The Windshield Survey is comprised of general qualitative observations that give you a snapshot of the community that you can capture as you drive/walk through the community. The demographic data can be obtained online, through the public library, county or township administration buildings. This assignment is about your community; thus, use your Community Assessment Reference Guide to collect the data from your ZIP code

Windshield Survey-Coral Springs, Florida

Geographical Description

Coral Springs, which is officially known as the City of Coral Springs, is one of the cities in Broward County in the state of Florida, US. The city is located around 20 miles in the Northwest of Fort Lauderdale. In 1963, the city was officially chartered. It was master planned and developed primarily by Coral Ridge Properties. The name of the city was derived from the development company. Despite the name, the city nevertheless does not have a single natural spring; the state of Florida has its springs located in the North and Central areas (Maps, n.d).

The building codes in Coral Springs are notably very strict and are designed to help maintain the distinctive aesthetic appeal of the city. The effective fiscal management by the local government has maintained high bond ratings, which has seen the city win different accolades, including a low crime rate, overall liveability, and an orientation that is family-friendly. Coral Ridge Properties also established strict sign and landscaping laws for the city. The restrictions that the city has on exterior paint colors, commercial signs, recreational vehicle and boat storage, roofing materials, and specifications on landscaping are enforced strictly, and as a result, the value of the real estate in the city is significantly high in comparison to the rest of the county (Municode, n.d). Consequently, there are no signs of decay in this matriculate city.

Health Resources

Coral Springs is in Broward County, and the county health department oversees the health needs of the city. Services are targeted toward Adults, Adolescents/Youth/Teens, African Americans/Blacks, Gay Men, Risk Persons, the General Public, HIV Positive Persons, Hispanics/Latinos, LGBT, Men Who Have Sex with Men, Low-Income Persons, Persons with Hepatitis, Persons with STDs and Persons with HIV/AIDS. In comparison to the total population at Coral Springs (132,568 as of 2019, according to the US Census Bureau), the number of private practitioners is quite sufficient. There are approximately 415 private practices, which translates to around 320 persons for each practice. I saw approximately 29 practices, 13 dentists, and 9 hospitals and clinics.

The private practices, as well as the community hospitals, offer mental health services and are equipped with pharmacies as well. However, there were a number of pharmacy establishments (23 of them) that I saw. Most of the Health promotion services are done within the healthcare facilities. The billboards that I saw were mainly promoting products that are not health-related. However, I noticed that the fast-food restaurants had many billboards. I did not see any billboards or advertisements that promoted health.

Schools in Coral Springs are expected, as part of their learning, to offer healthy nutritional meals, support wellness, and have physical activities. There are not many occupational health services that are visible on the windshield, and this could be explained by the fact that most services are rendered in community hospitals, while private-owned services could be within buildings and out of sight for a person walking by. One will need to rely on a referral or a location finder to access an occupational therapist.

There are several volunteer organizations, and in this windshield survey, I passed by the Turning Point Transitional Services, which helps youth transition from foster care to live independent lives. Official services in the area include garbage and recycling, water services, and street sweeping programs, among others. There are also different self-help and support groups; I passed by the American Parkinson’s Disease Association on Coral Hills Dr. and the Bobby Resciniti Healing Hearts Foundation on Sample Road.

The majority of the religious institutions in Coral Springs are churches, and these were quite a number, among which was the Chinese Baptist Church in Coral Ridge Drive. I also passed by the Islamic Centre of Coral Springs, which is a place of worship and community for the Islamic faith believers. The stores in Coral Springs are of diverse sizes, with malls, farmers’ markets such as the one on Sample Road, drug stores, and eateries also quite a number. Fast food restaurants are as many as healthy food restaurants, with KFC, McDonald’s, and other fast food appearing more frequented by residents compared to the restaurants that had empty seats. Lastly, most people in Coral Springs drive around in their personal vehicles. Public transportation includes taxis, the Coral Springs community bus, and the Tri-Rail train services.

Citizen Safety and Protective Services

Coral Springs has 8 fire stations, and these are fire stations # 42, #43, #64, #71, #80, #95, #97, and #109. Th