09-11-2024 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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minnesota.uli.org 14 STAKEHOLDER INTERVIEWS AND COMMUNITY FEEDBACK SURVEY The panel conducted small group interviews with community members and other local stakeholders and had informal conversations with several members of the community during the June 4 reception. Several key themes emerged from these stakeholder interactions:  Residents want a mix of commercial and residential development with a focus on identity, walkability, and community.  There is a need to create a “City-Center” type destination with additional retail and commercial development to attract people to the community.  Stakeholders want to see more access to activities for people who live in the area.  Citizens would like to see more focus on city identity to enhance their sense of local pride and attract customers.  Local businesses would benefit from more attention to the area and would like to see intense development to bring more people; residents want to support local businesses. In advance of the TAP, the city surveyed residents; during the survey period of May 20 to June 4, 2024, 115 residents completed the questionnaire. The survey results reinforced the messages articulated during stakeholder interviews. Walkability and pedestrian safety were key themes. The panel was struck by the percentage of respondents who leave Little Canada to purchase food, both groceries and restaurant meals.  81% of respondents leave Little Canada for eating and dining.  79% of respondents leave to purchase food and groceries.  56% of respondents named enhanced walkability as their top enhancement priority.  Comments repeatedly called for safe, walkable pathways.  43% of respondents cited the “small town, community feel” as the top-quality Little Canada should be known for. The residents of Little Canada clearly love their community and want it to succeed. They would like to see more investment in supporting their local businesses – by attracting additional residents to be a larger customer base, by creating a sense of destination that will attract visitors, and by being more intentional about marketing the city. Both the stakeholder interviews and the Community Feedback survey demonstrated affection for the small town feel that Little Canada offers.