Finally, staff gave
the participants four colored note cards and asked them to list as many
strengths, weakness, opportunities and threats they could think of on a
different card when prompted by staff.
Participants were instructed to think of strengths and weaknesses
in terms of current issues and opportunities and threats are future
issues. Together, staff is
hopeful that the two “visioning” exercises will point to obvious
community-wide concerns that will become the basis for plan goals and
the policies and objectives that can be used to implement them.
Results of the Visual
Preference Survey for Dothan
The following discussion details the
results of the VPS for each category.
The presentation slides are available by clicking
here.
Category:
Signs
1
81% (95) of people who
participated chose a commercial monument sign over the conventional
commercial street signage found along our roads, while 9% (11) selected
the conventional signage and 9% (11) indicated they had no preference.
2
58% (68) of people who
participated chose a commercial marquee-type sign over the conventional
individual, commercial street signage found along our roads, while 26%
(30) selected the conventional signage and 17% (19) indicated they had
no preference.
3
65% (76) of people who
participated chose a individual uncluttered conventional commercial
signs over another example of commercial marquee-type signage found
along our roads, while 21%
(25) selected the commercial marquee-type signage and 14% (16) indicated
they had no preference. This contradicts the previous slide results.
Category:
Downtown
4
85% (99) of people who
participated chose a downtown commercial streetscape with benches,
trees, and wide sidewalks over a typical streetscape found along our
roads downtown, while 11% (13) selected our typical downtown streetscape
and only 4% (5) indicated they had no preference. This may indicate a
favorable atmosphere for downtown improvements.
5
83% (97) of people who
participated chose a downtown streetscape peopled with diners and
outside patio dining while 11% (13) selected a picture of South Foster
Street with narrow sidewalks and parallel street parking and 6% (7)
indicated they had no preference.
6
90% (105) of people
who participated chose a downtown focal point such as the square in
Andalusia, AL, while 4% (5) selected our typical downtown as seen from
south Oates bridge looking north toward Main Street and 6% (7) indicated
they had no preference. This may indicate a favorable atmosphere for
downtown improvements.
Category:
Neighborhoods
7
85% (99) of people who
participated chose a residential neighborhood streetscape with
sidewalks, street trees, and hedge-lined front yards. 7% (8) selected a
street void of trees, no sidewalks and wide paving. 9% (10) indicated
they had no preference. This may indicate a favorable atmosphere for a
stronger landscape ordinance or the development of design guidelines for
new residential development in and around Dothan.
8
84% (98) of people who
participated chose a residential neighborhood streetscape with
sidewalks, street trees, and hedge-lined front yards. 9% (11) selected a
shot of one of Dothan’s neighborhoods that is street void of
trees, no sidewalks and wide paving. 7% (8) indicated they had no
preference. This may indicate a favorable atmosphere for a stronger
landscape ordinance or passage in the subdivision regulations or the
development of design guidelines for new residential development in and
around Dothan.
Category:
Street Lighting
9
87% (102) of people
who participated chose an ornamental look to street lights. 7% (8)
selected a standard street light on a pole which is commonplace in
Dothan. 6% (7) indicated they had no preference.
This may indicate a favorable atmosphere for the development of design
guidelines for new residential development in and around
Dothan.
10
74% (86) of people who
participated chose an ornamental look to street lights. 15% (18)
selected a standard street light on a pole which is commonplace in
Dothan. 11% (13) indicated they had no
preference. This may indicate a favorable atmosphere for the development
of design guidelines for new residential development in and around
Dothan.
Category:
Street Art
11
44% (51) of people who
participated chose our current mural art. 29% (34) selected a form of
temporary chalk sidewalk art. 27% (32) indicated they had no preference.
12
40% (47) of people who
participated chose an example of a metal sculpture as a preferred form
of street art. 32% (38) selected a piece of stone abstract art as a good
form of street art. 27% (32) indicated they had no preference. This was
nearly split evenly, although 72% of those who participated chose some
form of art over those that had no opinion or preference.
13
62% (73) of people who
participated chose an example of metal still life as street art they’d
like to see. 23% (27) selected the traditional “peanut” man prevalent
around the city as a preferred form of street art. 15% (17) indicated
they had no preference.
Category:
Alleys
14
85% (100) of people
who participated chose a functional paved alley with rear-loading
garages. Only 8% (10) selected the style of alley found in our downtown.
5% (6) indicated they had no preference. Another indication of the
public readiness for some form of design guidelines.
