Comprehensive Plan Surveys in Brandon
Community surveys conducted in Brandon, South Dakota, sought input from residents, business owners, and developers. Results reveal demographic insights and reasons for living in the city, aiding in future planning initiatives. Follow-up events include a Public Open House to discuss findings and gather additional input.
Download Presentation
Please find below an Image/Link to download the presentation.
The content on the website is provided AS IS for your information and personal use only. It may not be sold, licensed, or shared on other websites without obtaining consent from the author.If you encounter any issues during the download, it is possible that the publisher has removed the file from their server.
You are allowed to download the files provided on this website for personal or commercial use, subject to the condition that they are used lawfully. All files are the property of their respective owners.
The content on the website is provided AS IS for your information and personal use only. It may not be sold, licensed, or shared on other websites without obtaining consent from the author.
E N D
Presentation Transcript
Comprehensive Plan Surveys Brandon, South Dakota
Community Surveys Beginning on March 13, 2023, unique community surveys were distributed to three broad groups of stakeholders: Residents Business owners/managers Land developers/builders Electronic versions of each survey were made available on the City s website, on the City s various social media accounts, and through the City s Textedly service. Paper forms of each were available at City Hall. There were 845 total survey respondents. 801 residents (13.8%) 33 business owners/managers 11 land developers/builders The surveys closed May 1, 2023.
Public Open House The Public Open House to discuss the survey results is scheduled for August 16thfrom 4-7PM. At discussing the results of the surveys, taking additional public input, and determining which members of the public would be interested in becoming part of the Public Input Committee. that meeting, we are
Disclaimer Where possible, the quotations and commentary taken from the survey results is presented in its unaltered form. As such, the language contained on some of the slides may be offensive to certain persons.
Our Residents What is Your Age Range? Where Do You Work? 17 56 96 120 98 114 370 128 211 215 171 Under 18 18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+ Sioux Falls Brandon Retired Other Roughly half of respondents were at least 45 years old. Additionally, slightly less than half reported working for an employer in the City of Sioux Falls. A significant portion worked in the City of Brandon, whether at a local business or remotely from home.
Our Residents How Long Have You Lived in Brandon? In Which Type of Dwelling Do You Live? 20+ Years 264 Other 5 10-20 Years 202 5-10 Years Assisted Living or Senior Community 147 0 4-5 Years 34 Multiple Family Dwelling 17 3-4 Years 40 2-3 Years 43 Single Family Attached Home 29 1-2 Years 45 Single Family Detached Home 750 Less Than 1 Year 26 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 Most of resident respondents report living in Brandon for at least 5 years. Of those, the vast majority currently live in a traditional single family detached home.
Our Residents Why Do You Live in the City of Brandon? Top Reasons 70.00% 62.80% 56.55% 60.00% 1. Brandon Valley School District 2. Close to Sioux Falls 3. Rural/Suburban Character 4. Family/Friends 5. Sense of Community 48.69% 50.00% 40.00% 30.59% 30.34% 30.00% 20.00% 14.48% 13.11% 12.61% 10.74% 9.49% 7.12% 6.74%4.74% 10.00% 4.99% 0.00%
Our Residents What do you live in the City of Brandon? We received 53 written responses to this question. safer then sioux falls parentsjob Big booty bitches My husband knew we needed a larger town for his moving business and I wanted to teach in a small town Safe! Cancer research in Sioux Falls The community feels safe and secure Was not in MN but closets travel back for family Quieter, safer, small town feel Middle place between spouse jobs Wife owns a business in Brandon Low crime rate Safe Prior employer is in Brandon Safety
Our Residents What do you live in the City of Brandon? As close to work as I can live and keep my South Dakota residency Close to my son and family! Bvfd Great Police and Fire and sense of security vs. Sioux Falls Husband worked in Brandon My partner has a house in Brandon We moved from Sioux Falls to Brandon 32 years ago for the school system. Now are kids are grown. Church is in Brandon Goodschools Because my husband grew up here Jobmarket In between Sioux Falls and luverne Close to family and Sioux Falls Schoolsystem Close to work and family Middle between where I work and where my spouse works Conservativevalues A safe and quite community
Our Residents What do you live in the City of Brandon? Own business in Brandon Love small town but Brandon is getting to big. To many cattle trucks going through Holly Blvd to many people speeding. Loud cars. Hate used to be decent. Safe place low crime own police dept Lower crime incidence High law enforcement presence and low crime Big Sioux Rec Area is the only reason we moved here Close to where I work Low Crime Rate Was close to our family. Great police dept Have lived here for almost all my life. Me and my wife previously worked in Luverne Mn. We lived in SF and when our son graduated we thought it would be nice to move closer. Not connected to sioux falls not sure why. should of moved years ago Safety My special needs daughter is employed at a local business and the bus transportation provided is a game charger for us. No other community offers sage transport for her
Our Residents What do you live in the City of Brandon? I like living in a small town My spouse is employed by the school district.
