Clarendon Hills has once again scored high marks on its community needs survey.

For the fourth year in a row, respondents indicated that the village provides a feeling of safety and security, a high quality of life and a variety of strong services from the police to the administration departments.

“The survey is important so we know what residents are thinking, what their opinions are and what they’d like to see happen,” said Jennifer Johnsen, assistant to the village manager. “It’s just another way to keep open dialogue between the residents and the village, and it’s anonymous so it allows them to express opinions more openly.”

The village randomly distributed 1,000 surveys to households throughout Clarendon Hills in May and received 349 completed surveys by July. Johnsen said ever since 2005, when they began conducting this survey, they have had more than a 30 percent response rate, which is “unheard of.”

Respondents believe that key assets of the village are its convenient location, top-rated schools and residential neighborhoods.

But while residents appreciate the quality of life in Clarendon Hills, the number of respondents satisfied with the condition of the downtown has been on the decline. Johnsen said she thinks this may be due to some of the vacancies in town with projects under way. She has also received a lot of comments from residents who miss the flower shop and bakery and would like to see a grocery store in the downtown.

Johnsen said for the last couple of years, they have been trying to stress the importance of the fire department and the significant decrease in the number of paid-on-call firefighters/paramedics each year. The 2008 results show that about 41 percent of respondents would support a tax increase for fire services.

This year’s survey also included a question about the redevelopment of the Metra lot. About 43 percent of respondents would support a three-story mixed-use building, which would include 6,000 square feet of first-floor retail, 22 condominium units and 68 first-floor parking spaces, while about 33 percent would not.

Community Development Director Michael Brown said those involved in the downtown planning process all thought the Metra lot was an important cornerstone in the redevelopment of the downtown so he was not surprised by the survey results.

“I think it tells us to continue with our priority on redevelopment in that area,” he said.

This year’s survey also contained a question with alternatives for upgrading the village’s gravel shoulder and culvert system. About 13 percent of respondents would like to install a villagewide curb, gutter and stormwater system, 31 percent would like to install a concrete shoulder and maintain the current culvert system and 49 percent would like to maintain the current gravel shoulder and culvert system.

Director of Public Works John Hays said more and more people are interested in the urban look, which is curb and gutter, but the cost to deal with the stormwater is “enormous.” The village has been maintaining gravel for all of these years and it works, but often causes problems as it’s always moving with the rain and people parking cars. He said the concrete shoulder gives them something in between the gravel and villagewide curb, gutter and stormwater system and is becoming more popular in surrounding areas.

“This question was intended to see what kind of interest is there,” Hays said. “From a public works standpoint, it definitely makes it more maintainable as it won’t move around like gravel.”

Johnsen said staff will be taking a more in-depth look at the curb and stormwater situation with these results.