City of Fort Bragg 2026 Economic Development & Mill Site Community Survey Friday, March 27, 2026
Date Created: Friday, January 09, 2026
365
Total Responses
Complete Responses: 365
Q1: Age group (select one):
Answered: 356 Skipped: 9
ANSWER CHOICES
RESPONSES
Under 18
0.28%
1 18–24
0.84%
3 25–44
17.98%
64 45–64
34.27%
122
65+
46.63%
166
TOTAL
356
Q2: Where do you live?
Answered: 359 Skipped: 6
61.28%
5.85%%
Q3: Select the best description of your working situation.
Answered: 348 Skipped: 17
ANSWER CHOICES
RESPONSES
I am business owner or self-employed
29.89%
104
I am employed locally
28.16%
98 I work remotely for a non-local employer
5.17%
18 I am a student, retired or unemployed
36.78%
128
TOTAL
348
Q4: Employment status:
Answered: 359 Skipped: 6
ANSWER CHOICES
RESPONSES
Employed Full-Time
34.54%
124
Self Employed
18.11%
65 Student
0.84%
3 Employed Part-Time
8.91%
32 Unemployed
1.39%
5 Retired
36.21%
130
TOTAL
359
Q5: Do you own or operate a business in Fort Bragg?
Answered: 356 Skipped: 9
ANSWER CHOICES
RESPONSES
Yes
25.56%
91 No
74.44%
265
TOTAL
356
Q6: How would you describe Fort Bragg’s current economy? Answered: 357 Skipped: 8
ANSWER CHOICES
RESPONSES
Very Weak
7.28%
26 Weak
31.93%
114
Fair
56.02%
200
Strong
4.76%
17 Very Strong
0.00%
0 TOTAL
357
Q7: What do you see as Fort Bragg’s biggest needs? (Select up to 3) Answered: 363 Skipped: 2
Q7: What do you see as Fort Bragg’s biggest needs? (Select up to 3) Answered: 363 Skipped: 2
ANSWER CHOICES
RESPONSES
More jobs
41.87%
152
More diverse economy
44.35%
161
Job opportunities for youth
27.27%
99 More Housing
55.10%
200
Cost/availability of insurance
12.95%
47 Crime/safety concerns
7.16%
26 Improve healthcare access/quality
54.27%
197
Better education/training opportunities
24.24%
88 More entertainment venues & amenities
26.45%
96 Other
18.18%
66 TOTAL
1132
Q8: How likely are you to recommend Fort Bragg as a place to live? Answered: 362 Skipped: 3
VERY UNLIKELY
UNLIKELY
MAYBE
LIKELY
VERY LIKELY
TOTAL
WEIGHTED AVERAGE
4.97%
18 8.01%
29 31.49%
114
37.02%
134
18.51%
67 362
3.56 Q9: How likely are you to recommend Fort Bragg as a place to own a business? Answered: 358 Skipped: 7
VERY UNLIKELY
UNLIKELY
MAYBE
LIKELY
VERY LIKELY
TOTAL
WEIGHTED AVERAGE
6.70%
24 20.11%
72 46.93%
168
19.55%
70 6.70%
24 358
2.99 Q10: Describe a characteristic of Fort Bragg’s economy or business community that you would never want to lose? Answered: 361 Skipped: 4
Q10: Describe a characteristic of Fort Bragg’s economy or business community that you would never want to lose? Answered: 361 Skipped: 4
ANSWER CHOICES
RESPONSES
Small-town Character
8.03%
29 Local ownership and independent businesses
11.36%
41 Coastal identity and working waterfront
13.30%
48 Natural environment and scenic beauty
28.81%
104
Strong sense of community and relationships
9.70%
35 Arts, culture, and creative expression
2.22%
8 Family Friendly community
4.16%
15 Outdoor recreation and access to nature
9.70%
35 Other (please specify)
12.74%
46 TOTAL
361
Q11: What do you see as Fort Bragg’s greatest economic strengths or local assets today? Select up to 3(What makes this a unique place to live, work, or do business?) Answered: 362 Skipped: 3
Q11: What do you see as Fort Bragg’s greatest economic strengths or local assets today? Select up to 3(What makes this a unique place to live, work, or do business?)
