18 THE CHARBONNEAU VILLAGER February 2022
CONTINUED GROWTH
Wilsonville ’ s population rises above 27,000 , up from previous 25,915
BY COREY BUCHANAN
After relatively small upticks the previous two years , Wilsonville ’ s population surged upward in 2021 , according to a Portland State University population survey .
While PSU estimated the city ’ s population to be 25,635 in 2019 and 25,915 in 2020 , the 2021 figure shot up to 27,186 as of July . That amounts to a 4.9 % increase . The city is just a few hundred shy of school district counterpart West Linn ( 27,452 ). Clackamas County , meanwhile , added 3,000 more residents ( up to 425,316 ). PSU ’ s estimates are based on the 2020 census , employment , school enrollment , births , deaths , and other factors .
“ It ’ s ( Wilsonville growth ) really specific to two areas : Frog Pond and Villebois ( neighborhoods ). Anything outside of that is a relatively minor percentage ,” Wilsonville Planning Manager Dan Pauly said .
The city is implementing a new permitting system and thus could not provide permit data for the last fiscal year . However , Pauly noticed that residential permitting had increased in the partially developed Frog Pond West neighborhood along Boeckman Road . He said this wasn ’ t solely due to market factors and was also related to an increase in the availability of lots . The city ’ s data shows that 65 units in that subdivision were owned by someone other than a developer ( therefore indicating occupancy ) as of September , but Pauly said that data could be
PMG FILE PHOTO : JAIME VALDEZ
Wilsonville continues to be one of the fastest-growing cities in the metro region , based on new figures from Portland State University . Frog Pond West , pictured here , is the main area where growth is taking place .
a bit stale . He added that the completion of new subdivisions in that neighborhood in the next year could mean a tripling of occupancy numbers . Frog Pond West is projected to have between 450 and 570 homes .
“ More units are being built out there . There ’ s an indication that as things come online and sales get finalized and reported , it ’ s reflected ( in the data ),” Pauly said .
The other notable area of growth that is still taking place in Wilsonville is in the Villebois neighborhood . The city has received a development application for the final subdivision there and if approved , what ’ s referred to as the Claremont subdivision would add 80 larger lots to the community .
The next frontier will be the Frog Pond East and South neighborhoods next to Frog Pond West . Planning there is slated for completion at the end of 2022 . After that , Pauly said sewer and transportation improvements will need to be completed before significant development begins .
PSU projects Oregon ’ s population to have grown from 4,243,791 on July 1 , 2020 to 4,266,560 on July 1 , 2021 . That increase , a PSU press release stated , comes entirely from migration as deaths exceed births by 2,210 . COV- ID-19 accounted for 6 % of total deaths ( 2,500 total ).
“ Population aging is being felt in many parts of the state . Among Oregon ’ s 36 counties , 27 experienced natural decrease , meaning there were more deaths than births . In many , but not all counties , net in-migration — more people moving in than out — offsets these decreases ,” the release read .
A few of the largest increases in populations among cities were seen in Portland , Salem , Hillsboro and Redmond .
The state ’ s overall population increased by 29,304 , according to the university ’ s research . The press release also noted impacts from last year ’ s wildfires .
“ During the last year , eight counties lost significant numbers of housing units from wildfires during September , 2020 . More than 2,300 homes were destroyed in Jackson County , while Marion County and Lane County had more than 500 destroyed homes in each . Douglas , Klamath , Lincoln , and Linn counties also had housing losses attributable to wildfires ,” the release said .
OUR BEST DEAL EVER ! Less than $ 2 per week Our Pamplin All Access Pass is the deal for you .
�� Your local paper mailed to you every week .
�� The Portland Tribune mailed to you every week .
�� Unlimited access to the Business Tribune .
�� Unlimited access to 26 Pamplin newspaper websites .
�� Weekly newsletter and breaking news alerts .
�� Unlimited access to 26 digital newspapers .
SIGN UP TODAY – www . savinglocalnews . com