Residents expressed confidence in public safety and utility services but remain concerned about growth, infrastructure and code enforcement.
On Monday, April 21, the Battle Ground City Council reviewed a community survey offering a clearer understanding of where residents believe the city is performing well and where more attention is needed.
The survey, conducted by the ETC Institute, collected responses from 405 residents earlier this year and provided a statistically valid look at community satisfaction, investment priorities and future needs. It gave officials a clearer picture of what residents feel is working and what they want prioritized going forward. The data revealed a city praised for strong services and communication, but also one facing pressure over growth and livability.
Nearly two-thirds of respondents said they would support a tax or fee increase if it funded priority projects. The survey indicated a heavy interest in a community pool or aquatic center, with 67% of respondents indicating interest, and 66% showing interest in new city pathways or walking trails. Among the five options listed, a pool or aquatic center stood out as the most popular, with 40% naming it their top priority.
In an earlier interview with The Reflector in which a preliminary look at survey results was discussed, Mayor Troy McCoy said he was most surprised by the indication of support for a levy or bond to fund projects benefiting the community.
“That doesn’t mean you put something on the ballot tomorrow,” ETC Institute Senior Project Manager Robert Heacock explained during the presentation. “But it means they would like to have a discussion with you. They want to understand what the options are … The public sees (these) as something missing in terms of available services."
City streets and sidewalks dominated the list of high-priority issues, with residents dissatisfied with their current condition but eager to see investment. Sixty-nine percent of respondents indicated that the street and sidewalks were a high priority, and 28% said they were satisfied with the city’s efforts.
“You have three items that jump ahead of the others — maintenance of major streets, maintenance of neighborhood streets and condition of sidewalks,” Heacock said. “There’s dissatisfaction, but also a high importance.”
Code enforcement was another area where the gap between importance and satisfaction stood out. Four areas registered as high priorities: illegal dumping, overgrown vegetation, RV and boat parking and noise complaints.
“Addressing concerns about garbage and recyclables was the most important and among the least satisfied,” Heacock said.
Growth and development remain major friction points. While residents want more restaurants and retail, many are uncomfortable with the pace of housing development. Nearly a third said Battle Ground is moving “much too fast” on multi-family housing, over half said single-family housing was too fast, and more than half of respondents felt restaurant development was too slow.
Over 60% of respondents indicated dissatisfaction with the city’s overall handling of growth. Councilmember Eric Overholser questioned whether the dissatisfaction with housing could correlate with the broader concern about growth.
Despite concerns, residents consistently praised city staff, especially in police services, sewer services and customer service. Battle Ground outpaced both national and regional averages in all three in terms of satisfaction data.
More than 60% of survey participants expressed satisfaction with ambulance services, police protection and sewer services, making them the most positively rated city services. These categories not only received the highest marks across the board but also outperformed regional and national benchmarks by a wide margin.
“You’re setting the standard,” Heacock said. “Customer service doesn’t just happen, it’s the result of your administration stressing that in every aspect of what you do.”
Council members responded positively to the insights and emphasized the importance of continuing these surveys.
“I find great value in this survey,” McCoy said. “Hopefully, future councils continue it. It’s just one length of time, but seeing a trend line, lifting the ones we’re not doing well and holding onto our gains, obviously would be the goal.”
