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City of Gahanna Business Retention & Expansion Survey 2007

Instructions

Answer only those questions with which you feel comfortable. If you have any questions, please contact Matt Huffman, Planner at 614.342.4015 or matt.huffman@gahanna.gov.


Please provide the following (*required)

First Name*

Last Name

Title

Company

Address

City

State

Zip

Phone

Fax

Email

Today's Date


A - LOCAL BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT


1.

What is your overall opinion of the City of Gahanna as a place to do business?

Excellent

Good

Average

Poor

Very Poor


2.

What are your top three (3) reasons for locating or keeping your business in Gahanna?

(Select three.)

Access to downtown

Access to airport

Proximity to freeways

Proximity to home

Cost of doing business

Workforce availability

Financial incentives

Technology infrastructure

Local officials

Safety services

Access to my customers

Access to my suppliers

Proximity to major customer(s) and/or supplier(s)

Access to business support services (e.g., printing, advertising, financial services, hotels, etc.)

Recreation facilities/entertainment

Quality of housing

Quality of life

Other:


3.

Would you recommend another business to locate in Gahanna?

Yes (Skip to Q. 4)

No (Skip to Q. 5)


4.

If yes, why?


5.

If no, why not?


6.

Please describe your IMMEDIATE business needs or concerns that could be addressed by local government or local private entities.


7.

Please describe your LONG-TERM (more than 2 years) business needs or concerns that could be addressed by local government or local private entities.


Please indicate whether you believe the cost of doing business in Gahanna is high, acceptable, or low.

 

High

Acceptable

Low

8.

Land costs

9.

Building costs (rent)

10.

Public utilities

11.

Labor costs

12.

Health care insurance

13.

Workers compensation

14.

Inventory taxes

15.

Corporate taxes

16.

Property taxes

17.

Payroll taxes

18.

Sales tax


From your perspective as a businessperson, please rate the following OPERATIONAL/INFRASTRUCTURAL amenities and services in Gahanna.

 

Excellent

Good

Average

Poor

Very Poor

19.

Roads, highways and freeways

20.

Water and sewers

21.

Natural gas services

22.

Telecom services

23.

High speed Internet access

24.

Electrical services

25.

Snow and ice removal

26.

Streets and sidewalks

27.

Street repairs

28.

Fire protection

29.

Police protection

30.

Business support services

31.

City web site

32.

Communications received from the City


From your perspective as a businessperson, please rate the following WORKFORCE-RELATED services.

 

Excellent

Good

Average

Poor

Very Poor

33.

Public transportation

34.

Air service

35.

Health care services (EMS, hospitals, clinics)

36.

School system

37.

Child care services


From your perspective as a businessperson, please rate these other amenities.


38.

Hotel facilities

Excellent

Good

Average

Poor

Very Poor


39.

Conference facilities

Excellent

Good

Average

Poor

Very Poor


40.

Restaurants

Excellent

Good

Average

Poor

Very Poor


41.

Professional services

Excellent

Good

Average

Poor

Very Poor


42.

Shopping

Excellent

Good

Average

Poor

Very Poor


43.

Cultural activities/entertainment

Excellent

Good

Average

Poor

Very Poor


44.

Community events

Excellent

Good

Average

Poor

Very Poor


45.

Which events have you attended?

(Select all that apply.)

Creekside Jazz and Blues

Holiday Lights

Freedom Festival


DEVELOPMENT & APPROVAL PROCESS


46.

Has your company operated, constructed or leased a building that required the City's development and approval?

Yes

No (Skip to Q. 59)


If yes, how would you rate the City's development and approval processes?

 

Excellent

Good

Average

Poor

Very Poor

47.

Overall process

48.

Plan review

49.

Zoning regulations

50.

Building codes

51.

Planning Commission approval

52.

Engineering approval

53.

City Architect approval

54.

Fire Department approval

55.

City Council approval

56.

Building Permit approval

57.

Code Enforcement


Please note any additional comments.


58.

Comments.


59.

Are there businesses not currently located in Gahanna that should be, in your opinion? Please list your suggestions.


60.

Would you like a member of the Business Retention and Expansion team to contact you personally regarding the local business environment in the City of Gahanna?

