and development
76.5%
66.5%
70.1%
58.5%
64.5%
19.6%
29.3%
24.6%
34.5%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
•Very satisfied D Somewhat satisfied
15 Due to the higher than average percentage of "Don't know/ no answer" responses for many items, those
responses were filtered out of the analysis for this series. The high percentage of "Don't know/ no answer" is
likely due to residents' lack of direct experience with those specific services.
RE S E A RC H PARTNERSHIP
2010 Public Opinion Survey - Report
City of Carlsbad
The table below shows the overall percentage of residents that were satisfied, neither
satisfied nor dissatisfied, or dissatisfied with the City's efforts in each area.
Table 4 Satisfaction with Local Issues and Services
Satisfaction with the City's efforts to...
Provide library services
Maintain city parks
Provide fire protection and emergency
medical services
Provide sewer services
Provide law enforcement services
Provide water services
Provide recreation programs
Provide trails and walking paths
Provide local arts and cultural
opportunities
Repair and maintain local streets and
roads
Maintain the business climate in Carlsbad
Protect water quality in the City's creeks,
lagoons, and the ocean
Manage traffic congestion on city streets
Provide enough undeveloped areas in the
City for habitat protection
Manage residential growth and
development
Average across items
Satisfied
96.1%
95.8%
94.7%
93.0%
92.7%
90.2%
89.4%
89.3%
87.4%
85.9%
83.6%
83.1%
74.1%
72.4%
66.8%
86.4%
Neither
2.5%
1.1%
3.7%
5.5%
2.7%
4.7%
4.9%
2.6%
6.8%
4.0%
8.6%
6.6%
4.8%
5.6%
8.8%
4.8%
Dissatisfied
1.3%
3.0%
1.7%
1.6%
4.6%
5.2%
5.7%
8.1%
5.8%
10.0%
7.8%
10.2%
21.1%
22.0%
24.4%
8.8%
Satisfaction
Rank
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
RESEARCH PARTNERSHIP
2010 Public Opinion Survey - Report
City of Carlsbad
All changes in satisfaction evidenced from previous years were positive improvements.
From 2009 to 2010, there was a statistically significant increase in satisfaction for
providing law enforcement services (2010: 93%; 2009: 90%; 2008: 92%; 2007: 92%).
The percentage of residents satisfied with the City's efforts to manage traffic congestion
on city streets in 2010 was significantly higher than each of the three previous years
(2010: 74%; 2009: 70%; 2008: 68%; 2007: 64%).
The percentage of residents satisfied with the City's efforts to manage residential growth
and development has also increased each year, with the percentage statistically higher
than 2008 and 2007 (2010: 67%; 2009: 64%; 2008: 62%; 2007: 57%).
Although unchanged from 2009, the percentage of residents satisfied with the City's
efforts to protect water quality in the City's creeks, lagoons, and the ocean (2010: 83%;
2009: 82%; 2008: 76%; 2007: not asked) and provide enough undeveloped areas in the
City for habitat protection (2010: 72%; 2009: 71%; 2008: 67%; 2007: not asked) were
statistically higher in 2010 than 2008.
The three charts to follow show satisfaction with each local issue or service over time.
