3. Revised Community Survey for Code Update
City of Scandia – Zoning & Development Code Update
1
MEMO
To: Mayor, Members of the City Council
From: Julia Paulsen Mullin, Swanson Haskamp Consulting
CC: Jennifer Haskamp, AICP, Swanson Haskamp Consulting
Date: October 1, 2020
RE: Revised Issue Identification Community Survey
Zoning & Development Code Update Project
On September 2, 2020 Jennifer Haskamp attended the City Council work session and presented a draft of the
Issue Identification Community Survey. After a brief presentation, the City Council provided feedback
regarding proposed changes, additions, and modifications to incorporate into the survey prior to its
distribution. Based on your input and feedback, our Team has updated the survey for your review and
authorization.
The following additions, changes and modifications are included in the final draft survey:
1. The language in Question 5, and throughout the survey, has been updated to ensure that the village area is
consistently referred to as the “Village Center”.
2. Question 22 was added to address your desire to understand what types of housing residents would
support in the village center. A variety of housing types are identified, and residents are provided an option to
add “other” types of housing.
3. Question 23 and 24 addresses your desire to understand what types of business uses are desired by
residents in the Village Mixed Use and Rural Mixed Use land use designations. Both questions are focused on
not only the use, but the amount of that use within each of these designations.
4. Finally, we edited the survey for consistency, agreement, editing and formatting.
Next Steps
Once the City Council has approved the survey, the SHC team will work with city staff to release the survey
publicly as soon as possible. We wrote a brief article for the Scandia newsletter about the survey providing
some background about the project and how people can access the survey.
For your review, the survey is accessible online from the link below (you can copy and paste the address into
any browser), and we have included a PDF of the survey in your meeting packet. Thank you for your input
and attention to the details of the survey questions. We are excited to push it live, and hear from Scandia’s
residents and business owners!
Survey link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ScandiaZoning
DEMOGRAPHICS & GENERAL PREFERENCES
This survey is anonymous. We want to make sure we hear from residents and businesses in all areas
of the community, and the following questions will help us ensure we accomplish that goal. Please tell
us a little about yourself. The survey should take you approximately 15 minutes to complete.
1. Please select which best describes you (select one):
I live in Scandia, and I work outside of the City
I live in Scandia, and I am not employed
I live in Scandia, and I work at a business in Scandia outside
my home
I live in Scandia, and I work from home
I work in Scandia, and I do not live here.
Other (please specify)
2. If you answered that you work from home, please select what best describes your situation:
I began working from home due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Most likely I will return to my workplace at some time in the future.
I began working from home due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but likely I will continue to work from home after the pandemic ends.
I have always worked from home.
3. If you live in Scandia, please select what most closely describes your neighborhood:
I live on an agricultural property (large acreage, hobby farm,
commercial farm, etc.)
I live in a rural residential area where lots are approximately 5-
10 acres, I do not live on a lake.
I live in a rural residential area where lots are approximately 1-
5 acres, I do not live on a lake.
I live on lakefront property and lots are irregular in size.
I live in or near the Village Center, I consider my neighborhood
the Village.
4. If you live in Scandia, how long have you lived here?
Strongly Disagree Somewhat Disagree Neutral/No Opinion Somewhat Agree Strongly Agree
Zoning in the City makes
sense, the right land
uses are in the right
places.
I don't care about the
uses in a building, I care
about how it looks.
We have a good mix of
businesses in the Village
Center.
We have a good mix of
housing in the City.
I would like to see more
multi-family uses in the
City, especially near the
Village Center.
My favorite area in the
City is my
home/property.
My favorite area in the
City is the Village Center.
It is important for me to
have flexibility on how I
use my property.
It is important to follow
the City Code of
Ordinances consistently.
5. The following statements are a mix of topics that are purposefully broad. Think about your preferences and
select the response that most closely aligns with your thoughts.
ZONING & CODE ENFORCEMENT
The following questions address the City's zoning and development code and the enforcement of its
code.
6. Have you ever used the City's zoning and development code to understand what you can do with your
property?
Yes
No
7. If you answered "YES" did you find the information you were looking for? Did you think it was easy to use?
Please briefly describe.
8. Properties in my neighborhood are well maintained and I believe they follow the City Code.
Strongly Disagree Some are, Some are not Strongly Agree
9. If you were concerned that a neighbor was doing something on their property that was not allowed, would
you feel comfortable calling the City and filing a complaint?
Yes
No
10. If you answered "YES", would you be confident that the City would take action? Please explain.
Other (please specify)
11. The following list represents common complaints people have about properties in their neighborhoods.
Please select your top three concerns from the list (you may choose fewer than 3).
