CARY, NC – The Town of Cary’s continued progress on managing growth to produce a higher quality of life is in line with the concerns and wishes of its citizens, according to a recent survey and focus groups. Results of a telephone survey–conducted in May and June as part of Cary’s growth management education and outreach effort--indicate that residents strongly support growth management efforts and initiatives. Policies aimed at creating a long-term growth plan, speeding up road construction, ensuring adequate space in schools, and taking a regional approach to solutions all scored high on perceived importance. However, up to 60 percent of those surveyed were unaware of many other important growth management initiatives, including new rules designed to increase the buffer space beside streams.

"As a whole, Cary residents are supportive of what we’re doing; they want managed growth," said Cary Public Information Officer Susan Moran. "They also want to know more about exactly what it is we’re doing and where we’re having success. Fortunately, we have a lot to tell them – from ensuring adequate schools and roads to having growth pay for itself and lowering taxes."

The telephone survey asked residents to judge the importance of particular issues on a scale of 1-9, with 1 being "not very important at all" and 9 being "very important." Issues somewhat outside the dominion of Town policy dominated – 94 percent deemed water quality to be somewhat to very important; 94 percent said the same for water supply. These water concerns, it should be noted, were expressed before the North Carolina Environmental Management Commission approved more water for Cary and surrounding communities and prior to the expansion of the Cary-Apex Water Treatment Plant.

New ordinances restricting home construction until adequate schools and roads are in place also scored high, with a total of 85 percent judging them to be somewhat to very important and 56 percent rating them very important. Subsequent focus groups, held in June, also cited overcrowded schools and roads as the issues that have the greatest impact on their everyday lives.

The notion that growth management is both a local and regional issue found widespread support in the survey. On the importance of neighboring communities adopting growth policies similar to Cary’s before the Town of Cary enters into various kinds of partnerships, 75 percent rated the matter somewhat to very important. The phone survey also revealed that more than 72 percent of respondents were aware of Cary’s efforts to work with other Triangle communities to develop regional transportation solutions. Regionalism was also echoed in the focus groups with participants generally supporting the idea that other Wake County communities as well as the Triangle as a whole should partner on growth management initiatives. There was widespread agreement that the best way to encourage the adoption of similar policies in other neighboring cities and towns is for Cary to "lead by example."

The phone survey and focus groups also measured citizen awareness of Cary’s growth management initiatives, with mixed results. Fifty four percent of respondents said they believe Cary is making greater efforts to manage growth than surrounding communities. The remaining 46 percent reported that Cary was either making no greater or making less effort than its neighbors.

Even among those who reported awareness of Cary’s efforts, many respondents lacked specific information. In focus groups, one participant noted a change from what she described as Cary’s previous "growth for growth’s sake" policy, but was unable to firmly cite successes related to recent growth management initiatives.

Specific growth management issues in which citizens showed a significant lack of awareness included:

• About 60 percent being unaware of regulations creating 100 feet of buffer space beside streams
• Nearly 54 percent being unaware that Cary had set aside $12 million to preserve and protect open space.
• Almost 60 percent being unaware that Cary had slowed the rate of growth from 10 percent in the 1990s to the then-most current number, 5.5 percent. A recent report shows the rate to now be at 4 percent.

Respondents said they were most aware of town leaders:

• adopting a long-range growth management plan (75 percent)
• speeding up road construction to improve traffic flow (74 percent)
• working with other Triangle communities to develop regional solutions (72 percent)
• requiring adequate school space before greenlighting new development (65 percent)
• making sure that growth pays for itself (65 percent)

Additional information, including the survey report, is available on the Town’s website, www.townofcary.org, under Current Projects and Initiatives. As part of its growth management education program, the Town plans to do follow-up research in January as part of its Biennial Citizen Satisfaction Survey.