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2018-178 2018 Citizen Survey ResultsDate: December 14, 2018 Report No. 2018-178 INFORMAL STAFF REPORT TO MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL SUBJECT: Provide an overview of the results of the 2018 Citizen Survey results BACKGROUND: The City of Denton worked with The National Citizen Survey (NCS), administered by the National Research Center, Inc. (NRC), to survey and assess the opinions of Denton Residents. The questions are designed to measure eight facets of community livability: Safety, Mobility, Natural Environment, Built Environment, Economy, Recreation and Wellness, Education and Enrichment, and Community Engagement. The survey was mailed out to 1,600 randomly selected households in mid-August 2018 and the City made a web-based survey available during late September and early October 2018. The City Council Committee on Citizen Engagement received a presentation from the National Research Center at the December 4, 2018 meeting. This included an overview of the survey methodology, highlights of the survey results, and a brief question and answer session. For reference, the presentation has been included as Attachment 1. Survey Method The best survey research practices were used to ensure that the results from the survey respondents reflect the opinions of residents in the entire community. Surveys were administered in two ways: 1. Mailed Survey (Random, Scientific Sample) – All households within the City of Denton were eligible to participate in the survey. NRC applied a systematic sampling method to the list of households to select 1,600 survey recipients. NRC used the following best practices:  Using a mail-out/mail-back methodology, which typically gets a higher response rate than phone for the same dollars spent. A higher response rate lessens the worry that those who did not respond are different than those who did respond.  Selecting households at random within the community to receive the survey to ensure that the households selected to receive the survey are representative of the larger community.  Over-sampling multi-family housing units to improve response from hard-to-reach, lower income or younger apartment dwellers.  Selecting the respondent within the household using an unbiased sampling procedure; in this case, the “birthday method.” The cover letter included an instruction requesting that the respondent in the household be the adult (18 years old or older) who most recently had a birthday, irrespective of year of birth.  Contacting potential respondents three times to encourage response from people who may have different opinions or habits than those who would respond with only a single prompt.  Inviting response in a compelling manner (using appropriate letterhead/logos and a signature of a visible leader) to appeal to recipients’ sense of civic responsibility. Date: December 14, 2018 Report No. 2018-178  Providing a pre-addressed, postage-paid return envelope.  Offering the survey in Spanish or other language when requested by a given community.  Weighting the results to reflect the demographics of the population. The results are weighted according to the demographics of survey respondents compared to the 2010 Census and American Community Survey estimates for adults in the City of Denton. The primary objective of weighting survey data is to make the survey respondents reflective of the larger population of the community. The characteristics used for weighting were housing tenure (rent or own), race, ethnicity, sex, age, and City Council District.  A full explanation of the survey methodology is included in the Technical Appendices that can be found on the Citizen Survey webpage. 2. Online Survey (Opt-In Sample) – In addition to the scientific, random selection of households, a link to an online “opt-in” survey was publicized and posted to the City of Denton website and shared on social media. The opt-in survey was identical to the mailed survey and open to all Denton residents. Survey Results and Reporting In total, 1,177 survey responses were gathered. 216 people completed the mailed survey, giving a 7% margin of error, and another 961 surveys were received online. This compares to 1,329 (mailed and online) total survey responses in 2018, and 268 (mailing only) responses in 2015. After the data from both the mailed and opt-in online survey were collected, NRC compared the data to determine whether it was appropriate to combine, or blend, both datasets together. Because the characteristics of respondents to the opt-in online survey were notably dissimilar in both respondent trait and opinion, the datasets were not blended for NRC analysis and reporting to maintain the representative sample. However, both datasets are useful and insightful. The random, scientific sample through the mailed survey is developed to reflect the perceptions of the overall community. The reports analyzed and compiled by NRC use this dataset as the primary data point. The opt-in online survey had a significant number of responses from our community and provides valuable data as well. The opt- in online survey conveys the perception for individuals that have high levels of community engagement based upon their responses. The best comparison of the two datasets can be viewed in the Trend Over Times report (Attachment 2). DISCUSSION The Community Livability Report (Attachment 3) provides a narrative of the results of the scientific survey. The NRC drew four primary conclusions from the survey results which are outlined on pg. 13 of the Community Livability report and shown below:  Denton residents continue to enjoy a high quality of life. About 8 in 10 residents gave positive ratings to the overall quality of life in Denton and the city as a place to live. At least three-quarters of residents also were pleased with the overall image and overall appearance of the city, their neighborhood as a place to live and the city as a place to raise Date: December 14, 2018 Report No. 2018-178 children, and 6 in 10 felt Denton as a place to retire was excellent or good. While most of these evaluations were stable from 2017 to 2018, the rating for overall appearance increased. Residents remain loyal to the community, with more than 7 in 10 residents planning to remain in Denton for the next five years and 9 in 10 recommending living in Denton to someone who asked. These ratings all were similar to those given in other communities across the nation.  Safety ratings are strong and safety is a priority for the community. Denton residents indicated that Safety was an important focus area for the City and ratings within this facet tended to be positive. Nine in 10 residents reported feeling safe in their neighborhood and in Denton’s downtown and gave excellent or good ratings to fire and ambulance/EMS services. At least 7 in 10 residents gave favorable marks to police services, fire prevention, animal control and emergency preparedness; these ratings were all similar to the national average. However, only 22% of respondents had stocked supplies for an emergency, a level which decreased from 2015 to 2018 and was lower than levels reported in other communities.  