Yes

No (Skip to Q. 62)


61.

If yes, what specifically would you like to discuss?


B - EMPLOYMENT & TRAINING


62.

How many employees work at your Gahanna business location?

Fewer than 10

11-20

21-50

51-100

More than 100


How would you rate the regional MANAGEMENT and ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF workforce (labor pool)?

 

Excellent

Good

Average

Poor

Very Poor

63.

Quality (i.e, necessary skills & work ethic)

64.

Quantity

65.

Availability

66.

Stability


How would you rate the regional TECHNICAL STAFF work force (labor pool)?

 

Excellent

Good

Average

Poor

Very Poor

67.

Quality (i.e., necessary skills & work ethic)

68.

Quantity

69.

Availability

70.

Stability


How would you rate the regional GENERAL LABOR FORCE (labor pool)?

 

Excellent

Good

Average

Poor

Very Poor

71.

Quality (i.e., necessary skills & work ethic)

72.

Quantity

73.

Availability

74.

Stability


BUSINESS VISIT


75.

Would you like a member of the Business Retention and Expansion team to contact you personally regarding workforce in the City of Gahanna?

Yes

No (Skip to Q. 77)


76.

If yes, what specifically would you like to discuss?


C - FUTURE PLANS


77.

Do you have any plans to modernize, renovate or expand your business?

Yes

No (Skip to Q. 81)


78.

If yes, what kind of modernization, renovation or expansion are you considering?

(Select all that apply.)

Warehouse space

Manufacturing/production space

Office space

Parking area

Adding another department, division or business

Expansion into adjacent space

Expansion into another location in the same building

Expansion by acquisition

Other:


79.

When would the work be started?

Within 6 months

Between 6 - 12 months

Between 1 - 3 years

More than 3 years


80.

Do you face any constraints?

(Select all that apply.)

No constraints

Need financial assistance

Need information on city and/or state tax incentives

Need physical facility planning assistance

Insufficient space in existing building

Not enough land for expansion

Parking issues

Zoning and building regulations

Other:


81.

Are you considering opening another facility (e.g., branch plant, office, division, corporate headquarters, retail store, etc.)?

Yes

No (Skip to Q. 85)


82.

If yes, when?

Within 6 months

Between 6 - 12 months

Between 1 - 3 years

More than 3 years


83.

If yes, where?

(Select all that apply.)

Elsewhere in Gahanna

Elsewhere in Franklin County

Outside Franklin County, but in Ohio

Outside Ohio, but in U.S.

Outside U.S.


84.

If you are expanding in Gahanna, do you face any constraints?

(Select all that apply.)

No constraints

Need financial assistance

Need information on city and/or state tax incentives

Need physical facility planning assistance

Insufficient space in existing building

Not enough land for expansion

Parking issues

Zoning and building regulations

Other:


85.

Are you considering moving, closing, or selling this business?

(Select all that apply.)

Considering moving

Considering closing

Considering selling

None of the above


86.

If you are considering moving, where would you move?

Elsewhere in the City of Gahanna

Elsewhere in Franklin County

Outside Franklin County, but in Ohio

Outside Ohio, but in U.S.

Outside U.S.


87.

If you are considering moving, why?

(Select all that apply.)

Changing market conditions

Overcrowded facilities

Land limitation for expansion

Transportation problem

Workforce issues

Environmental concerns

Rigid code enforcement

High taxes

Lease expiration

Other:


88.

When would you move, close or sell this business?

Within 6 months

Between 6 - 12 months

Between 1 - 3 years

More than 3 years


89.

What impact would your plans for modernization, renovation, expansion, moving, closing or selling have on the number of employees in your Gahanna location?

No change

Adds employees

Reduces employees


90.

About how many employees would be added?


91.

About how many employees would be reduced?


92.

Would you like a member of the Business Retention and Expansion team to contact you personally regarding future plans for expansion or contraction in the City of Gahanna?

Yes

No (Skip to Q. 93)


D - GENERAL INFORMATION


93.

Where is your business primarily located?

In the City of Gahanna

Outside the City of Gahanna (Skip to Q. 95)


94.