Our Residents Do You Plan to Live in Brandon for the Foreseeable Future? Would You Prefer to Have Your Bank, Doctor, Lawyer, Accountant, etc. Located in Brandon? 178 No 110 47 576 Yes 604 Yes No Unsure 0 200 400 600 800
Our Residents If you do not intend to live in Brandon for the foreseeable future, what can we do as the municipal government to help make this community your home? We received 210 responses to this question. If we would move back into Brandon it is because we got tired of living in the country and tired of caring for our acreage. Nothing specific, it s personal reasons. More fast food, and more stores so the trip to Sioux Falls doesn t need to be made. Better winter snow removal. Nothing. I am in High School and am unsure of future plans morestores NA Get better water The main reason to move would be the cost of water and sewer. It is to expensive for the quality of water we get. I think residents should start voting, if they want to complain about the issues. I don t know why I want to live in a town, where the older generations don t want to vote. And that affects my future. nothing its to cold Brandon will always be my home but as I go to college and get more opportunities I do not see myself living here because of the weather and the lack of family. We need to fix the roads, especially by the Brandon Golf Course. Every time I go home I am hitting potholes and filling them does not help. Nothing the reason I wouldn t is because work is in canton and I will always be here, family farm. make the cops stop targeting high schoolers and give us a place where we can all hang out without getting cops called on us
Our Residents If you do not intend to live in Brandon for the foreseeable future, what can we do as the municipal government to help make this community your home? This is a city that is very judgmental and the people here are very racist. Living with a mostly black family helps me see the racism in this town. Most of it comes from schools. My brother transferred schools because of all the bullying and hatred he felt from his peers. Getting called the n-word daily, getting labeled as poor, and getting stares in public for what my family looks like is not somewhere I would ever want to raise a family or spend a life Brandon tax is too high Idon t really know how since I m just a high schooler, but find a way to lower the price of housing. From what I ve seen and heard, it s pretty expensive. Also, partially because of what I want to do as a career. cheaperliving j more options for shopping and entertainment Too small, needs more attractions but not too many. Get a strip club Idon t know, but as I am a student, I probably will leave for advanced schooling. When it was snowing, no snow plows came to my street to make sure it was cleaned and we got snowed in. Most city workers are rude and disrespectful and not caring on what they are doing. Fix the PD Attracting more commerce, especially entertainment, into Brandon. With that, quality jobs. I could make more in other areas. My major is not available in South Dakota. I think it s a good place to live, but I think I want to try and live somewhere else and get more opportunities. adding more stuff here
Our Residents If you do not intend to live in Brandon for the foreseeable future, what can we do as the municipal government to help make this community your home? Nothing I mean there could be lots of work to be done. Housing is becoming a big problem. More and more people are moving to Brandon meaning that housing is becoming a problem. I m not calling for more housing, But I really don t plan on staying in Brandon because there are more and more unsavory types moving to our town. Also, it costs way too much to live here. I want to live in a pretty place with mountains and the ocean. Brandon is not pretty and its south Dakota which is kind just a bad state. IF THERE WERE MORE THINGS HERE LIKE A BOWLING ALLEY OR A MOVIE THEATER HERE IN BRANDON THAT WOULD BE NICE. I think we need to get an NFL Team I was thinking maybe Brandon Bumblebees. Be more welcoming to people of other races and orientations. I m going to college out of state and am not planning on coming back to South Dakota. Nothing against Brandon, it s great but the weather isn t 80 degrees year-round like it is in Florida. Idon t like the way the roads and stop lights are so bad with traffic in the morning modernhouses Make it more interesting Idon t know. I m just a 16 year old who doesn t know what they want to do. Nothing, as I will have to leave for college Bike and hiking trails linking up with Sioux Falls, and Great Bear.
Our Residents If you do not intend to live in Brandon for the foreseeable future, what can we do as the municipal government to help make this community your home? Water is horrible, ruining appliances. Too many rules. P The new people moving here are not the friendly type. We have lived here for 47 years and are very disgusted with the city in regards to destroying trees and lawns to put in sidewalks which are not used by pedestrians in most of the core areas. Reconsider this stupidity. Decrease the cost of living in Brandon, specifically water and sewer and improve the quality of our water. Stop raising taxes and services (water, street lights,etc) it is very expensive to live in Brandon even if your home is paid for. There needs to be more transparency in what s really going on with Brandon s water. Water costs are outrageously high compared to neighboring communities, and water quality is low Property taxes and utility costs are outrageous and spiraling farther out of control. Strip down the city government and build it back up to something the Public isn t ashamed of. Tap into Minnehaha Rural Water and quit wasting money plants and water towers for disgusting water. Better water, cheaper taxes Keep home business out of residential neighborhoods!!!! We may to move in the future to be closer to family We are small town people. The school district is almost too big for our liking. The cost of water and sewer and taxes keep going up. Will not be able to afford to here when we retire
Our Residents If you do not intend to live in Brandon for the foreseeable future, what can we do as the municipal government to help make this community your home? As we approach the empty nester life-stage, we are considering the downtown life Access to arts, entertainment, restaurants in a walkable environment. Brandon doesn t have that..and proximity to Sioux Falls makes that very challenging. Why create here when you can get in less than 10 miles and maybe it s okay for Brandon to not be all things to all people. Get control of rapidly rising water/sewer costs. That utility now costs more than either electricity and natural gas. Encourage developers to build upscale twin homes. That need is not being met. A lot of older folks are looking at downsizing but twin home availability in Brandon is lacking. Nothing specific. Looking to move closer to services, retailers, health care providers, etc., that we will increasingly utilizing in the coming years. Control water prices, hire full time firefighters, be realistic with regard to city spending on sports and recreation. We have other more pressing needs that have been neglected in the past. The city needs to bear some of the responsibility towards capital improvements that have been neglected. Lower housing costs More ammenities Lower utility rates & taxes Our real estate taxes and water bills keep going up. If our taxes go up any more we will have to look into moving as we are retirement age. More town homes geared toward older members of community. Town homes that can be purchased not rented with HOA s that take care of outside maintenance etc. Youcan t. After our children graduate from BVHS, we ll be looking to move someplace without such harsh winters.
