Palmdale Leads County in 1992 Population Growth

Two Antelope Valley cities and one in the San Fernando Valley were among the 10 fastest-growing municipalities in Los Angeles County in population last year, according to estimates by the state Department of Finance.

Palmdale led all county cities between January, 1992, and January, 1993. Its population grew from 84,135 to 89,717, or 6.6%, figures indicated.

Lancaster was in second place with a 3% increase, from 104,532 to 107,675.

Calabasas was 10th, with a 2.1% jump from 17,000 to 17,350 people.

Molly Bogh, planning director for the city of Palmdale, credited affordable housing for drawing residents to the city.

Many developers have shrunk the sizes of houses they are building to keep prices between $100,000 and $110,000, Bogh said, and more housing tracts are under construction in Palmdale than in other Antelope Valley areas. Palmdale has long had the highest growth rate among the county’s 88 cities, she noted, adding that the rate has slowed in recent years.

“This rate of growth is easier for the city to handle,” Bogh said. “It’s hard to get the streets in and the schools built when you’re growing very fast.”

Gary Hill, Lancaster’s finance director, said the city’s growth figure was not surprising. Indeed, he won $13 in his office pool in which contestants tried to guess the results of this year’s population count.

“The reason people are moving out here is the quality of life,” Hill said. “We’re having small industries come to the Antelope Valley, and the advantages of being here are more than the disadvantage of being on the freeway.”

In Calabasas, the hike in population was due mainly to the addition of about 90 houses, said Steve Harris, Calabasas community development director.

“The homes that are being built are a little larger, so we have more people per household,” he said.

“But when you’re dealing with such a small population base, any small change will affect the percentage of growth,” Harris added.

Other San Fernando Valley cities grew by 1% or less, according to state figures.

Burbank officials, like several others, said the leveling-off was expected.

“Burbank went through a rapid growth of multifamily residential apartments” in the early 1980s, but the city is essentially built out, said John Libby, a project planner for the city.

San Fernando city officials, however, questioned the figures for their city and felt that overcrowded conditions led to underestimation of population.

“I’m kind of surprised by the numbers,” said Bob Kishita, an associate planner for San Fernando. “I would question that we only grew by 50 people.”

Santa Clarita officials, however, were pleased with their city’s 1.2% growth.

“Given the fact that we’ve grown every year for at least the last decade, we’re not surprised,” said Don Williams, a senior planner.

“It shows the strength of the local economy.”

Valley Population

Population increases over the past year.

TOTAL POPULATION CITY JAN. 1, JAN. 1 % 1992 1993 CHANGE Agoura Hills 20,800 20,950 0.7 Burbank 96,700 97,200 0.5 Calabasas 17,000 17,350 2.1 Glendale 184,200 186,700 1.4 Hidden Hills 1,840 1,840 0 Lancaster 104,500 107,700 3.1 Palmdale 84,100 89,700 6.7 San Fernando 23,500 23,550 0.2 Santa Clarita 121,500 122,900 1.2 Westlake Village 7,550 7,625 1.0

Source: State of California Department of Finance Demographic Research Unit