Savannah Morning News

1A | Intown | Local News | West Chatham
Larry Peterson | Friday, June 29, 2007

Neighborhoods continue to grow in west Chatham County and the expanding towns there, such as Pooler, Bloomingdale and Port Wentworth. (Photo: Carl Elmore)

The influx of people to Pooler- 83 percent between July 2000 and July 2006 - is the leading edge of a population boom on the perimeter of Savannah.

Pooler is well on its way to doubling its population since the 2000 census.

The number of people there - up 83 percent between July 2000 and July 2006 - is the leading edge of a demographic boom on Savannah's perimeter.

"It's not growth," said City Clerk Maribeth Lindler, a 20-year resident of the westside Chatham County community. "It's more like an explosion.

"We've had pure pandemonium - builders building thousands of houses at a time."

Meanwhile, Savannah itself continued to lose population and Chatham County grew only slightly.

That's according to the U.S. Census Bureau, which on Thursday released its latest estimates of population growth across the nation.

The new numbers - which also show Effingham County's population up by 30.4 percent and Bryan County's up 26.6 percent - reflect recent trends.

But the healthy numbers didn't seem to cause much of a stir Thursday.

"You're just getting second-ring growth," said Judy Hadley, a statistical research analyst for the Governor's Office of Planning and Budget in Atlanta. "It's mostly people moving out of Savannah for a little more land and house for their dollars. It's nothing new.

"Around Atlanta, we have third- and fourth-ring growth."

State Rep. Ron Stephens, R-Savannah, chairman of the House Economic Development and Tourism Committee, sees other factors.

Stephens cited the arrival of Northerners who initially settled in Florida, then opted to move to the Georgia coast.

"Coastal Georgia is a hidden treasure that people are starting to find," he said.

Stephens also said the success of the port of Savannah as well as state regulatory and tax policies that promote jobs and businesses have attracted new residents.

Savannah developer Ed Feiler said it was only logical that growth be focused to the west and south of Savannah.

Escalating housing costs in Savannah played a role, and most of the land east of Savannah - the islands area - is already developed, Feiler said.

"Besides," he quipped, "you start running into a little bit of water."

State Rep. Buddy Carter, R-Pooler, was only mildly surprised by the extent of his city's growth.

"I knew there was a lot of growth, but these numbers are somewhat higher than what I expected," Carter said.

It helps that Pooler is near the intersection of Interstate 95 and I-16, he said.

"There is no better place to live in terms of access to work and business," Stephens agreed.

Carter and Feiler said farsighted planning for other major west-county roads literally paved the way for growth in Pooler.

Lindler described Pooler's appeal in more personal terms.

"It's convenient," she said. "You can get to Savannah quickly. But you don't have to go to Savannah much.

"The eye doctor, the dentist and the family practice physician are right here. If we get a mall, we'll really be on the map."

Dennis Hutton of the Chatham County-Savannah Metropolitan Planning Commission said the new numbers understate Chatham's growth.

Hutton, the MPC's comprehensive planning director, said a study prepared by Georgia Tech arrived at higher figures and is more reliable.

He said the MPC is assuming more rapid growth as it tries to decide what transportation improvements are needed to cope with the influx of people.

In any case, Feiler and others said, the July 2006 figures don't reflect major developments planned for westside Savannah and Port Wentworth.

Those projects are expected to add tens of thousands of new residents to those areas by 2030.

The consensus appears to be that the upward trend is not going to flatten any time soon.

"I can't think of anything that is likely to change it," said Hadley of the governor's planning and budget office.

Feiler concurred.

"We are not peaking out by any stretch of the imagination," he said. "In my mind, we are just getting started."