Our Residents If you do not intend to live in Brandon for the foreseeable future, what can we do as the municipal government to help make this community your home? The strong chlorine in water hyper chlorination hard on skin and health . Hard kn water softener beading . Mineral deposits on glasses around faucets and leaves white mineral kn stamped concrete . Can t drink it if not a house filtration. Feel like city hall will do what they want without consideration of working with people who this is their homes . We pay good money to live here in our homes and taxes . ? All of the extra fees for water, sewer and street sewage is ridiculous! I hate the cluster mailboxes! Why wasn t this voted on? Why is poor city management costing us so much to live here? Why sidewalks all of a sudden when it was grandfathered in that we wouldn t have them? Again, where was our vote? This winter, the street workers piled up snow onto the sidewalks over 4 feet high on a corner where no one can see around and expect us to chisel it clear for 2 plus hours! How is this community service that may taxes are supposed to have paid. Plus, taxes are supposed to pay for street maintenance. Also, why didn t we get to vote on the reverse osmosis? I didn t want it and now I have to pay for that too! What a joke! You are pushing people out of the city with all of these fees. Can t wait till my child graduates! Plan to move on to a community much more reasonable with cost to live there! Less of a social divide between long-term residents and those who move here recently More affordable utilities More affordable homes for sale. For sure here while kids complete school (12 years) after that unsure depends on market / living expenses etc Enforce dog ordinances. I have no peace in my yard ever! Getting married & moving to Renner. So, nothing. Lower water prices. Figure out sidewalks from the Bluffs into town. More bike/walking paths. we may move closer to where our grown children have settled when we retire
Our Residents If you do not intend to live in Brandon for the foreseeable future, what can we do as the municipal government to help make this community your home? Stop raising taxes and utility fees. Lower utilities, property taxes, stop forcing adhoc expenses on us- Ie: Sidewalks, moving to custer mail, etc. next thing we ll see are those stupid round abouts. WATER, the price and quality are on the complete opposite ends of the spectrum, highest priced and lowest quality .pay more for water here than most people pay for all utilities in other SD towns The high cost for water and its poor quality Clean up City Hall. This town is run as if the city comes first, not the citizens. If the community leadership begins to lean to far from the constitution that our forefathers put forth, I will leave! Taxes are to high. Water needs improvement Get a new city council and leader More employment opportunities for husband. More entertainment for teenagers. More community activities. Tax relief on property, lesson utility bills, basically make it more affordable. reduce utility rates, attract quality businesses to town Lack of communication and transparency from City on future developments taking place in Brandon. These developments are not communicated and have been tried to sneak through the process before communicating with community. There needs to be a Communication Director or hire a better one. City website also needs to be updated. The link below of the Brandon Neighborhood Map on City Website. When I go into the actual city website this map is not in the Map tab selection where it should be. The city of Brandon has gone downhill. The city council only cares for themselves
Our Residents If you do not intend to live in Brandon for the foreseeable future, what can we do as the municipal government to help make this community your home? Stop adding taxes to my property bill and utility bills. Won t the new houses being built add to the pool? And, finish my sidewalks! Nothing Make it more affordable. Build some twin homes in the area. Unsure does not necessarily mean one does not like Brandon. This is a bad followup question. I know for my parents they desperately want a real, practical senior citizens center. VFW and Kingbird coffee are insufficient. For us, our kids are graduated and we are looking for something smaller. Brandon has an awful shortage of reasonably priced starter homes For retired people the taxes are very high. Build a wellness or community center with an indoor walking track for winter months or at least plow the walking trails at big Sioux. Improve water quality and control utility rate increases. I don t mind paying for decent water but when I have to have a water softener, whole house carbon filter plus a fridge filter just to get lousy tasting water it s annoying. Now we have to pay additional money to get wholecity water softening too. Culligan tells me Brandon Valley water is known to be especially poor quality and they have to set softeners much higher here than surrounding communities which leads to more regens which uses more salt and water. Plus we re discharging more regen water too which seems wasteful. Provide more opportunity for businesses to come. Activities for families and others to do in the evenings and weekends to stay in Brandon instead of going to Sioux Falls. Also, focus on the future. How can the town support infrastructure in 10-25 years as more people move here
Our Residents If you do not intend to live in Brandon for the foreseeable future, what can we do as the municipal government to help make this community your home? Shovel my driveway? Joking aside, not sure how to answer that. Retirement coming soon and I may choose to make a move to a small house. May move to another state. Bring more businesses into the city so we don t have to drive into Sioux Falls They need to get the financial side of things figured out. Making the residents pay for poor decisions and studies that have been done for numerous years is getting quite old. Maybe new management staff would help with this solution of a growing city. Property taxes and utilities are too high! My home is not readily adaptive to my disability. I am adamant about remaining within the school district though. City government not making decisions for the people but how to get ahead in their personal life. Stop finding ways to take money from your citizens. Water surcharge for projects that weren t voted on and all that bullshit. Figure out how to make our water more affordable. Change some of the ridiculous building regulations. I was not aware of the upcoming sidewalk and water treatment facility projects prior to buying my home. I do not know if I want to spend the money for these improvements so soon after purchasing. Hook up to Water 2040 . Actually deal with the City s corrupt government. Taxes are too high, can t afford it! Be more welcoming of people of all backgrounds Stop raising property taxes. They are ridiculous!!!
