Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Community Engagement topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Survey finds broad satisfaction with life in Dana Point; council creates ad hoc strategic‑plan committee to use results in next budget cycle
Summary
A city‑commissioned survey found residents report high overall satisfaction and support for maintaining city services; council voted to form a strategic‑plan ad hoc committee to translate survey findings into near‑term priorities and the upcoming budget.
Dana Point — A community survey presented Jan. 21 showed residents report high satisfaction with quality of life and city services while flagging development, e‑bike safety and housing costs among the more visible concerns. Council members responded by establishing a short ad hoc strategic‑plan committee to fold the results into the city’s next planning and budget cycle.
FM3 consultant Adam Sunnenshine presented the survey of 523 registered voters conducted Dec. 12–19, 2024. Key findings included: 61% of respondents said the city was headed in the right direction; 93% reported satisfaction with quality of life; and the most frequently cited open‑ended concern was development and growth. Respondents treated unsafe e‑bike riding and housing costs as high concern when presented with a list of specific issues.
The survey also asked respondents to rate the importance of services and satisfaction with them. Maintenance of parks/landscapes, streets and storm drains (to keep beaches clean) and police services ranked highest in both importance and satisfaction. Conceptual interest was strong for moving utility wires underground along major arterials, though the survey did not present cost tradeoffs.
Councilmember Federico urged the council to use the survey as a tool to refine processes and the coming budget rather than as an end in itself. He asked for more granular follow‑up on the “development and growth” response so the council can identify whether concerns are residential, commercial, or harbor‑related. City Manager and staff said the survey results will feed the strategic plan and budget work; the council then voted to create an ad hoc strategic plan committee made up of the mayor and mayor pro tem to return recommendations.
Why it matters: The survey provides a statistically valid snapshot of resident priorities and satisfaction, which the council plans to use to set near‑term priorities and budget allocations. The data reinforce resident satisfaction with core services while pointing to growth, e‑bike safety and housing affordability as areas for attention.
What’s next: The new ad hoc strategic‑plan committee will review survey findings, coordinate with staff on potential process and technology investments (notably in permitting and counter services) and report back with recommendations to inform the next two‑year budget cycle.
