Community Attitudes Toward Growth

Community AttitudesToward Growth Focus Group Research Conducted for theCity of West LinnMay/June 2008

Methods • Goal: Understand community attitudes toward future growth in general & Stafford area in particular • Research design: Focus groups with Residents, Community Leaders, Neighborhood Association Presidents • Groups conducted May 31 & June 3 2008 West Linn Focus Groups

Methods • Participant criteria: • Residents - 18+, range of occupations, each approximately ½ male, ½ female • 1 group with Shorter-term Residents, who have lived in West Linn fewer than 10 years • 1 group with Longer-term Residents, 10+ years in West Linn • Community Leaders – invited by City staff, included advisory board members, school board member • All 11 Neighborhood Association Presidents invited 2008 West Linn Focus Groups

Methods • Interpreting focus group research: • Look for consistency & consensus • Also looking for the range of opinions expressed • Qualitative, not quantitative: Explain how & why — not percentage • Limited number of participants & individuals carefully selected based on criteria • Don’t focus on 1 participant 2008 West Linn Focus Groups

Research Results • Participant Characteristics • Issues Facing the West Linn Community • Attitudes Toward Growth • Attitudes Toward Stafford Area 2008 West Linn Focus Groups

Participant Characteristics • Residents come from all over West Linn, represent variety of household types & occupations • Community Leaders also come from variety of areas • All 11 Neighborhood Associations represented by President or officer (1) 2008 West Linn Focus Groups

Issues Facing West Linn Community • When asked for challenges facing community, both Resident groups mention growth/development first • Also mentioned by Community Leaders, but further down list • Community Leaders, Neighborhood Association Presidents mention financial stability first • Residents mention City’s finances, but much lower on list 2008 West Linn Focus Groups

Issues Facing West Linn • Community Leaders say major issue is lack of consensus on how to best handle impact of growth/development • Residents, Community Leaders also mention traffic, public transportation issues, roads as challenges • Business development also comes up in Community Leaders group as issue 2008 West Linn Focus Groups

Issues Facing West Linn • Other mentions by Residents: • Shorter-term mention City leadership • Longer-term mention need for fire station on hill, school overcrowding/aging schools, lack of non-sports youth activities, local businesses closing • Neighborhood Association Presidents mention division within community, lack of communication with citizens, problems specific to communicating with neighborhood associations 2008 West Linn Focus Groups

Issues Facing West Linn • Agreement among Residents that growth is biggest issue facing West Linn • Shorter-term Residents say problems related to growth include lot sizes, infill, housing styles, traffic, city boundaries, infrastructure, need for more schools • Longer-term also say public transportation, free activities for kids also important 2008 West Linn Focus Groups

Issues Facing West Linn • Community Leaders say biggest issues relate to finance • Issues mentioned are all connected by concerns about how City can generate income to solve problems • Neighborhood Association Presidents appear to view City finances, citizen involvement, planning as most important • Not asked most important, but clearly concerned about these issues 2008 West Linn Focus Groups

Attitudes Toward Growth • Significant fear growth will have major negative impact on quality of life • Residents believe West Linn has quality of life few other communities can offer. Growth seen as likely to negatively impact quality of life: • “I think we all move here for similar reasons – it’s a beautiful area, lots of forest. The fear is that with more people coming in there will be fewer trees. Then it’s not like West Linn anymore” 2008 West Linn Focus Groups

Attitudes Toward Growth • Often difficult for participants to list what like about how West Linn currently handles growth management – first inclination for many is, “Nothing!” • Shorter-term Residents like that there’s “still lots of rules” about what can do when building or with trees. Also like big lots, parks • Longer-term Residents say West Linn still safe, well-kept 2008 West Linn Focus Groups

Attitudes Toward Growth • Community Leaders mention advisory boards, Goal 5 inventories, master plan updates as positives • 10th Street Task Force seen as done well • Neighborhood Association Presidents like appeals process • Some also mention approving of 10th Street Task Force process 2008 West Linn Focus Groups

Attitudes Toward Growth • All groups say that don’t like what they see as haphazard growth in West Linn • Agreement that growth has not been well planned & strong belief City not strict enough when approving new development • All groups perceive developers as having upper hand • “The Planning staff acts as advocates for developers” 2008 West Linn Focus Groups

Attitudes Toward Growth • Also perception City too lax on restricting/guiding development • “There’s more construction, more cookie-cutter houses, & smaller lots” • Many unhappy with look of recent development • “There’s a lack of aesthetics” • Concern that development takes away from integral part of community – natural beauty in & around West Linn 2008 West Linn Focus Groups