Our Residents If you do not intend to live in Brandon for the foreseeable future, what can we do as the municipal government to help make this community your home? Have the Police start respecting the citizens, I really am tired of them following me around town in my sportscar, this has been going on for decades! Next time I will file charges for stalking. Less bullying in the schools Build a retirement community Actually listen to the community when they have concerns such as the water issue and city council. With how high priced the water is, the city is running people out on its own. Allow new people to get in on city council. Create a paved road north on Chestnut Street and then west to El Tapatio. It s ridiculous that those of us who live on the east side have only one paved road to go to the business district or I90. Also, there are no walking/running/biking paths anywhere here. Not to mention, ONE grocery store? Make a safe connection between the bluffs and the city. So our children can safely ride bicycle to school, baseball, pool and other city activities. Secondly, Cost of city bill too high. I can move to Sioux Falls city and be in Brandon School district and have connection via sidewalks and bike paths to get everywhere safely. It s not up to you guys it s the possibility of future jobs elsewhere outside of the area Lower water/sewer costs and taxes Interested in an acreage and being further away from the noise of the race track. Lack of housing such as townhomes, duplexes, villas, for seniors. Tax s are very high compared to other areas we are looking into. Bike paths Better pool Better variety of businesses Fix the water issue Community center
Our Residents If you do not intend to live in Brandon for the foreseeable future, what can we do as the municipal government to help make this community your home? Lower the taxes. As they continue to rise, so does my house payment. Eventually I will not be able to afford living here. Prices Fix the water issues, hard water and cost. New water towers and additional water treatment facilities are not the long term answer. Lewis and Clark and be done with it. Nothing It is getting more and more expensive to live here. If we move, that will be the top reason why. This is a small town. It needs to have a small town feel. The city planners are taking that away. They make choices that reflect newcomers and not long term residents. I understand upgrades and progress. I have lived a lot of places. I do not understand taking away the best parts of Brandon and turning into greater Sioux Falls. I do not understand why city employees talk on Facebook about city issues. I do not understand why a town of 10,000 people has so much drama when problems can be easily solved by city officials listening to the people that are living in the areas of concern and not just the most vocal that are not even affected. Brandon can do better. It has been better. Brandon is not Sioux Falls. It is not a big city. People live here because it is a small town feel, not a growing city. Please listen to your residents. I like the small town feel and all the city seems to want is to grow, grow, grow. Lower water bill and taxes. Reorg city council and city staff. Quality of life. City hall has struggled for years to strategically plan for the growth of Brandon starting with infrastructure and zoning for developers. The BVSD kept me here but as the school district expands to Sioux Falls and my children are able to drive, there is no longer a reason to continue living in Brandon. The lack of motivation of the park and recreation employees to create an operations or strategic plan has multiple non-profits and volunteers providing funding to build and maintain facilities.
Our Residents If you do not intend to live in Brandon for the foreseeable future, what can we do as the municipal government to help make this community your home? Make sure that there will be plenty of water available for the growth of the community and that it is affordable. If this becomes a problem it could affect housing values. Taxes and Water rates may force us to move. Stop building people move here to get away from the big city . Brandon is getting horrible. Speeding cars. High school kids driving recklessly. Taxes are out of control. Water and other bills are way to high. People that love this town won t beable to stay hear any more. The decent people. Kids stealing out of cars. The police department don t do anything about the people speeding used to sit by main watertown no more people on Holly Blvd speed so bad and to many big strucks cattle trucks to loud. They J brake and thar is against the law in residential areas but still do it. I like to know what has happened to Brandon it s horrible. Lower property taxes and water costs Keep the temperature 72 degrees year round Tax break for homeschool families. Indoor wellness center with walking path and pool. Keep crime down. No riff raff. Curfew enforced for minors. Big police presence. Drugs out. More calm. More quiet. Less the city restrictions. Water is high, to put up a fence is a hassle, if any changes are needed hassle it s a community. I wanted to raise my kids in the Brandon School district. If I d known how strict the city rules are I d haven chosen outside of the city. Improve water and costs Lower property taxes If something could be done about the high cost of utilities, that would be great.
