A Survey

Compare your attitudes toward the land with others.
What Do You Think?

The following are questions used in national and state polls that explore the issues of land use, land preservation, and development. Answer these questions and then compare your answers to those who participated in the actual poll. Information is provided as to who conducted the poll, the date of the poll, the number of participants and the margin of error (MoE).

The Gallup Poll. March 5-7, 2001. N=1,060 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3.

"I’m going to read you a list of environmental problems. As I read each one, please tell me if you personally worry about this problem a great deal, a fair amount, only a little, or not at all. How much do you personally worry about [see below]?"

	Great Deal	Fair Amount
Pollution of drinking water	______	______
Pollution of rivers, lakes and reservoirs	______	______
Contamination of soil and water by toxic waste	______	______
Contamination of soil and water by radioactivity from nuclear facilities	______	______
Air pollution	______	______
The loss of natural habitat for wildlife	______	______
Damage to the earth's ozone layer	______	______
The loss of tropical rain forests	______	______
Ocean and beach pollution	______	______
Extinction of plant and animal species	______	______
Urban sprawl and loss of open spaces	______	______
The 'greenhouse effect,' or global warming	______	______
Acid rain	______	______

The Gallup Poll. April 3-9, 2000. N=1,004 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3.

With which one of these statements about the environment and the economy do you most agree?

___ Protection of the environment should be given priority, even at the risk of curbing economic growth. OR,
___ Economic growth should be given priority, even if the environment suffers to some extent."

CNN/Time Poll conducted by Yankelovich Partners. Jan. 20-21, 1999. N=1,024 adults nationwide.

"Is the amount of commercial development and traffic a very serious problem where you live, somewhat serious, not very serious, or not serious at all?"

___ Very serious
___ Somewhat serious
___ Not very serious
___ Not serious at all
___ Not sure

"Do you favor or oppose the establishment of a zone or greenbelt around your community where new homes, businesses, or stores could not be built on land that is currently undeveloped?"

___ Favor
___ Oppose
___ Not sure

"Do you favor or oppose using taxpayer money to buy undeveloped land to keep it free from residential and commercial development?"

___ Favor
___ Oppose
___ Not sure

"If you had to choose, which is more important: the ability of individuals to do what they want with land that they own, or the ability of government to regulate residential and commercial development for the common good?"

___ Ability of individuals to do what they want
___ Ability of government to regulate development
___ Not sure

Survey Collection: NNSP: CALIFORNIA / THE CALIFORNIA POLL / FIELD INSTITUTE / 8701
IRSS Study Number: NNSP-CA-043.
Date: 01/1987
Sample: CALIFORNIA Residents 18 or older, Number of Valid Cases: 1004
Question Number: 25A.

“Next, I’d like to get your opinion on some different ideas that have been talked about regarding land use in California. For each statement I read, please tell me whether you agree or disagree, strongly or somewhat. Here’s the first one:”

“California should keep as much of its productive land in food growing as possible, even if it means building fewer houses in suburbs or the country?

___ Agree strongly
___ Agree somewhat
___ Disagree somewhat
___ Disagree strongly

Survey Collection: NNSP: CALIFORNIA / THE CALIFORNIA POLL / FIELD INSTITUTE / 8701
IRSS Study Number: NNSP-CA-043
Date: 01/1987
Sample: CALIFORNIA Residents 18 or older, Number of valid cases: 967
Question Number: 25B.

“Government should have the authority to designate which areas in the state are prime agricultural lands and to prohibit housing and industrial development on them.”

___ Agree strongly
___ Agree somewhat
___ Disagree somewhat
___ Disagree strongly

Survey Collection: NNSP: CALIFORNIA / THE CALIFORNIA POLL / FIELD INSTITUTE / 8701
IRSS Study Number: NNSP-CA-043
Date: 01/1987
Sample: CALIFORNIA Residents 18 or older, Number of valid cases: 935
Question Number: 25C.

“I’d like to get your opinion on some different ideas that have been talked about regarding land use in California. For each statement I read, please tell me whether you agree or disagree, strongly or somewhat.”