Economy is an important area of focus for the City. Residents indicated that Economy would be an important area for the City to focus on in the next two years and ratings within this facet tended to be positive. Nearly 8 in 10 residents were pleased with Denton’s vibrant downtown/commercial area and the overall quality of business and service establishments (both of which were higher than the benchmark), and other Economy-related items such as the overall economic health of the city, shopping and employment opportunities and Denton as a place to visit and to work received ratings similar to those given in other communities across the nation. Denton residents were more likely to work within the city than those who lived elsewhere.  Mobility is also a resident priority. Residents also indicated that they would like to see the City address aspects of Mobility in the coming years. When evaluating ratings within this facet, there were some bright spots: at least half of residents gave positive marks to the overall ease of travel, paths and walking trails, ease of walking and ease of travel by public transportation (which was higher than the national benchmark and an improvement since the previous survey iteration). Further, the ratings for bus or transit services was higher than average, and resident sentiment toward traffic flow, ease of travel by bicycle and by walking, and paths and walking trails improved from 2017 to 2018. However, ratings for the ease of travel by car, public parking, traffic flow, street repair, snow removal and traffic signal timing were lower than the national benchmark comparisons. Moving Forward City staff will use the results from this survey to understand the perception of Denton residents, and to find areas that need improvement whether through increased outreach and education, or through operational enhancements. Staff plans to review the survey results with all departments and develop next steps and an action plan to improve community ratings, as well as integrate into the City’s annual strategic plan. The survey results have been posted on the City of Denton’s website with previous survey results for citizens to view at https://www.cityofdenton.com/en-us/government/strategic- initiatives/planning-and-citizen-survey, and is featured on the Quick Links section of the Date: December 14, 2018 Report No. 2018-178 homepage. In addition to the attachments that are included in this report, the website also includes additional reports including:  The NCS Dashboard  The NCS Geographic Crosstabs  The NCS Demographic Crosstabs  The NCS Supplemental Online Results  The NCS Technical Appendices ATTACHMENTS 1. The NCS Presentation Denton 2. The NCS Trends over Time-Denton 2018 3. The NCS Community Livability Report Denton 2018 STAFF CONTACT: Sarah Kuechler Director of Public Affairs (940) 349-8356 sarah.kuechler@cityofdenton.com Stuart Birdseye Management Analyst (940) 349-8009 stuart.birdseye@cityofdenton.com 11/26/2018 1 Denton, TX Key Findings 2018 The NCS is presented by NRC in collaboration with ICMA Jane Jacobs,The Death and Life of Great American Cities “Cities have the capability of providing something for everybody, only because, and only when, they are created by everybody.”
 11/26/2018 2 About The NCS Community Livability Community Characteristics Governance Participation Communitiesare partnerships among... Residents Community-based organizations Govern-ment Private sector Facets of Community Livability Safety Mobility Recreation and WellnessEconomy Quality of Community Overall Natural Environment Built Environment Community Engagement Education and Enrichment 11/26/2018 3 The NCS & Denton Participant in The NCS in 2015 and 2018 Scientific sample of 1,600 households 216 returned surveys; 18% response rate ±7% margin of error Online option Geographic comparisons Demographic comparisons Custom benchmarks Compare prior results Spanish translation In-person presentation National Benchmark Comparisons 11/26/2018 4 2018 National Benchmark Comparisons 102 received similar ratings 23 received higher ratings 9 received lower ratings 2018 Ratings Compared to 2017 92 received similar ratings 25 received higher ratings 17 received lower ratings 11/26/2018 5 Education and Enrichment Community EngagementMobility Natural Environment Recreation and Wellness Built EnvironmentSafety Economy Legend Higher than national benchmark Similar to national benchmark Lower than national benchmark Most important Key Focus Areas Denton residents continue to enjoy a high quality of life Key Finding #1 11/26/2018 6 residents rated: Overall quality of life Denton as a place to liveNeighborhood as a place to live Place to raise children as excellent or good Overall image Overall appearance Remain in Denton Excellent or good Living in Denton 11/26/2018 7 Safety ratings are strong and Safety is a priority for the community Key Finding #2 Excellent or good ratings tofire and ambulance/EMS services Feel safe in their neighborhood Feel safe in Denton’s downtown 11/26/2018 8 Safety Ratings Safety Top importance Overall feeling of safety Police services Animal control 77% 75% 75% Fire prevention 72% Stocked supplies for an emergency 22% Legend Similar to national benchmark Lower than national benchmark Percent excellent or good Emergency preparedness 72% Economy is an important area of focus for the City Key Finding #3 11/26/2018 9 8 in 10 Vibrant downtown/ commercial area Overall quality of business and service establishments Rated excellent or good Higher than the national benchmark Economy ratings 7in 10 Economy ratings 6in 10 Denton as a place to work Overall economic health of the city Denton as a place to visit Shopping opportunities Economic development excellent or good increase since previous survey 11/26/2018 10 Mobility is also a resident priority Key Finding #4 •Overall ease of travel •Ease of walking •Traffic enforcement •Bus or transit services Excellent or good Mobility ratings Higher than benchmark increase since previous survey 11/26/2018 11 Mobility Ratings Paths and walking trails (53%) Street cleaning (48%) Travel by bicycle (47%) Street lighting (45%) Sidewalk maintenance (40%) Snow removal (45%) Travel by car (44%) Traffic signal timing (33%) Public parking (32%) Traffic flow (26%) Street repair (19%)Similar to benchmarkLower than benchmark= increase since previous survey Special Topics 11/26/2018 12 City Communications Relevance of topics in Resident Update Quality of City website Availability of information about City programs Quality of City’s cable channel Usefulness of Citizen Connection 71% 68% 67% 65% 63% Rated excellent or good Sources of Information 9/10 • City website • Word of mouth 7/10 •Denton-Record Chronicle • CodeRed • Citizen Connection • Resident Update •Public buildings 5/10 •City email • City Facebook or Twitter • Other local news source •City staff • Public meetings • City council Rated “major source” or “minor source” 11/26/2018 13 Customer Service Preferred Interaction Mail Internet app Email Telephone In person 36% 5% 10% 20% 24% Customer Service Performance 8 in 10 7in 10 Timely resolution of request Courtesy and helpfulness of staff Knowledge of staff Ease of locating contact information Availability of staff 11/26/2018 14 Voter Participation 31% 69% Voted in last election Yes No 35% 16% 4% 58% Not aware of election Not registered to vote Voting location inconvenient Other Conclusions Denton residents continue to enjoy a high quality of life. Safety ratings are strong and Safety is a priority for the community. Economy is an important area of focus for the City. Mobility is also a resident priority. 