SURVEY: TRAFFIC TOPS RESIDENTS' CONCERNS : 91% PLEASED WITH AREA, REPORT SAYS.

Byline: Sherry Joe Crosby Daily News Staff Writer

Traffic congestion, schools and crime are the top three issues facing Santa Clarita, according to a new city public opinion poll released Tuesday.

The report, based on a telephone survey of 506 residents, measured respondents' reactions to local growth, employment and city services, among other issues.

Overall, residents seem pleased with their quality of life, with 91 percent saying that a positive image comes to mind when they hear the name Santa Clarita.

``People who live in the city of Santa Clarita are generally happy with the way things are going,'' said city spokeswoman Gail Ortiz.

``We're doing a few things well,'' said Mike Haviland, the city's marketing and economic development manager. ``People are happy with the city.''

But traffic congestion continues to worry residents, with 237 respondents saying they want their local tax dollars spent on improving traffic flow. Traffic also ranked No. 1 in the 1995 public opinion poll.

Ortiz said the city is working hard to improve the road system. Plans call for extending Magic Mountain Parkway to Via Princessa, a 10-year project. City engineers are working on the project's design phase, which could take up to three years to complete.

The city also is holding public hearings to gather community input about plans for extending Highway 126. Four proposals describe alternative routes for a six-lane highway that would connect the Golden State Freeway to the Antelope Valley Freeway across the northern edge of the city.

Improving the quality of schools ranked second highest, being cited by 216 respondents. About 77 percent of survey participants identified schools as ``very important.'' In 1995, schools ranked fourth behind traffic congestion, the proposed Elsmere Canyon landfill and growth as the most significant issues facing the city.

Crime ranked third, mentioned by 162 residents, up from 1995 when it ranked fifth. About 76 percent of respondents rated crime as ``very important'' and 65 percent said they want to see Santa Clarita crowned the ``safest city in America'' by 2000, the No. 1 goal for the millennium.

Falling in importance among respondents was the proposed Elsmere Canyon landfill, which was defeated when Congress passed a bill outlawing a land exchange that would have made the dump possible. On a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 meaning ``very important,'' the issue fell from 4.24 in 1995 to 4 last year.

``Elsmere is way down,'' said Haviland, adding that environmental preservation seems less important to respondents. ``Protecting the environment is way down. You'd think it was a real big issue (considering the media attention it garners) but when you talk to the community, that is not what they said.''

City services, on the other hand, fared well in the survey, with parks earning a 4 rating. The survey also indicated that residents want to see more programs for children and senior citizens, more parks and better park maintenance.

The poll revealed interesting details about city residents. About 70 percent of respondents work in Santa Clarita, up from 60 percent in 1995. Of those who work outside the city, 53 percent earn annual incomes of $80,000 or more, while 87 percent of those who work locally who earn $40,000 or less a year.

Many survey participants use personal computers, with more than half using the devices at home. Of those who use computers, 42 percent are ages 35 to 44. Annual household income partially determines who uses computers. Those making $80,000 or more were more likely to use computers while those with annual incomes of $40,000 or less were less likely to use one.

The survey results were compiled by Personal Touch Marketing, Inc., an Ann Arbor, Mich.-based marketing consulting firm. The poll was conducted during two weeks in November using residents randomly selected from a 1996 telephone directory and computer-generated study of telephone prefixes in the city. The survey had a sampling error of 5 percent.

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2 Photos

Photo: (1--color) Jim Peterson, left, and Ron Brown sweep the South Fork Trial in Valencia. A survey said residents are mostly pleased with city services.

(2--color) Traffic was listed on a survey as the No. 1 issue on area residents' minds for the second straight year.

John Lazar/Special to the Daily News