- November 17, 2024
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Palm Coast residents rate the city as a good place to live and appreciate its trails and bike paths, but give it low ratings for employments opportunities, overall economic health, street lighting and traffic signal timing, according to results of a newly released citizen survey.
The 2014 National Citizen Survey Community Livability Report for Palm Coast, based on a sample of 361 residents, treats eight areas of community life: safety, mobility, natural environment, built environment, economy, recreation and wellness, education and enrichment, and community engagement.
Palm Coast residents’ responses to specific questions in those overall areas led to overall category ratings similar to national benchmarks in all but one category — economy — in which residents rated the city lower than national benchmarks.
About 79% rated the city as an excellent or good place to retire — a percentage that is above national benchmarks — and 84% rated the city’s overall appearance as good or excellent — also above national benchmarks. A total of 68% rated the city as a good or excellent place to raise children, a percentage that is below national benchmarks.
Here are the sections of the survey in which residents’ ratings for the city were above national benchmarks: Paths and walking trails (81% positive), travel by bicycle (70% positive), cleanliness (85% positive) and yard waste pickup (86% positive).
Resident ratings for the city were below national benchmarks in the following categories: new development in Palm Coast (41% positive), overall economic health (37%), vibrant downtown/commercial area (25% positive), business and services (44% positive), shopping opportunities (36% positive), employment opportunities (6% positive), place to work (18% positive), mental health care (31% positive), education and enrichment opportunities (54% positive), street lighting (45% positive), traffic signal timing (35% positive) and economic development (30% positive).
There survey also demonstrated changing perceptions over the years.
The percentage of residents who gave Palm Coast positive ratings for paths and walking trails rose from 49% in 2008 to 81% in 2014.
Ratings for traffic flow were 11% positive in 2005, 12% positive in 2006, then rose gradually to a high of 60% positive in 2012. Now the rating is 47% positive.
About 38% of respondents gave the city positive ratings for recreational opportunities in 2002. That dropped to 29% in 2006 then rose over the years to 67% in 2014.
The percentage of residents that gave the city government positive ratings in the category “welcoming citizen involvement” 61% in 2004, then fell to 49% in 2005. It was 39% in 2012, 48% in 2013 and 38% in 2014.
Only 18% of residents gave the city positive ratings for street repair in 2003 and, the same year, 18% also gave it positive ratings for street lighting. In 2014, 63% of residents surveyed gave Palm Coast positive ratings for street repair, and 45% gave the city positive ratings for street lighting.
To see the entire survey report, click here.
