Columbia Falls Land Use Plan Survey

Community Assets

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* 1. What do you consider to be the top four greatest assets of Columbia Falls? Please select your top four.

Nearby access to open space and public lands

General affordability

Historic character, cultural, and heritage assets

Employment opportunities

Vibrant and active downtown

Schools and family-friendly amenities

Friendliness of community members

Clean air and water

Recreational opportunities in and around the City

Other (please specify)

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* 2. Please rank the importance of the following issues when considering the future of Columbia Falls. Please select one for each choice.

	Very Important	Important	somewhat important	Not important	I don't know/neutral
Recreational opportunities	Recreational opportunities Very Important	Recreational opportunities Important	Recreational opportunities somewhat important	Recreational opportunities Not important	Recreational opportunities I don't know/neutral
Walkability	Walkability Very Important	Walkability Important	Walkability somewhat important	Walkability Not important	Walkability I don't know/neutral
Lack of available land to grow and develop within the City	Lack of available land to grow and develop within the City Very Important	Lack of available land to grow and develop within the City Important	Lack of available land to grow and develop within the City somewhat important	Lack of available land to grow and develop within the City Not important	Lack of available land to grow and develop within the City I don't know/neutral
Preserving the natural environment	Preserving the natural environment Very Important	Preserving the natural environment Important	Preserving the natural environment somewhat important	Preserving the natural environment Not important	Preserving the natural environment I don't know/neutral
Housing availability	Housing availability Very Important	Housing availability Important	Housing availability somewhat important	Housing availability Not important	Housing availability I don't know/neutral
Employment opportunities	Employment opportunities Very Important	Employment opportunities Important	Employment opportunities somewhat important	Employment opportunities Not important	Employment opportunities I don't know/neutral
Public safety	Public safety Very Important	Public safety Important	Public safety somewhat important	Public safety Not important	Public safety I don't know/neutral
Reliable public infrastructure	Reliable public infrastructure Very Important	Reliable public infrastructure Important	Reliable public infrastructure somewhat important	Reliable public infrastructure Not important	Reliable public infrastructure I don't know/neutral
Local businesses that meet my daily needs	Local businesses that meet my daily needs Very Important	Local businesses that meet my daily needs Important	Local businesses that meet my daily needs somewhat important	Local businesses that meet my daily needs Not important	Local businesses that meet my daily needs I don't know/neutral
Housing cost	Housing cost Very Important	Housing cost Important	Housing cost somewhat important	Housing cost Not important	Housing cost I don't know/neutral
Tourism	Tourism Very Important	Tourism Important	Tourism somewhat important	Tourism Not important	Tourism I don't know/neutral
Traffic circulation	Traffic circulation Very Important	Traffic circulation Important	Traffic circulation somewhat important	Traffic circulation Not important	Traffic circulation I don't know/neutral

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* 3. What three words would you like to describe Columbia Falls in 20 years? Open-ended.

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* 4. 1. What changes in Columbia Falls – both positive and negative – have you noticed over the past ten years? Open-ended.

Positive:

Negative:

Housing

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* 5. What type of housing options would you like to see more of in Columbia Falls? Select all that apply.

Mixed use (apartments above commercial space)

Duplexes & triplexes

Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs)

Apartments

Single family homes

Senior housing facilities

Townhomes

Other (please specify)

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* 6. How do you feel about short-term rental housing? Please select one.

Columbia Falls has too much of it

Columbia Falls doesn’t have enough of it

There’s the right amount in Columbia Falls

I don’t know/neutral

Economic Development

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* 7. What types of businesses would you like to see more of in Columbia Falls? Select all that apply.

Full service restaurants

Small-scale light industry (e.g. paper printing, furniture assembly)

Recreation-based businesses (e.g. sporting goods, bike shops)

Daycares

Grocery stores

Personal services (e.g. salon, barber shop)

Heavy industry (e.g. mining, oil and gas refinement)

Medical services

Hotels

Specialty shops (e.g. butcher, florist)

Fast food restaurants

Neighborhood-scale commercial (e.g. coffee shop, bakery)

Other (please specify)

Environment

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* 8. What environmental issues should be prioritized in the Land Use Plan? Please select your top three.

Preserving open space and wildlife habitat/corridors

Protecting rivers and water quality/preventing floodplain development

Promoting sustainable development practices

Managing wildfire risk

Increasing natural recreational opportunities (hiking, mountain biking, etc.)

Other (please specify)

Land Use

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* 9. What should be the primary focus of land use in Columbia Falls when thinking about the future? Please select your top four.

Increasing amenities for tourism

Building more mixed-use developments

Annexing/incorporating new areas into the City

Developing new businesses and shops

Affordable housing

Preserving open spaces and natural areas

Maintaining the presence of industry for employment

Redeveloping/renovating aging businesses

Creating more parks and recreational areas

Providing more community services/buildings

Maintaining a walkable downtown

Creating job opportunities for residents

Maintaining or building physical infrastructure

Other (please specify)

Transportation

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* 10. What are the top transportation and mobility priorities Columbia Falls should focus on? Please select your top four.

Better signage and wayfinding

Better on-street bicycle lanes and bicycle parking

Maintenance and repair of roads

New or enhanced sidewalks and crosswalks

Reduced traffic congestion at major intersections

Reduced speeding and increasing traffic calming on busy streets

More frequent and convenient bus service

More off-street trails and paths for biking and walking

Bike share, car share, or other similar programs

Other (please specify)

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* 11. Is there anything else you’d like to let us know about life in Columbia Falls, now or in the future? Open-ended.

Demographics

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* 12. Where do you live? Please select one.

Within the City of Columbia Falls

Outside of the City but in Flathead County

Outside of Flathead County

Other (please specify)

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* 13. What is your age? Please select one.

Under 19

19 - 24

25 - 34

35 - 44

45 - 54

55 - 64

65 or older

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* 14. How long have you lived in (or around) Columbia Falls? Please select one.

less than 3 years

3 - 15 years

15 years or more