6.0. SR 10-27-1997 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Sherburne presses Washington for title of fastest-growing county JIM BROEDE STAFF WRITER Washington County has been touted at 'times as being the fastest draw in Minne- sota. But now', the county perched on the 'east side of the Twin Cities metro area may have to relinquish bragging rights to growing faster than any other county. State research analyst Barbara Ron- ningen says Sherburne County, on the north fringe of the Twin Cities region, had a population growth rate of 28.4 percent between 1990 and 1996. Washington County ranked second, growing by 24.6 percent during the same six-year period. ~.-, But then, some interpreters of statis- 'tics might contend that Washington Coun- .ty still draws more numbers, making it the fastest growing in total population, rather than in percentage. After all, its population increased by 31,000, from 145,000 to 181,000; while Sherburne Coun- ty's gain was 12,000 people, from 42,000 to 54,000. Ronningen, who works for the Minne- sota Planning Office, unveiled the state's latest population trends last week at a meeting of the Washington County Board. In an interview after the meeting, she said there's no foreseaable slowdown in Washington County's growth rate. "People like the many amenities they find in Washington County," she said. "But it's mostly the location they like and the easy access along freeways to St. Paul and Minneapolis." Ronningen is among those lured to Washington County. She lives in rural Alton. "Some rural areas will take much of the future growth," she said, "in places like West Lakeland, Baytown, Grant and May. There's lots of vacant, buildable land out there." Ronningen also attributes much of the recent growth to pro-development poli- cies in Woodbury, which has emerged as Minnesota's fastest-growing city. Meanwhile, it appears that Washington County's recent growth is coming much faster than the state demographers once thought. "They predicted four years ago that the county's population would be 165,000 in 1996/' Ronningen said. "But it was 181,000, and it's about 186,000 now." The state's longer-term forecast called for Washington County to grow to 191,000 by 2010 and 208,000 by 2020. "Obviously, those also are going to miss the mark by large margins," Ron- ningen said. "We'll have a more realistic, revised forecast early next year." MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1997 SAINT PAUL PIONEER PRESS