• Survey Results

• Survey Demographics

• Other Reports

Send us email!

Background

     The 2005 Quality of Life survey was distributed July 5, 2005 based on direction from Council to conduct an annual survey using “in-house” resources and every fifth year hire a professional with survey expertise to conduct the survey (2007).

     Factors and services generally associated with the “quality of life” in Loveland were used as the basis for narrowing the scope of the survey performed last year. This year we modified the wording of some of the statements to respond to feedback received from council and staff members that the word “quality” was used too often.  

     Twenty-four statements related to quality of life services were listed on the survey.  Respondents were invited to write general comments on the front of the survey.  If they marked that they “strongly disagreed” or “disagreed” with any of the quality of life statements, they were asked to provide comments so that we might work to improve.  Most respondents wrote comments regardless of their rating.

     The survey intentionally requests feedback on services, as opposed to issues.

    The survey results and survey questionnaire are included below.

Methodology

     Three thousand surveys were sent out in an effort to ensure that there were at least 382 responses necessary to achieve a 95% confidence interval of +/-5% points.  This was criteria consistent with the professionally selected sample size two years ago.  We received 937 surveys by July 22, 2005 for a 31% response rate (937/3000).  The survey sample was selected by a computer program generated by the Information Technology Department.  The program selects every seventh address in the utility billing database.  The program skips previous sample selections to ensure that over time the surveys reach as many of Loveland's citizens as possible.

     As surveys were received, they were entered into a survey software tool that generates reports on the responses.  The citizens rated quality of life very well in Loveland. 

 Results:  City is performing well

     Greater than 80% of the citizens strongly agree or agree that Loveland is performing well on 12 of 24 quality of life services.  Four of those statements generated positive responses from 90% of more of the citizens that responded to the survey (reliable electricity, feeling safe, quality drinking water, and quality parks and trails). 

    Two thousand one hundred seventy seven written comments were submitted on the surveys. Two factors seem to influence responses to statements about shopping opportunities, job opportunities, quality development, traffic flow and street surfaces:  the north new Wal-mart site and the road construction on Taft Avenue and on Highway 34.

    There appears to be some common concerns related to: 

·        need for higher paying jobs;

·        high cost housing and the availability of affordable housing;

·        road improvements and the related traffic congestion; as well as

·        rapid growth and development.

     All of the survey results, including comments, were distributed to the city's departments so that specific suggestions could be reviewed for action.  Many of the responses indicated that a public information effort targeted at clarifying services provided by the City (as opposed to the school district for instance) and reporting the efforts already underway to address concerns would be valuable.  We have already begun working on articles, and we will be considering a regular question and answer format to deliver information to the citizens.  The segment in this format produced this year, based on the survey results last year, was well received. We will repeat that segment in 2006.