Outdoor Storage
Noise related to business (e.g., trucks, visitors, etc.)
Parking (not enough, location, etc.)
Outdoor lighting
Size of accessory buildings
Use of accessory buildings
Number of accessory buildings
Landscape maintenance (grass is too long, not well
maintained, etc.)
Snow removal
YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD
Please think about land use and zoning when answering the following questions. We want to
understand your perspective about how your neighborhood looks - so head out for a walk and look
around if you need to! In the following questions please think about where you live and your
neighborhood - we'll get to your thoughts on the whole City in the next section.
12. I like the way my neighborhood looks. The houses are in the right place and the lots are the right size.
Houses and accessory buildings are setback appropriately from property lines. The amount of accessory
building square footage and number of buildings allowed feel right.
Strongly Disagree
Neutral (Mix of good and
bad)Strongly Agree
Why?
13. Should there be limitations on the number, size and uses of accessory buildings on properties in your
neighborhood (e.g. smaller lots would be permitted fewer buildings and less square footage, larger lots would
be permitted more)?
Yes
No
14. Is it important for the use of properties in your neighborhood to be controlled or limited? For example,
should there be restrictions on home-based businesses? Or does the use not matter if the neighborhood feels
the same as it does today?
15. What is your greatest concern about how your neighborhood looks? (Think about the lots, houses, uses,
accessory buildings, landscaping, etc.)
COMMUNITY
There is a diverse mix of uses and neighborhoods in Scandia. The following map is the adopted
Planned Land Use map from the 2040 Comprehensive Plan. It describes the planned (future) land uses
for the City. Reference the map to help you answer the following questions.
2040 Future Land Use Map
16. The General Rural areas of the community help define the rural character of the City. Property owners
should be given extensive flexibility to do what they want with their property as long as they don't interfere with
their neighbors' enjoyment of their property.
Strongly disagree
Neutral, there should be
flexibility but also some
rules Strongly Agree
17. In the General Rural land use area, there are some properties that are much smaller in size, for example
the properties with lake frontage, but they have the same standards as larger parcels in the same land use.
Should these properties have different standards for uses than larger properties in the same land use? (Note -
Shoreland Overlay standards will apply to all lakefront property.)
Yes
No
18. If you answered "YES" to the previous question, what types of standards would you like to see for smaller
properties in the General Rural areas?
19. What areas of the City should require design standards or design guidelines? (Note: architectural
standards are required for any new construction, including new buildings and remodeling)
Nowhere. People should be able to design buildings how they
want
Village Mixed Use area only
Village Mixed Use, Rural Mixed Use, Village Neighborhood
areas
Village Mixed Use, Rural Mixed Use, Village Neighborhood,
General Rural
Everywhere. There should be design standards in every area
of the community.
20. The Village Mixed Use area is an important part of the community. What ideas do you have to make it
better?
21. On the following continuum, please identify your thoughts about the Village Mixed Use area:
I like it just the way it is.
I like parts of it, but I would
like a little more diversity of
businesses and possibly
housing.
It needs improvement -
there should be greater
diversity in business,
services, and uses including
more housing choices.
Other (please specify)
22. What types of housing should be in the Village Mixed Use area? Think about both current and future
residents. Please check all that apply.
Small-lot single family housing
Villa style single-level town homes (detached, small lot)
Affordable housing options, may be attached or detached types
Senior housing detached
Senior housing attached
Attached, multi-family rental housing (e.g. apartments, rowhomes, etc.)
Attached, multi-family owner occupied housing (e.g. condominiums, rowhomes, etc.)
Assisted Living
This use should not be
here There should be less The amount is about right
This use should be
expanded
Retail
Professional Services
Restaurants/Coffee
shops
Medical/clinical services
Light
Industrial/Manufacturing
Community Gathering
Spaces (indoor)
Community Gathering
Spaces (outdoor)
Multi-family housing
(attached)
Single-family housing
(detached)
23. Please answer the following question based on the current uses in the Village Mixed Use area:
This use should not be
here There should be less The amount is about right
This use should be
expanded
Retail
Professional Services
Restaurants/Coffee
shops
Medical/clinical services
Agritourism businesses
Light
Industrial/Manufacturing
Community Gathering
Spaces (indoor)
Community Gathering
Spaces (outdoor)
Multi-family housing
(attached)
Single-family housing
(detached)
24. Please answer the following question based on the current/future uses in the Rural Mixed Use area:
25. Please share with us any other comments, issues or concerns you have about land use, zoning or
development in the City that are not covered in this survey.