City Turning to Technology for Clark Field Input

For the first time in the city's history, Hermosa Beach is using an online survey to gauge public opinion on a proposed development project, and it's finding out that residents are happy with the status quo.

Since mid-March, the has posted an online survey asking for suggestions on renovations to Clark Field, the 70-year-old park and sports field complex on Valley Drive.

"This city has never used this kind of survey before," said Donna Hunter, the department of Community Resources administrative assistant who created the survey. SurveyMonkey.com is hosting the survey, which is accessed through a link on the main page of the city's website.

As of May 19, 75 people had responded to the survey.

Of those, 93 percent said they approved of the way the facility was currently being used, and 63 percent said there were no additional activities they would like to see at Clark Field.

Besides those two questions, the remainder of the survey seeks respondents' ideas on what they would like to see happen to the complex and how it can be improved.

"I've noticed there are (about) three people who are asking for a swimming pool," Hunter said.

Clark Field is the home of Hermosa Beach Little League, other youth sports and a farmers market. The commission intends to use the survey to put together a proposal of improvements, which will then go to the City Council.

The commission has discussed renovations such as repairing or removing basketball courts, rebuilding the bathrooms and snack shack, and adding parking.

The overall goal is to revamp the park in a way that best serves the community, Commissioner Bill Sigler said.

Before online surveys, getting community input wasn't so easy.  Few residents attended project meetings, the commission found.

"We had two or three public meetings where we advertised and we hand-delivered fliers to the residents all surrounding the area. We'd only get three or four people at the meeting," Hunter said. "Now that we've posted the survey, we are getting responses."

Although the commission struggled to get public comment at meetings about Clark Field, 70 percent of respondents  indicated they would like to be notified about future meetings on the topic.

At those meetings, the commission will finalize a recommendation for the  council on what renovations should be made.

"If [the recommendations are] approved by the city, then they can be put into the budget for sometime in the future," Sigler said.

For now, Hermosa residents and others can fill out the survey, which will remain online until the commission decides there has been enough community response.

"The majority of what we're hoping to come up with or finalize is going to be based on the input we have from that survey," Sigler said.