11/26/2018 15 Moving Forward Citizen-centricDecision makingCitizen-centricDecision making Data-drivenDecision making Data-drivenDecision making The NCS Envision, Engage, Educate, Earmark, Enact, Evaluate Questions? 11/26/2018 16 Thank you! National Research Center, Inc. 2955 Valmont Road Suite 300 Boulder, CO 80301 303-444-7863 • nrc@n-r-c.com www.n-r-c.com 2955 Valmont Road Suite 300 777 North Capitol Street NE Suite 500 Boulder, Colorado 80301 Washington, DC 20002 n-r-c.com • 303-444-7863 icma.org • 800-745-8780 Denton, TX Trends over Time 2018 1 Summary The National Citizen Survey™ (The NCS™) is a collaborative effort between National Research Center, Inc. (NRC) and the International City/County Management Association (ICMA). The survey and its administration are standardized to assure high quality research methods and directly comparable results across The NCS communities. The NCS captures residents’ opinions within the three pillars of a community (Community Characteristics, Governance and Participation) across eight central facets of community (Safety, Mobility, Natural Environment, Built Environment, Economy, Recreation and Wellness, Education and Enrichment and Community Engagement). This report discusses trends over time, comparing the 2018 ratings for the City of Denton to its previous survey results in 2015 and 2017. Additional reports and technical appendices are available under separate cover. Trend data for Denton represent important comparison data and should be examined for improvements or declines. Deviations from stable trends over time, especially, represent opportunities for understanding how local policies, programs or public information may have affected residents’ opinions. Meaningful differences between survey years have been noted within the following tables as being “higher” or “lower” if the differences are greater than nine percentage points between the 2017 and 2018 surveys, otherwise the comparisons between 2017 and 2018 are noted as being “similar.” Additionally, benchmark comparisons for all survey years are presented for reference. Changes in the benchmark comparison over time can be impacted by various trends, including varying survey cycles for the individual communities that comprise the benchmarks, regional and national economic or other events, as well as emerging survey methodologies. It is important to note that in 2017, survey data were collected by a survey research firm other than NRC and data collection methods differed from those used in 2015 and 2018. In 2017, survey responses were collected online only and results were not weighted to population demographics; in 2015 and 2018, survey results were collected from a random sample of residents who received the survey in the mail and results were weighted to reflect the demographics of Denton as a whole. While all survey modes were self-administered, because the 2017 results were not weighted to reflect the entire adult (18 or older) population in Denton, any differences between the 2017 data and other survey years should be interpreted cautiously. In some cases, questions that were asked in 2015 and 2018 were not included on the 2017 survey. In these cases (denoted with an asterisk in the tables below), trend data have been provided by comparing Denton’s 2018 data to its 2015 data. Results from the 2018 community-wide open-participation online survey have also been included in the tables below in a separate column. These results have not been weighted to the demographics of Denton. Overall, ratings in Denton for 2018 generally remained stable. Of the 134 items for which comparisons were available, 92 items were rated similarly in 2018 and the previous year, 17 items showed a decrease in ratings and 25 showed an increase in ratings. Notable trends over time included the following: • Ratings improved for several aspects of Mobility, including traffic flow on major streets, ease of walking and ease of travel by public transportation, among others. • Within Community Engagement, ratings for several measures of government performance increased, including the overall direction of the City, the job City government does at welcoming citizen involvement and overall confidence in City government. Residents in 2018 also gave more positive ratings to opportunities to participate in community matters and the openness and acceptance of the community toward people of diverse backgrounds. • Residents were more pleased with aspects of Built Environment in 2018 than previously, including overall quality of new development; variety of housing options; and land use, planning and zoning. • Levels of Participation for many activities declined in 2018 when compared to 2017. Some of these activities included using Denton recreation centers or public libraries, visiting a City park, attending a City-sponsored event, attending or watching local public meetings and volunteering, among others. However, it is important to note that the change in survey methods from 2017 to 2018 has likely impacted some of these ratings changes; therefore, these declines should be interpreted with caution. The National Citizen Survey™ 2 Table 1: Community Characteristics General Percent rating positively (e.g., excellent/good) 2018 rating compared to previous year Comparison to benchmark 2015 2017 2018 2018 opt-in rating** 2015 2017 2018 Overall quality of life 85% 80% 83% 78% Similar Similar Similar Similar Overall image 76% 76% 76% 73% Similar Similar Similar Similar Place to live 89% 86% 86% 83% Similar Similar Similar Similar Neighborhood 77% 82% 81% 80% Similar Similar Similar Similar Place to raise children 81% 80% 79% 77% Similar Similar Similar Similar Place to retire 69% 64% 58% 59% Similar Similar Similar Similar Overall appearance 67% 66% 75% 60% Higher Similar Similar Similar **results not weighted Table 2: Community Characteristics by Facet Percent rating positively (e.g., excellent/good, very/somewhat safe) 2018 rating compared to previous year* Comparison to benchmark 2015 2017 2018 2018 opt-in rating** 2015 2017 2018 Safety Overall feeling of safety 80% 78% 77% 73% Similar Similar Similar Similar Safe in neighborhood 93% NA 94% 90% Similar* Similar NA Similar Safe downtown/commercial area 92% NA 88% 89% Similar* Similar NA Similar Mobility Overall ease of travel 58% 53% 59% 44% Similar Lower Lower Similar Paths and walking trails 47% 40% 53% 35% Higher Similar Lower Similar Ease of walking 52% 41% 63% 