Figure 16 Satisfaction with Local Issues and Services by Year (Top 5)
Dark=Very satisfied
Provide library services
'10 '
'09
'08
'07
Maintain city p
'10
'09
'08
'07
Provide fire protection and emergency medical service
'10
'09 | 74.2%
'08
'07
Provide sewer services
'10
'09
'08
'07
Provide law enforcement services
'10
'09
'08
'07
Light=Somewhat satisfied
24.6%
19.9% I
Total Satisfied
96.1%
96.7%
96.6%
96.3%
95.8%
94.4%
95.5%
95.0%
94.7%
94.1%
58.5%34.5%
30.0%
33.5%
31.8%
93.0%
90.8%
92.0%
91.6%
92.7%
90.0%
92.3%
92.3%
100%
[bw]- R E S E A R C H PARTNERSHIP
2010 Public Opinion Survey - Report
City of Carlsbad
Figure 17 Satisfaction with Local Issues and Services by Year (Midjj)
Light=Somewhat satisfied
55.5%
Dark=Very satisfied
Provide water services
'10
'09 I 56.0%
^^^^^^^•^^^^^M^^^^^H'08
'07 I
34.7%
32.8%
33.8%
Provide recreational programs
'10
'09
'OS
'07 ! 54.7%
55.4%
59.0%
Provide trails and wa|k!nc
'10
'09
'08
'07 |
Daths
53.0%
idJWi
51.6%
Provide local arts and cultural opportunities
'10
'09 | 50.0%
'08
'07
Repar and mainta nlocal streets
'10
'09 | _ 47.6%
'08
'07
o%20%40%
31.7%
34.0%
29.1%
34.3%
34.3%
32.8%
34.8%
33.8%
35.2%
39.4%
36.7%
38.7%
41.4%
38.7%
39.0%
42.8%
60%80%
Total Satisfied
90.2%
88.8%
90.9%
92.5%
89.4%
88.1%
89.9%
89.0%
89.3%
87.8%
87.5%
86.8%
87.4%
86.7%
88.3%
88.2%
85.9%
86.6%
84.3%
85.5%1
100%
RESEARCH PARTNERSHIP
2010 Public Opinion Survey- Report
City of Carlsbad
Figure 18 Satisfaction with Local Issues and Services by Year (Last 5)
Dark=Very satisfied
Maintian the business climate in Carlsbad— ~
Light=Somewhat satisfied
36.6%
31.1%
40.5%
39.5%
Protect water qualityin the City's creeks, lagoons, and the ocean
'10 | •'•.'• H 40.8%
'09
'08
'07
Manage traffic congestion on City streets
'10 '
'09
'08
'07
43.0%
36.7%
42.5%
22.8%l_.J 41.4%
Provide enoug
'10
Total Satisfied
83.6%
83.7%
83.2%
85.3%
83.1%
82.3%
76.1%
74.1%
69.5%
68.1%
64.2%
72.4%
70.9%
66.5%
66.8%
63.7%
61.6%
57.0%
0%20%40%60%80%100%
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2010
City of Carlsbad
Resident Survey Report
RECYCLING AND TRASH SERVICE PREFERENCES
Respondents were next presented with the opinions of two neighbors who live in
Carlsbad and who disagree about Carlsbad's options for trash and recycling containers.
This question was asked for the first time in 2010.
Below are the opinions of the two neighbors:
• Smith believes that the City of Carlsbad should replace current trash cans and the
small recycling bins with three containers provided by the City for recycling, trash,
and yard waste. Smith is willing to pay approximately two dollars more a month for
trash and recycling services that provide more convenient containers and have
enough space for all of our recyclable materials.
• Jones believes that the City of Carlsbad should not change the current recycling
bins and trash cans with city-provided containers. Jones does not want to pay any
more money a month for trash and recycling services when the current system is
working just fine.
After hearing each opinion, residents were asked to select the one closest to their own.
The majority of residents (57%) agreed with Jones that additional fees are not necessary
when the current system is working just fine. Thirty-six percent of residents identified
with Smith that the City should provide three containers for an additional fee of
approximately two dollars a month. The remainder of respondents did not agree with
either opinion (2%), agreed with a combination of both (1%), or did not know or declined
to state (3%).
Figure 19 Recycling and Trash Service Preferences
Keep the
current
system
57.1%
Replace with
three city-
provided
containers
>- 36.3%
DK/NA
3.4%
Neither
2.2%
Combination
1.1%
2010 Public Opinion Survey - Report
City of Carlsbad
To follow is the assessment of residents' opinions regarding recycling and trash
service by sub-groups.
• Demographic groups that were more likely to prefer replacing the current system
with three city-provided containers and a two dollar fee increase included:
o Females (42%);
o Households with children (44%);
o Renters (44%);
o Apartment residents (55%); and
o Carlsbad residents of less than ten years (45%).
