Envision Cache Valley | Town Hall Meetings

Town Hall Meetings

Town Hall Meetings and Scenarios Feedback Survey

In May and June 2009, about 650 citizens engaged in the second major round of public events, participating in either 1 of 14 town hall meetings or in an online feedback survey. In this round, the scenarios, including the baseline and the alternatives developed from public brainstorming, were presented and compared. Participants evaluated the scenarios, expressing their preferences regarding growth and the scenarios and in general as well as in regard to specific components of the scenarios, ranging from the housing and employment patterns employed to transportation priorities and conservation goals.

What Did Cache Valley Residents Say?

Complete Feedback Survey Results (PDF)

Feedback Survey Summary

Survey Results Show Desire for Walkable Towns, Open Space, and More Transportation Options

When asked to identify the most appropriate pattern for future growth, the growth scenario representing the development trends of the last 10 ten years garnered 11% of the vote, while 89% opted for other scenarios created from public brainstorming workshops. Scenarios that depicted most future growth occurring within existing towns and cities—without those cities growing together—received the most support. These scenarios were also preferred for the public transportation options that become possible with their land use pattern and the conservation that could be possible when less land is consumed for residential development.

Overall, more participants envision more compact growth than what has been built in recent years, with only 16% of residents desirous of a dispersed pattern of growth in the valley. Rather, there is significant interest in growing within existing cities and towns, creating mixed-use neighborhoods and centers (places with a variety of housing options and the ability to walk to schools, shops, restaurants, and, perhaps, workplaces). More than 90% of residents preferred at least some emphasis on mixed-use—69% preferred a significant or very significant emphasis.

Participants appear desirous of a balanced transportation system that includes improved roadway connections, more public transportation options, bike routes and pedestrian access.

Conservation is a common goal, with 67% wanting to emphasize water quality, working farms and ranches, and protection of scenic vistas—maintaining space between communities and preserving roadway corridors.

Further, residents want local jurisdictions to work together to address growth issues, with 88% finding coordination important or very important.

While most participants took the survey online or at a town hall meeting, a Dan Jones poll was also conducted to obtain the responses of a random sample of the population. The results were similar, though larger differences occur with topics that are less familiar to the general public.