Attitudes Toward Growth • Residents, Community Leaders say Metro projection of 1 million moving to metro area over next 25 years is believable • Say, “Life’s better here” • Some Neighborhood Association Presidents, however, quick to say this projection not believable 2008 West Linn Focus Groups

Attitudes Toward Growth • Increased traffic heads list of perceived effects of growth. Also: • Increased crime • If Stafford developed, West Linn loses its “backyard” • Increased density • Noise, more people 2008 West Linn Focus Groups

Attitudes Toward Stafford Area • Residents have little knowledge of current activities in Stafford area • Essentially know there’s been “fighting” & the hamlet has been formed • Community Leaders, Neighborhood Association Presidents have much better idea of what’s going on • Aware hamlet doing “visioning” project • Community Leaders say City has taken hands off position in past 2008 West Linn Focus Groups

Attitudes Toward Stafford Area • Almost all agree City should have some involvement in Stafford area • “Anyone next to the Stafford area should be part of the discussion” • “You should always be involved with your neighbor” • Community Leaders & NA Presidents offer 2 suggestions on how should be involved: • Work with other affected cities to plan • Make Stafford area a park • Neighborhood Association Presidents least interested in City being involved 2008 West Linn Focus Groups

Attitudes Toward Stafford Area • Residents like idea of identification of Urban & Rural Reserves • Ideally, participants say Stafford would be Rural Reserve • Clear that participants see open spaces in Stafford area as part of charm & beauty of West Linn, & want to keep it that way • However, some believe it’s more realistic for it to become Urban Reserve • Some question why area has to be entirely one or the other 2008 West Linn Focus Groups

Attitudes Toward Stafford Area • If Stafford brought into UGB, participants would like to see low-density residential development • “Large estates on large lots,” “Residential homes, not townhouses or apartments” • Strong desire to “keep it green:” • “That’s why we all move out of the city – so we can look at green” • “Stafford should stay as close to what’s there now” 2008 West Linn Focus Groups

Attitudes Toward Stafford Area • Residents resistant to business/industry • Happy to drive out of West Linn for services/amenities • Community Leaders, Neighborhood Association Presidents more interested in additional commercial activity • More familiarity with positive impact business can have on tax base • All but Shorter-term Residents emphasize need for “intelligent” planning 2008 West Linn Focus Groups

Attitudes Toward Stafford Area • Overall, most believe West Linn should be involved in some way in planning & regulating development in Stafford area • About half of Residents say City will do a better job of limiting growth • Other half say West Linn shouldn’t be involved, largely because don’t believe City has done good job planning in West Linn • Community Leaders, Neighborhood Association Presidents more likely to say should be joint responsibility with Lake Oswego, Tualatin, Wilsonville, hamlet 2008 West Linn Focus Groups

Attitudes Toward Stafford Area • Participants knowledgeable about infrastructure needed for development, often say West Linn should be one of jurisdictions providing services • All mention water, sewer, roads • Other mentions include schools, fire & emergency services, parks, communications 2008 West Linn Focus Groups

Attitudes Toward Stafford Area • Main advantage to annexing some of Stafford area is to be able to have some control over development • “West Linn should at least take part in it” • “West Linn should have the area annexed so we have control of what it looks like” • Main disadvantage to participants is that annexation would mean development of the area 2008 West Linn Focus Groups

Attitudes Toward Stafford Area • Resident say City Council needs to keep livability in mind when making decisions about growth management • Shorter-term Residents concerned with “preservation of what we have” • Longer-term Residents cite livability, environmental concerns, traffic • Neighborhood Association Presidents cite need to deal with communications problems, both with neighborhood associations & with citizens as a whole 2008 West Linn Focus Groups

Key Conclusions & Recommendations • How growth & development is managed in West Linn is a big issue for residents because they see a direct link to the quality of life offered by the community • In their view, growth has only negative impacts – less beauty, more people, more traffic, more crime, & more noise 2008 West Linn Focus Groups

Conclusions & Recommendations • Many believe growth has not been managed well in West Linn in past, so the City must work to build public trust on this issue 2008 West Linn Focus Groups

Conclusions & Recommendations • The City should be involved in Stafford discussions • Stafford area is City’s unofficial “backyard,” citizens want the City involved in order to protect this vision as much as possible • Some think City should not be involved, but we believe this segment is small 2008 West Linn Focus Groups

For answers to questions or more information, contact: Campbell DeLong Resources, Inc. Martha DeLong, Research Director (503) 221-2005e-mail: MarthaD@cdri.com 2008 West Linn Focus Groups

Community Attitudes Toward Growth