Our View: Keep eye on York County growth

Mid-decade population numbers are showing rapid growth in York County.

The U.S Census Bureau’s estimates provide a clue as to the reason. The bureau placed neighboring Mecklenburg County at 1 million residents. A Rock Hill Herald report stated York County’s growth is the fourth fastest in South Carolina, at 2.5 percent. As a percentage, Lancaster County’s growth rate was higher at 3.3 percent, but that’s based on a smaller base number – 83,160. Lancaster also benefits from the same spillover effect from Mecklenburg as does York.

York’s population is now just shy of a quarter of a million. Location has a lot to do with the high rate of growth in both York and Lancaster. The state of South Carolina’s population is now at 4,832,482. North Carolina is now the ninth most populous state in the nation, moving past Michigan.

What do the numbers mean? They suggest our leaders must be more diligent in planning. For the Lake Wylie area, that means the York County leaders because this is an unincorporated area.

An option rumbling through the streets of Lake Wylie for many years has been the need to incorporate. Would that curb over-development?

Observing the ever greater flow of traffic at rush hours across the Buster Boyd Bridge linking Charlotte and Lake Wylie one wonders if gridlock can be far away.

York County leaders must be sure they allocate funds on an equitable basis. That statement holds true for Horry and Beaufort counties. They are impacted by the high rate of migration into to coastal counties of South Carolina.

Our leaders must intensify planning to prevent York County from becoming just a bedroom community of Mecklenburg County. Planning together we can assure a pleasant residential setting. And we will attract the businesses that provide jobs without stressful commutes to employment centers.

This story was originally published April 10, 2015 at 10:04 AM with the headline "Our View: Keep eye on York County growth."