2026 2 20 Strategic Summit Packet

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City Population Growth Factors 
The city's population increased from 13,458 in 2010 to 14,084 in 2020, an increase of 626 people or4.65% 
over ten years. The city's 2025 population is estimated to be 15,300, an increase of 1,216 people or 8.63% 
since 2020. The city's 2030 population is expected to be 15,878, an increase of 578 people or 3.77%. 
The city's public-school enrollment mirrors the population increase. City school enrollment increased 
from 1,690 in 2015 to 1,749 in 2020, an increase of 59 students or 3.49% over five years. City school 
enrollment for 2025 is estimated to be 1,760, an increase of only 11 students or 0.63% over five years. 
The number of city sanitation customers increased from 4,485 in July 2020 to 4,603 in January 2026, an 
increase of only 118 customers or 2.6% over five+ years. Sanitation collections also mirror the number of 
customer increases. 
• Residential garbage collection increased from 4,677 tons during FY 2020-21 to 4,691 tons during 
FY 2024-25, an increase of only 0.30% over five years. 
• Commercial/industrial garbage collection increased from 5,098 tons during FY 2020-21 to 5,242 
tons during FY 2024-25, an increase of 2.82% over five years. 
• Brush/junk collection increased from 531 tons during FY 2020-21 to 653 tons during FY 2024-
25, an increase of 23% over five years. 
Single family home building permits issued averaged about two permits per month since FY 2020-21 
taking into consideration the outlier during FY 2022-23 when DR Horton built 142 homes that year. 
The U.S. population is projected to substantially decrease over the next few decades which will impact the 
city's overall growth. 
Strategy Based on Population Growth 
Taking into consideration historical and projected city population figures, historical city public-school 
enrollment figures, historical city sanitation customers and garbage collection figures, and historical single 
family home building permits issued, all these_ growth factors point to a very small increase in city 
population during the upcoming years. Even though several new residential developments have been 
recently approved or being approved (Davis Place The Preserve (41 houses), Cedar Springs (preliminary 
plat of 89 houses has expired), Lee Drive/Fox Den (66 houses), and Belle Chase (7 houses), these 
developments are slow to develop, and no additional residential developments are in the works. Future 
population projections for the city are expected to be very minimal taking into consideration that the U.S. 
population projection is trending significantly downward and overall age is trending dramatically upward. 
Based .on this data pointing to a very low future population growth, the city's strategy should be to: 
✓ attract/incentivize all types of residential home builders and at different price points including 
market-rate apartments/townhome builders, senior housing builders, and single-family home 
builders to the appropriate zoned areas within the city that have utility capacity using a 
streamlined/quick/clear/predictable permitting process. One idea could be to actively pursue a 
developer to construct appropriate homes on the city-owned North City School 10.28 acre property 
that is zoned R-2 (Medium Density Residential) 
✓ provide existing public services at a higher quality and only expand public services commensurate 
with additional housing units if those additional housing units occur 
✓ shed existing city services/programs that do not provide a clear return on investment 
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