Naples-Marco among fastest-growing metros in U.S.

If all of Collier County were considered a city, its population and rate of growth would rank about even with those of the city of Bakersfield in California.

U.S. Census population numbers being released today reiterate what statisticians knew in March: that Collier’s population saw a 25.2 percent hike between July 1, 2000, and July 1, 2006, from 251,377 to 314,649 residents.

In that same time period, the city of Bakersfield grew by 26.7 percent from 243,451 in July 2000 to 308,392 in July 2006.

Meanwhile, the census lists the Naples-Marco Island metropolitan statistical area as one of the 10 fastest-growing U.S. metro areas, right behind St. George, Utah; Greeley, Colo.; Cape Coral-Fort Myers; Bend, Ore.; Las Vegas-Paradise, Nev.; and Provo-Orem, Utah.

As the third-fastest growing U.S. metropolitan statistical area, Fort Myers-Cape Coral saw a 29.6 percent population growth between July 2000 and July 2006, increasing by 130,456 residents, from 440,888 to 571,344.

Asked to speculate on why Lee leads Collier in the rate of population growth, Southwest Florida leaders offered a variety of answers.

“Remember, Lee is larger and at the ‘hub’ of the regional marketplace. Its investment in regional infrastructure helps position it for growth. Investments like the airport, (Florida Gulf Coast University,) Edison College, public schools, the robust road network and other infrastructure, including available competitive-priced commercial/industrial real estate, help accommodate the growth,” said Steve Tirey, president and chief executive officer of The Chamber of Southwest Florida.

Also, there are more housing choices, Tirey observed.

“We have the best market for buyers that we have seen in over a decade,” Tirey said. “The fact that municipal governments and Lee County government have invested in roads, fresh and wastewater service, and a good solid waste plan provides a good environment for the quality of life. There are more available places for people to live, at competitive prices, in Lee than any other county in the region.”

Corporate management consultant Martha Bibby of Bibby Enterprises in Collier is treasurer of the nonprofit Collier County Housing Development Corp., a developer of affordable housing that isn’t associated with Collier government. She suggested that land in Lee is more affordable.

“That translates into more opportunities for families to move into the area,” the former banker said. “Admittedly, I am somewhat biased on the subject of affordable housing, but I have witnessed, firsthand, the effect of the cost to live in Collier County. My former assistant moved to Cape Coral because it was less expensive to buy a home. I eventually lost her as an employee because of the commute, another issue that traumatizes our residents and work force.

“It’s an interesting dilemma: Collier workers live in Lee County because it is more affordable; Lee County workers move to Charlotte County for the same reason, and so on. When you have sheriff’s and fire department employees who live outside the county because of the cost of housing here, is it any wonder our essential service providers are struggling?” Bibby asked. “And, I believe we all know there are similar situations in the health care, education and other industries. All of this ‘out-of-area’ housing causes more congestion on our roadways. It’s a seemingly never-ending scenario.”

Collier Building Industry Association executives see the situation somewhat similarly.

“Many factors are in play, (but the) cost of housing and essential needs such as food and gas are much less in Lee ... so it is more desirable to the working class,” said Brenda Talbert, CBIA executive vice president. “The costs to build and develop (have) been lower in Lee (and) there is a less-restrictive policy toward growth and planning for growth.”

CBIA President Michele Harrison is vice president of Gates Total Solutions (formerly Gates McVey), a company that has offices in Collier, Lee and Charlotte. She expressed the frustrations more openly.

“Collier is very anti-growth and anti-business, as exampled by the threat of moratoria. Lee County is open to both, and impact fees are much less there. Very frustrating, indeed,” Harrison said.

Harrison was referring to an agreement by three Collier County commissioners to consider a building moratorium for planned unit developments. That notion is a big question mark right now, because it would take a vote of at least four of five commissioners to pass an ordinance of that magnitude, and Commissioners Jim Coletta and Tom Henning have vowed to vote against it.

However, there is something to be said for redevelopment efforts that replenish Collier’s population, and keep the stats up.

“Define growth! What is it to you? What does it mean to the government?” asked David Jackson, executive director of Collier’s Bayshore Gateway Triangle Community Redevelopment Agency.

“Redevelopment can be growth. (It is) tearing down old and building new, but not building something where there wasn’t something before.”

While the “growth” won’t be the kind of “sprawl” that calls for new roads and new utility installation, redevelopment can be growth — the type that results in fewer costs and “not adding to the sprawl,” he said.

Also, redevelopment becomes smart growth if density bonuses are included in the mix — residential bonuses that are added to the underlying land density — then the government has “grown the amount of population the land can support,” he said.

It results in “unplanned burden on (water, sewers, parks) but less burden on transportation because people are closer to jobs (and) commercial (and) medical services,” Jackson said.

10 Fastest-Growing U.S. Metropolitan Statistical Areas (July 2000 to July 2006)

(By percentage of population)

St. George, Utah............39.8 percent

Greeley, Colo.................31.0 percent

Cape Coral-Fort Myers...29.6 percent

Bend, Ore.......................29.3 percent

Las Vegas-Paradise.........29.2 percent

Provo-Orem, Utah...........25.9 percent

Naples-Marco Island........25.2 percent

Raleigh-Carey, N.C.........24.8 percent

Gainesville, Ga................24.4 percent

Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, Ariz..............24.2 percent

* More than four-fifths of all U.S. metropolitan statistical areas — or, 305 out of 361 — had a larger population on July 1, 2006, than on April 1, 2000. The 50 fastest-growing metro areas grew by at least 13.8 percent between 2000 and 2006, which is more than double the nation’s total population gain of 6.4 percent during the same time period. As of July 1, 2006, the 361 U.S. metro statistical areas were home to 249.2 million people, or 83.2 percent of the nation’s population.

U.S. Census fast facts

• While the New York metropolitan statistical area remained the nation’s most populous metropolitan statistical area with 18.8 million residents on July 1, 2006, the greater Atlanta metropolitan area saw the largest increase of residents in raw numbers, increasing by 890,211 between 2000 and 2006 from 4,248,012 to 5,138,223. It is the largest numerical gain of the nation’s 361 metro areas. Included with New York’s numbers: Long Island and Northern New Jersey.

• The 50 fastest-growing metropolitan areas are concentrated in the West and South. Of the 50 fastest-growing metro areas, none were in the Northeast. York-Hanover, Pa., was the fastest-growing metro area in the Northeast, but ranked 95th in the nation.

• The New Orleans area experienced the greatest numeric loss of people from 2000 to 2006, following by Pittsburgh, Pa.; Cleveland, Ohio; Biloxi, Miss.; and Weirton-Steubenville, West Va.-Ohio.