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Surveys can help cities and counties determine sustainability and other priorities among citizens
Michael Keating
February 6, 2024
4 Min Read
A broad slice of the population supports preserving the environment, says Michelle Kobayashi, principal research strategist at Polco, a firm that provides thousands of government leaders with insight from polls, surveys and data analytics.
“We know that the millennials, the baby boomers—actually really everybody—wants green spaces in their community. That’s just a natural amenity that’s indispensable these days,” Kobayashi tells Co-op Solutions. Other data points Kobayashi offers:
We know changes in transportation, including electric and autonomous vehicles, are going to really change what transportation and mobility looks like in terms of natural environment.
We know that smart sustainability within buildings is a big issue.
Open space and preservation of lands is not easy when you’re in an urban area or an area that’s growing quickly.
New technology, remote work-life, the pandemic, the climate, an aging demographic and other strong forces have changed communities around the country.
This Polco source spotlights that natural environment is one of today’s top 10 community needs based on a national survey of U.S. resdients.
The firm offers an online community engagement polling platform that provides the information tools local governments and other public sector leaders need. The National Research Center (NRC) is Polco’s proprietary in-house data science laboratory. The NRC designed the National Community Survey (NCS), which is a leading measure for community assessments today. This webinar showcases more of Kobayashi’s views.
Yes, intelligent use of land is one of the top 10 community priorities among U.S. residents. “It is rated highly important. Land use deeply influences the quality of a community. How land is utilized impacts economic development, affects transportation, determines the types of housing and population density, among many other effects. It can change the activities and the look of a place,” Kobayashi explains.
NCS data from Polco shows eight in 10 residents rate air quality positively, while roughly seven in 10 rate water resources positively, and about six in 10 rate the preservation of natural areas, cleanliness and open space positively.
No question, natural environment has been a major issue nationally as well as globally. “Local government leaders should be paying attention to new technology and trends, like blue and green infrastructure (incorporating water, plants, grass and trees into building plans) and 15-minute cities (communities with access to necessities within 15 minutes) to help maintain the natural environment,” Kobayashi states.
Ashland case study
Starting around 1990 and going through 2015, residential housing starts in Ashland, Mass., became a priority. Both the environment and land preservation weren’t deemed as important Development of homes attracted more families to Ashland. Still, town officials had a few questions about what Ashland’s residents desired.
However, in 2016, a new management team stepped in as the Town Council of Ashland. They were eager to hear more about resident opinions. So, they sent out the first NCS to obtain feedback and responses from Ashland residents.
According to survey results, members of the Ashland community were hoping for change. They wanted to preserve the environment and desired more open spaces. Some highlights from the Ashland report:
Ashland’s efforts in response to the NCS results helped increase resident satisfaction related to the natural environment. Between 2016 and 2019, rankings for preservation of natural areas increased 15 percent and open space increased 11 percent.
Ashland’s efforts led to a 2020 Voice of the People Award for Transformation in the Natural Environment, an award presented by Polco/National Research Center and the International City & County Management Association (ICMA). It is a national award that honors local governments based on feedback from residents. It also acknowledges local governments that make substantial improvements on NCS ratings. This link takes you to the full Ashland case study.
OMNIA Partners offers a robust portfolio of cooperative contracts in the public procurement space. The firm lists several cooperative contracts under the keyword “citizen engagement.”
Michael Keating is senior editor for American City & County. Contact him at [email protected].
