Sat, Apr 5, 2008

By ANNA FERGUSON
The Brunswick News

Jeannie Kirkland has seen her fair share of regional change.

Having lived in Glynn County for more than 30 years, she has watched the county become permeated with shiny new subdivisions and strip malls.

As a real estate agent, Kirkland has kept a very close eye on the development boom that has occurred over the past decade.

It made Glynn County, with its increasing population and commercial explosion, the place to watch in southeast Georgia.

"For the last 10 years especially, all these new houses have just come up," she said. "It was continual growth."

The spotlight on growth may be in the process of changing. Camden County has surpassed Glynn County's rate of population growth, according to a recent U.S. Census Bureau report.

In tallying the 100 fastest growing counties in the nation, the census cited Camden as No. 92. Glynn County did not register even as much as a mention in the report.

Glynn County still has more people – an estimated 73,630 in 2006 – but headcount gains are slowing down.

From July 2006 to July 2007, Camden County's population ballooned by more than 1,600 – jumping from 47,005 to 48,689.

Linda Runyan admits to being slightly surprised to hear of Camden's 3.6 percent population surge. Working as a real estate agent in several counties along the coast, including Glynn and Camden, Runyan noted that residential growth in Camden is steadier than in Glynn.

But, she said, retail growth in Glynn is happening more quickly than in other coastal counties.

"Camden might be growing with more residents, but I'd say Glynn is pulling ahead with more commercial growth," she said.

Christine Daniels, though, was not surprised at all to hear that her county was flourishing on such a scale. Having lived in Camden County for seven years, she has seen the county's population mount at a steady pace.

"Camden County is a great place to live," she said. "There are so many people looking for what we have and want to be a part of it. Who wouldn't want to live here?"

Daniels, president of the Camden County Chamber of Commerce, offers an insider's view to the county's growth. The county's close proximity to Jacksonville, as well as Naval Submarine Base King's Bay, a growth in industry and a solid school system have been major draws for newcomers, she said.

But in her opinion, it's the congenial feel of the community that has brought in new residents.

"People are interested in Camden County," she said. "When anyone visits, they fall in love with the area. I hear a lot from visitors that everyone they meet is so helpful and friendly. And everyone wants to live on the coast."

When one county grows, it will inevitably thump a significant impact on surrounding areas, and this case is no different, said Nathan Sparks, executive director of the Brunswick and Glynn County Development Authority. Growth in Camden County has had – and continues to have – resounding effects on Glynn County and other coastal communities.

"It's neither a good nor a bad thing. It's just reality," Sparks said. "Its economic impacts reach beyond just Camden County."

Though the nation's economy is lagging and possibly headed for a recession, a slowdown in coastal growth is not on the docket. Rather, the area is projected to keep moving in the opposite direction.

In the next 15 to 25 years, coastal Georgia's population will skyrocket. Tourism, industry and affordable housing make the region an easy sell, Sparks said.

"In general, (we) are experiencing huge growth and will continue to do so across the area," Sparks said. "Coastal Georgia is more than just a pretty face. It has a lot to offer."