ANSWER CHOICES
RESPONSES
Coastal location and natural beauty
72.10%
261
Access to the ocean, harbor, and waterfront
34.81%
126
Small-town character and community relationships
42.54%
154
Locally owned and independent businesses
20.44%
74 Tourism and visitor appeal
23.76%
86 Arts, culture, and creative community
16.30%
59 Outdoor recreation (trails, parks, ocean access)
37.29%
135
Working waterfront and marine-related industries
18.78%
68 Strong sense of place and identity
3.31%
12 Quality of life for families and residents
11.60%
42 Entrepreneurial spirit and small business culture
6.35%
23 Community resilience and adaptability
5.80%
21 Other (please specify)
7.73%
28 TOTAL
1089
Q12: What challenges or barriers do you or others face when starting, running, or growing a business in Fort Bragg? Answered: 351 Skipped: 14
Q12: What challenges or barriers do you or others face when starting, running, or growing a business in Fort Bragg? Answered: 351 Skipped: 14
ANSWER CHOICES
RESPONSES
Workforce availability or skills
29.91%
105
Cost of labor
12.25%
43 Housing availability or affordability for employees
58.40%
205
High cost of rent or commercial space
33.33%
117
Access to capital or financing
5.70%
20 Permitting or regulatory complexity
30.77%
108
Time required to obtain permits or approvals
23.93%
84 Utility costs (water, sewer, electricity, broadband)
14.25%
50 Transportation or remoteness
26.21%
92 Limited customer base or seasonal demand
29.63%
104
Aging or insufficient infrastructure
15.10%
53 Lack of suitable industrial or commercial space
7.41%
26 Other (please specify)
11.11%
39 Q14: What types of City provided support or incentives would most help local businesses thrive? (Select up to 3) Answered: 344 Skipped: 21
ANSWER CHOICES
RESPONSES
Low-interest loans or grants
53.49%
184
Easier/faster permitting
57.56%
198
Façade improvement or beautification programs
37.50%
129
Technical assistance or business mentorship
25.29%
87 Marketing and tourism promotion
34.59%
119
Co-working or shared business spaces
16.86%
58 Other
16.57%
57 TOTAL
832
Q16: How familiar are you with the Mill Site planning effort? Answered: 361 Skipped: 4
ANSWER CHOICES
RESPONSES
Not aware
3.05%
11 Heard of it
13.30%
48 Somewhat aware
33.80%
122
Familiar
30.75%
111
Very familiar
19.11%
69 TOTAL
361
Q19: Overall, what impact do you think redevelopment of the Mill Site would have on Fort Bragg’s economy? Answered: 347 Skipped: 18
ANSWER CHOICES
RESPONSES
Don’t know
23.34%
81 Negative impact
14.99%
52 No impact
1.15%
4 Positive Impact
60.52%
210
TOTAL
347
Q21: Which types of new uses of the Mill Site are most important? (Select up to 4) Answered: 361 Skipped: 4
Q21: Which types of new uses of the Mill Site are most important? (Select up to 4) Answered: 361 Skipped: 4
ANSWER CHOICES
RESPONSES
Multifamily Housing for rentals, condominiums and senior housing
40.72%
147
Parks, Open Space and Public trails
74.52%
269
Single family homes for Homeownership
22.44%
81 Commercial and visitor serving uses (shops, restaurants, hotels, offices and similar uses)
32.41%
117
Job Creating uses (marine, industrial, research, production, or year-round jobs)
50.14%
181
Indoor community, event or meeting facility
20.50%
74 Outdoor festival or special event area
45.43%
164
Entertainment/recreation uses (sports, art, cultural activities)
43.21%
156
None
1.94%
7 Other
17.17%
62 TOTAL
1258
Q22: What is your reaction to the following specific development concepts for the Mill Site:
Answered: 360 Skipped: 5
Q22: What is your reaction to the following specific development concepts for the Mill Site:
Answered: 360 Skipped: 5
LIKE
NEUTRAL
DISLIKE
NOT SURE
TOTAL
WEIGHTED AVERAGE
Electric trolly connection from the Mill Site to Glass Beach
23.74%
85 18.44%
66 51.12%
183
6.70%
24 358
2.41 Pedestrian-friendly extension of downtown onto the Mill Site
80.11%
286
10.08%
36 6.16%
22 3.64%
13 357
1.33 Hotel/ conference center near Otsuchi Point (Redwood Avenue Extension)
29.81%
107
19.22%
69 43.73%
157
7.24%
26 359
2.28 Dedicated outdoor event space for festivals and community events
73.03%
260
16.29%
58 5.34%
19 5.34%
19 356
1.43 Q23: Even if you generally support redevelopment, what concerns would you want the City to manage carefully? (Select up to 3) Answered: 361 Skipped: 4