• Respondents 25 to 34 years of age (57%) were the most likely to agree with
replacing the current system. With the exception of those in the 18 to 24 year
group, the preference to keep the system as it is now was correlated with age.
Respondents aged 65 and older were the most likely to prefer the system remain
the same.
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City of Carlsbad
2010 Resident Survey Report
SATISFACTION WITH CITY-RESIDENT COMMUNICATION
Seventy-four percent of residents were either "Very" (31%) or "Somewhat" (42%)
satisfied with the City's efforts to communicate with residents. Seventeen percent
reported dissatisfaction and nine percent did not know or declined to state an opinion.
Compared with 2009, more residents did not know or declined to state their satisfaction
with city-resident communication in 2010 (2010: 9%; 2009: 5%). As a result, the total
percentage satisfied decreased from 79 percent in 2009 to 74 percent in 2010 while the
percentage dissatisfied remained unchanged (2010: 17%; 2009: 16%).
However, when residents who did not know or declined to state (i.e., "DK/NA") were
filtered out of the analysis, the percentage of residents satisfied with city-resident
communication was statistically comparable to 2009 (2010: 81%; 2009: 83%).
Figure 20 Satisfaction with City-Resident Communication16
100% !
80%
60%
40%
20%
0%
9,2%
.5.1%
12.2%
42.3%
5.1%
11.1%
49,5%
31.3%
2010
29.3%
2009
0 DK/NA
D Very dissatisfied
D Somewhat dissatisfied
O Somewhat satisfied
• Very satisfied
Statistically significant change from 2009 (p< .05)
' The wording for this question was changed in 2009, As such, the 2008 and 2007 results are not displayed.
2010 Public Opinion Survey - Report
City of Carlsbad
To follow is the assessment of residents' satisfaction with city-resident
communication.
• Satisfaction with city-resident communication was positively correlated with a
number of other variables throughout the survey, including: residents' views on
quality of life; perceptions regarding the direction of the community; sense of
community; safety walking alone in their neighborhood; satisfaction with the
City's efforts to provide services; and confidence in city government.
• Residents who cited using the City website, reading the North County Times,
using the community services or recreation guide, or reading flyers (in the water
bill or at city buildings) to look for city information were more likely to be satisfied
with city-resident communication.
• Residents who recalled being exposed to information regarding ways to prevent
the pollution of local creeks, lagoons, and the ocean reported higher satisfaction
with city-resident communication than those who did not recall hearing or seeing
any information.
• A regression analysis revealed the following as the top predictors of residents'
satisfaction with city-resident communication:
o Confidence in Carlsbad government to make decisions that positively
affect the lives of residents and
o Satisfaction with the City's efforts to provide recreation programs.
Demographically
• The age group that was most satisfied with city-resident communication was the
65 and older cohort (83%) and the least satisfied group was the 18 to 24 year old
cohort (64%).
• Residents of La Costa/ La Costa Canyon/ La Costa Oaks were the most likely to
report dissatisfaction with city-resident communication (25% vs. an average of
17%).
2010 Public Opinion Survey - Report
City of Carlsbad
New to the 2010 survey, residents were asked how they would most likely find and
contact the appropriate person at the City to report an issue or concern or to get specific
information about city services. Fifty-eight percent of residents indicated they would
"Look on the City website to find the appropriate information or an electronic form to
complete." The next most popular response was to "Find the phone number of the
appropriate city employee and call them," which 35 percent of respondents chose.
Table 5...Contacting the Appropriate Person at the City
Offered Responses
Look on the City website to find the appropriate information or
an electronic form to complete
Find the phone number of the appropriate city employee and
call them
Send an email to the appropriate employee or City department
50.9%
35.0%
7.2%
Other Responses
Walk in to City offices
General Internet
Multiple methods
Miscellaneous
DK/NA
1.1%
0.6%
0.7%
0.4%
4.0%
Residents aged 55 years and older responded in greater proportion with the
phone-based option, while those under 55 were more likely to prefer using the
City website. The preference for phone was also found for residents without
children and those who have lived in Carlsbad for 15 years or longer.
