It's not surprising that residents of congested Lehi say transportation should be the city's top priority, or that many say Lehi still has a small town feel. But what is surprising is that one out of five Lehi residents say they've lived in the city less than five years, according to a recent survey.

The city spent $12,000 to ask residents to compare present-day Lehi to what the city was like five years ago.

Conducted by Dan Jones & Associates, the results showed 20 percent of respondents they didn't know because they hadn't lived in the city that long.

The company called 400 residents, 100 from each quadrant in Lehi, asking about what they thought of city needs, its services, its strengths and issues. Lehi staff, administration and the City Council will use the results in making decisions for the 2007-2008 fiscal year budget.

"I was encouraged by the survey," said Ron Foggin, assistant city administrator. "I thought it was well done, and the departments will be able to use the information to make improvements."

The proposed budget will be presented to the City Council on May 8.

Residents will see the results of the survey when it is mailed out with the May city utility bill.

The city has done surveys before, but it wrote its own questions and mailed the questionnaires to each home. The Dan Jones survey was consistent with prior results.

"We've asked every year about roads, and the citizens again put roads as a top priority," Foggin said. "It's going to be one of those things you just don't get away from for quite a while."

He said other responses were interesting, like the 33 percent who wanted larger stores and the 51 percent who wanted smaller stores, big box and boutique.

"It's interesting because we have the unique opportunity to provide both," he said.

When residents were asked about what they would like to see done with Lehi's recently acquired parks, respondents were evenly divided between wanting natural open space, sports fields, trails, water features and an outdoor amphitheater. A skate park was the least popular choice.

Some 66 percent of the respondents had thought the city's image had improved over the past five years and 35 percent felt the community had seen major improvements since 2001 in business and commercial development. A majority, 62 percent, were satisfied with the city's aesthetic appearance and another 63 percent felt Lehi still had a small town feel.

When asked what made Lehi seem like a small town, 13 percent said the people, 18 percent said the downtown Main Street area and another 18 percent said the open spaces, farms and bigger lots.

Other positive responses included the public's assessment of the city's public safety services.

"I think it's worth putting out that they think public safety is doing very good as far as response time and coverage," Foggin said.

By the numbers (Lehi residents):

46 percent didn't know what they would do to improve Lehi

46 percent don't know important issues

74 percent are satisfied with economic development

76 percent thought small town character important

This story appeared in The Daily Herald on page B1.