Simi Residents Like Small-Town Feel but Worry About Crime

This city may only be 25 years old, but its people know what they like--and what they want in the future: safety, small-town atmosphere and absolutely no gangs.

That was the message released Thursday in a wide-ranging poll of residents that will be hammered into a blueprint for Simi Valley’s future called Vision 2020.

The City Council is due to review a report on the poll Monday.

Council members then will pick facets of city life that need more study as Vision 2020 progresses toward its ultimate goal of drafting a broad, detailed policy for governing Simi Valley over the next 25 years.

Vision 2020 is a combination wish list and battle plan meant to guide city officials’ decisions on more than a dozen issues, including police protection, land use, education and youth services.

Nearly 200 residents, civic leaders, law officials and business people brainstormed on these issues at an October conference at the Ronald Reagan library, and made recommendations for the next 25 years.

And the city mailed a detailed questionnaire in November to 10,000 residents. Nearly 3,000 responded.

“It was a phenomenal response, by any pollster’s estimate,” City Manager Mike Sedell said.

The poll offers an uncommon glimpse into the households, needs and desires of Simi Valley’s people.

Of those who responded: 96% own their homes, 54% have children living with them. And of the 65% who own personal computers, 40% own modems.

They sing the praises of living in Simi Valley: safety, first and foremost. Then comes atmosphere--cited with phrases such as small town, sense of community, scenic beauty and peacefulness.

They also worry. About growth control, education, the need for a shopping mall and the lack of activities for teenagers.

But mostly they worry about crime and gangs. Residents wrote comments onto their questionnaires, mincing no words.

“Eliminate all gang members--they have no rights,” one wrote. “Control gang violence now--get rid of illegals,” another suggested.

A third demanded, “Remove gangbangers/drive-by shooters from city; export them!” Noting concern of residents of the third-safest large city in the country, poll consultant Harbicht Research Inc. wrote: “While current crime and gang activity in Simi Valley are low, relative to many other cities in Southern California, your citizens seem obsessed with concern over these areas in the future.”

Yet the poll showed that Simi Valley residents are strongly satisfied with emergency services. Those “very satisfied” with police protection outweighed the “not satisfied” votes by 50%. And the “very satisfied” votes on fire protection outnumbered the “not satisfied” by 62%.

In general, their dissatisfaction with Simi Valley life increased with the number of years they have lived here.

The bulk of newcomers who moved to Simi Valley in the past five years leaned toward saying they were “very satisfied” with the city’s small-town feeling. But those who have lived here 30 years or more seemed almost evenly split, between being satisfied and dissatisfied with the city.

And while newcomers registered mild dissatisfaction with the condition of city streets, most old-timers counted themselves “not satisfied.”

The poll showed that people are moderately to very dissatisfied with the availability of “quality shopping” and “quality restaurants.”

While the poll showed residents are on average mildly unhappy with the quality of local education and school facilities, there was a marked dip in the satisfaction level of parents whose children are age 13 to 17.

Noted Harbicht Research: “The greatest criticism came from parents of teenagers, indicating that the high schools are held in lesser regards than the other levels.”

Once the City Council reviews the poll, council members are expected to vote on these focus areas for further study: development/construction, environmental/natural resources, business/economic issues, regional issues, public services/facilities, and social concerns.

Six to eight weeks later, the council will appoint committees that will spend six months studying these issues and drafting ideas for future policy.