15
50% (59) of people who
participated preferred the example of a new subdivision with a
functional alley and rear-loading garages. 34% (40) were content with
the type alleys found in the neighborhoods west of downtown. 15% (18)
indicated they had no preference.
Category:
Sidewalks
16
78% (91) of people who
participated chose sidewalks that were separated from roadways. 15% (18)
selected sidewalks separated by only a narrow strip of grass and hedge
material. 7% (8) indicated they had no preference.
17
60% (70) of people who
participated chose sidewalks that were paved with brick pavers and
separated from roadways by a landscaped buffer. 27% (32) selected
sidewalks with no separation from the curb and street. 12% (14)
indicated they had no preference.
18
72% (84) of people who
participated chose downtown sidewalks that were inviting and had
benches, bus stops, and ornate street lighting. 20% (23) selected
downtown sidewalks that were functional but with no benches or other
“softer” places. 8% (10) indicated they had no preference.
Category:
Subdivision Design
19
55% (64) of people who
participated chose a subdivision design with curvilinear roads, interior
trails, water-filled detention/amenity ponds, and short cul-de-sacs. 22%
(26) selected a subdivision design of a single, straight and long
cul-de-sac with front sidewalks. 23% (27) indicated they had no
preference.
20
61% (71) of people who
participated chose a subdivision design with curvilinear roads,
sidewalks and trails, water-filled detention/amenity ponds, and short
cul-de-sacs. 18% (21) selected a subdivision design of straight and long
cul-de-sacs with no sidewalks. 21% (25) indicated they had no
preference.
21
79% (93) of people who
participated chose a neo-traditional subdivision design with curvilinear
roads, neighborhood park focal points, interior trails, water-filled
detention/amenity ponds, and short cul-de-sacs. 14% (16) selected a
subdivision with a grid design. 7% (8) indicated they had no preference.
22
66% (60) of people who
participated chose a subdivision design with curvilinear roads, interior
trails, water-filled detention/amenity ponds, and short cul-de-sacs. 16%
(15) selected a subdivision design of straight and long cul-de-sacs with
no sidewalks. 18% (16) indicated they had no preference.
Category:
Commercial Design
23
63% (74) of people who
participated chose a commercial development design with an internal
street system, smaller in size, and with some indication of landscaping
and abutting a residential neighborhood. 12% (14) selected one that was
spread out and heavily paved.
25% (29) indicated they had no preference.
24
35% (41) of people who
participated chose a commercial development design with a central core
of retail buildings and perimeter parking as well as landscaping. 32%
(37) selected one that was spread out and heavily paved.
33% (39) indicated they had no preference.
25
82% (96) of people who
participated chose a commercial development design with landscaping. 14%
(16) selected one that was not landscaped.
4% (5) indicated they had no preference.
26
89% (104) of people
who participated chose a commercial development design with landscaping.
Only 7% (8) selected one that was spread out and heavily paved.
4% (5) indicated they had no preference.
Category:
Detention Pond
27
84% (98) of people who
participated chose a “wet” detention pond with some indication of
landscaping. 6% (7) selected one that was “dry”.
10% (12) indicated they had no preference.
28
67% (78) of people who
participated chose a “wet” detention pond with some indication of
landscaping. 10% (12) selected one that was “dry”.
23% (27) indicated they had no preference.
29
82% (96) of people who
participated chose a “wet” detention pond with some indication of
landscaping. 6% (7) selected one that was “dry”.
12% (14) indicated they had no preference.
Category:
Parking Lots
30
82% (96) of people who
participated chose a landscaped parking lot. 10% (12) selected one that
was not landscaped. 8% (9)
indicated they had no preference.
31
88% (103) of people
who participated chose a landscaped parking lot. 6% (7) selected one
that was not landscaped. 6%
(7) indicated they had no preference.
Category:
Buildings
32
78% (91) of people who
participated chose a brick building. 8% (9) selected one that was metal
and brick. 14% (16)
indicated they had no preference.
33
88% (104) of people
who participated chose a quarried stone building. 6% (7) selected one
that was metal and brick. 6%
(7) indicated they had no preference.
34
85% (100) of people
who participated chose an older historic building. 8% (9) selected one
that was new. 7% (8)
indicated they had no preference.
35
75% (88) of people who
participated chose an older historic building. 17% (20) selected one
that was new. 8% (9)
indicated they had no preference.
Category:
Highways
36
81% (95) of people who
participated chose a highway with treed buffering along the shoulders.
