09-06-1989 Council Agenda - Laserfiche WebLink

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-4- Position Profile Little Canada * Population dynamics suggested that on several matters, such as parks and recreational facilities, there was a majority in favor of a more aggressive approach. Younger professionals, renters, and blue collar households tend to form the pro -parks coalition. * Little Canada residents rated the quality of life in their City extremely high. There was a general satisfaction about the way things were going for the individual in this community. * Overall, Little Canada has done a good job in handling change. But, as more highly educated professional- technical families move into the community, residential needs and preferences will change dramatically. Citizens want increased city services and a commitment to augmenting the ambience of the community. "Quality Growth," then, may be the by -words of the future: targeting development in such a way as to preserve and enhance a natural environment for recreation and to avoid an undue drain on the provision of City services. * Because they did not see their taxes as excessively high, Little Canada residents were not dogmatically anti -tax increase. They are willing to finance projects that meet current needs. But, there was also some general discontent with the services that are being provided by the City. * City services in general did not measure up to the levels of approval found in other communities. Code enforcement was found to be lagging by one -third of the populace. Only street maintenance, snow plowing, and senior programs were given ratings at or above the Metropolitan Area norms. Police protection and fire protection, in particular, achieved one of the lowest satisfaction levels found by the researchers outside the core cities. Street lighting, sewers and water, and street reconstruction also raised a significant amount of ire. Overall, City services need to be upgraded in Little Canada to protect the quality of life in the community. * There was a consensus on general needs and facilities requirements in Little Canada. Although many sports attract varying degrees of enthusiasm, winter recreational activities and nature areas have widespread and general support among the citizenry. The study pointed up the fact that citizens desire and would support an aggressive development and expansion program in these areas. Strategic Planning In the Spring of 1989, the City conducted a Council -staff retreat for the purpose of establishing goals and setting priorities. The ten most important items identified were: * an aggressive park development program; * more effective code enforcement, particularly in the nuisance area as well as maintenance violations and compliance with City ordinance; PAGE 4