Edinburg reviews public survey results on city's future
The city of Edinburg on Tuesday released the results of a public survey that will guide the city’s planning for the next 18 years.
Edinburg pointed to the university, medical services, sports venues, the county seat, and unused land to the north as drivers of growth.
"Generally, there's a very positive view here of growth and development and residents would like to see that continue,” said Edinburg Assistant City Manager Brian Kelsey. “At the same time, we heard a lot about maintaining our hometown character."
The survey results were compiled with help from the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, and reviewed at a 45-minute meeting on Tuesday.
"Not everybody feels that everyone is sharing equally in that growing prosperity,” Kelsey said. “People talked about geographic inequalities."
The primary concerns moving forward are drainage, street lighting, pedestrian access, litter and beautification. Residents pointed to streets as the main concern.
"One-third of respondents identified streets as the top priority,” Kelsey said. “That easily outpaced every other category of city service in the survey."
The city says it will use the survey to inform future decision-making. The council discussed breaking it into committees that would set priorities for city staff down the line.
"We need to come up with some committees that are driven by residents that look at…some of these priorities on an ongoing basis," said Edinburg Mayor Ramiro Garza Jr.
The city says it's also looking for more feedback from those who didn't take the survey. Residents can simply call city hall.
The city says it will take the information and will use it to guide decisions for the Edinburg Master Plan.