Yorktown Neighborhood Conservation Survey

Instructions

Please answer the following questions about your neighborhood and return this survey by Oct. 31, 2003, to Yorktown Civic Association, 2827 N. Harrison St., Arlington, VA 22207.  Please feel free to offer additional comments or suggestions beside each question.  Your comments are important!

Street Lighting  & Electrical Service

1.        After Hurricane Isabel, did you find Dominion Power responsive to your requests to restore power?

(Select only one.)

   Yes                              44%

   Somewhat                  30%

   Not at all                     14%

Didn’t lose power             2%

Didn’t call                          4%

No answer                         6%

 

2.        How many days did you lack electricity after the hurricane?

(Select only one.)

   None                                       3%

   1-3 days                                 58%

       4-5 days                                 23%

       More than 5 days                  14%

No answer                                     2%

3.        Do you believe that burying power lines would be an improvement in any of the following ways?

(Select all that apply.)

   Help to prevent power outages in severe storms              84%

       Help to beautify the neighborhood                                      81%

       Help to reduce vehicle and pedestrian accidents because of fewer electric poles                                                                                                                  32%

       No help/not necessary                                                                      9%

 

4.        Would you be willing to pay to have utility cables and wires buried on your street?

(Select only one.)

   Yes, I would be willing to pay through special assessments                                24%

   Yes, I would be willing to pay as an adjustment to monthly electric bill    38%

       No, I would not pay for any of it                                                                                34%

      Depends on the cost                                                                                                      4%

      Already paid                                                                                                                    2%

 

5.        How often do you lose power at your house?

(Select only one.)

   Frequently and/or often without explanation                                   24%

   Occasionally or only during severe storms                         60%

       Rarely or not at all                                                                             16%


 

6.        Do you have adequate street lighting on your street?

(Select only one.)

   Yes                              75%

       No                               25%

 

7.        Would you favor installing Carlyle or Colonial-style streetlights with shorter, more attractive poles on your street or other streets nearby?

(Select only one.)

   Yes (please indicate location)                     54%

       No                                                                   35%

No answer                                                             11%

Sidewalks, Curbs and Pedestrian Safety

8.        Generally, do you favor having sidewalks on most streets in the neighborhood?

(Select only one.)

   Yes, on at least one side                              56%

   Yes, on both sides                                        34%

   No (please explain)                                       9%

     No answer                                                       1%

 

9.        Do you have a sidewalk on at least one side of your street today?

(Select only one.)

   Yes                                                                                                                  74%

       No, but would like to have one put in                                                           13%

       No, but not interested in a sidewalk in front of my house              13%

       No answer                                                                                                      1%

 

10.    Are the sidewalks or curbs and gutters on your street in need of repair?

(Select only one.)

   Yes (please comment further)                                  18%

       No                                                                               77%

      No sidewalks on my street                                             1%

      No answer                                                                        4%

 

11.    Are there any pedestrian hazards that make walking difficult in your neighborhood?

(Select only one.)

   Yes (please identify)             34%

   No                                                       64%

No answer                                                 2%

 

12.    Are there service strips between your sidewalk and the street or medians where you would like to have shade trees planted?

(Select only one.)

   Yes                                                      11%

   No                                                       82%

No service strips                                      2%

No answer                                                 5%

Transportation and Traffic

13.    Can you identify any traffic hazards or other traffic problems that need attention in the neighborhood?

 (Select only one.)

   Yes (please identify)                         61%

   No                                                                   34%

No answer                                                             5%

 

14.    If your street was found to have excessive speed and volume, would you consider traffic calming measures which might include flashing signs, traffic circles, parking lines, etc.?

(Select only one.)

   Yes (please identify)             57%

   No                                                       35%

No answer                                                 7%

 

15.    What improvements would you like to see in the bus routes and bus schedules in the neighborhood?

 

 

 

16.    Would you be more likely to take the bus if bus shelters were installed in the neighborhood?

(Select only one.)