Q23: Even if you generally support redevelopment, what concerns would you want the City to manage carefully? (Select up to 3) Answered: 361 Skipped: 4
NOT CONCERNED
SOMEWHAT CONCERNED
VERY CONCERNED
TOTAL
WEIGHTED AVERAGE
Traffic & congestion
23.60%
76 32.92%
106
43.48%
140
322
2.20 Increased demand on housing, services, or infrastructure
17.45%
56 37.07%
119
45.48%
146
321
2.28 Loss of small-town character
31.06%
100
25.78%
83 43.17%
139
322
2.12 Impacts on existing local businesses
34.50%
108
34.19%
107
31.31%
98 313
1.97 Scale or pace of development
25.00%
79 36.71%
116
38.29%
121
316
2.13 Environmental impacts
20.41%
69 23.67%
80 55.92%
189
338
2.36 Level of cleanup of Mill Site contamination
18.84%
62 21.88%
72 59.27%
195
329
2.40 Q24: What aspects of Mill Site redevelopment excite you the most? (Select up to to 3) Answered: 361 Skipped: 4
Q24: What aspects of Mill Site redevelopment excite you the most? (Select up to to 3)
ANSWER CHOICES
RESPONSES
New Housing options, including rental and ownership opportunities
32.13%
116
Job-creating uses
34.90%
126
Parks, trails and open space
53.74%
194
Public Access to the Coast and waterfront
46.54%
168
Environmental cleanup and habitat restoration
43.21%
156
Shops, restaurants, and other commercial or visitor-serving uses
23.82%
86 Indoor community, event, or meeting facility
11.91%
43 Outdoor festival or special-event space
29.64%
107
Entertainment and recreation opportunities
19.39%
70 Improved streets, utilities, and infrastructure
14.13%
51 Nothing about Mill Site redevelopment excites me
5.26%
19 Other (please specify)
11.91%
43 TOTAL
1179
Q25: Should the items you selected be delivered gradually during the project, or all together upon project completion? Answered: 336 Skipped: 29
ANSWER CHOICES
RESPONSES
Gradually during the project
45.24%
152
Mostly during, some at completion
24.70%
83 All at once at completion
10.12%
34 No preference
19.94%
67 TOTAL
336
Q27: How important is it to prioritize “blue economy” jobs and businesses (such as sustainable ocean-related tourism, fisheries, marine research, aquaculture, and coastal innovation) as part of future development on the Mill Site? Answered: 356 Skipped: 9
NOT IMPORTANT
NEUTRAL
SOMEWHAT IMPORTANT
VERY IMPORTANT
TOTAL
WEIGHTED AVERAGE
8.71%
11.24%
25.56%
54.49%
356
3.26 Q28: How important is creating and maintaining a natural open space and wildlife habitat around the Mill Pond (for example, wetlands, improved water quality, wildlife habitat, and nature trails)? Answered: 356 Skipped: 9
NOT IMPORTANT
NEUTRAL
SOMEWHAT IMPORTANT
VERY IMPORTANT
TOTAL
WEIGHTED AVERAGE
4.49%
16 10.39%
37 17.42%
62 67.70%
241
356
3.48 Q29: How important is public access through the Mill Pond area to the beach? Answered: 357 Skipped: 8
NOT IMPORTANT
NEUTRAL
SOMEWHAT IMPORTANT
VERY IMPORTANT
TOTAL
WEIGHTED AVERAGE
12.04%
43 19.89%
71 24.37%
87 43.70%
156
357
3.00 Q30: How important is it to daylight the Maple Creek culvert on the Mill Site to create a creek-related public amenity, subject to environmental and regulatory review? Answered: 344 Skipped: 21
NOT IMPORTANT
NEUTRAL
SOMEWHAT IMPORTANT
VERY IMPORTANT
TOTAL
WEIGHTED AVERAGE
9.01%
31 26.74%
92 29.36%
101
34.88%
120
344
2.90 Q31: Proceed with development (such as housing, jobs, and public amenities) on areas of the Mill Site that require no further remediation, while cleanup work continues on the Mill Pond and other remaining areas under regulatory oversight.
Answered: 352 Skipped: 13
ANSWER CHOICES
RESPONSES
Strongly oppose
16.48%
58 Oppose
13.07%
46 Support
30.11%
106
Strongly support
28.41%
100
Not sure
11.93%
42 TOTAL
352
Q32: Pursue cleanup of the Mill Pond to meet local, state and federal requirements before developing the Mill Site.
Answered: 354 Skipped: 11
ANSWER CHOICES
RESPONSES
Strongly oppose
9.32%
33 Oppose
19.49%
69 Support
20.90%
74 Strongly support
36.16%
128
Not sure
14.12%
50 TOTAL
354
Q33: Looking ahead, which outcomes would you most like to see associated with the Mill Pond area, once cleanup is completed? (Select up to 3) Answered: 348 Skipped: 17
ANSWER CHOICES
RESPONSES
Restoration of wetlands and wildlife habitat
76.72%
267
Public access and trails (where permitted)
68.97%
240
Interpretive or educational features explaining the site’s history and ecology
47.41%
165
Retention of the Mill Pond as a long-term feature
27.01%
94 Other
10.06%
35 TOTAL
801