Town of Charlton Community Survey

763 Total Surveys Returned; 294 Additional comments

15. What do you like least about the Town of Charlton?

Town politics	------- 123
Roads in poor shape/ inadequate	--------- 65
3. High taxes/ Tax assessment	--------- 65
4. Developing too quickly, sprawl	--------- 46
5. Speed limits not enforced	--------- 44
Town lacks public water & sewer (cost)	--------- 38
Lack of walking & bike trails & a decent park, nature trail	--------- 23
Junk cars, refuse & dilapidated buildings (Stage Road station – 11)	--------- 19
No police protection/ Charlton police rarely seen/ do not need them	--------- 18
Distance to services (grocery, bank, gas, retail)	--------- 17
Town hall hours of operation, parking, need new building	-------- 15
Too much traffic, trucks	---------14
Residents (snobby, nosey, controlling, want services)	--------- 13
Town planning & zoning boards	--------- 11
Some homes & yards need up-keep	--------- 10
Sand, salt on roads in winter, poor snow removal	--------- 10
Lack of zoning enforcement	----------- 9
Speed traps (limits too low)	----------- 9
Need community center, pool, recreation (youth services)	----------- 9
Over-regulation (zoning restrictions)	----------- 8
Cliques (attitudes - old vs. new residents)	----------- 8
Need more services – plowing, leaf pick up, garbage	----------- 7
Need our own water supply	----------- 7
Animal control issues	----------- 7
Lack of services for seniors, housing	----------- 7
Do not have own post office	----------- 7
Loss of small town atmosphere	----------- 6
Allowing open burning in residential area	----------- 6
Lack of cable service	----------- 6
Poor water quality	----------- 6
Need to provide support for the needy, ambulance & library	----------- 6
Lack of affordable housing	----------- 5
Hamlet needs sidewalks	----------- 5
Smaller lot sizes with large houses	----------- 5
Becoming an elite community	----------- 4
Lack of communication (or late)	----------- 4
Poor cell phone & internet service	----------- 4
Environmental degradation/ No provision for hazardous waste disposal	------------4
Tendency to ignore the north & west/ outskirts of Charlton	----------- 4
Zoning needs updating	----------- 4
Need more sense of community (town activities)	----------- 4
Signage issues	----------- 4
Do not have own schools	----------- 3
No natural gas	----------- 3
Need businesses for tax base	----------- 3
No noise ordinance or leash law	----------- 3
Need period lighting in the village	----------- 3
Attempts to add water	----------- 2
Loss of general store	----------- 2
Power (outages)	----------- 2
Price of land is too high	----------- 2
A lot of standing water/ Sewage lagoons from septic pumping	----------- 2
Lack of long term development goals & standards	----------- 2
Inadequate town center	----------- 2
Looks & location of fire house	----------- 2
Location of road dept.
Landowner’s outside lighting going beyond their property
Town has not kept up with the times
Access to major highways
Use of town money for fireworks display
Don’t need new town hall
Lack of home based businesses
No public transportation
Cell phone towers
Need more bulk waste removal
Historical commission

Summary:

In response to “what do you like least about the Town of Charlton” an overwhelming 123 persons responded that town politics were the main concern. Political infighting was frequently mentioned. Also, of great significance, 65 persons each cited the issues of roads in poor condition and high taxes as what they least like about Charlton. Forty-six of those responding were concerned with sprawl, including the loss of open space and too much development. Another forty-four persons expressed concern that speed limits are not enforced. The need for public water and sewers was a concern to 38 persons responding to the survey. Twenty-three persons noted concern for the lack of walking & bike trails and park space.

Dilapidated buildings, junk cars were a concern to 19 persons. Eleven of those people specifically noted the old gas station on Stage Road. Eighteen persons had negative comments about the Charlton police, citing that they are rarely seen and therefore not needed. The distance necessary to travel for services such as a bank, a gas station, or a grocery store was viewed as a negative feature of life in Charlton by seventeen residents. Fifteen people were dissatisfied with either the town hall hours of operation, parking or the building itself.