Public Opinion Survey Background: 

In August 2001, Oldham Ahead contracted with Horizon Research International, a nationally respected Louisville market research firm,  to conduct a survey of Oldham County residents and assess opinion regarding quality of life, growth management, economic development and future development of Oldham County. The survey was conducted between Nov. 15 and Dec. 4, 2001 and was completed by 400 adults over 21 years old with a mix of incomes, ages, gender and length of residency in Oldham County.  The survey has a statistical margin of error at the 95 percent confidence level.

To our knowledge, this is the first comprehensive, professionally conducted survey conducted in the county addressing quality of life and growth challenges facing Oldham County citizens.

Oldham Ahead sponsored the survey in order to ensure that public and private community leaders and Oldham County citizens have reliable and timely data available regarding the views of county citizens as the county considers long range land use, education and economic development options.  The results of the survey, coupled with the 2000 Census Results and other recently available data should help county leaders and citizens make important decisions that will affect the future of the county which  the survey reveals, its citizens like so much.

Horizon Research International offers a wide array of market research services (qualitative and quantitative) to over 1,500 companies worldwide. Located in Louisville, Kentucky, the firm has undertaken thousands of studies at the national, regional, and local levels over the past 20 years.  Its client list includes the University of Kentucky, the University of Louisville, the Commonwealth of Kentucky, Greater Louisville, Inc., Metro United Way, Brown-Forman Corporation, Humana, and Churchill Downs.  

Generalized results are provided below.  To view complete results in a 64-slide PowerPoint presentation, Click Here.

When asked about issues of importance facing Oldham County, the following issues were ranked as extremely or very important:

Maintaining the high quality of public schools.............      92 %

Protecting individual property rights .........................      86 %

Fighting crime and drugs ............................................  83 %

Dealing with school overcrowding .............................      83 %

Managing growth to ensure a higher quality of life......        81 %

Improving roads ........................................................  73 %

Encouraging economic development & creating jobs            66%

Improving water quality. .............................................  63%

Improving air quality ..................................................   59 %

Assessment of  the pace of growth:                                                                                                                                     

Residential growth 

    Too Fast:       70 % 

    About Right:    28 %

    Too Slow:        2 %              

    Too Fast:               16 %                   

    About Right:           45 %                   

    Too Slow:               39 %

Perception of how growth should be handled:

Continued only if infrastructure is in place to accommodate growth ... 62 %

Slow residential but accelerate commercial and industrial growth ...... 18 %

Continue following practices ....................................................    13 %

Adopt a “no growth” policy for the county ..................................     7 %

Those who rate the following goals of land-use planning extremely or very important:

Respecting the rights of landowners ............................................... 91 %

Protecting the value of homes ....................................................... 89 %

Conserving open spaces and preserving natural resources ................... 76 %

Protecting historic and cultural resources ........................................  74 %

Preserving farmland ...................................................................... 73 %

Supporting agriculture and agribusiness ...........................................  65 %

Meeting recreational needs of citizens............................................... 61 %

Promoting business and industrial development ................................... 48 %

Providing additional affordable housing ............................................... 45 %

Those saying they strongly, mostly or somewhat favor these measures related to development and land-use policy:

Increase coordination among county towns, school board, water and sewer district to plan for growth            ....................................................  97%

Maintain public services, such as roads and schools in existing communities rather than encourage new development in rural areas lacking                    roads and facilities    ...................................................................     90 %

Establish zones for green space, farming and forest that would be

Requiring builders and developers to bear a  reasonable share of the Costs of schools, services and roads made necessary by new Development  .........  87 %

Percent of those who strong, mostly, or somewhat favor levying a real estate transfer tax:

To improve schools ....................................................................     75 %

To improve roads and utilities ......................................................      75 %

To create a program to compensate landowners who agree to keep their land undeveloped         ........................................................................  66 %

To acquire parks and open space ..................................................     63 %

To create a non-specific General Revenue fund        .........................     43 %