Kane County expected to grow by 70% Will County to DOUBLE!
By Steve Lord
STAFF WRITER
Courier News 10/22/2003
Population projections
Community / 2000 Census / 2030 estimate
Aurora* / 142,150 / 190,167
Batavia / 23,866 / 31,402
Burlington / 452 / 14,994
Elgin / 94,487 / 162,416
Elburn / 2,756 / 21,126
Geneva / 19,515 / 25,480
Hampshire / 2,900 / 20,393
Huntley / 5,730 / 44,435
Montgomery** / 3,855 / 11,323
Pingree Grove / 124 / 16,908
St. Charles / 27,896 / 36,671
Sugar Grove / 3,909 / 62,742
Kane County / 404,119 / 692,346
* excludes Kendall County** includes only Kane County
GENEVA — The world according to the Northeastern
Illinois Planning Commission, circa 2030, will be quite
different than it was in 2000.
First of all, according to recent population
forecasts approved by the NIPC board, Will County,
rather than DuPage County, will be the second-largest
county in the Chicago area.
NIPC forecasts that Will will more than double in
size, from 502,266 in 2000 to more than 1.1 million
people in 2030. DuPage will increase by less than
100,000 people in that time, from 904,161 to about 1
million people, NIPC said.
And Kane County will increase by more than 70
percent, from 404,119 in 2000 to 692,346 in 2030,
according to NIPC.
While Kane officials have known population would be
at least 650,000 by 2030, the NIPC figures, approved by
the NIPC board last month, came as a surprise.
"This is actually higher than we expected as a
staff," said Sam Santell, Kane County development
planning and special projects director.
Santell presented the figures to the Kane County
Board Development Committee Tuesday. Before Sept. 30,
officials had been dealing with partial or incomplete
estimates. As of Sept. 30, NIPC's forecasts became
official.
The numbers are startling for some area
municipalities. For instance, NIPC estimates that Sugar
Grove, with a population of 3,909 in 2000, will be
62,742 by 2030.
Big growth in small towns
In the north end of the county, NIPC also shows some
startling population predictions for smaller towns west
of Elgin. Huntley will go from 5,730 to 44,435;
Hampshire from 2,900 to 20,393; and Pingree Grove from
124 to 16,908. Elgin is estimated to grow from 94,487
to 162,416.
Central Kane County also will grow. Elburn is
estimated to go from 2,756 to 21,126 and Burlington
from 452 to 14,994. Growth in the Tri-Cities is
projected to be a bit more modest. Those towns and
their projected populations are: St. Charles, 27,896 to
36,671; Geneva from 19,515 to 25,480; and Batavia, from
23,866 to 31,402.
Land plan update needed
Santell said the numbers underscore the importance of
the county's current updating of its 2020 land use plan
to a 2030 plan. County development officials still are
hoping to have that process finished by the middle of
next year.
He said the figures projected for towns like Sugar
Grove, Elburn, Burlington, Hampshire, Huntley and
Pingree Grove show how much the county must fight for
one of the key elements of the 2030 plan — to keep
county land use at 50 percent agricultural.
"That's going to be a challenge for us," he said.
Another challenge will be to find enough drinking
water for the new growth. Just last week, Kane County
Board Chairman Mike McCoy, R-Aurora, predicted that if
anything limited growth in the county, it would be the
availability of drinking water.
Santell said NIPC recently did a water sustainability
study. Officials there currently are comparing their
population projections with the water study.
"However that comes out, it will be significant," he
said.