39% Higher Similar Lower Similar Travel by bicycle 41% 32% 47% 26% Higher Similar Lower Similar Travel by public transportation 44% 26% 51% 21% Higher Similar Similar Higher Travel by car 45% 36% 44% 41% Similar Lower Lower Lower Public parking 34% 24% 32% 21% Similar Lower Lower Lower Traffic flow 27% 15% 26% 28% Higher Lower Much lower Lower Natural Environment Overall natural environment 71% 62% 62% 55% Similar Similar Lower Lower Cleanliness 67% 59% 64% 54% Similar Similar Lower Similar Air quality 56% 34% 71% 39% Higher Lower Much lower Similar Built Environment Overall built environment 67% 53% 59% 41% Similar Similar Similar Similar New development in Denton 68% 58% 72% 60% Higher Similar Similar Higher Affordable quality housing 48% NA 43% 25% Similar* Similar NA Similar Housing options 69% 46% 61% 43% Higher Similar Similar Similar Public places 72% 76% 73% 71% Similar Similar Similar Similar Economy Overall economic health 73% 64% 68% 66% Similar Similar Similar Similar Vibrant downtown/commercial area 78% 81% 78% 80% Similar Much higher Much higher Much higher The National Citizen Survey™ 3 Percent rating positively (e.g., excellent/good, very/somewhat safe) 2018 rating compared to previous year* Comparison to benchmark 2015 2017 2018 2018 opt-in rating** 2015 2017 2018 Business and services 74% 72% 78% 78% Similar Similar Similar Higher Cost of living 60% 49% 48% 51% Similar Similar Similar Similar Shopping opportunities 62% 59% 63% 63% Similar Similar Similar Similar Employment opportunities 48% 40% 55% 50% Higher Similar Similar Similar Place to visit 72% 73% 65% 71% Similar Similar Similar Similar Place to work 70% 62% 71% 61% Higher Similar Similar Similar Recreation and Wellness Health and wellness 72% 67% 67% 65% Similar Similar Similar Similar Mental health care 58% 40% 64% 40% Higher Similar Similar Higher Preventive health services 72% 63% 70% 66% Similar Similar Similar Similar Health care 73% 62% 66% 61% Similar Similar Similar Similar Food 81% 78% 81% 76% Similar Higher Similar Higher Recreational opportunities 74% 67% 75% 67% Similar Similar Similar Similar Fitness opportunities 76% 68% 72% 66% Similar Similar Similar Similar Education and Enrichment Education and enrichment opportunities 89% 83% 87% 83% Similar Higher Similar Higher Religious or spiritual events and activities 83% 85% 91% 90% Similar Similar Similar Higher Cultural/arts/music activities 87% 87% 86% 89% Similar Much higher Much higher Much higher Adult education 79% 76% 83% 79% Similar Higher Higher Higher K-12 education 68% 65% 63% 69% Similar Similar Similar Similar Child care/preschool 44% 47% 44% 45% Similar Similar Similar Similar Community Engagement Social events and activities 79% 81% 83% 81% Similar Higher Higher Higher Neighborliness 64% 66% 64% 63% Similar Similar Similar Similar Openness and acceptance 64% 67% 81% 68% Higher Similar Similar Higher Opportunities to participate in community matters 75% 73% 89% 80% Higher Similar Similar Higher Opportunities to volunteer 81% 83% 83% 87% Similar Similar Higher Higher *Where data is missing for 2017, 2018 ratings have been compared to 2015 **results not weighted Table 3: Governance General Percent rating positively (e.g., excellent/good) 2018 rating compared to previous year* Comparison to benchmark 2015 2017 2018 2018 opt-in rating** 2015 2017 2018 Services provided by Denton 78% NA 83% 74% Similar* Similar NA Similar Customer service 73% 74% 73% 81% Similar Similar Similar Similar Value of services for taxes paid 53% 46% 50% 48% Similar Similar Similar Similar Overall direction 69% 48% 64% 51% Higher Similar Similar Similar Welcoming citizen involvement 58% 45% 62% 58% Higher Similar Similar Higher The National Citizen Survey™ 4 Percent rating positively (e.g., excellent/good) 2018 rating compared to previous year* Comparison to benchmark 2015 2017 2018 2018 opt-in rating** 2015 2017 2018 Confidence in City government 59% 37% 51% 46% Higher Similar Lower Similar Acting in the best interest of Denton 65% 39% 58% 47% Higher Similar Lower Similar Being honest 62% 42% 57% 45% Higher Similar Lower Similar Treating all residents fairly 55% 39% 59% 44% Higher Similar Lower Similar Services provided by the Federal Government 34% NA 42% 31% Similar* Similar NA Similar *Where data is missing for 2017, 2018 ratings have been compared to 2015 **results not weighted Table 4: Governance by Facet Percent rating positively (e.g., excellent/good) 2018 rating compared to previous year* Comparison to benchmark 2015 2017 2018 2018 opt-in rating** 2015 2017 2018 Safety Police 72% 78% 75% 79% Similar Similar Similar Similar Fire 90% 93% 92% 96% Similar Similar Similar Similar Ambulance/EMS 86% 91% 96% 95% Similar Similar Similar Similar Crime prevention 69% 69% 61% 63% Similar Similar Similar Similar Fire prevention 73% 80% 72% 82% Similar Similar Similar Similar Animal control 67% 66% 75% 67% Similar Similar Similar Similar Emergency preparedness 66% 69% 72% 72% Similar Similar Similar Similar Mobility Traffic enforcement 54% 55% 60% 52% Similar Similar Similar Similar Street repair 21% 13% 19% 10% Similar Much lower Much lower Much lower Street cleaning 52% 46% 48% 41% Similar Similar Lower Similar Street lighting 50% NA 45% 47% Similar* Similar NA Similar Snow removal 37% NA 45% 48% Similar* Lower NA Lower Sidewalk maintenance 44% 27% 40% 22% Higher Similar Lower Similar Traffic signal timing 39% 29% 33% 29% Similar Similar Lower Lower Bus or transit services 68% 41% 60% 41% Higher Similar Similar Higher Natural Environment Garbage collection 89% 86% 92% 88% Similar Similar Similar Similar Recycling 85% 86% 85% 87% Similar Similar Similar Similar Yard waste pick-up 81% 85% 83% 88% Similar Similar Similar Similar Drinking water 85% 74% 74% 75% Similar Similar Similar Similar Natural areas preservation 64% 62% 50% 45% Lower Similar Similar Similar Open space 58% 56% 51% 44% Similar Similar Similar Similar Built Environment Storm drainage 61% 68% 65% 62% Similar Similar Similar Similar Sewer services 88% 81% 81% 85% Similar Similar Similar Similar Power utility 84% 75% 80% 78% Similar Similar Similar Similar Utility billing 77% 67% 73% 66% Similar Similar Similar Similar The National Citizen Survey™ 5 Percent rating positively (e.g., excellent/good) 2018 rating compared to previous year* Comparison to benchmark 2015 2017 2018 2018 opt-in rating** 2015 2017 2018 Land use, planning and zoning 57% 34% 55% 35% Higher Similar Similar Similar Code enforcement 51% 40% 47% 39% Similar Similar Similar Similar Cable television 64% NA 59% 44% Similar* Similar NA Similar Economy Economic development 62% 52% 63% 58% Higher Similar Similar Similar Recreation and Wellness City parks 89% 83% 85% 88% Similar Similar Similar Similar Recreation programs 80% 78% 72% 85% Similar Similar Similar Similar Recreation centers 81% 76% 68% 81% Similar Similar Similar Similar Health services 71% 65% 76% 69% Higher Similar Similar Similar Education and Enrichment Special events 85% 80% 77% 79% Similar Higher Similar Similar Public libraries 90% 92% 95% 93% Similar Similar Similar Similar Community