Unincorporated Collier shows steady growth

It may not come as a shock to anyone, but U.S. census figures being released today show the number of people in Collier County increased significantly in the past year.

And almost all of the growth was outside of the city limits of Naples, Marco Island and Everglades City.

Naples saw an increase of 260 people in 2005 over 2004. Marco saw an increase of 268 people, while Everglades City’s population grew by six to 519.

The unincorporated area of Collier County saw an increase of about 10,000 people, from 258,842 to 268,905, in 2005.

“That doesn’t surprise me a bit,” Collier Commissioner Fred Coyle said upon being told of the figures. “It’s the same rate it’s been the previous few years.”

Most of the land within cities has been developed, so it makes sense that most of the growth is in the unincorporated area, said Coyle, who represents Naples on the commission.

Commissioner Donna Fiala, who represents unincorporated East Naples and the city of Marco Island, looked at the figures and remarked on their consistency over the past few years.

Each year seems to bring about 10,000 new people to Collier, she said.

“We just keep getting new people, and we have to deal with the growth,” Fiala said.

It makes sense that the growth is in unincorporated areas because that’s where there has been the least development in past decades, Fiala said.

Marco Island officials weren’t surprised by the population figures, which showed that the city’s 2004 population of 15,841 grew to 16,109 in 2005.

“This is higher than the number produced by the state, via the Bureau of Business and Economic Research, for April 2005, which is 15,647,” Marco Island Community Development Director Vince Cautero said.

“In any event, the numbers are consistent with our estimates, and I don’t believe there will be any significant impact to the city, either positive or negative, from these estimates,” Cautero said.

Except for the small annexation of Key Marco in September 2004, Marco planners only expect the city to grow within island boundaries.

Key Marco consists of 134 single-family lots, of which about 30 are built or are under construction. Some 15 families reside in the area. Incorporation in 2004 increased Marco’s total area by 956 acres, or about 16 percent.

Despite the exponential growth that’s predicted for the Collier Boulevard corridor just off Marco Island, Cautero said Marco will reach a sustainable population at build-out.

“Our population is expected to rise due to the fact there are still vacant single-family residential lots in the city, and the fact that mixed-use development is likely to continue,” Cautero said.

“We estimated population growth in our comprehensive plan based upon methodologies employed by the state,” he added. “It’s difficult to predict when build-out will occur, but our plan was a 25-year document. New population projections we recently shared with the county show the population at 20,655 in the year 2030.”

Census figures showed Naples’ population grew to 21,709 from 21,479 in 2004, inching up only 1.1 percent — or 3.5 percent from 2000. In comparison, growth from 2003 to 2004 was 0.9 percent.

Last June’s annexation of the Moorings Park retirement community added about 500 residents. Why the Census didn’t reflect that figure couldn’t be determined Tuesday.

City officials hadn’t reviewed the new figures and declined comment.

Naples Planning Manager Stephen Olmsted said city officials rely on estimates prepared by the University of Florida’s Bureau of Economic and Business Research, which estimated Naples’ population as of April 1, 2005, at 22,490. Olmsted said that figure is derived from the census, building permits and construction data, and statistical analysis.

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Staff Writer Aisling Swift contributed to this report.