Town of Erie survey: traffic and infrastructure top residents’ concerns; split views on housing and funding options

Town of Erie officials on Aug. 19 reviewed a town‑commissioned resident survey that polled 3,854 people and showed traffic and infrastructure as the top concern for residents, mixed views on housing density, and varying preferences about how to pay for local priorities such as an Erie Police Department expansion and sustainability programs.

Courtney Sievers of Magellan Strategies presented the results, describing the methodology: interviews of 3,854 Erie residents conducted July 14–Aug. 1, outreach that included postcards to roughly 12,000 households and text invitations to about 19,000 cell numbers, and weighting to town voter‑registration demographics; she cited a margin of error of 1.47% at the 95% confidence level.

Top takeaways - Traffic and roads lead resident concerns, with 53% saying traffic has added more than 10 minutes to commutes or travel within the town over the past 12 months. Frequently mentioned corridors include Arapahoe Road, Highway 7, County Line Road, Erie Parkway and the 287 corridor. - Affordable housing: While respondents expressed broad conceptual support for affordable housing (73% agreed that it helps families stay stable when given a definition), they were split on the town’s role and funding. When read a short description of the town’s affordable housing program (including an approximate annual budget of $450,000), 54% said they support the program and 33% opposed it. - Housing density trade‑offs: Presented with two statements, 49% of residents preferred continuing lower‑density housing even if it meant higher individual taxes, while 36% preferred increasing density to generate tax revenue and relieve tax burden. Views varied by district, tenure and party registration. - Police funding preferences: When asked how the town should finance a potential Erie Police Department expansion, 40% favored a sales tax, 33% chose a Certificate of Participation (COP), 15% preferred property tax and 12% were unsure. Sievers emphasized that this was not a ballot test and that preferences can change with education and specific ballot language. - Sustainability and parks: Residents showed broad support for sustainability programs and rebate offerings (51% would support a modest tax increase for a sustainability program; 41% opposed), and parks located in neighborhoods and a community campus scored highly as priorities.

Council discussion and next steps Council members and staff used the presentation to discuss policy and timing implications. Staff and the pollster recommended targeted ballot‑measure polling and public education before placing any funding measure before voters, noting that question wording and funding details (e.g., sunset clauses, dedicated vs. general funds) materially affect support. Specific follow‑ups requested by council included: - A focused feasibility and ballot‑test survey for an Erie Police Department funding option (sales tax vs. COP vs. property tax) and education plans for each option. - Cleansing the survey’s raw verbatim traffic data to correct duplicate or AI‑misidentified intersections so staff can prioritize traffic projects by concrete locations. - Neighborhood or crosstab analysis for density and housing questions where sample sizes allow, to better understand how answers vary within each council district.

Courtney Sievers said the poll firm can turn a targeted ballot survey around quickly and recommended a focused EPD poll if council wants timely feedback. Council members asked staff to bring refined cost estimates and bond/COP timing to upcoming study sessions so the council can evaluate ballot timing and trade‑offs ahead of a possible 2026 ask.

"The survey gives us a starting point and identifies where we should do deeper outreach," Sievers said during the presentation.

The council did not make final decisions on ballot language or ask amounts during the Aug. 19 meeting; staff were assigned follow‑ups and a scheduled EPD study session will provide more detailed cost and timing information.