Engagement Public information 72% 73% 78% 72% Similar Similar Similar Similar *Where data is missing for 2017, 2018 ratings have been compared to 2015 **results not weighted Table 5: Participation General Percent rating positively (e.g., always/sometimes, more than once a month, yes) 2018 rating compared to previous year* Comparison to benchmark 2015 2017 2018 2018 opt-in rating** 2015 2017 2018 Sense of community 68% 73% 73% 69% Similar Similar Similar Similar Recommend Denton 89% 84% 89% 82% Similar Similar Similar Similar Remain in Denton 84% 82% 76% 85% Similar Similar Similar Similar Contacted Denton employees 52% NA 52% 62% Similar* Similar NA Similar *Where data is missing for 2017, 2018 ratings have been compared to 2015 **results not weighted Table 6: Participation by Facet Percent rating positively (e.g., always/sometimes, more than once a month, yes) 2018 rating compared to previous year* Comparison to benchmark 2015 2017 2018 2018 opt-in rating** 2015 2017 2018 Safety Stocked supplies for an emergency 38% NA 22% 31% Lower* Similar NA Lower Did NOT report a crime 80% NA 86% 75% Similar* Similar NA Similar Was NOT the victim of a crime 86% NA 89% 87% Similar* Similar NA Similar Mobility Used public transportation instead of driving 27% 31% 30% 29% Similar Similar Similar Similar Carpooled instead of driving alone 48% 52% 50% 52% Similar Similar Similar Similar Walked or biked instead of driving 55% 54% 55% 46% Similar Similar Similar Similar Natural Environment Conserved water 86% NA 88% 87% Similar* Similar NA Similar Made home more energy efficient 75% NA 66% 72% Similar* Similar NA Similar The National Citizen Survey™ 6 Percent rating positively (e.g., always/sometimes, more than once a month, yes) 2018 rating compared to previous year* Comparison to benchmark 2015 2017 2018 2018 opt-in rating** 2015 2017 2018 Recycled at home 81% NA 82% 95% Similar* Similar NA Similar Built Environment Did NOT observe a code violation 48% NA 41% 34% Similar* Similar NA Lower NOT under housing cost stress 69% 73% 61% N/A Lower Similar Similar Similar Economy Purchased goods or services in Denton 97% NA 99% 99% Similar* Similar NA Similar Economy will have positive impact on income 35% NA 36% 32% Similar* Similar NA Similar Work in Denton 57% NA 59% 59% Similar* Higher NA Higher Recreation and Wellness Used Denton recreation centers 59% 64% 41% 54% Lower Similar Similar Lower Visited a City park 87% 90% 79% 85% Lower Similar Similar Similar Ate 5 portions of fruits and vegetables 78% NA 70% 80% Similar* Similar NA Lower Participated in moderate or vigorous physical activity 86% NA 72% 83% Lower* Similar NA Lower In very good to excellent health 55% NA 52% 58% Similar* Similar NA Similar Education and Enrichment Used Denton public libraries 68% 75% 53% 69% Lower Similar Higher Lower Participated in religious or spiritual activities 53% 54% 41% 47% Lower Similar Similar Similar Attended a City-sponsored event 62% 81% 52% 76% Lower Similar Much higher Similar Community Engagement Campaigned for an issue, cause or candidate 30% NA 20% 50% Lower* Similar NA Similar Contacted Denton elected officials 19% NA 13% 37% Similar* Similar NA Similar Volunteered 43% 63% 37% 59% Lower Similar Much higher Similar Participated in a club 32% 43% 31% 39% Lower Similar Higher Similar Talked to or visited with neighbors 91% 92% 89% 90% Similar Similar Similar Similar Done a favor for a neighbor 75% 85% 75% 78% Lower Similar Similar Similar Attended a local public meeting 21% 46% 20% 41% Lower Similar Much higher Similar Watched a local public meeting 22% 45% 16% 41% Lower Similar Much higher Similar Read or watched local news 82% NA 67% 90% Lower* Similar NA Lower Voted in local elections 76% NA 60% 89% Lower* Similar NA Much lower *Where data is missing for 2017, 2018 ratings have been compared to 2015 **results not weighted 2955 Valmont Road Suite 300 777 North Capitol Street NE Suite 500 Boulder, Colorado 80301 Washington, DC 20002 n-r-c.com • 303-444-7863 icma.org • 800-745-8780 Denton, TX Community Livability Report 2018 The National Citizen Survey™ © 2001-2018 National Research Center, Inc. The NCS™ is presented by NRC in collaboration with ICMA. NRC is a charter member of the AAPOR Transparency Initiative, providing clear disclosure of our sound and ethical survey research practices. Contents About .............................................................................................. 1 Quality of Life in Denton .................................................................. 2 Community Characteristics ............................................................... 3 Governance ..................................................................................... 5 Participation .................................................................................... 7 Special Topics .................................................................................. 9 Conclusions ................................................................................... 13 1 About The National Citizen Survey™ (The NCS) report is about the “livability” of Denton. The phrase “livable community” is used here to evoke a place that is not simply habitable, but that is desirable. It is not only where people do live, but where they want to live. Great communities are partnerships of the government, private sector, community-based organizations and residents, all geographically connected. The NCS captures residents’ opinions within the three pillars of a community (Community Characteristics, Governance and Participation) across eight central facets of community (Safety, Mobility, Natural Environment, Built Environment, Economy, Recreation and Wellness, Education and Enrichment and Community Engagement). The Community Livability Report provides the opinions of a representative sample of 216 residents of the City of Denton. The margin of error around any reported percentage is 7% for all respondents. The full description of methods used to garner these opinions can be found in the Technical Appendices provided under separate cover. Communities are partnerships among... Residents Community-based organizations Government Private sector 2 Quality of Life in Denton About 8 in 10 residents rated the quality of life in Denton as excellent or good. This was similar to ratings given in other communities across the nation (see Appendix B of the Technical Appendices provided under separate cover). Shown below are the eight facets of community. The color of each community facet summarizes how residents rated it across the three sections of the survey that represent the pillars of a community – Community Characteristics, Governance and Participation. When most ratings across the three pillars were higher than the benchmark, the color for that facet is the darkest shade; when most ratings were lower than the benchmark, the color is the lightest shade. A mix of ratings (higher and lower than the benchmark) results in a color between the extremes. In addition to a summary of ratings, the image below includes one or more stars to indicate which community