Survey: Batavia still a fine place to live

Batavia is a fine place to live.

So said 92 percent of the 1,055 people who took a city-run online survey this spring, when they answered Question 1, "How do you rate Batavia as a place to live?" with an answer of "good" or "excellent." In 2010, the last time a survey was taken, 94 percent answered that way.

But there was a drop in the numbers of people who "agreed" or "strongly agreed" with the overall direction the city is taking, from 65 percent in 2010 to 48 percent in 2018.

Aldermen decided this spring it was time for another survey as they update the city's strategic plan and develop a marketing scheme. The plan will be used to set goals and prioritize where time and money should be spent.

"I'm not surprised to see downtown revitalization and traffic improvement have topped the survey. They obviously should remain top priorities," Alderman Dan Chanzit said,

"We lost some ground connecting with our neighbors on Shodeen and Campana, which I kind of expected the survey to reveal," Chanzit said. "I think we've learned that it's OK to disagree. Both of those controversial projects have given us productive discussions on how to position Batavia for the future."

He was referring to Shodeen Inc.'s plan to build the One North Washington Place development downtown, and to another company's proposal to put 80 apartments, many government-subsidized, in the Campana building at Fabyan Parkway and Batavia Avenue. Residents protested those plans in 2016 and 2017.

Alderman Scott Salvati said the survey results have not changed his thinking, but reinforce his belief "that people need to see and hear what we are trying to accomplish as a city and community."

"The drop in percentage that like the overall direction the city is going can be attributed, in my humble opinion, to that, plus the 'negative Nellie' effect on Facebook that a few people have on a couple higher-profile developments," he said.

The rating for the value of service from the electric utility dropped. While 53 percent thought it provided "excellent" or "good" value in 2018, that's down from 85 in 2010. In 2012, the cost of electricity began climbing sharply, as the city was obligated to start buying power from the Prairie State Energy Campus. That power cost more than that of other providers.

Slightly more than half the survey-takers live west of Route 31. Forty-three percent said they had a total household income of more than $100,000. Only 8.46 percent of the respondents were 20 to 35 years old, with almost all the rest being older. Just shy of 94 percent own their residence.

Survey-takers were asked to rank six of the city's goals, aside from providing high-quality cost-effective services and maintaining public safety.

No. 1 was enhancing and maintaining the downtown. Coming in last was "encouraging the construction of housing that is affordable to people at every stage of life."

The city's website was "helpful" or "extremely helpful" in solving problems or supplying information to 66 percent of users. Thirty-eight percent had watched a city council or committee meeting on BATV public-access television in the past year.

Aldermen will discuss the proposed strategic plan again at 7 p.m. Monday at the Eastside Fire Station, 800 E. Wilson St.