10% (12) selected one that was more compact, no buffering and with a
fly-over set of lanes. 9%
(10) indicated they had no preference.
37
55% (64) of people who
participated chose an open highway. 32% (38) selected one with a
“spaghetti bowl” intersection design typically found in
highly-urbanized, metropolitan areas. 13% (15) indicated they had no
preference.
Category:
Traffic
38
86% (82) of people who
participated chose free-flowing traffic. 8% (8) selected congested
traffic. 6% (6) indicated
they had no preference.
39
78% (74) of people who
participated chose free-flowing traffic. 9% (9) selected congested
traffic. 13% (13) indicated
they had no preference.
Category:
Gateways
40
79% (92) of people who
participated chose a masonry gateway announcing arrival to the city. 13%
(15) selected a simple road-side sign.
8% (10) indicated they had no preference.
41
92% (107) of people
who participated chose a masonry gateway announcing arrival to the city.
5% (6) selected a simple road-side sign.
3% (4) indicated they had no preference.
Category:
Subdivision Entry
42
54% (58) of people who
participated chose a gated entryway flanked by a masonry wall announcing
arrival to the subdivision. 28% (30) selected a simple monument in the
middle of the entry street.
18% (19) indicated they had no preference.
43
78% (91) of people who
participated chose a gated entryway with a reflecting pond and masonry
wall announcing arrival to the subdivision. 9% (11) selected a simple
monument in the middle off to the side of the entry street.
13% (15) indicated they had no preference.
Category:
Streetscapes
44
92% (107) of people
who participated chose a narrower street with mature trees and
landscaped front yards. 4% (5) selected a wider street with little to no
front yard landscaping. 4%
(5) indicated they had no preference.
45
83% (97) of people who
participated chose a narrower street with mature trees and landscaped
front yards with a sidewalk. 12% (14) selected a wider street with
little to no front yard landscaping.
5% (7) indicated they had no preference.
46
88% (103) of people
who participated chose a narrower, curving street with mature trees and
landscaped front yards with a sidewalk. 8% (9) selected a wider street
with little to no front yard landscaping.
4% (5) indicated they had no preference.
Category:
Single Family
47
53% (62) of people who
participated felt the need in Dothan for a large
two-storied type housing over a sprawling estate-type home. 26% (30)
selected an estate-type home as one of which
Dothan
needs more. 21% (25)
indicated they had no preference.
48
51% (59) of people who
participated felt the need in Dothan for a standard
single-storied ranch type housing over a patio or garden home. 34% (40)
selected an patio or garden-type home as one of which Dothan needs more.
15% (17) indicated they had no preference.
Category:
Cluster Homes
49
42% (49) of people who
participated felt the need for a clustered garden-type housing with no
front driveways over a clustered townhouse-type home with front
driveways. 34% (40) selected the townhouse-type home as one of which
Dothan
needs more. 24% (29)
indicated they had no preference.
Category:
Multi-Family
50
74% (86) of people who
participated felt the need for a large two-storied type apartment
housing in a campus styled layout. 11% (13) selected a two-storied
apartment layout where each unit faces a road and has a garage as one of
which Dothan
needs more. 15% (18)
indicated they had no preference.
Category:
Sprawl
51
45% (52) of people who
participated felt that housing should be clustered on smaller lots with
more open space in the development as common area over a sprawling
estate-type home development with large, individual lots. 38% (45)
selected an estate-type home development on large lots as one of which
Dothan
needs more. 17% (20)
indicated they had no preference.
52
52% (47) of people who
participated felt that housing should be clustered on smaller lots with
more open space in the development as common area over a standard single
family-type home development with larger, individual lots. 22% (20)
selected a standard single family-type home development on larger lots
as one of which Dothan needs more.
26% (23) indicated they had no preference.
GENERAL
COMMENTS
1 Keep the same
laws
2 Insulting and
waste of time
3 Should not show
film before choosing
4 Beautiful stone
signs coming into Dothan stating “Welcome
to Dothan
– Peanut Capital of the World”
5 Long term
planning to restore historic
Dothan
by taking away the signage like the video suggest. Continue push to
rebuild downtown by offering incentives to business people to restore
buildings, plant trees and flowers to restore natural beauty, and create
a reason for locals as well as visitors to want to come to downtown Dothan.
6 Thanks very much
for your presentation
7 I feel that
Dothan
does have a lot of growth potential with the right planning and
development.
8 You should take
this film to every church and civic club to promote downtown.
9 Great
presentation. Too much like a class.
10 Great
Presentation
