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For the local Phelps Family, it has
always been about the community. They bought the property in 1970
with a hope of creating a town center and entrance for the
community. They surveyed their neighbors twice to make sure that
their plans served community needs.
The Phelps first surveyed the
community in 1993 to determine “community interest in and support
for a neighborhood-serving shopping village.” Over 90% of those
surveyed supported the concept.
The community was surveyed again in
2002 as the Phelps Family finalized the plans to submit to the
county. (The county has been reviewing the Phelps Family application
for over seven years.) The primary purpose of the second survey was
to see what types of shops and services the community wanted.
Click here
to read the survey conducted by the independent firm of Pearson
Research in Santa Cruz.
Over a third of the 3,074 postcard
surveys were returned in 2002. More than three out of four local
residents expressed support for a village-style, community hub
at the corner of Corral de Tierra and Highway 68.
Local
shopping means less traffic on Highway 68. Respondents helped
quantify how the shopping village would take traffic off of Highway
68, because local residents would no longer have to drive to Salinas
(59%), Monterey (25%) or another outside community (16%) to buy
groceries or meet other needs. Respondents estimated that by shopping closer to home they would save an
average of four out of the seven vehicle trips they now make on Highway 68
every week.
Grocery store, restaurants and
post office are top priorities. When asked which “community
services would you like to see in the village,” 76% said an upscale
grocery store, 72% said some nice restaurants, and 67% said a local
post office.
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