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Discussion of Plan Takoma Survey Regarding Development at the Takoma Metro Station from the Takoma DC Listserve.

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Unfortunately, the responses to the survey conducted by Plan Takoma are not representative of anything but the opinions of those who responded and not of the Plan Takoma membership. The responses are not a sample of opinion and, therefore, the relatively small number of responses are a group to themselves. My sense of the weight of opinion at the community meetings is that it was not favorable to the development plans offered not just because of their level of density but because the plans were seriously flawed in conception, analysis and detail. Leonard Rubin

Cristina Himes wrote:

> While I have a different opinion about the the small area planning process
> and the proposed EYA development than Sara Green's, I generally found her
> testimony to the Council to be honest in its presentation of her opinon. I
> am troubled, however, by her reference to "earlier surveys [that] show that
> very few residents support the developer's project as proposed" excerpted
> below. I only know of the Plan Takoma survey, so, if there are other
> surveys on this topic, I would love to see them and learn how they were
> conducted.
>
> I'm troubled because I do not want to see a survey that I took great pains
> to be as even handed in writing, administering and interpreting to be
> mis-represented and taken out of context. To say that the survey shows that
> only a few residents support the EYA development is just as misleading as to
> say that the survey shows that only 13 residents oppose the EYA development.
> As Ms. Green emphasized repeatedly, the Plan Takoma survey can not be used
> as a measure of what the entire neighborhood thinks because it represents
> too small a portion of the neighborhood. As far as I know, no surveys that
> can be used as representative of the neighborhood have been done.
>
> With a very strong 45% response rate, however, the Plan Takoma survey can be
> thought of as representative of the then (Decemebr 2000) current Plan Takoma
> membership. And the results show that 43% of the respondents support the
> EYA proposal (15% with some reservations). 25% do not. 32% either chose
> not to give an opinion or expressed a need for more inforation before giving
> an opinion.
>
> Obviously, there is both strong support and strong opposition to the EYA
> proposal in the Plan Takoma membership. In fact, the survey shows more
> support for the EYA proposal than opposition. There are also a lot of
> members who would just assume stay out of the fray. I encourage all those
> who would like to use the Plan Takoma survey to both be clear about what it
> is and what it says.
>
> Cris Himes
>
> Excerpt from
>
> >Testimony - City Council Planning Department Oversight Hearings, Feb. 20,
> >2001
> >Sara Green, 4B01
>
> >3. Many of the meetings were well attended. The overwhelming majority of
> >participants repeatedly asked for alternatives that are much less dense and
> >would produce far less traffic congestion and a larger park. But, despite
> >repeated promises, those alternatives were not offered. And earlier surveys
> >show that very few residents support the developer's project as proposed.

© 2001-2004 Mark Freedman