3.0 EXISTING ROCKINGHAM COUNTY CONDITIONS 3.1 Population
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3.0 EXISTING ROCKINGHAM COUNTY CONDITIONS 3.1 Population Rockingham County experienced a steady increase in population during the past several decades. In particular, the County population increased nearly seven percent between 1990 and 2000 (see Table 6 below). It is estimated that the County population reached 92,614 persons in 2005, and this resulted in less than a one percent increase in population in the five years since 2000. This seems to project a more modest increase in County population by the end of this current decade (assuming the estimated trend remains constant). Table 6 – Rockingham County Population Growth (1980-2005) Numeric Percent Year Population Change Change 1980 83,426 n/a n/a 1990 86,064 2,638 3.16% 2000 91,928 5,864 6.81% 2005 92,614 686 0.75% Source: US Census Bureau, 2006 In terms of population change within specific geographic areas of Rockingham County, Table 7 below depicts the County’s municipal growth trends between 1990 and 2000. Reidsville and Eden were the only municipalities that experienced population growth during this period, and Reidsville had the highest increase–nearly 20%. However, Reidsville’s population increase was due in part to an annexation that occurred in 1990. The town of Wentworth is not included in Table 7 because it was not incorporated until 1998. Table 7 – Rockingham County Municipal Population Growth (1990-2000) 1990 2000 Numeric Percent Municipality Population Population Change Change Eden 15,238 15,908 670 4.40% Madison 2,371 2,262 -109 -4.60% Mayodan 2,471 2,417 -54 -2.19% Reidsville 12,183 14,485 2,302 18.90% Stoneville 1,109 1,002 -107 -9.65% Source: US Census Bureau, 2005 Table 8 below reveals each municipality’s estimated growth since 2000. Mayodan and Reidsville are estimated to have increased in population over the five-year time span. However, these gains have slightly offset total municipal population losses resulting in an overall net increase of only 0.27%. The overall trend in the number of municipalities with declining population growth (from 1990 to 2000) remains unchanged. A Land Use Plan for Managing Growth: Rockingham County, North Carolina 1 Table 8 – Rockingham County Municipal Population Growth Estimate (2000-2005) 2000 2005 Numeric Percent Municipality Population Population Change Change Eden 15,908 15,679 -229 -1.44% Madison 2,262 2,239 -23 -1.02% Mayodan 2,417 2,497 80 3.31% Reidsville 14,485 14,778 293 2.02% Stoneville 1,002 988 -14 -1.40% Wentworth 2,779 2,777 -2 -0.07% Source: US Census Bureau, 2006 Table 9 below compares population changes for each of Rockingham County’s eleven townships. Townships are mostly uniform geographic regions countywide, and the US Census Bureau typically includes any municipal incorporated areas when compiling township demographic statistics (see Map 9 for a geographic orientation of Rockingham County’s township and municipal boundaries). However, municipal population was not included in Table 9 in order to draw a growth comparison between the incorporated and unincorporated areas of Rockingham County. Unlike the municipalities, the majority of the County’s townships showed significant population growth between 1990 and 2000. In particular, Huntsville, New Bethel, and Williamsburg Townships had the highest population increase during this ten-year period. All three of these townships are located along Rockingham County’s southern border adjacent to Guilford County. It should be noted that the Town of Wentworth’s incorporation in 1998 produced an “artificially” high population decline for Wentworth Township. Table 9 – Rockingham Townships (Unincorporated Areas) Population Growth (1990-2000) 1990 2000 Numeric Percent Township Population Population Change Change Huntsville 4,110 5,364 1,254 30.51% Leaksville 6,729 5,603 -1,126 -16.73% Madison 3,425 3,459 34 0.99% Mayo 4,879 6,306 1,427 29.25% New Bethel 4,154 5,755 1,601 38.54% Price 1,481 1,591 110 7.43% Reidsville 5,884 5,298 -586 -9.96% Ruffin 5,284 5,669 385 7.29% Simpsonville 4,889 3,728 -1,161 -23.75% Wentworth 7,891 5,755 -2,136 -27.07% Williamsburg 3,966 4,547 581 14.65% Sourc e: US Census Bureau, 2005 Recent population growth can be compared between Rockingham County’s A Land Use Plan for Managing Growth: Rockingham County, North Carolina 2 incorporated and unincorporated areas. Table 10 below shows that from 2000 to 2005 the unincorporated areas (townships not including municipal populations) gained slightly more in population than incorporated areas. This seems to be reversing the trend that occurred between the years 1990 and 2000 when the County’s incorporated areas experienced nearly 17% in population growth compared to less than 1% for the unincorporated areas. However, if the Town of Wentworth’s 1998 incorporation is not included, then the growth comparison between the incorporated and unincorporated areas is much closer-8.10% and 6.00% respectively-during this decade. Table 10 – Rockingham County Incorporated and Unincorporated Area Population Growth Comparison (2000-2005) 2000 2005 