“When farmlands are sold for development, taxes should be assessed on the profits to discourage the further loss of agricultural land in California.”

___ Agree strongly
___ Agree somewhat
___ Disagree somewhat
___ Disagree strongly

“State funds should be spent on providing more information to local governments about land quality and soils so they can make more informed decisions about land use.”

___ Agree strongly
___ Agree somewhat
___ Disagree somewhat
___ Disagree strongly

Survey Collection: NNSP: CALIFORNIA / THE CALIFORNIA POLL / FIELD INSTITUTE / 8701
IRSS Study Number: NNSP-CA-043
Date: 01/1987
Sample: CALIFORNIA Residents 18 or older, Number of valid cases: 930
Question Number: 25E.

“I’d like to get your opinion on some different ideas that have been talked about regarding land use in California. For each statement I read, please tell me whether you agree or disagree, strongly or somewhat.”

“Zoning ordinances which place restrictions on how farmlands can be used are unfair to the exercise of a landowner’s private property rights.”

___ Agree strongly
___ Agree somewhat
___ Disagree somewhat
___ Disagree strongly

Survey Collection: NNSP: CALIFORNIA / THE CALIFORNIA POLL / FIELD INSTITUTE / 8701
IRSS Study Number: NNSP-CA-043
Date: 01/1987
Sample: CALIFORNIA Residents 18 or older, Number of valid cases: 981
Question Number: 25F.

“Local governments should continue to use zoning and other legal methods to manage land use and development.”

___ Agree strongly
___ Agree somewhat
___ Disagree somewhat
___ Disagree strongly

Survey Collection: NNSP: CALIFORNIA / THE CALIFORNIA POLL / FIELD INSTITUTE / 8701
IRSS Study Number: NNSP-CA-043
Date: 01/1987
Sample: CALIFORNIA Residents 18 or older, Number of valid cases:
Question Number: 25G.

“State law should require that local governments adopt tough policies to discourage further urban sprawl onto farmlands.”

__ Agree strongly
___ Agree somewhat
___ Disagree somewhat
___ Disagree strongly

Survey Collection: NNSP: WISCONSIN / WISCONSIN OPINIONS / SURVEY RESEARCH LAB / UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN / 1994
IRSS Study Number: NNSP-WI-003
Date: 1994
Sample: WISCONSIN Residents 18 or older, Number of valid cases 799
Question Number: LANDDEV.

“Do you think that local laws concerning land development, that is, planning and zoning regulations in your community are too strict, about right, or not strict enough?”

___ Too strict
___ About right
___ Not strict enough
___ Don’t know

Interactive test - Attitudes toward the land
Results of Survey Questions

The Gallup Poll. March 5-7, 2001. N=1,060 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3.

"I’m going to read you a list of environmental problems. As I read each one, please tell me if you personally worry about this problem a great deal, a fair amount, only a little, or not at all. How much do you personally worry about [see below]?"

	Great Deal	Fair Amount
Pollution of drinking water	64%	24%
Pollution of rivers, lakes and reservoirs	58%	29%
Contamination of soil and water by toxic waste	58%	27%
Contamination of soil and water by radioactivity from nuclear facilities	49%	22%
Air pollution	48%	34%
The loss of natural habitat for wildlife	48%	33%
Damage to the earth's ozone layer	47%	28%
The loss of tropical rain forests	44%	32%
Ocean and beach pollution	43%	34%
Extinction of plant and animal species	43%	30%
Urban sprawl and loss of open spaces	35%	34%
The 'greenhouse effect,' or global warming	33%	30%
Acid rain	28%	28%

"The Gallup Poll. April 3-9, 2000. N=1,004 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3.

With which one of these statements about the environment and the economy do you most agree?

Protection of the environment should be given priority, even at the risk of curbing economic growth. OR,
Economic growth should be given priority, even if the environment suffers to some extent."

