us that the Village center is “in the hearts of people who love Croton.” Commercial and Retail Development Residents were also asked whether Croton should pursue additional retail development. Responses were fairly evenly split among those who answered “yes” (42%) and “no” (46%); 12% said they didn’t know. However, the need for careful retail and commercial development came across in responses to other questions. For example, residents were asked to select three aspects of Croton they liked the least. Appearance of commercial areas was the third most frequently selected aspect (32%), while quality of commercial uses and centers was fifth (30.4%). Residents also had the opportunity to write in responses to this question, and 36 write-ins cited a commercial-related issue. Lack of quality restaurants, lack of retail and shopping, and absence of commercial diversity were the most common complaints. The theme of controlled commercial development continued in the residents’ comments section. Many residents wrote that the quality and variety of retail and commercial opportunities should be improved to better accommodate residents and allow for more local shopping, but that big-box and chain stores and other large complexes must be avoided. Some residents specified a lack of quality supermarkets, local greengrocers, bakeries and bookstores. Residents also suggested using expanded commercial development to broaden the tax base and reduce the tax burden on residents. When asked to identify the five important objectives for Croton, preserving the Village’s natural environment and historic character were cited most frequently, but residents also selected objectives relating to commercial development, including “improving mix of retail uses” (31%); “improving all commercial areas, with better signs and more variety” (18%); “encouraging small scale office development in commercial areas” (18%); and “increasing job opportunities in the village” (9%). 1 Many residents called this area the Upper Village. Since the “Upper Village” is used to describe a residential area that has larger boundaries, the term “Historic Center” was chosen instead to avoid confusion. 9 3.4 Public Facilities and Village Priorities The survey included several questions that addressed public facilities and Village priorities and objectives. Residents were asked to identify public spending priorities and Village objectives; to rate their satisfaction with public facilities; and to identify needed recreational facilities. Residents were also asked to rank their level of concern with environmental issues in the Village. Public Spending Priorities Respondents were asked to identify the area of public spending which should have the highest priority. 919 out of the 956 respondents answered this question (96%). The survey offered nine options for public spending, including a write-in option. Residents were asked to select one item, although some selected more than one. Responses were fairly evenly distributed and no clear majority can be identified, but the three most frequently selected areas are as follows: Rank 1 2 3 Spending Target Riverfront development Sidewalks Parks and open space Frequency Percent (%) 205 22.3 192 20.9 175 19 The remaining responses are summarized below: Rank 4 5 6 7 8 9 Spending Target Sewer and water improvements Streets and Roads Recreational facilities Other Library Signs, façade improvements Frequency Percent (%) 162 17.6 155 16.9 150 16.3 119 12.9 78 8.5 65 7.1 Of the 119 respondents who selected “Other”, the majority of responses centered on: • Improvement of community facilities (38), especially schools • Village services (20), especially sidewalks and street maintenance • Finance/government (16), especially the tax rate These responses ask for residents to identify the public spending item that should have the highest level of priority. “Highest” should not be construed to mean the “only” item to which public spending should be allocated. However, the frequency of items selected offers an indication of where Croton residents feel, overall, spending can be increased. Responses were then examined from the standpoint of the age of respondents. These responses are categorized below. It should be noted that category totals are greater than 100%, as many respondents selected more than one choice. • Within the 25-45 population group (39% of respondents), Recreational Facilities, Riverfront Development and Sidewalks were selected most frequently. 10 • The 45-65 population group constituted 43% of the respondents. They selected Riverfront Development most frequently (25% of respondents), followed by Parks/Open Space (20%), Streets/Road (19.5%) and then Sewer/Water Improvement (19%). • The over 65 population group, representing 18% of respondents, selected sidewalks most frequently (31% of respondents), followed by Streets/Roads (25.5%), and then Sewer/Water Improvement (18.5%). Parks/Open Space and Riverfront Development followed at 17% and 18% respectively. • Under 25: those respondents under the age of 25 (who only constituted .6% of the total respondents, or five respondents) selected recreational facilities most frequently. Satisfaction with Public Facilities Respondents were asked to rate their level of satisfaction with public facilities in Croton, on a scale from Very Satisfied and Somewhat Satisfied to Not Very Satisfied and Unhappy.