New Residents Still Pouring Into Corona

Corona grew almost 14% in 1989, making it the state’s second-fastest-growing city with a population of 50,000 or more, according to new state estimates.

Only Palmdale, a bedroom community for employees who work in Los Angeles, increased in population at a faster rate, growing 23.21% to 56,476, according to the Demographic Research Unit of the Department of Finance. Corona grew 13.55% to 69,980.

As in the past, city officials attribute much of the increase to an influx of employees from Orange and Los Angeles counties who have moved east seeking lower-priced housing. Corona is just 4.1 miles from the Orange County border.

Overall, Riverside County was the fastest-growing county in the state, increasing 8.3% to 1,110,000.

In 1988, Corona was the fastest-growing city with a population over 50,000 when it grew 16.8% to 61,631.

Aleta Laurence, Corona’s deputy planning director, said the housing market has softened, as shown by a slight decline in the number of building permit requests received over the past year.

For the past year, the Chamber of Commerce has advertised Corona as “California’s Fastest-Growing Large City” on promotional calendars. But as far as chamber officials are concerned, Corona will hold on to the distinction.

Jim Bradley, the executive vice president of the Chamber of Commerce, noted that at the start of 1989, Palmdale had 45,839 residents and had yet to pass the 50,000 mark, which qualifies it for the category of a “large city.”

Bradley said the chamber will continue to use the motto but also stress that Corona growth has been balanced, with new city services keeping pace with the population boom.

“It does carry a certain amount of prestige,” Bradley said. “It shows a positive side of your city as long as you do it right. But if it’s just (showing) growth for growth’s sake, then it’s suicidal.”

In Palmdale, city officials are awaiting word from the Center for the Continuing Study of the California Economy before deciding whether to claim to be the fastest-growing city. The center annually releases a report on the growth or decline of cities’ economic base, such as sales and property taxes.

Tom Combiths, Palmdale’s deputy city administrator said those figures will demonstrate that Palmdale is more prosperous, as well as booming in population.

Meanwhile, figures show that the city of Norco, just north of Corona, actually lost population over the year, dropping 0.2% to 25,342.

But James Daniels, the city redevelopment director, said the figure includes residents of the California Rehabilitation Center, which reduced the number of inmates over the year from 4,890 to 4,808. When those residents are taken out, the city actually grew from 20,494 to 20,534.

Daniels added that Norco grew at a rate slower than Corona because of more restrictive zoning ordinances, one of which limits single-family lot sizes to nothing smaller than half an acre. Norco also has only about 3,500 acres of land left for development.

In Orange County, Yorba Linda posted the biggest gain among large cities. It grew at a rate of 9.36% to 52,367 to place sixth among large city growth rates.

CALIFORNIA’S FASTEST-GROWING CITIES

Population 50,000 and over

City Jan. 1, 1989 Jan. 1, 1990 % Change 1. Palmdale 45,839 56,476 23.21 2. Corona 61,631 69,980 13.55 3. Moreno Valley 102,286 114,903 12.34 4. Fontana 78,390 87,381 11.47 5. Vista 61,661 67,832 10.01 6. Yorba Linda 47,883 52,367 9.36 7. Vacaville 64,677 70,628 9.20 8. Rancho Cucamonga 105,292 114,954 9.18 9. Rialto 64,659 70,335 8.78 10. Lancaster 82,146 88,732 8.02

Source: California Department of Finance