	Protection of Environment	Economic Growth	No Opinion
4/00	67%	28%	5%
1/00	70%	23%	7%
4/99	67%	28%	5%
3/99	65%	30%	5%
4/98	68%	24%	8%
1997	66%	27%	7%
1995	62%	32%	6%
1991	71%	20%	9%
1990	71%	19%	10%
1984	61	28%	11%

3. CNN/Time Poll conducted by Yankelovich Partners. Jan. 20-21, 1999. N=1,024 adults nationwide.

"Is the amount of commercial development and traffic a very serious problem where you live, somewhat serious, not very serious, or not serious at all?"

	ALL	Urban	Suburban	Rural
Very serious	16%	17%	22%	9%
Somewhat serious	29%	32%	34%	23%
Not very serious	30%	29%	27%	33%
Not serious at all	24%	21%	15	35%
Not sure	1%	2%	2%	-

4. "Do you favor or oppose the establishment of a zone or greenbelt around your community where new homes, businesses, or stores could not be built on land that is currently undeveloped?"

	ALL	Urban	Suburban	Rural
Favor	57%	59%	62%	52%
Oppose	33	32%	30%	36%
Not sure	10%	9%	8%	12%

"Do you favor or oppose using taxpayer money to buy undeveloped land to keep it free from residential and commercial development?"

	ALL	Urban	Suburban	Rural
Favor	44%	42%	49%	39%
Oppose	49%	51%	44%	54%
Not sure	7%	7%	7%	7%

	ALL	Urban	Suburban	Rural
Ability of individuals to do what they want	69%	69%	65%	73%
Ability of government to regulate development	25%	23%	29%	22%
Not sure	6%	8%	6%	5%

“California should keep as much of its productive land in food growing as possible, even if it means building fewer houses in suburbs or the country?

	Percent Responding
Agree strongly	50.90%
Agree somewhat	31.00%
Disagree somewhat	11.70%
Disagree strongly	6.40%

“Government should have the authority to designate which areas in the state are prime agricultural lands and to prohibit housing and industrial development on them.”

	Percent Responding
Agree strongly	39.40%
Agree somewhat	31.20%
Disagree somewhat	13.70%
Disagree strongly	15.70%

“When farmlands are sold for development, taxes should be assessed on the profits to discourage the further loss of agricultural land in California.”

	Percent Responding
Agree strongly	38.60%
Agree somewhat	31.60%
Disagree somewhat	16.60%
Disagree strongly	13.30%

“State funds should be spent on providing more information to local governments about land quality and soils so they can make more informed decisions about land use.”

	Percent Responding
Agree strongly	56.80%
Agree somewhat	31.70%
Disagree somewhat	6.50%
Disagree strongly	4.90%

“Zoning ordinances which place restrictions on how farmlands can be used are unfair to the exercise of a landowner’s private property rights.”

	Percent Responding
Agree strongly	32.80%
Agree somewhat	34.40%
Disagree somewhat	21.80%
Disagree strongly	11.10%

“Local governments should continue to use zoning and other legal methods to manage land use and development.”

	Percent Responding
Agree strongly	49.20%
Agree somewhat	36.50%
Disagree somewhat	8.40%
Disagree strongly	6.00%

“State law should require that local governments adopt tough policies to discourage further urban sprawl onto farmlands.”

	Percent Responding
Agree strongly	49.20%
Agree somewhat	36.50%
Disagree somewhat	8.40%
Disagree strongly	6.00%

Survey Collection: NNSP: WISCONSIN / WISCONSIN OPINIONS / SURVEY RESEARCH LAB / UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN / 1994
IRSS Study Number: NNSP-WI-003
Date: 1994
Sample: WISCONSIN Residents 18 or older, Number of valid cases 799
Question Number: LANDDEV.

“Do you think that local laws concerning land development, that is, planning and zoning regulations in your community are too strict, about right, or not strict enough?”

	Percent Responding
Too strict	16.40%
About right	47.10%
Not strict enough	22.70%
Don’t know	13.90%

Compare your attitudes toward the land with others. What Do You Think?

Interactive test - Attitudes toward the land Results of Survey Questions

Compare your attitudes toward the land with others.
What Do You Think?

Interactive test - Attitudes toward the land
Results of Survey Questions