Top Priorities from the Altadena Community Visioning Process

In a survey taken by some participants in the Altadena Community Visioning process, address blight and filling vacant properties, code complaints and public safety were the three subjects addressed at the workshop that survey takers rated as highest priorities for Altadena.

The county held three workshops from April to June with the intent of finding out what sort of code changes Altadena residents would like to see. The process, called the Altadena Community Visioning process, included not just ideas for rule changes, but also some larger visions for Altadena's future.

A draft report on the workshop input will be soon released, and then the county will work on implementing some of the proposed changes, a process that officials say could take two years.

Attendees of the final workshop had the option of taking a survey about the process - approximately 40 chose to do so.

In one section of the survey, participants were given a list of ideas suggested in the workshop process and asked to list their three highest priorities.

Twelve people selected filling vacancies and addressing blight as their top priority, 12 selected public safety and 10 selected code complaints.  Other popular choices were 'design regulations and guidelines' and 'community institutions.'

Survey takers were also asked to rate on a scale of 1 to 5 how comfortable with the suggestions in each of the six sections of the report, with 5 being 'very comfortable.'  The six sections are:

• Diverse, eclectic, unique character - average rating just above 4 
• Views and access to the mountains and nature - average rating just above 4, the highest-rated category
• Town/district centers with thriving businesses - average rating just below 4
• Safe and peaceful neighborhoods - average rating just below 4, and rated slight below Town/district centers.
• Community cohesion and strong institutions - also rated a little below 4, but the lowest overall ranking.
• Opportunities for walking, biking, hiking, riding, and play - rated above 4.

The full survey results are attached at right to the article.   There are also comments from community members that were written in on the survey.

For more on the community visioning process check out the below links: