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As of 1999,
Monterey County is the third fastest
growing county in California. The county's
population has increased 35% since 1980
(Table 17), and the Association of
Monterey Bay Area Governments (AMBAG)
projects that it will grow another 37% by
2020 to a population over 536,000 (Table
18). Buildout of city and county general
plans would allow for an increase of 53%,
to about 600,000 people. AMBAG's
population forecast predicts that 83% of
the forecasted growth will be in cities.
The general plans, which typically do not
have a time frame for "buildout" (the
condition expected to occur when general
plans are fully realized and reach their
planned maximum population), show that 75%
of the growth will be in cities. Depending
on whether AMBAG's forecast or the general
plans' estimation is accurate, between 17
to 25% of new growth will occur in the
unincorporated area, rather than in
existing cities where services are
available and can be provided most
efficiently.
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Table
18--Population Forecasts, 1999-2020 and
1999 to Buildout
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Jurisdiction
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1999
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2020(12)
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Percent
Increase
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Buildout(11)
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Percent
Increase
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Cities
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287,600
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408,949
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42%
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443,664
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54%
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Unincorporated
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103,700
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127,660
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23%
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155,100
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50%
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Total
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391,300
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536,609
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37%
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598,764
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53%
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