2.6% Growth in Valley Outpaces L.A. as a Whole

The population of the San Fernando Valley part of Los Angeles grew 2.6% last year, from 1.12 million to 1.15 million, according to new population estimates by the state Department of Finance.

The Valley’s growth outpaced that of the city as a whole, which grew 1.8%, from 3.2 million to 3.3 million, to rank 197th in state population growth.

By contrast, the population of Moorpark grew 11.5% last year, making it the 22nd quickest growing city in California,

Moorpark, where growth has been a political issue for several years, grew from 15,716 on Jan. 1, 1986, to 17,533 at the beginning of this year, according to a population growth table compiled by the Finance Department.

In 1985, the rate was even higher, at 17.6%. But a growth-control initiative was passed by Moorpark voters last November, limiting building permits to 250 a year. The Building Industry Assn. of Southern California has filed a Superior Court suit challenging the law. The suit is pending.

The Finance Department count, based on 1980 census figures updated by statistics such as housing construction permits, school registrations, income tax returns and driver’s license registrations, showed that the state population increased 2.26%, to a total of more than 27.29 million.

Palmdale, where population jumped from 23,555 to 33,083, is the fastest growing city in California, with a growth rate last year of 40.5%. Neighboring Lancaster ranked 21st--third in Los Angeles County--with an 11.8% rate. The two cities added 16,702 inhabitants.

Burbank showed one of the lowest growth rates--1.3%--adding 1,177 residents to reach a population of 90,971, the statistics showed. That was a decrease from the 2% growth rate of the previous year and put Burbank in 240th place among the 377 cities that showed population increases statewide, just ahead of Big Bear Lake and Avalon.

POPULATION INCREASE IN VALLEY AREA

City 1985 1986 1987 ’86 Growth State Rank Moorpark 14,000 15,716 17,533 11.56% 22nd Simi Valley 86,500 89,565 94,316 5.30% 64th Agoura Hills 16,300 17,598 18,489 5.06% 69th Westlake Village 6,900 7,008 7,319 4.43% 88th San Fernando 19,400 19,766 20,230 2.34% 164th Thousand Oaks 94,600 87,059 98,912 1.90% 190th Camarillo 43,900 44,869 45,676 1.79% 202nd Burbank 88,900 89,794 90,971 1.31% 240th