WILLIAMSBURG — The City of Williamsburg announced the launch of its biannual resident survey using the National Community Survey (NCS) to gather input on government services and measure the quality of life in the community.
The city plans to use this data in its upcoming strategic planning, it said.
NCS was developed by National Research Center at Polco. The survey captures opinions on the economy, mobility, community design, utilities, safety, natural environment, inclusivity, engagement, and other elements of Williamsburg’s overall livability, the city explained. The results will show Williamsburg’s strengths, areas of improvement, and what matters most to residents.
The city noted it will also be able to see how its performance compares to other communities across the country.
The city has used the NCS program since 2008.
Randomly selected households will receive postcards indicating they have been invited to participate in the survey and can choose to fill out the survey online or wait for a paper survey to arrive in the mail. On Wednesday, Aug. 7, the survey opens to all residents, who will have the opportunity to share their input online. NCS closes on Wednesday, Aug. 28.
The NCS survey is the first of several public input opportunities, the city said, as it gathers feedback and data in its biennial strategic planning process to develop the 2025/2026 Goals, Initiatives, and Outcomes (GIO), a document that serves as an expression of city priorities for the next two years.
Over the next few months, residents will also have the opportunity to:
- Participate in Future Festivals, which are public input sessions that ask attendees to play interactive, larger-than-life games specifically designed to gather feedback for the two-year work plan
- Take a different online survey that asks GIO-specific questions
A schedule for those additional steps will be announced at a later date. Resident feedback along with outgoing GIOs, city council priorities, and city staff input inform the development of the GIOs.
For questions about the NCS, contact Sarah Smith at snsmith@williamsburgva.gov or 757-220-6100.
