Residents might be surprised to know that Utah County's fastest-growing city isn't actually centered in Utah County - at least according to the U.S. Bureau of Census.
Draper straddles the Utah-Salt Lake county line on Traverse Ridge, a mountain separating the two valleys. The southern Salt Lake County city annexed land in neighboring Utah County a decade ago at the request of developers who envisioned posh community on the mountaintop.Residents in Utah County earlier rejected the development.
Although the project failed, others such as South Mountain moved into replace it. The Utah County side of Draper has apparently mushroomed the past six years.
No Draper residents had crossed the county line as the 1990s dawned. Six years later, according to the census, the population swelled to an estimated 720. The percentage of change as measured from July 1, 1990 to July 1, 1996 was an astronomical 4,135.3 percent.
Not only is Draper Utah County's fastest-growing city, it's the state's fastest-growing city as long as only heads on the Utah County side are counted.
Or is it?
"It couldn't possibly be," said Debby Wilson, Draper economic development coordinator, who recently went up to Traverse Ridge. "There's nobody living up there, except for sheep and cougars."
For the record, the population of the piece of Draper in Utah County remains nil.
Maybe the Census Bureau is playing its own version of Sim City, the computer game in which players create simulated towns. Draper in Utah County has only virtual residents.
Draper has grown rapidly the past few years but not enough to spill across the county line. Wilson figures the Census Bureau used growth factors in the nearby Utah County towns of Alpine and Highland to make its latest projection for part of Draper.
The view is the same from the Utah County side of the mountain.
"I don't think there's anybody up there. That's my conclusion," said Utah County Commissioner Gary Herbert. "And there shouldn't be. That's my editorial."
Utah County commissioners are still smarting over Draper's southward migration.
"I'm probably not the most objective person when it comes to cities crossing county lines. I think it's inappropriate planning," he said. Park City and Green River also are split between two counties.
Alpine and Highland residents aren't looking forward to roads connecting them to Draper and houses trickling over the mountain. But most agree it will happen some day.
Now that Draper is out of the way (for the time being anyway), Woodland Hills moves up as Utah County's fastest-growing city. Well, at least on Census Bureau stationery.
Census figures show the tiny hamlet near Spanish Fork has an estimated 1,244 residents and that it grew 273.6 percent between July 1990 and July 1996.
But town clerk Dana Sargent said Woodland Hills has closer to 800 residents. And a town official called the state Office of Planning and Budget last week to inform it of the error. How much it actually grew would be difficult to estimate based on the apparently inflated census figures.
Not everyone in Utah Valley is questioning the latest census numbers.
Provo Mayor George Stewart is delighted with Provo edging past West Valley City as Utah's second largest city.
"I think it's completely appropriate," he said. "I'm excited to reach that plateau."
After Salt Lake City, he said, Provo is the state's most-happening town in terms of job creation and economic development and the presence of Brigham Young University. Stewart said people also are attracted to Provo because of its low crime rate.
The mayor figures the city can handle 160,000 residents at full build-out. The census estimates Provo had 99,606 residents as of July 1996.
All but three of Utah County's 22 cities grew in population the past six years, according to the census. Only the small towns of Goshen and Cedar Fort lost residents. Vineyard, the county's tiniest burg, held steady at an estimated 152.
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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Population estimates
U.S. Bureau of Census
July 1, 1996 % change from July 1990 to July 1996
Utah County 319,694 18.7
Provo 99,606 12.4
Orem 79,738 14.6
American Fork 19,451 21.3
Pleasant Grove 19,357 40.1
Springville 15,855 12.4
Spanish Fork 14,854 30.1
Lehi 13,810 69.5
Payson 11,139 15.0
Lindon 5,941 48.6
Highland 5,939 18.3
Alpine 5,161 39.4
Mapleton 4,781 29.4
Salem 3,240 38.8
Santaquin 2,686 10.7
Elk Ridge 1,522 96.6
Woodland Hills 1,244 273.6
Genola 888 6.5
Cedar Hills 883 11.6
Draper
(part in Utah County) 720 4135.3
Goshen 570 -1.2
Cedar Fort 276 -3.2
Vineyard 152 0
Eagle Mountain* -- --
* incorporated Dec. 4, 1996