TO:
Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
THROUGH:
Talyn Mirzakhanian, City Manager
FROM:
Alexandria Latragna, Communications and Civic Engagement Manager
SUBJECT:Title
Consideration of Community Opinion Survey Findings (No Budget Impact) (City Manager Mirzakhanian).
(Estimated Time: 30 Min.)
DISCUSS AND PROVIDE DIRECTION
Body
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RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council receive the 2025 Community Opinion Survey finding, presented by True North, and discuss and provide direction regarding the results.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
There are currently no fiscal implications associated with the recommended action, however, follow-up actions to address areas identified as opportunities for future focus and improvement, and the identified funding priorities, may be considered as part of the fiscal year 2026-2027 budget process.
BACKGROUND:
The City has a long-standing commitment to measuring resident satisfaction and gathering community input on budget and policy priorities. This survey continues the tradition of periodic community opinion research, with the most recent prior survey conducted in 2021.
The City contracted with True North Research, Inc. to conduct the 2025 survey. True North has an extensive background in conducting municipal surveys and studies. Additionally, the company conducted the City’s 2021 Community Opinion Survey and has worked with the City of Manhattan Beach on resident satisfaction research dating back to 2004.
Between September 29 and October 6, 2025, True North conducted a statistically valid survey of 588 adult residents using a mixed-method approach that employed multiple recruiting methods (email, text, and phone) and multiple data collection methods (phone and online).
DISCUSSION:
The survey was designed to have a margin of error of ± 4.0% at a 95% confidence interval. The average interview lasted 18 minutes.
Key conclusions, described in detail in the attached report, are that residents are highly satisfied with Manhattan Beach and the City’s performance in terms of:
- Overall quality of life (96% rated as excellent or good);
- Overall performance in providing municipal services (87% satisfied); and
- Manhattan Beach being a safe place to live (94% feel safe, with a significant increase in those rating the City as “very safe”).
Residents continue to view Manhattan Beach exceptionally favorably, with particularly high ratings as a place to raise a family (88% excellent or good) and as a place to recreate (84%). When asked what they like most about Manhattan Beach, residents most frequently cited the small-town feel and charming beach community vibe (21%), proximity to the ocean and beach (16%), and the City’s safety and low crime rate (13%).
The highest service satisfaction scores were assigned to removing graffiti (98%), fire protection and prevention services (97%), emergency medical services (97%), and special events (94%).
The results indicate that if discretionary funds were available, maintenance and infrastructure are the top spending priorities. Fixing potholes and repairing and improving City streets and sidewalks was the highest priority (92% high or medium priority), followed by improving the maintenance of parks and amenities (87%), and repairing and upgrading the City’s sewer and wastewater systems (79%). Residents identified addressing parking issues, enforcing traffic and e-bike laws, and limiting growth and development as the top three priorities for improvements to the City.
When presented with allowing limited short-term vacation rentals during the 2026 FIFA World Cup and 2028 Summer Olympics, 58% of residents initially supported the idea. After learning that taxes generated through the program could help cover additional public safety services, support increased to 66%.
Regarding Project Pulse redevelopment options, residents identified a parking structure (65% high or medium priority), open space or park (60%), and commercial development like Metlox (57%) as top priorities.
This report serves as a high-level summary. An in-depth presentation by True North Research will be provided at the City Council meeting.
PUBLIC OUTREACH:
True North Research ensured a statistically significant sample of the Manhattan Beach community was included in the survey through a comprehensive recruitment methodology.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:
The City has reviewed the proposed activity for compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and has determined that the activity is not a "Project" as defined under Section 15378 of the State CEQA Guidelines; therefore, pursuant to Section 15060(c)(3) of the State CEQA Guidelines the activity is not subject to CEQA. Thus, no environmental review is necessary.
LEGAL REVIEW:
The City Attorney has reviewed this report and determined that no additional legal analysis is necessary.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. 2025 Community Opinion Survey Final Report
2. PowerPoint Presentation (True North Research)