Our Residents If you do not intend to live in Brandon for the foreseeable future, what can we do as the municipal government to help make this community your home? Cost of living with water going up every year. Surcharge after surcharge. Went from $75 for water to over $100 a month from the last charge. Most of the bill is just surcharge for street light, lift pump, water plant. Need a better financial budget to pay for upgrades with taxes already collected. Police that will patrol the area instead of hiding somewhere to get a speeder 1mph over. Or pull you over for a wide right turn due to snow piled at a corner. Brandon has gone to shit. Too much growth and not enough foresight from the city. The council acts like they rule over the people. Above all that life sustaining water is unaffordable. Being priced out of my home by cost of water and taxes. Infrastructure has been put off for too long and I feel we are paying for it now. Our city hasn t been proactive in managing our growth. The cost of living in the community is rising and time will tell if retirement income will keep pace. We love this community, but finances will be the deciding factor in decision to stay or move. Keep the cost of living affordable Eliminate current city council and ALL city managers. Very difficult to deal with-ON ANYTHING. Start over!!!!! Don t make the city an eye sore, rock/ sand pit on Main Street. Nice houses ( any home) shouldn t be across from an industrial park. The pool update should have been more expansive. The pool size isn t any bigger, seemed like a waste of money Quit raising the insane price of water. Better water quality. A better sense of community with more smaller town events for families The water bill going up so much hurts us financially. Also, the need for more variety and competition for groceries, etc.
Our Residents If you do not intend to live in Brandon for the foreseeable future, what can we do as the municipal government to help make this community your home? Get new city counsel and new city hall empleeys. Need lower water bill and better water change property easement. Lower taxes. The price of water and sewer is ridiculous!! The streets are awful, and the city hasn t done a good job of clearing snow this winter. Brandon is nice, but the utilities here are way more expensive than Sioux Falls. Also, Brandon is the only city/town I have been to that had no downtown area to shop/hang out. I get that we live close to Sioux Falls, but it would be nice to have an area or area in our town to hang out/draw people to. Nothing, determining factor is where my children end up after college. Make water prices come back to earth. Do better job cleaning streets of Snow Better water quality Lower water and electric rates More community amenities like an indoor pool, theater Lower water cost amd increase quality. More accountable government Water bills and quality are terrible. It s unacceptable and we need to look outside of the state for new ideas and help. I ve never complained online or at a meeting, but it s getting out of hand. Lower the taxes and lower the water rates! Our water is horrible and we pay way too much for the poor quality Less property taxes Cost of living is higher. In Brookings, their electric, trash and water/sewer bill is on average how much my water/sewer bill is in Brandon. For the same amount of people and square footage house. Notsure
Our Residents If you do not intend to live in Brandon for the foreseeable future, what can we do as the municipal government to help make this community your home? It cost too much to live here. There is no retail shopping. Have never felt like we are part of the community we movec here after our children were out of high school. Less rules/restrictions on what property owners can do to improve their property. Having to get everything permitted and approved by the city is extremely irritating. Lower taxes and utility rates. Taxes are insane. Very concerned about water situation. Na Everything is expensive here can t drink the water here Thereisn t enough stores or things to do in Brandon. I couldn t imagine finding things to do with children in the future during the winter when there is no place to go, the only grocery store has nothing to offer it seems. We are getting close to retirement and due to your costs to live here we will be moving at that time! It is way yo expensive to live here!! City is getting unaffordable as we age The city that I lived in prior to moving here, was founded by my families ancestors. It is going to be very difficult to replicate that type of community for me. I hear an overwhelming sense of negativity amongst residents about how the city is ran, with a large focus on the city s water supply. It seems as though the city is trying to govern from an office, and I think it may be good to consider a grass roots type of effort to regain trust amongst voters. Lower water cost and taxes. The water is terrible and expensive. More affordable utilities
Our Residents If you do not intend to live in Brandon for the foreseeable future, what can we do as the municipal government to help make this community your home? Price of water is outrageous. I ve looked at move to just outside of Brandon to still be in the district but not pay the water prices. taxes and water bill Lower taxes way down, clean the streets after snow, 9th Ave. had holes in the packed snow 8-10 deep!! And they never were cleaned. Keep the potholes fixed. The city council has no interest in the people s wishes. Water issues and cost are ridiculous. Make to cost of water more affordable by connecting to Lewis & Clark. It seems like you aren t listening to the will of the people in some cases and/or not explaining clearly why some decisions are made. I.E. soft water Taxes are high and they don t seem to benefit me directly. lower water and sewer bill its out of control Nothing. My unsure future has nothing to do with Brandon. Stop opting out of property tax freeze and quit raising taxes. Poor planning on water infrastructure has created ridiculous water bills that never should have happened. The school spends like it s free money. Lower water/sewage costs, get a hyvee, aldi, or other grocery competitor (in addition to fareway) Lower property and water taxes Closer to work Cheaper water rates and housing with yards
