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1. Survey Response

• Surveys were distributed to the 99 households on Plan Takoma’s membership list.
• Surveys were returned from 37 households for a household response rate of 37%.
• 17 surveys went out to households that had been past members of Plan Takoma, but were not current in paying their dues. None of those households returned the surveys. The response rate for the 82 current members was 45%.
• The returned surveys represent the views of 53 individuals in Plan Takoma’s membership.

The survey attempted to canvas the Plan Takoma membership to inform the board about the opinions of the organization’s members. A 37% response rate is a respectable survey response strengthening the likelihood that the results of the survey are representative of the Plan Takoma membership.

Percent of individuals	No. of individuals	Opinion Description
6%	3	do not want to see any development on the open space east of the metro station.
19%	10	would support some kind of development on the open space, but not the currently proposed EYA plan.
15%	8	support the currently proposed EYA development, but have some reservations.
28%	15	fully support the currently proposed EYA development.
21%	11	don't have a position on the development yet; would like more information before giving an opinion.
11%	6	chose not to answer the question.
100%	53	TOTAL

While the above chart indicates that there is no consensus among the survey respondents regarding the proposed metro development, we can draw some conclusions from the data.

• A very small minority (6%) of the individuals surveyed do not want to see any development on the metro lot.
• Nearly two thirds (62%) would like to see some kind of development on the metro lot, although 19% do not favor the currently proposed EYA development.

These two points suggest that there is very little support among the survey respondents for the "status quo" around the metro station. Comments that accompany the survey highlight frustration with the neglect and deterioration of 4^th and Carroll Streets and Blair Road. Support for some kind of development on the metro lot likely stems from that frustration.

There is significant support for the current EYA proposal among the survey respondents, but many would like to see more information about the plan before giving complete support for or forming opinions about the development.

• Forty three percent (43%) of the individuals surveyed support the currently proposed EYA development. By comparison, one quarter (25%) of the survey respondents did not.
• A little over a third of the EYA supporters have some reservations about the current proposal.
• A bit more than a fifth (21%) of the survey respondents would like more information before expressing an opinion about development of the space.

3. Desire for additional information about metro development

Several of the survey respondents who chose either to support EYA with reservations, to support some development, but not the current EYA proposal, or simply not to express a position yet wrote additional information about their concerns. There is a surprising amount of consensus among the three groups about their concerns. The three principal concerns are as follows.

• Five respondents want to see final designs of the proposed development. One respondent mentioned particular concerns about set-backs from the street, buffers and screening of bus lanes and the parking garage, and compatibility with the historic character of the community.
• Five respondents expressed concern about increased traffic flow in the area.
• Three respondents want to see less residential density than the proposed 90 townhouses.

In response to the question "What do you like most about Takoma, DC that you would like to protect?" the following characteristics of Takoma, DC were highlighted:

• A pedestrian friendly, village-like neighborhood (15 responses) with neighborly people (5);
• Economic, racial and age diversity of residents (10 responses);
• Historic nature of the architecture (10 responses);
• Trees (5 responses), green spaces (2 responses) and park btwn 3^rd & 4^th (1);
• Community organizations, activism and information distribution (4 responses)
• Neighborhood within a city (3 responses) and access to the metro (3 responses).

In response to the question "What do you like least about Takoma, DC that you would like to see improved or remedied?" the following characteristics of Takoma, DC were highlighted:

• Economic revitalization of 4^th, Blair, Carroll, Piney Branch and Georgia with more and better quality stores and services (21 responses) including rezoning of industrial areas around Spring and Blair (1);
• Crime, drug and alcohol abuse, loitering (12 responses);
• Traffic problems and need for friendlier pedestrian access to metro and commercial areas (9);
• Negativity, bickering, suspicion of outsiders and tension between DC and MD (4 responses);
• Need for improved public infrastructure and better public works response (3 responses);
• One response each: more trees; financial assistance for historic home repair; revival of Takoma theatre; lack of vote in Congress.

The membership survey listed over a dozen issues/ideas that respondents were asked to rank in importance (with 1 being the least important and 5 being the most important) for Plan Takoma’s future plans. The survey also asked if the respondent was willing to help with each issue/idea. To tabulate the results of the section we assigned one positive point for either a ranking of 5 or for a respondent’s willingness to help with the issue. We assigned a negative point if a respondent ranked the issue as low as 1 or 2. We then ranked the issues in order of importance based on the total number of points each received. The ranking is as follows.

1. Fourth/Carroll improvement (include Blair and Spring) (39 points with 10 people willing to help)
2. Improved public works (20 points and 5 people willing to help); and Better control of traffic and parking (20 points with 4 people willing to help)
3. Information for new neighbors (19 points with 9 people willing to help)
   Outreach to Takoma Educational Center (19 points with 7 people willing to help)
4. Police Relations (17 points with 2 people willing to help)
5. Neighborhood newsletter (16 with 3 people willing to help)
6. Liquor sales regulation (14 with 0 people willing to help)
7. Orange hat patrol coordination (13 with 4 people willing to help)
8. Neighborhood picnic (12 with 6 people willing to help)
9. Children’s activities (11 with 3 people willing to help)
10. Neighborhood directory (10 with 4 people willing to help)
11. Neighborhood Watch newsletter (9 with 4 people willing to help)
12. Neighborhood yard sale (8 with 9 people willing to help)
13. I’m afraid the recipe book received negative points! The neighborhood choir and orchestra received 3 points from 3 very enthusiastic individuals. Perhaps they should form a trio!

The following ideas were written in:

Neighborhood clean-up days (2); Outreach to junior and senior highs (2); A neighborhood website; Involvement in Takoma pool/rec center plans; Need for a cultural arts center; Engagement with Walter Reed; Historic District Expansion

© 2001-2004 Mark Freedman