10.4. SR 11-04-2019 EOty1� ,.,�� Request for Action
River
To Item Number
Mayor and City Council 10.4
Agenda Section Meeting Date Prepared by
Work Session November 4, 2019 Cal Portner, City Administrator
Item Description Reviewed by
ERA Review Tina Allard, City Clerk
Reviewed by
Kaylin Clement, Sr. Communications Coordinator
Action Requested
Review and provide feedback on ERA survey data.
Background/Discussion
Staff began a community engagement process to survey a diverse representation of residents in a program
intended to provide ongoing feedback on community and policy initiatives.
Branded as Elk River Advisory or ERA,we began by soliciting residents to volunteer to participate in
short surveys 6-10 times per year. Resident outreach began at Night to Unite,which was chosen because
participants in neighborhood watch parties had already expressed an interest in their neighbors and
neighborhoods and our watch parties had a strong representation throughout nearly every neighborhood
in the community. Social media and website mediums were purposely avoided for our representative pool
recruitment to ensure participants were Elk River residents.
Thus far, two short surveys have been completed. The first was a demographic survey to see how close
our participant pool represents our population. The second survey asked question regarding their
downtown Elk River experiences.
This discussion is intended to discuss the survey results,identify policy areas the council would like to
seek survey and get council feedback on the engagement program itself.
Financial Impact
N/A
Attachments
■ ERA Participant Map
■ Survey Results
The Elk River Vision
A PehoMing community 2a itb revolutionary and spirited resourcefulness, exceptional POWERED By
service, and community engagement that encourages and inspires prosperity INAMIRE1
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ERA Survey Map
Age Range
O 21-25
O 26-35
O 36-45
O 46-55
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City
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Diver Memorandum
To: Cal Portner
From: Kaylin Clement
Date: October 30, 2019
Subject: ERA—Elk River Resident Advisory Survey Results
Elk River Elk River is built on the people who call this city home, and in an effort to hear from as
many people as possible in the busy world we live, city staff created the Elk River Resident Advisory
(ERA) initiative. Staff pitched the program in-person to members of the community at
neighborhood block captain meetings, and during Night to Unite in August,where collectively more
than 200 people signed up to receive periodic email surveys/polls about varying topics allowing their
opinion to be heard without disrupting their lives.
The initial demographics survey was sent to 222 ERA members,with a 26% response rate which
resulted in 57 people taking the demographics survey.
Demographics Survey Results
Gender Respondents Age
2%
■>20*
18% 146 ■ 21-25
■ Male 26-35
■ Female
17% ■ 36-45
46-55
56-70
71+
*0% of res
ondentr were 20jears old or less
Length of Time Living in Elk River
40.4%
22.8%
17.5%
:E1 5.8%
3.5%
r �
>I year 1-5 years 5-10 years 10-15 years 15+ years
L
IF
ERA Map Kaylin.pdf
*Location of respondents within the city bei e
3 Most Important Attributes of Elk River
Safety 87.7
Recreation and wellness 43.90%
Natural environment, parks 4.4
Mobility 2 4.606
Education and enrichment 49.10%
City services and programs 40.40%
Downtown Elk River Experience Survey Results
39 participants took the five-question survey with the following results:
Do you think downtown Elit River is an
exciting and active place?
Strongly disagree 1.70%
Somewhat disagree 17.90%
Somewhat agree 53.80.6
Strongly agree 7.70%
Not sure 12.8
How often do you visit downtown Elk River?
Multiple times per week 12.8
Once per week 30.80°
Once per month 8.70%
As little as possible 7.70%
What is the primary purpose you visit
downtown Ellc River?
2.60% , 12.80%
■ Dining
■ Farmers Market
Riverfront Concerts
■ Shopping
2.60% Reside downtown
23.10%
Other
Survey participants who selected "other"left the following comments:
■ Banking
■ Bar and brewery
■ All of the above listed
■ Meat Market, eat at Daddy O's and Olde Main Eatery
■ Shopping and dining equally
What do we need more of downtown?
(choose three)
23.10%
10.30% ■Artwork
53.80% ■ Bike racks
Community events
59%
53.80%
■ Dining options
Gift shops, clothing stores
71.80% Parking
Residntial options*
*0% of respondents selected `residential options"
Survey participants left the following comments on this question:
■ "I love Elk River how it is. Love the small town/community feel. Expansion ruins it
(experience having lived in Maple Grove and Champlin). I just wish ER did more
community things like Anoka, bonfires, tree lighting, street fairs, etc."
■ "I really liked when the city did Art Soup. It was a really fun event for families."
■ "STOP adding ugly buildings that look out of place and sit empty then go into foreclosure."
■ "Tough to say what we need more of downtown. I'd like to think the free market would
decide by bringing business ideas before the city for development. I prefer the city doesn't
Put money into events,businesses or housing."
Does anything deter you from visiting
downtown Ellc River?
No 53%
Yes 43
Survey participants left the following comments on this question:
■ "Car traffic. Shut down Main Street to cars on a set day or days over the weekend. Create the
place to be by slowing the car traffic and allowing a free-flow of people traffic. Trying this
option will have zero negative impact on the economy."
■ Everything is located in a two block area and it is difficult to drive through on event nights
especially in the summer. Thursday with rush hour, trains, and people at the activities going
on."
■ "Lack of parking and heavy traffic through downtown."
■ "Not much there to see or do. Better dining options needed,going to an old run down
smoky bar sucks. It's not what the younger generation of people wants to do. The places
that are fun and exciting (think AEGIR) are too small. Better parking would be great,but
I'm OK with walking. There just isn't much to do."
■ "Parking"
■ "Parking and availability."
■ "The parking and getting through town is terrible—what happened to Historic Downtown."
■ "The traffic congestion downtown in the evenings is horrible!"
■ "Traffic."
■ "Traffic problems and parking most of the time. I still go downtown a lot despite that."