Our Residents If you do not intend to live in Brandon for the foreseeable future, what can we do as the municipal government to help make this community your home? Replace Rawley Hoeke and the people who run Brandon. More affordable grocery shopping, more independent senior housing Keep property tax from increasing too much. Keep doing a good job at keeping crime out of the city. Possible move to the country. Has been my home for 45 years, now it is getting to expensive to live here living from Social Security Less high density housing, fewer harassment-level rules Lower taxes and lower water rates Lower taxes, lower water bill Nothing. We are retired and moving away. Brandon is getting too big. Cost of living is too expensive and just keeps going up. LowerCost Figure out infrastructure. City has a very small town mentality which does not match with its growing suburb size. I would like to sell my house and move to affordable duplex or 4 plex to downsize but not much available. The city needs money management. No reason we should be this broke. More recreation, better trail system, more community involvement. N/A, I go to college in west river SD
Our Residents In Which Neighborhood Do You Live? 140 126 122 118 116 120 100 87 76 80 60 41 37 40 24 20 14 20 9 7 4 0
Our Residents What do you like most about your neighborhood? Unique design non cookie cutter homes. Feels safe and well cared for. Resident of Brandon Country Club. I like how close businesses are to my house it s very convenient when I need something. I also appreciate the landscaping Brandon has added to some of the main roads. Resident of Brandon Main. We also have a park right down the street just the people in the area. The golf course is also right there as well. Resident of Brandon Country Club. Little traffic. Love my neighbors. Quiet. Resident of Brandon Tallgrass. Central proximity to all of town. Resident of Brandon Lakeview. Tucked away enough not to have much traffic. The PEOPLE. The new STREET AND SIDEWALK! Walkable to BVHS, BE, Sunshine plaza area. Resident of Brandon Oakridge. Close proximity to daycare and Sunshine foods. It s also pretty quiet. Resident of Brandon Tallgrass. We received 801 responses to this question. The above represent a sample of those responses.
Our Residents What do you was different about your neighborhood? Closer to a city pool for kids. Paved roads instead of gravel for the quickest path to I-90. Resident of Brandon Country Club. Better water drainage. Resident of Brandon Parkview. In the winter its really annoying when your shoveling snow and the city snowplows throw all the snow from the street onto my house which is really hard to get off as we do not own a snowblower and the snow tends to get more icy. Resident of Brandon Parkview. I wish there were a few more housing developments so that I could have some neighborhood friends. Resident of Brandon Other. Brandon City workers would be more polite and careful. Resident of Brandon Country Club. The roads are horrible and it always floods. Resident of Brandon Richland Park. Continuously barking dogs that owner s ignore. Would like to see stop signs instead of yield signs to slow traffic down. Traffic is too fast. Resident of Brandon Tallgrass. We received 801 responses to this question. The above represent a sample of those responses.
Our Residents What could the City of Brandon do to help make your neighborhood better? PLEASE PUT IN A SWING SET AT THE PARK. Resident of Brandon Bluffs. Allow for block parties. Resident of Brandon Tallgrass. Add community center or some place that has things to do. Resident of Brandon Richland Park. Better assess to hike and bike trails. An isolated (several yards off street) sidewalk alone Holly Blvd from bluff to Sioux Blvd. Resident of Brandon Bluffs. Fix some pot holes. Resident of Brandon Oakridge. The street lights are too bright hah! (I can live with this but really, had to get new window shades after the street project). Resident of Brandon Oakridge. Add sidewalks sooner that scheduled. It is still a long ways out and will be done the year after our youngest child graduates. Resident of Brandon Main. We received 801 responses to this question. The above represent a sample of those responses.
Our Residents Do You Feel There Are Quality and Affordable Daycare Options Available in Your Neighborhood? 137 If you remove the number that Don t Know , it s roughly a 50-50 split whether residents feel quality and affordable daycare options are available in their neighborhoods. 142 522 Don't Know Yes No
Our Residents How Do You Feel About the Pace of Growth and Development in Brandon Over The Past 5 Years? How Satisfied Are You With The Quality and Availability of Services and Amenities Provided by the City? 16 46 74 127 31 248 308 231 375 Very Dissatisfied Dissatisfied Neither/Neutral Don't Know Too Slowly Just Right Too Quickly Satisfied Very Satisfied
Our Residents What Additional Public Services and Amenities Would You Like to See Available in the City of Brandon? Would You Be Willing to Pay An Increase in Taxes to Afford Them? 60.00% 50.14% 50.00% 42.31% 37.91% 40.00% 33.24% 31.87% 27.88% 30.00% 24.18% 23.21% 19.23%17.58% 18.82% 20.00% 15.25% 14.29% 7.83% 6.87% 10.00% 5.49% 4.40% Interest 0.00% Willing to Pay Taxes
Our Residents What additional public services and amenities would you like to see available in the City of Brandon? Beyond the options on the last slide, we received 115 comments related to this question. things for teens/ kids to do durring the summer, like bowling, movies etc. we need to get on top of the snow plowing, this town is so bad at it that we cant even get to school with 2 inches on the ground skatepark Better drainage system for streets and quality of streets. 2nd entrance/exit from Aspen Park and better parking at the park. There is an absolute need for a 2nd entrance/exit in to Aspen park I had a discussion with my high school class and these are the ideas they recommended: Really would like a shared community center with indoor pool (like Yankton) that has many things. (Check out a Jjimjilbang in Korea-I went there and this is what families do on the weekend! It s got hot tubs, saunas, reading areas, work out areas, nap pods and it cost $4 per person for the whole day!) more fun places with something to do. like going to skyzone or something just any fun place to go Black history month/pride month/handicapped awareness parades and other celebration More amenities means more taxes
