West of the stately homes multiplying on the shores of Lake Norman, development is expected to follow the completion of an improved U.S. 321, and open farmland invites new subdivisions. Many county officials are confident that new growth management policies have Lincoln prepared for what's to come. But some residents are concerned that not enough is being done to prepare for new development. In the east, some residents are trying to form a new town partly so they can do their own planning. In the west, others are discussing ways to cap growth.
Building permits are a good indicator of the growth of new residences and businesses.
Not surprisingly, East Lincoln was at the vanguard of the growth, but the more rural west also showed strong gains. Commercial and industrial permits accounted for less than 4 percent of the total. The county's population has grown accordingly, more than 15 percent from 1990-97, the U.S. Census Bureau estimates. The state planning office projects an almost 37 percent increase from 1997-2020. Expect more of the same in the years to come, County Manager Rick French says.