facets were the most important focus areas for the community. Residents identified Safety, Mobility and Economy as priorities for the Denton community in the coming two years. These facets, as well as all other facets of community livability, received ratings that were positive and similar to the national benchmarks. This overview of the key aspects of community quality provides a quick summary of where residents see exceptionally strong performance and where performance offers the greatest opportunity for improvement. Linking quality to importance offers community members and leaders a view into the characteristics of the community that matter most and that seem to be working best. Details that support these findings are contained in the remainder of this Livability Report, starting with the ratings for Community Characteristics, Governance and Participation and ending with results for Denton’s unique questions. Education and Enrichment Community Engagement Mobility Natural Environment Recreation and Wellness Built Environment Safety Economy Legend Higher than national benchmark Similar to national benchmark Lower than national benchmark Most important Excellent 27% Good 55% Fair 14% Poor 3% Overall Quality of Life 3 Community Characteristics What makes a community livable, attractive and a place where people want to be? Overall quality of community life represents the natural ambience, services and amenities that make for an attractive community. How residents rate their overall quality of life is an indicator of the overall health of a community. In the case of Denton, 86% rated the city as an excellent or good place to live. Respondents’ ratings of Denton as a place to live were similar to ratings in other communities across the nation. In addition to rating the city as a place to live, respondents rated several aspects of community quality including Denton as a place to raise children and to retire, their neighborhood as a place to live, the overall image or reputation of Denton and its overall appearance. At least 7 in 10 residents gave positive reviews to the overall image and overall appearance of the city, their neighborhood as a place to live and Denton as a place to raise children, while 6 in 10 were pleased with the city as a place to retire. All of these ratings were similar to the national benchmarks. Delving deeper into Community Characteristics, survey respondents rated over 40 features of the community within the eight facets of Community Livability. Generally, most items were given positive ratings by a majority of respondents and these ratings were similar to or higher than those seen elsewhere. Resident evaluations of aspects of Education and Enrichment and Community Engagement were particularly strong; nearly all of these items received above-average ratings. Respondents were also pleased with aspects of Built Environment, Economy and Recreation and Wellness, and ratings for overall quality of new development, vibrant downtown/commercial area, overall quality of business and service establishments and availability of affordable quality mental health care and food were higher than those given in other communities across the nation. Ratings within the facet of Mobility were more mixed. About half of residents or more gave positive scores to the overall ease of travel, availability of paths and walking trails, ease of walking and ease of travel by bicycle (which were similar to the national benchmarks) and ease of travel by public transportation (which was higher). However, about 4 in 10 residents or less gave favorable marks to ease of travel by car, public parking and traffic flow and these ratings were lower than those awarded in other communities across the nation. It is noteworthy that ratings for several Mobility- related items, including traffic flow, ease of walking and ease of public transportation) increased over time. (Due to differences in methodology, trends should be interpreted cautiously; for more information see the Trends over Time report under separate cover.) 76% 81% 79% 58% 75% Overall image Neighborhood Place to raise children Place to retire Overall appearance Higher Similar Lower Comparison to national benchmark Percent rating positively (e.g., excellent/good) Excellent 37% Good 50% Fair 7% Poor 7% Place to Live The National Citizen Survey™ 4 Figure 1: Aspects of Community Characteristics 83% 89% 81% 83% 83% 86% 91% 87% 81% 64% 78% 78% 72% 51% 64% 44% 63% 72% 75% 66% 70% 67% 71% 65% 55% 63% 48% 68% 73% 61% 43% 59% 71% 64% 47% 63% 53% 59% 88% 94% 77% 62% 26% 32% 44% Opportunities to volunteer Opportunities to participate in community matters Openness and acceptance Neighborliness Social events and activities COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT Child care/preschool K-12 education Adult education Cultural/arts/music activities Religious or spiritual events and activities Education and enrichment opportunities EDUCATION AND ENRICHMENT Fitness opportunities Recreational opportunities Food Health care Preventive health services Mental health care Health and wellness RECREATION AND WELLNESS Place to work Place to visit Employment opportunities Shopping opportunities Cost of living Business and services Vibrant downtown/commercial area Overall economic health ECONOMY Public places Housing options Affordable quality housing New development in Denton Overall built environment BUILT ENVIRONMENT Air quality Cleanliness Overall natural environment NATURAL ENVIRONMENT Traffic flow Public parking Travel by car Travel by public transportation Travel by bicycle Ease of walking Paths and walking trails Overall ease of travel MOBILITY Safe downtown/commercial area Safe in neighborhood Overall feeling of safety SAFETY Higher Similar Lower Percent rating positively (e.g., excellent/good, very/somewhat safe) Comparison to national benchmark 5 Governance How well does the government of Denton meet the needs and expectations of its residents? The overall quality of the services provided by Denton as well as the manner in which these services are provided is a key component of how residents rate their quality of life. In Denton, about 8 in 10 residents gave positive ratings to the overall quality of City services and 4 in 10 were pleased with the services provided by the Federal Government; both of these ratings were similar to those given elsewhere. Survey respondents also rated various aspects of Denton’s leadership and governance. At least half of residents gave favorable marks to all aspects of government performance and all were similar to the national benchmarks except for the job Denton government does at welcoming citizen involvement, which was above average and improved over time. Further, ratings for several other aspects improved since 2017, including the overall direction of the City, overall confidence in City government, government acting in the best interest of Denton, being honest and treating all residents fairly. Respondents evaluated over 30 individual services and amenities available in Denton. Ratings for almost all items were positive and similar to the national benchmarks, with the exception of Mobility-related services: while the rating for bus or transit services was above average and improved since 2017, evaluations for street repair, snow removal and traffic signal timing were lower than the national benchmarks. Ratings improved over time for several other City services, including sidewalk maintenance; land use, planning and zoning; economic development; and health services. 