Our Residents What additional public services and amenities would you like to see available in the City of Brandon? I would like to see all of Brandon s neighborhoods connected by sidewalk/bike path, especially the Bluff neighborhood. I see cyclists and pedestrians walking to/from the Bluffs on Rice street and it seems very dangerous now that there is no longer a shoulder on the road after a turn lane was added for the gravel pit. In addition, the neighborhoods by the Brandon golf course do not have a sidewalk/bike path near McHardy park to reach the rest of the town. Road grader to help with effective snow removal. All of these cost landowners more tax. We have too many city employees the way it is. Oftentimes there are as many as four white pickups following each other around and doing nothing. We are also paying for a city engineer who has no civil engineering degree and is very incompetent. Fareway Be fiscally responsible and more effective with our tax dollars The fire department should be staffed during the day Monday through Friday and volunteers at night and weekends, snowplows could go slower and remove snow to the curb instead of 3-5 feet from the curb. Water prices decreased; water quality increased I ve never needed emergency services in town but based on visibility I do not think there is a need for additional police patrol cars on the streets. Feels a bit saturated that way. Indoor hockey rink Would need low dues. Retired so can wait until plowed out Road bike trail connecting to Sioux Falls trails
Our Residents What additional public services and amenities would you like to see available in the City of Brandon? A parks and rec department. There are a lot of student sports organizations to keep up with right now and it would be helpful to have all of that available in one hub. Better traffic flow at some intersections likes Splitrock and aspen and left hand turns on and off I90 BetterWater Purchase, implementation, and use of snow gates. Take better care of our parks and green spaces! Make sure when people drive into town they see something better than storage facilities pleasing gateway to our city not a hodge podge of ugly, unplanned businesses Need road graders to move snow at least the street would be cleaned. Indoor swimming pool SkatePark More businesses would be nice. Aldi! I hope the services will keep pace to the additional housing being created. Snow gates on the Snow plows and for the plows to actually clean the streets Indoorpool Shared use path connections from Brandon to Veterans Parkway Indoor sports area for youth prefer to stay here and often forced to Sioux Falls Decrease in the city counsel fee for applying for a variant or whatever it was called. Especially when it was pointless to go and just wasted our money.
Our Residents What additional public services and amenities would you like to see available in the City of Brandon? Great life hot yoga studio Better affordable water Handicapaccessibility Do not make brandon like everyone else. Indoorpool Moreretail BIGGER POOL. Ours is tiny for the population and the boys/girls club going there ruins it for the community regarding bike lanes love bikes, hate bike lanes!! I l=think we have most of these items in place. snow plows that protect driveways from colection of packed snow. Improved traffic controls near school zones need a better water system the proposed community center is incomplete. We have enough sports stuff. Where is the senior citizens center? Indoor pool>? Larger community rooms? are there really that many pickleball players? indoor soccer facility is nice though. How about promoting the walking track? Indoor swimming pool More affordable water Indoor pool/aquatic center Gates on snowplows.
Our Residents What additional public services and amenities would you like to see available in the City of Brandon? less expensive water / sewer services and stop charging for the street lights (that s part of the taxes) Indoor aquatic center Wedon t need more sidewalks, just maintain the ones we already have. Another swimming pool Additional swimming pool Hockeyfacility Gates on snowplows We love Brandon and love the small town feel however, the downtown is really blah we pride ourselves on the community feel, which is great, but we are missing the visual/aesthetics Free year round branch, leaf, and grass dumping location Indoorpool An Olympic sized pool in a community center Just get the core done and we can start thinking about other things Another road in and out of Aspen Part Complex. Highway 11 & Sioux a traffic light. Bad before & after school! Wellnesscenter A WELLNESS CENTER with indoor pool and daycare!!!!!!!! Reduced water costs
Our Residents What additional public services and amenities would you like to see available in the City of Brandon? Nothing that costs money Indoor swimming pool, so the youth can have swimming lessons and not have to go into Sioux Falls or Luverne, MN and the Elder for Bethany meadows can have a place to do they re water aerobics. Would be nice to actually have a parks and rec department. Most cities this size have a standalone park and rec department. Can t always rely on the city of Sioux Falls or groups to run things. Bike trail connecting east side and bluffs to core part of town. Kids don t need to be on the busy highways. Snowplows which are able to avoid blocking driveway with snow Combine city hall, police dept, community center and chamber of commerce/visit center all under one roof in a centralized location Indoor pool, rec space. Play places for kids in the winter. Just leave brandon alone. Seasonal snowplow operators Grocery store options Public EMS, I m tired of subsidizing a private ambulance that can barely afford to stay a float by itself Na Indoor swimming pool Can the city afford any improvements without raising taxes. City wide clean up days (rotate annually by neighborhood). Tree, grass, and leaf drop off location.