Respondents living in the La Costa zip codes (92009 and 92011) were more
likely to prefer the City website when compared to the remaining Carlsbad zip
codes of 92008 and 92010 (55% vs. 46%). Respondents from the remaining
Carlsbad zip codes were more likely to choose the phone-based answer (40%
vs. 31%).
« CARLSBAD
^ c Ai.>FO«N'A
• jitebad
City of Carlsbad
2010 Resident Survey Report
INFORMATION SOURCES
Residents were next asked how often they referred to a variety of sources for
information about city issues, services, or activities. Television news (33% regular use),
water bill flyers (29%), the San Diego Union Tribune (23%), the community services or
recreation guide (22%), and the North County Times (22%) were each "Regularly"
utilized by at least 20 percent of residents.
Figure 21 Frequency of Using Information Sources
Television news
Flyers that come in your water bill
The San Diego Union-Tribune
or www.signonsandiego.com
The community services
or recreation guide
The North County Times
or www.nctimes.com
The City of Carlsbad web site
Flyers at City buildings like the Library,
Senior Center, or community centers
Social media web sites such as
Facebook, Twitter or YouTube
32.5%21.2%18.4%26.5%
22.2%13%32.0%
18.6%16.9%41.0%
30.1%23.3%22.3%
15.7%16.8%44.6%
28.9%26.1%30.3%
26.2%25.6%33.0%
7%13%68.5%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
• Regularly O Sometimes D Seldom D Never DDK/NA
Figure sorted by the percentage that "Regularly" used each source. Question not asked in 2008 or 2007.
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2010 Public Opinion Survey- Report
City of Carlsbad
In terms of overall use, the community services or recreation guide (76%) and television
news (72%) were each utilized by more than seven of ten residents. Similar to 2009,
social media websites such as Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube were the least frequently
utilized source for city information (31%).
Compared with 2009, statistically fewer residents in 2010 referred to the North County
Times (2010: 54%; 2009: 60%), San Diego Union-Tribune (2010: 59%; 2009: 67%), and
television news (2010: 72%; 2009: 77%) for information about city issues, services, or
activities.
Figure 22 Overail Use of Information Sources18
Community services or recreation guide
Television news
City of Carlsbad web site
Flyers at City buildings
Flyers that come in your water bill
San Diego Union-Tribune
North County Times
Social media websites
• 2010
02009
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Statistically significant change from 2009 (p< .05)
1 Question series not asked in 2008 or 2007.
2010 Public Opinion Survey- Report
City of Carlsbad
To follow is the assessment of sources for information about city issues, services, or
activities by resident sub-groups. The percentages below are overall use of each
source among the sub-groups.
• Female respondents were statistically more likely than males to use television
news (75% vs. 69%), flyers at city buildings (70% vs. 60%), the community
services or recreation guide (80% vs. 71%), and the San Diego Union Tribune
(62% vs. 55%).
• Compared to respondents in other age groups, a higher percentage of residents
18 to 24 years old referred to social media websites (62%) and/ or flyers at city
buildings (83%).
• Seniors 65 years and older were the least likely to use the City website (48%)
and social media websites (14%). Seniors were the most likely of any age group
to refer to the North County Times (61%).
• When compared with renters, a higher percentage of homeowners utilized water
bill flyers for city information, the San Diego Union Tribune, the community
services or recreation guide, the City of Carlsbad website, and television news.
• Residents with children were more likely than those without to refer to the
community services or recreations guide (80% vs. 72%) or the City of Carlsbad
website (79% vs. 62%) when looking for information about city issues, services,
or activities.
• Residents of zip code 92008 were the least likely to use the City of Carlsbad
website (59% vs. an average of 69%).
• Residents of zip codes 92008 and 92010 were less likely to refer to the San
Diego Union Tribune than residents in 92009 or 92011 (92008: 51%; 92009:
64%; 92010: 51%; 92011: 65%).
