Smart growth and health for the future: "our course of action" Delaware County, Ohio.

Introduction In 2004, Delaware County, Ohio, was the fast­ est growing county in Ohio and the eleventh fastest growing county in the nation. Even with a 71.4% increase in business establish­ ments, less than 40% of Delaware County res­ idents both live and work in the county. The population increased 30% from April 2000 to July 2004, when it reached 142,503. Delaware County, about 25 miles north of Columbus, has experienced challenges from rapid in­ frastructure development, subdivisions, and population increases. For the past 10 years, Delaware County has built new subdivisions in unincorporated areas being platted at ap­ proximately 3,000 new lots per year. In incor­ porated villages and cities another 1,000 lots are developed each year, adding up to 4,000 new homes, or approximately 10,000 new residents, to the county annually.