62% 50% 64% 51% 58% 57% 59% 73% 42% Value of services for taxes paid Overall direction Welcoming citizen involvement Confidence in City government Acting in the best interest of Denton Being honest Treating all residents fairly Customer service Services provided by the Federal Government Higher Similar Lower Comparison to national benchmark Percent rating positively (e.g., excellent/good) Excellent 22% Good 61% Fair 12% Poor 5% Overall Quality of City Services The National Citizen Survey™ 6 Figure 2: Aspects of Governance 60% 78% 77% 95% 76% 68% 72% 85% 63% 59% 47% 55% 73% 80% 81% 65% 51% 50% 74% 83% 85% 92% 40% 45% 48% 60% 72% 75% 72% 61% 96% 92% 75% 33% 45% 19% Public information COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT Special events Public libraries EDUCATION AND ENRICHMENT Health services Recreation centers Recreation programs City parks RECREATION AND WELLNESS Economic development ECONOMY Cable television Code enforcement Land use, planning and zoning Utility billing Electric service Sewer services Storm drainage BUILT ENVIRONMENT Open space Natural areas preservation Drinking water Yard waste pick-up Recycling Garbage collection NATURAL ENVIRONMENT Bus or transit services Traffic signal timing Sidewalk maintenance Snow removal Street lighting Street cleaning Street repair Traffic enforcement MOBILITY Emergency preparedness Animal control Fire prevention Crime prevention Ambulance/EMS Fire Police SAFETY Higher Similar Lower Percent rating positively (e.g., excellent/good) Comparison to national benchmark 7 Participation Are the residents of Denton connected to the community and each other? An engaged community harnesses its most valuable resource, its residents. The connections and trust among residents, government, businesses and other organizations help to create a sense of community, a shared sense of membership, belonging and history. About three-quarters of Denton residents gave excellent or good ratings to the sense of community in the city and planned to remain in Denton for the next five years, while 9 in 10 would recommend living in the city to someone who asked. These ratings were similar to those given in other communities across the nation. The survey included over 30 activities and behaviors for which respondents indicated how often they participated in or performed each, if at all. Levels of Participation tended to vary widely across the different facets, making the benchmark comparisons useful for interpreting the results. Generally, participation rates tended to be similar to those observed in other communities. Denton residents were more likely than those who lived elsewhere to work in the city, but less likely to have stocked supplies for an emergency, not observed a code violation, used Denton recreation centers or public libraries, exhibited healthy behaviors, read or watched local news or voted in local elections. Compared to prior years, many rates of Participation declined in 2018, particularly within the facets of Recreation and Wellness, Education and Enrichment and Community Engagement. However, it is important to note that the changes in these ratings over time may be attributable to a change in survey methodology from 2017 to 2018 (see the Trends over Time report for more information). 89% 76% 52% Recommend Denton Remain in Denton Contacted Denton employees Higher Similar Lower Percent rating positively (e.g., very/somewhat likely, yes) Comparison to national benchmark Excellent 24% Good 49% Fair 22% Poor 5% Sense of Community The National Citizen Survey™ 8 Figure 3: Aspects of Participation 59% 16% 20% 75% 89% 31% 37% 13% 20% 52% 41% 52% 79% 36% 99% 61% 82% 66% 88% 55% 50% 30% 89% 86% 60% 67% 53% 72% 70% 41% 41% 22% Voted in local elections Read or watched local news Watched a local public meeting Attended a local public meeting Done a favor for a neighbor Talked to or visited with neighbors Participated in a club Volunteered Contacted Denton elected officials Campaigned for an issue, cause or candidate COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT Attended a City-sponsored event Participated in religious or spiritual activities Used Denton public libraries EDUCATION AND ENRICHMENT In very good to excellent health Participated in moderate or vigorous physical activity Ate 5 portions of fruits and vegetables Visited a City park Used Denton recreation centers RECREATION AND WELLNESS Work in Denton Economy will have positive impact on income Purchased goods or services in Denton ECONOMY NOT under housing cost stress Did NOT observe a code violation BUILT ENVIRONMENT Recycled at home Made home more energy efficient Conserved water NATURAL ENVIRONMENT Walked or biked instead of driving Carpooled instead of driving alone Used public transportation instead of driving MOBILITY Was NOT the victim of a crime Did NOT report a crime Stocked supplies for an emergency SAFETY Higher Similar Lower Percent rating positively (e.g., yes, more than once a month, always/sometimes) Comparison to national benchmark 9 Special Topics The City of Denton included four questions of special interest on The NCS. Topic areas included City information sources, customer service provided by the City and voter participation. Residents were asked to rate various aspects of City information sources. About two-thirds of residents or more gave favorable marks to the relevance of topics in the Resident Update newsletter, the quality of the City website, the availability of City information and the quality of the City’s video production and cable TV channel. Residents were least likely to positively rate City efforts to engage residents on social media sites; about half gave this an excellent or good rating. Figure 4: City of Denton Communications Please rate the following aspects of City of Denton communications: 13% 20% 26% 24% 21% 18% 21% 21% 34% 37% 34% 39% 44% 49% 47% 50% 35% 28% 26% 30% 32% 23% 26% 25% 18% 16% 13% 7% 3% 9% 6% 4% City efforts to engage citizens on social media sites City efforts to keep citizens informed about local issues City efforts to educate citizens aboutenvironmental and sustainable practices The usefulness of information in the Citizen Connection (utility billnewsletter) The quality of the City’s video production and cable television channel (Charter 194, Grande 12, Frontier 38) The availability of information about City programs and services The quality of the City’s website (www.cityofdenton.com) The relevance of topics in theResident Update newsletter Excellent Good Fair Poor The National Citizen Survey™ 10 Thinking about sources of information about the City, more than 8 in 10 residents indicated that they