Percent % Change % Change no Population Population Change 1990-2000 Wentworth Incorporated 38,853 38,958 0.27% 16.42% 8.10% Unincorporated 53,075 53,656 1.09% 0.73% 6.00% Source: US Census Bureau, 2006 3.2 Housing Construction Over the past six years, Rockingham County has experienced an overall declining trend in new housing construction. This overall trend can be largely attributed to the recent downturn in the regional and national economies. However, in 2004 the County experienced its first increase in housing development since 2000 with the issuance of 547 residential building permits countywide (see Figure 3 below). Permits for residential construction include four major categories: traditional “stick” built, modular, double-wide manufactured homes, and single-wide manufactured homes. Multi-family construction (i.e., apartment units) is not included due to the low number of permits that have been issued for this type of residential development in recent years. Residential permits issued annually in municipal areas are also included in Figure 3 . A Land Use Plan for Managing Growth: Rockingham County, North Carolina 3 In terms of where this housing development is occurring, Figure 4 below breaks down housing construction among Rockingham County’s eleven Figure 3 - Rockingham County Annual New Residential Construction 800 699 700 660 603 600 510 547 500 509 400 300 Building Permits Building 200 100 0 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 Year townships. Each township’s number of residential building permits issued for new residential construction is “stacked” upward by year. Municipal incorporated areas are also included with the townships in Figure 4 . Over the past five years, most new residential development has occurred in Huntsville and New Bethel Townships. Both townships are located along the County’s southwestern border with Guilford County. In general, Rockingham County’s southern townships are experiencing higher levels of new residential growth than the northwestern townships of Madison, Mayo, and Price. As previously discussed, proximity and accessibility to Guilford County (i.e., the greater metropolitan area of the City of Greensboro), and Rockingham County’s relatively lower tax rates, land prices, and development densities likely plays a major role in this general development pattern, and increases the desirability of land use conversion to residential subdivisions . Source: Rockingham County Planning & Tax Departments, 2006 A Land Use Plan for Managing Growth: Rockingham County, North Carolina 4 Figure 4 - Rockingham Townships Annual New Residential Construction 600 500 400 2005 2004 300 2003 200 2002 2001 Building Permits Building 100 2000 0 e rg on yo el c th s a h r bu M Pri s idsville Ruffin sonville two Madi e p am Huntsville Leaksville ew Bet R en im W N S Willi Township Source: Rockingham County Planning & Tax Departments, 2006 Map 10 – Rockingham County Township Permits 2000-2005 depicts each township’s respective number of building permits issued for new residential development between the years 2000 to 2004. In other words, the building permit information shown in Figure 4 above is illustrated geographically in Map 10. Rockingham County has experienced a dramatic shift in the type of residential development constructed since 2000 (see Figure 5 below). It is evident that the overall decline in residential construction is largely attributed to the strong reduction in manufactured housing units between 2000 and 2005 (i.e., double-wide manufactured home is labeled MHDW and single-wide manufactured home is labeled MHSW). This is the result, in part, of stricter County zoning requirements for manufactured homes implemented in the late 1990s. Figure 5 also reveals a “spike” upward in new stick built housing units constructed in 2004 when 301 building permits were issued. This is the most new homes built during the past 13 years (since accurate records have been kept). It remains to be seen, however, if this upward trend continues. The highest and lowest number of building permits issued for each residential category is labeled in bold numerals in Figure 5 . For the purpose of definition, modular residential units are taxed (i.e., real property) and regulated by State building code similar to conventional stick built homes. A Land Use Plan for Managing Growth: Rockingham County, North Carolina 5 Figure 5 - Rockingham County Annual New Residential Construction Types 350 300 301 250 222 228 Stick Built 200 MHDW 192 150 MHSW No. Units No. Modular 100 67 78 50 66 44 0 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 Year Source: Rockingham County Planning & Tax Departments, 2006 Map 11 – Rockingham County Major Subdivisions shows the location of major subdivisions developed over the past ten years. A major subdivision typically involves a planned residential site development containing seven or more lots, requires zoning and technical review approvals, and requires the proper design and construction of necessary public infrastructure that may include dedicated roads, storm water management facilities, and public water supply.