Major Findings

1) Residents are very positive about Town and Country. Eighty-seven percent say things are going in the right direction, 99% say it is either an excellent (75%) or good (24%) place to live, and 99% rate it either an excellent (69%) or good (30%) place to raise children. They especially like the City’s convenient location, ample green space, one-acre lot zoning, balance between residential and commercial property, varied and ample parks, and its safety. 

The only two concerns mentioned by more than ten percent are the threat of over-commercialization (14%) and traffic issues (13%).

2) Eighty-two percent favor the Town Square initiative while 18% oppose it. Features receiving the most support are walking trails (89% favor), an one-acre lake (73% say it would add a great deal or quite a lot of value), a plaza (64% great deal or quite a lot of value), a pavilion (60% a great deal or quite a lot of value), and restaurants (59% a great deal or quite a lot of value). The prevailing restaurant preference is casual family dining.

3) Seventy-one percent think that having a community-wide connected trail and sidewalk system is either extremely or very important to the quality of life in Town and Country. Fifty-four percent walk on the system once a week or more and 14% use it for biking at least once a week. Fifty-eight percent say a very high or high priority should be given to connections with residential sidewalk networks but fewer, 38%, assign a very high or high priority to connections to trails in neighboring communities. 

4) Twenty-five percent report they or someone else in their household visited Preservation Park during the last two years. The most frequent park activity (69% of those visiting) was trail walking. 

Seventy-one percent think the City should sell the Park and use the proceeds for trails, sidewalks, and other parks while 29% say the City should maintain ownership. If the City were to sell, 56% prefer an educational use over a commercial application.  

5) Ninety-three percent rate the City’s overall performance as excellent or good. All services receive high marks. The combined excellent/good ratings are police (98%), parks and recreational facilities (94%), providing adequate and timely information (93%), branch chipping (92%), snow removal (91%), street maintenance (89%), land use planning and zoning (77%), and storm water control (77%). 

The West County Fire Protection District also receives high marks for its fire and emergency services (97% excellent/good). 

6) Seventy-one percent had contact with the municipal government during the past two years with 76% of this group extremely or very satisfied with the way the most recent contact was handled. 

Ninety-three percent think it is very or somewhat easy to communicate with City officials and only 2% say it very difficult to do so.  

7) Most citizens think the City’s police are striking the right balance in enforcing traffic regulations on residential streets (86%) and major roads (88%).