 Recent plans utilizing visual preference surveys include Denver, Topeka, New Castle, and Orlando.Visual Preference Surveys have been criticized for potentially eliciting inaccurate measurements of a communities preference.As planner Reid Ewing has noted , “when you show citizens stark images of new suburban subdivisions or strip centers versus beautified images from America’s finest small towns, the outcome is predictable and largely meaningless.”

For accurate results, a visual preference survey must adhere to sound research design