March 16, 2006

When development attorney Jordan Rose used to tell people she was going to Pinal County, the response was usually a blank look followed by a disinterested “Where?” or an incredulous “Why?” In just the five years her firm has been doing business in the county, that’s all changed, Rose said.

“Now, I say ‘Pinal County,’ and they say ‘Oh! How can we get in on the boom?’ ” she said.

That boom Pinal County residents have been living was confirmed by the U.S. Census Bureau in numbers released today — they pinpointed the county as having the nation’s seventh-fastest rate of growth on a percentage basis among counties with 10,000 people or more. The ranking was based on population growth between July 1, 2004, to July 1, 2005, when Pinal County grew by 6.9 percent, from 214,704 people to 229,549.

Similarly, more people moved into Maricopa County in the 12 months ending last July 1 than any other county in the country. The U.S. Census Bureau puts the county’s population at 3,635,528. That is more than 135,000 additional residents over the 12 months — a rate that translates to 375 people a day, or close to 16 people every hour around the clock. But those new residents were not enough to make it the fastest growing county on a percentage basis, standing only 93rd nationwide with its 3.9 percent growth over the 12-month period.

Pinal County’s growth did catapult it into the top 10 list of fastest-growing counties — a distinct change from its 2003-04 ranking of 46th. And though the effects of growth have been evident, the new ranking was a shock to some, including state Rep. Cheryl Chase, R-Kearny, who represents the county’s District 23.

“I knew we were growing, but I had no idea we were in that category,” Chase said.

But, Chase said, she probably shouldn’t be surprised. The latest figures mean the county has grown by almost 28 percent since the 2000 census.

“We are way behind, and we have needed a hospital and we need the universities,” she said. The county’s single hospital, Casa Grande Regional, and programs at Central Arizona College need to be augmented and complemented with more facilities, she said.

“We’ve got a lot of things available that we didn’t have before,” Chase said. “But we’re already so far behind. I don’t know when it’s going to catch up.”

A bill sponsored by Chase that would require the county’s board of supervisors to expand from three to five members as soon as possible rather than as planned in 2012 is necessitated by growth, Chase said. The measure was approved by the Arizona House and moved on to the Senate on Tuesday.

The Pinal County Board of Supervisors spent part of its work session Wednesday working on developing another measure necessitated by growth: A noise ordinance. District 2 Supervisor Sandie Smith said the 131-year-old county has never had one, but now needs noise abatement for its pockets of urban growth.

New concerns such as that, along with the need to provide infrastructure such as transportation and law enforcement for growth in areas, make the census ranking more of a challenge than an honor, Smith said.

“I don’t strive to be first in growth or even seventh in growth,” she said. “I would rather it be a lot more steady, rather than so fast. But we just live with it and figure out how to meet those challenges.”

Then there’s the challenge of making sure those who move to the county spend the majority of their time — and money — there.

Bill Bridwell, a Casa Grande resident and county activist, said demographics data shows that new residents coming to the county “A) make more money than the average, typical residents and B) that they’re better educated.”

“So, you’re getting this growing segment of commuter residents that really don’t have a future here,” Bridwell said. “We’ve got to get some core industry in for jobs, otherwise we become a bedroom community.”

If new residents can live and work in the county, they’ll “become better in tune to the area, become a part of the fabric of what we are,” Bridwell said. “(The growth) is kind of double-edged . . . it’s an opportunity, and it’s a challenge.”

Contact Sara Thorson by email, or phone (480) 898-6574