used the City website and word of mouth/friends as major or minor sources of information, while about 7 in 10 considered the Denton Record-Chronicle, CodeRed emergency notifications, the Citizen Connection, public buildings and the Resident Update newsletter to be information sources. Residents were least likely to utilize a City cable television channel, the City YouTube channel or their homeowner/neighborhood association as sources of City information. Figure 5: Sources of City Information Please indicate how much of a source, if at all, you consider each of the following to be for obtaining information about the City government and its activities, events and services: 10% 10% 14% 26% 17% 21% 21% 24% 26% 28% 25% 31% 46% 31% 47% 58% 18% 24% 21% 20% 32% 33% 34% 33% 36% 39% 44% 37% 24% 40% 40% 29% 71% 66% 65% 55% 51% 47% 45% 43% 38% 32% 32% 32% 30% 29% 14% 13% Your homeowner/neighborhood association City YouTube channel City cable television channel (Charter 194, Grande 12, Frontier 38) City Council Public meetings City staff Other local news source City Facebook or Twitter feed City email news updates and alerts Resident Update newsletter Public buildings (brochures, posters, signage) Citizen Connection (utility bill newsletter) CodeRed emergency notifications Denton Record-Chronicle Word of mouth/friends City website (www.cityofdenton.com) Major source Minor source Not a source The National Citizen Survey™ 11 About one-third of residents indicated that their most preferred method of customer service interaction with the City was in-person or face-to-face and 2 in 10 preferred telephone or email interaction. One in ten or fewer preferred an internet app, mail/fax, social media or a mobile phone app for City customer service interaction. Figure 6: Preferred Customer Service Interaction Please indicate which of the following is your preferred method of customer service interaction with the City of Denton Employees: (Please select only one.) When asked to rate their impression of their most recent customer service interaction with a Denton employee, residents were most likely to give positive ratings to the timely resolution of their request, the courtesy and helpfulness of City staff and the competence and knowledge of staff (8 in 10 excellent or good). Figure 7: Customer Service Performance Thinking about your most recent experience with the City of Denton, please rate your impression of the following categories of customer service performance. 0% 2% 3% 5% 10% 20% 24% 36% Other Mobile phone application Social media (i e , Facebook, Twitter, etc ) Mail/fax Internet application E-mail Telephone In-person/face-to-face 23% 27% 27% 33% 35% 34% 42% 43% 47% 48% 48% 48% 23% 23% 19% 14% 13% 11% 12% 7% 7% 5% 5% 6% The length of time you waited (waiting on hold, waiting in line, etc.) to submit a request The availability of City staff (hours of operation) The ease of locating contact information The competence and knowledge of City staff The courtesy and helpfulness of City staff The timely resolution of your request Excellent Good Fair Poor The National Citizen Survey™ 12 Thinking about their participation in the previous election, about 7 in 10 residents indicated that they had not voted, while 3 in 10 had. Of those who had not voted, about one-third of residents indicated that they had not been aware of the election and 1 in 10 were not registered to vote. Very few residents had not voted because the voting location was inconvenient. About 6 in 10 residents had not voted for some other reason. Figure 8: Voter Participation Did you vote in the previous municipal election in Denton? Figure 9: Reasons for Not Voting Did you vote in the previous municipal election in Denton? Why not? (Mark all that apply.) Total may exceed 100% as respondents could select more than one option. Yes 31% No 69% 58% 4% 16% 35% Other Voting location inconvenient Not registered to vote Not aware of election 13 Conclusions Denton residents continue to enjoy a high quality of life. About 8 in 10 residents gave positive ratings to the overall quality of life in Denton and the city as a place to live. At least three-quarters of residents also were pleased with the overall image and overall appearance of the city, their neighborhood as a place to live and the city as a place to raise children, and 6 in 10 felt Denton as a place to retire was excellent or good. While most of these evaluations were stable from 2017 to 2018, the rating for overall appearance increased. Residents remain loyal to the community, with more than 7 in 10 residents planning to remain in Denton for the next five years and 9 in 10 recommending living in Denton to someone who asked. These ratings all were similar to those given in other communities across the nation. Safety ratings are strong and Safety is a priority for the community. Denton residents indicated that Safety was an important focus area for the City and ratings within this facet tended to be positive. Nine in 10 residents reported feeling safe in their neighborhood and in Denton’s downtown and gave excellent or good ratings to fire and ambulance/EMS services. At least 7 in 10 residents gave favorable marks to police services, fire prevention, animal control and emergency preparedness; these ratings were all similar to the national average. However, only 22% of respondents had stocked supplies for an emergency, a level which decreased from 2015 to 2018 and was lower than levels reported in other communities. Economy is an important area of focus for the City. Residents indicated that Economy would be an important area for the City to focus on in the next two years and ratings within this facet tended to be positive. Nearly 8 in 10 residents were pleased with Denton’s vibrant downtown/commercial area and the overall quality of business and service establishments (both of which were higher than the benchmark), and other Economy-related items such as the overall economic health of the city, shopping and employment opportunities and Denton as a place to visit and to work received ratings similar to those given in other communities across the nation. Denton residents were more likely to work within the city than those who lived elsewhere. Mobility is also a resident priority. Residents also indicated that they would like to see the City address aspects of Mobility in the coming years. When evaluating ratings within this facet, there were some bright spots: at least half of residents gave positive marks to the overall ease of travel, paths and walking trails, ease of walking and ease of travel by public transportation (which was higher than the national benchmark and an improvement since the previous survey iteration). Further, the ratings for bus or transit services was higher than average, and resident sentiment toward traffic flow, ease of travel by bicycle and by walking, and paths and walking trails improved from 2017 to 2018. However, ratings for the ease of travel by car, public parking, traffic flow, street repair, snow removal and traffic signal timing were lower than the national benchmark comparisons.