In what part of Gahanna are you primarily located?

Olde Gahanna

West Gahanna

Office, Commerce and Technology (formerly known as Manufacturing)

Triangle North/Triangle South

Morse and Hamilton Road corridor


95.

What is your company's PRIMARY geographic market?

Local

Central Ohio

Statewide

National (Skip to Q. 96)

International (Skip to Q. 97)


96.

If National, which states do you serve?


97.

If International, what countries do you serve?


98.

If you travel by plane, where do you travel that isn't currently serviced by Port Columbus International Airport?


99.

How long has this business been operating at your current location?

Less than 1 year

1 - 5 years

6 - 10 years

11 - 20 years

More than 20 years


100.

Which of the following best describes your position with your company?

Owner

CEO/President/Managing Director

COO, CFO, CIO, or CTO

Operations VP or Director

Human Resources VP or Director

Sales/Marketing VP or Director

Business Development VP or Director

General Manager/Manager

Corporate Vice President

Corporate Site Selector

Other


101.

Which of the following best describes your business structure?

(Select all that apply.)

Publicly held (stock)

Private

Franchise or chain

Employee-owned

Family-owned

Foreign-owned

Headquarters of multi-unit firm

Branch office of multi-unit firm

Non-profit

Governmental

Other:


102.

Which of the following best describes your business sector?

Medical

Technical

Logistics

Creative services

Food-related

High-tech production

Professional services

Personal services

Retail

Other:


103.

What is the PRIMARY type of space your business occupies?

Research and development

Office

Industrial/manufacturing

Warehouse

Home-based

Retail


104.

Do you own or lease your space?

Own

Lease


105.

How much time is left on your lease?

More than 18 months

Less than 18 months


106.

Are you considering renewing your lease?

Yes

No


107.

Have you renewed your lease at least once since establishing business in this location?

Yes

No


108.

If yes, why?

(Select all that apply.)

Price

Terms

Location

Amenities

Quality of space

Local community

Other:


Environmental Practices


109.

Which of the following environmental activities does your business currently practice?

Use energy saving (fluorescent) light bulbs

Turn off computers at night

Use laptop instead of desktop computers

Encourage employee carpooling

Take hazardous waste to proper disposal facilities

Purchase energy efficient company cars

Recycle glass

Recycle cardboard

Recycle paper

Recycle cans

Recycle plastics

Other:


110.

Which of the following environmental practices that you are currently NOT doing would you consider doing?

Use energy saving (fluorescent) light bulbs

Turn off computers at night

Use laptop instead of desktop computers

Encourage employee carpooling

Take hazardous waste to proper disposal facilities

Purchase energy efficient company cars

Recycle glass

Recycle cardboard

Recycle paper

Recycle cans

Recycle plastics

Other:


111.

If you use hazardous chemicals in your business, would you be more willing to properly dispose of them if the City provided convenient drop-off dates and places?

Yes

No

Not applicable


112.

What is preventing you from applying more positive environmental practices to your business?

Expense

Inconvenient to keep up

Unaware of its importance

Time it takes

Don not know all that we can do

Lack of incentives

Other:


113.

From whom do you feel pressure to become more environmentally conscious?

Customers/clients

Company/corporate headquarters/executives

Media

Environmental agencies

City government

State government

Federal government

Other:


Over the next three (3) years, do you think the following business factors will increase, stay the same or decline?

 

Increase

Stay the Same

Decline

114.

Number of customers

115.

Sales - Total revenue

116.

Profits

117.

Number of employees


If you expect any of these business factors to increase or decrease, what are the principal reasons for the changes?


118.

How would you rate your economic success in 2007?

Excellent

Above Average

Average

Below Average


119.

Reasons for change:


120.

Is your business a member of the Gahanna Chamber of Commerce?

Yes

No


121.

If you don't belong to the Gahanna Chamber of Commerce, would you like information on how to join?

Yes

No


122.

From your perspective as a businessperson, please rate the overall quality of life in the City of Gahanna.

Excellent

Good

Average

Poor

Very Poor


123.

Do you live in Gahanna?

Yes

No

Enter zip code:


124.

In the space below, please add any comments, thoughts or suggestions.


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