   Yes (please indicate location)                     14%

   No                                                                   77%

No answer                                                             9%

 

17.    What is your impression of  the bike lanes in the neighborhood?

(Select only one.)

   Number of streets having bike lanes should be increased (indicate location)  16%

       Number of bike lanes is about right                                                                          64%

       Number of bike lanes should be reduced (indicate location)                                 8%

     Don’t have bike lanes                                                                                                        2%

     No answer                                                                                                               11%

 

18.    Is parking a problem on your street?

(Select only one.)

   Yes (please provide location and time of day of problem)                       21%

   No                                                                                                                   77%

No answer                                                                                                             3%

Parks

19.    In 2002, a Master Plan was adopted by the County Board which established general principles for the redevelopment of Greenbrier Park (includes the Yorktown High athletic fields).  Next year, the county Parks Dept. will go through the design phase and produce detailed construction plans based on that adopted Master Plan.  Please list any improvements that are most important to you and the neighborhood in the redevelopment of Greenbrier Park?

 

 

20.    Chestnut Hills Park, on Harrison Street, has been largely designed as a park for young children, with emphasis on activities and equipment for ages up to 10 years and passive green-space uses.  Do you support continuing this as the primary focus for Chestnut Hills park?

(Select only one.)

   Yes                              91%

   No                               4%

No answer                         5%

 

21.    If not, what other kinds of activities and/or equipment would you like to see in Chestnut Hills Park?

 

 

22.    How do you usually travel to Chestnut Hills Park?

(Select all that apply.)

   Walk                                       60%

   Automobile                            29%

   Bicycle                                    4%

   Other (specify)                       1%

Don’t go there                               10%

 

23.    Would you like to see the community garden plots at Chestnut Hills Park expanded?

(Select only one.)

   Yes                              31%

   No                               41%

No answer                         26%

 

24.    Rock Spring Park (between Yorktown Blvd. and Little Falls Rd. at George Mason Blvd) is designed as a natural resource open space.  It provides a natural environment, including several flower beds for visitors to enjoy.  What improvements, if any, would you suggest for Rock Spring Park?

 

 

Commercial and Business Areas

25.    Which of the following local shopping areas do you frequent?

(Select all that apply.)

   Lee-Harrison Shopping Center                                                                               96%

   Other stores at Lee/Harrison intersection (e.g. Safeway, CVS, etc.)                 87%

   Garden City shops (at Lee/George Mason)                                                          43%

   Other stores and shops on Lee Highway                                                               62%

 

26.    What improvements, if any, would you recommend to the appearance, traffic flow, services or stores provided by the commercial buildings and shopping areas in the neighborhood?

 

 

 

 

 

27.    What additional types of businesses would you like to see in our neighborhood?

 

 

 

 

 

28.    Would you patronize the Garden City shopping area, on Lee Highway at George Mason, more often if it was improved?

(Select only one.)

   Yes (please explain)             68%

   No (please explain)                           18%

No answer                                                 14%

 

29.    Please identify any specific improvements you would like to see at the Garden City shopping area?

 

 

Neighborhood Beautification and Trees

30.    What ideas or suggestions do you have for beautifying your neighborhood?

 

 

 

31.    Can you identify any sites in the neighborhood that would be good locations for public art work such as murals or sculptures?

(Select only one.)

   Yes (please identify)             16%

   No                                                       65%

No answer                                                 20%

 

32.    Can you identify any areas where there is overgrown vegetation or a need to improve plantings, particularly on public property?

(Select only one.)

   Yes (please identify)             22%

   No                                                       58%

No answer                                                 20%

 

33.    Do you think that the neighborhood has a problem with any of the following?

(Select all that apply and note location of problem(s).)

   Trash                                                              24%

   Vermin                                                            25%

   Signs                                                              5%

   Maintenance of public areas                       8%

       Graffiti                                                             5%

       Weeds and/or invasive plants                     13%

   Deer                                                               1%

       Other (please specify)                                  8%

 

34.    Is there a problem with noise on your street?

(Select only one.)

