ERIE — A survey completed by those questioning Erie's bent toward a boom is recording a collection of comments from residents that mostly beg the town to slow down
and stay small.
But the survey, completed by members of Appropriate Growth Regulations Enhancing Erie, isn't being embraced by everyone as a legitimate appraisal of the town's
populace.
The results, tallied late this week, show the comments of about 520 people in the Erie area.
The survey, which was also sent out to those who live in
surrounding Boulder and Weld counties, was intended to reach about 3,000 people. It was aimed primarily at Erie residents.
Questions, for example, asked people to rank reasons for
living in Erie.
And, the top answer for importance was Erie's small town and rural atmosphere.
About 298 people also agreed that Erie in the last several years has
grown too fast, and 295 people chimed in to keep Erie's population under 20,000 without creating negative impacts on the quality of life.
About 140 people said Erie's rate of
growth was "about right," and that same number said a population of about 20,000 to 30,000 would suit Erie best.
Mayoral candidate Reed Schrichte, who's also a spokesman for AGREE,
said he expected the survey results would support his stand.
"If this survey had said something completely opposite, why would I even run for mayor. I wouldn't," he said. "Why
would I subject myself to the brain damage?"
Town Administrator Dave Stahl, however, warned that citizens shouldn't accept the survey as the answer to all.
"Obviously, when you are reviewing unscientific survey results, I think you want to be cautious how much weight you give them," he said.
He said the survey can't be a basis for
future policy. A controlled, scientific survey that includes a margin for error would be needed for that.
And Stahl said that the AGREE survey really is of little to no value.
"You have to be cautious about giving it any validity," he said.
The survey includes comments of people on what they liked least or best about Erie. And those
responses are all over the map.
While a number of people said Erie's best attribute is that "In 15 minutes I can drive and be anywhere I need to be."
Driving 15
minutes to get anywhere I need to be is also what people liked the least.
But the comments of what people like the most were overwhelmingly Erie's small town attributes, be that
no traffic or knowing the neighbors.
Schrichte also maintains that the survey is an accurate reflection of residents' opinions.
There're several comments from
people saying that Erie needs more growth, and that AGREE is just being adversarial.
And most people did respond that encouraging more economic opportunities in Erie is needed.
The survey results, and individual surveys, can be reviewed, Schrichte said.
And each survey was numbered and marked to assure it was not a replica.
A
collection of 21 surveys that were potential copies and each bearing an odd tick in the right-hand corner were tabulated individually, Schrichte said.
Schrichte said he realizes
that the survey work, which he says is a job the town government should have done in the first place, will be discredited by nay-sayers.
"But if the truth makes you look bad, I
think it's your problem," he said.
A number of people who answered the survey also listed items that were conflicting.
For example, numerous people said that they
want Erie to have a recreation center and a library, but then checked a population limit that would never support those types of amenities.
A town-sponsored survey in 1996 fell
victim to the same problem, and town officials weren't able to use the survey as any kind of policy guide.
But Schrichte, whose survey was modeled after the town's '96 survey and a
University of Colorado at Denver Growth Management opinion poll, said that it is a matter of education.
Schrichte said the survey, which also showed about 230 people saying
commercial development was important, will not necessarily be used in the April election.
It was done primarily to have the information available to those interested the local
responses about growth.
For full survey results go to