City of Carlsbad
2010 Resident Survey Report
PREVENTING POLLUTION OF CREEKS, LAGOONS, AND OCEAN
Nearly two-thirds of residents (65%) have seen or heard information in the past year
about how residents can prevent the pollution of local creeks, lagoons, and the ocean.
The percentage of residents that had heard information in the past year about preventing
the pollution of local creeks, lagoons, and the ocean decreased from 2009, but was
statistically higher than 2008 and 2007 (2010: 65%; 2009: 74%; 2008: 57%; 2007; 60%).
Figure 23 Informed about Preventinci WaterPollutjon
65.2%
Yes
59.7%
DK/NA
I1
M
-
0.9% * '
1.3% ¥
I 3.2%
j 2.3%
• 2010
D2009
• 2008
D2007
0%20%40%60%80%100%
° Statistically significant change from 2009 (p< .05)
¥ Statistically significant change from 2008
1 Statistically significant change from 2007
The following sub-groups were the most likely to recall hearing or seeing information
about preventing water pollution:
o Residents with a "High" sense of community;
o Residents 35 years and older;
o Those without children in the household;
o Homeowners; and
o Residents in zip codes 92011 or 92009.
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2010 Public Opinion Survey - Report
City of Carlsbad
SOURCE OF INFORMATION
Residents who recalled seeing or hearing water pollution prevention information were
next asked to recall the source of the information in an open-ended format. The most
frequently cited sources of information were television (32%), newsletters (21%), and the
newspaper (20%).
Fjg_ure 24 Source of Poiiution Prevention information (n=
TV
Newsletters
Newspaper
Water/ utility bill
Curb signs
Brochures
Radio
Website
Family/ friends/ other word of mouth
School
Posters
Public events/ booth
Information in the mail
Flyer
Internet
Movie theaters
Lagoon Foundation
Magazine
5.9%
4.0%
3.6%
3.4%
2.9%
2.7%
2.3%
1.1%
0.9%
0.6%
0.6%
City building or library \ 0.6%
"LSigns near lagoons/ beach/ trails f 0.6%
Other
Don't know/ not sure
2.0%
4.0%
20%40%60%
Compared with the 2009 results, a statistically lower percentage of residents in the 2010
survey cited television (32% vs. 38%), the radio (8% vs. 12%), the newspaper (20% vs.
28%), and brochures (10% vs. 16%). The most notable increase from 2009 was in the
percentage that cited newsletters (21% vs. 11%).
' Multiple responses permitted; the percentages in the figure total more than 100 percent.
2010 Public Opinion Survey- Report
City of Carlsbad
ACTION TAKEN BASED ON INFORMATION
Those residents who recalled seeing or hearing information about how to prevent water
pollution were next asked to indicate what they had done, if anything, to reduce the
amount of pollution in local creeks, lagoons, and the ocean.
Twenty-six percent of respondents to this follow-up question indicated that they had not
done anything or declined to state. Twenty-two percent of those who recalled hearing or
seeing pollution prevention information properly disposed of hazardous waste, 15
percent used a commercial car wash, and 14 percent used environmentally friendly
products.
Compared with 2009, residents in 2010 were less likely to indicate that they had taken
action to prevent water pollution, placing the percentage back in line with 2008 and 2007
responses (2010: 74%: 2009: 81%; 2008: 76%; 2007: 75%).
Figure 25 Action Taken Based on Pollution Prevention Information (n=652)20
Properly disposed of hazardous waste
Used a commercial car wash
Used environmentally friendly soaps,
pesticides, etc.
Cleaned up trash at parks and beaches
Recycled
Careful of what goes down sewer/
no longer dump down storm drain
Reduced water usage/ used water more
efficiently
Cleaned up animal waste
Reduced run-off/ erosion control
Don't litter
I do everything I can/1 don't pollute
Don't wash cars as much/ don't wash in
driveway
Reduce trash/ plastics
Other
Have not done anything
DK/NA
0% 10% 20% 30% 40%
20 Multiple responses permitted; the percentages in the figure total more than 100 percent.
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