   Yes (please identify)             25%

   No                                                       69%

No answer                                                 5%

 

35.    Are there any structures, abandoned vehicles, or areas in the neighborhood that you consider eyesores or safety hazards?

(Select only one.)

   Yes (please identify source of noise)                      19%

   No                                                                               72%

No answer                                                                         9%

Public Safety

36.    Are you aware of any areas in the neighborhood that have a problem with vandalism or could be improved from a standpoint of public safety?

(Select only one.)

   Yes (please identify)             7%

   No                                                       83%

      No answer                                                9%

 

37.    Would you participate in a Neighborhood Watch program?

(Select only one.)

   Already participate in Neighborhood Watch          5%

   Yes                                                                              59%

   No                                                                               27%

No answer                                                                         9%

 

38.    Do you feel that adequate safeguards are in place for notification of residents in the event of an emergency?

(Select only one.)

   Yes (please identify)                                     28%

   No                                                                               46%

Don’t have enough information to answer/not sure      6%

No answer                                                                         21%

 

39.    Have you signed up for Arlington County’s new e-mail/digital emergency alert system (see http://www.arlingtonalert.com)?

(Select only one.)

   Yes                                                                              11%

   No, not yet                                                                  22%

   Don’t know anything about the program                 64%

No answer                                                                         4%

Land Use and Zoning

40.    Are there problems with code violations in your neighborhood?

(Select only one.)

   Yes (please identify)             12%

   No                                                       70%

Don’t know/Not sure                                 4%

No answer                                                 15%

 

41.    In-fill development can be defined as development of single family homes in between or behind existing homes or replacing existing homes with much larger houses.  Please tell us your opinion of this practice?

(Select only one.)

   Support it (please explain)                           21%

   Don’t support it (please explain)                 51%

   No opinion                                                     22%

No answer                                                             6%

 

42.    The County has adopted changes in residential zoning provisions to clarify height measurements at 35 feet, back lot line measurements and restrictions on pipe-stems (houses in back of houses).  The major remaining issue is lot coverage.  Currently, residential houses can cover 56% of a lot’s surface.  Would you support further limiting coverage as a means of reducing the bulk of new houses?

 (Select only one.)

       Yes                  59%

       No                   32%

No answer             9%

 

43.    Would you favor the establishment of any other additional guidelines for new housing development or improvements in the neighborhood?

(Select only one.)

   Yes (please explain) 34%

   No                                           38%

No answer                                     27%

Historic Preservation

44.    Are you aware of any properties/structures/locations in our neighborhood that you think should be considered historic due to age, architecture, previous owner, or usage?

(Select only one.)

   Yes (please identify)             8%

       No                                                       87%

No answer                                                 5%

 

45.    Should the Yorktown Civic Association (YCA) undertake a project of providing markers for significant and/or historic properties in our neighborhood?

(Select only one.)

   Yes (please identify)             33%

   No                                                       47%

Not sure                                                     1%

No answer                                                 20%

General Neighborhood Conditions and Characteristics

46.    How many years have you lived at your current location?

(Select only one.)

   less than 3 years                   18%

   3 to 6 years                            17%

   7 to 12 years                          20%

   13 to 20 years                       15%

   over 20 years             30%

No answer                                     1%

 

47.    What are the three things you like most about this neighborhood?

 

48.    What are three things about this neighborhood that need improvement?

 

49.    Do you rent or own your home?

(Select only one.)

   Rent                            5%

   Own                            93%

No answer                         1%

 

50.    How many children are living in your home?

(Select only one.)

   None                                       57%

   One                                         18%

   Two                                         17%

   Three                                      5%

   Four                                        1%

   More than four                       1%

     No answer                                     2%

 

51.    Please provide any additional comments or suggestions not covered by the other questions.

 

 

 

 

 

52.    Please list the street and block you live on or the closest intersection (e.g. 2600 N. Columbus or Columbus and 26th Street)?

(Provide one response only.)