What residents are saying ...
A survey of randomly selected Cape Cod residents overwhelmingly identified traffic, housing costs, water pollution and the availability of jobs as critical problems for the Cape. Two-thirds surveyed believe there is too much development on Cape Cod.
The Center for Survey Research at the University of Massachusetts-Boston, working for the Cape Cod Commission, mailed surveys in September 2005 to 1,004 randomly selected addresses, with 472 completed surveys were returned.
Some highlights include:
• Residents almost unanimously identify traffic congestion as a big problem now and into the future.
• The availability of moderate and lower priced housing is considered a problem for their town (87 percent) and for the Cape as a whole (89 percent).
• Pollution of ponds or coastal waters and availability of jobs or economic opportunities are seen consistently as problems locally (83 percent) and for the wider Cape area (89 percent).
Issues not identified as a problem in the towns by at least half of respondents are adequacy of health care facilities (47 percent), commercial sprawl (37 percent), availability of recreational opportunities (28 percent) and availability of high-speed Internet access (28 percent).
The top two issues residents believe will be a problem in the next five years are the same as the top two identified as current problems: traffic congestion and availability of moderate and lower-priced housing.
Two issues emerged as being of more concern for the future than for the present: pollution of ponds or coastal waters and residential sprawl.
Development
Two-thirds of residents responding to the survey said they think there is too much development on Cape Cod; only a few said there is too little; and about one-fourth said there is about the right amount.
Cape Cod residents have mixed feeling about specific development, supporting some and opposing others. However, while they do not reject all development, most do not strongly support any of the kinds of development they were asked about.
The top of the list for most-supported development is cultural facilities, which is strongly supported or supported by nearly eight of 10 respondents.
Three-fourths of respondents support both a technology firm and a neighborhood business, while seven of 10 support single-family affordable housing and light industrial development.
A gambling casino and large shopping mall both were opposed by 75 percent of respondents.
Three town projects with the most support had to do with purchase of open space. The town project with the least support, the most opposition, and a great deal of uncertainty is a proposal to build public recreational facilities.
Cape Cod Commission
Respondents were somewhat evenly split between the commission’s growth centers concept (encouraging development in already-developed areas and making it harder in undeveloped areas) and simply making development harder everywhere.
In identifying high-, moderate- and low-priority goals for the commission, nine of 10 respondents call protecting the Cape’s drinking water supply a high priority.
Eight of 10 respondents identified protecting the Cape’s recreational waters and surface water quality as a high priority.
A goal receiving the lowest priority was encouraging expansion of tourism on the Cape, considered a low priority by 4 in 10 respondents
For the full results of the residents survey, please click here.
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