Our Residents What additional public services and amenities would you like to see available in the City of Brandon? It would be nice to safely connected the bluffs to the city sidewalks so children could ride to the pool Code enforcement across the board. Not just enforcement where He can see from the road what s going on many codes are broken, but because they are buried in places that are not visible they are not enforced Instead of traditional I think a more organized downtown, split rock has potential for this even though it isn t technically downtown Improve snow removal How about road graders Indoor pool facility What amenities we finally get a branch drop off site and you charge for it. On top of it, it s only available twice a year. We need better street maintenance in the winter. My son was in a car accident and the police officer said it was from the badly maintained winter roads. Lower water prices Community center with indoor pool. Majority of the year is winter and Brandon does not have an indoor pol for winter exercise. Indoor hockey rink Don t need more employees just need people that know how to manage people. A modern public pool with play structures, slides, and lazy river that has designated times for water walking. See the Vermillion Prentice Plunge as an example!! Icearena
Our Residents What additional public services and amenities would you like to see available in the City of Brandon? Speedbumps Greatlife Facility A pool that is on par with other communities of our size. The recent addition is laughable. We could support a huge water area and the families in Brandon would flock there. Sad, missed opportunity. Better grocery stores junk in yard/noxious weeds yard mowing etc monitor more closely when reported /parking on sidewalks!!! Time to buy snow plow gates Maybe traditional downtown, but knowing the city it would be located in the traditional down town. Huntingareas We have more than enough police and bike trails. We waste money on flowers and such which could go to the water bill. 1 officer per 1k people is way higher than a normal town. Indoorpool More for senior citizens Restaurants indoorpool Snow gates for the plows Lowertaxes Business and commercial areas
Our Residents What additional public services and amenities would you like to see available in the City of Brandon? Improve the roads There is a need for a fire station on the E side with all of the growth
Our Residents What additional public services and amenities that you selected would you be willing to pay an increase in taxes? We received 89 comments related to this question. things for teens/ kids None of the stuff I selected should require tax. tax me for that skatepar Exit/entrance to Aspen Park complex. I already had a huge water bill and real estate tax increase, can t afford to pay for any thing more. Other ideas the kids had: a small movie theater with theme movies and recliners; an Updated arcade; and more restaurants since they are always full Green spaces! Like development or we stagnate but we need trees! Make some green spaces-plant more somewhere when they have to be taken out for development. They are important for air quality! Black history month/pride month/handicapped awareness parades and other celebrations Wedon t need more city employees, we need them to make sure the job they are doing is at the high standards the Brandon residents deserve. if you use it, you pay. Not an across the board tax. Taxes are already too high for retired persons.
Our Residents What additional public services and amenities that you selected would you be willing to pay an increase in taxes? Idon t own a home Already pay too much in water cost, people should always have to pay for growth. When the city grown that means they get more income/taxes. That should be reason enough. You get enough in taxes the way it is. BE SMARTER ABOUT HOW ITS USED None, taxes are high enough Taxes are high for us now retired fixed income Stop wasting money on sidewalks and find ways to lower water/sewer costs. Should have joined Lewis and Clark Rural Water System, maybe still can. We ve paid way too much for the poor water quality. Enough of the good old boy BS and do the right thing SnowGates Utilize our current budget more efficiently. Indoor swimming pool Paying to much now Pay enough in taxes, water and sewer, etc. Our current tax structure should take care of these costs. If not, then don t bother. Always willing to pay for police, fire and ambulance services. Indoorpool Indoor sports facilities
Our Residents What additional public services and amenities that you selected would you be willing to pay an increase in taxes? Brandon has very high taxes already I pay enough! Indoorpool We already pay too much Already paying taxes and surcharges on items still to come We already pay for enough. Our water bill trumps any town EVER snow plows that don t leave snow on driveways. As long as the police catch and prevent car break ins better water system only support higher taxes re community center if they redo it properly . The snowplow gates!! Improvement to hard water supply I already pay more taxes than other communities! Pool Our taxes and utilities are high enough. we should be able to find funds! Brandon taxes are astronomical The taxes here are already ridiculously high.
Our Residents What additional public services and amenities that you selected would you be willing to pay an increase in taxes? Nike connection from Eagle Creek/Bluffs and from Golf Course area to main town I feel Citizens of Brandon have suffered enough with tax increases for useless sidewalk additions in Brandon Main area and increase in water bill Traffic light and road in & out of Aspen Park Complex. I disagree with an increase in taxes. Private business can provide the above services if the demand is there. Our taxes are quite high already. I d like to know more about how my existing taxes are used in the city. NOT electric vehicles! Wellnesscenter Wellness Center with pool and daycare, hands down!! Taxes are already high. Private investors would be nice. Don t spend money Indoorpool No, our taxes are already to high for the size of city we live in. Feel like we are wasting money on things that couldn t been prevented years ago. We need to stop being reactive and more proactive. What s the plan for 5,10,20,50 years from now? Property tax should increase by all residents and business because everyone will benefit Wedon t need more taxes my mortgage is high enough and it isn t right. Full time Fire and EMS Na
