The Tacoma News Tribune has a story this morning:
“South Sound growing, but in the right places?”

“Recently released 2010 census figures confirm what clogged freeways and new subdivisions on converted farmland already told us. Despite the recent recession, the Puget Sound region continued to teem with new residents in the past decade.” …

The states 20-year-old Growth Management Act was supposed to put the brakes on sprawl and channel growth into existing cities. But the shape of the South Sounds growth in the first decade of the new century raises the question of how well the law is working and how the region will accommodate hundreds of thousands more residents expected in the next 20 years while keeping its quality of life.

Consider these snapshots of growth in the area:…

“In Yelm, horses graze in a pasture neighboring the Walmart Supercenter, its parking lot bustling with customers. Some 25 eateries now line the citys main street. Try to get through town during the afternoon commute, and youll be in a jam. The former timber town doubled in size from 3,289 to 6,848 between censuses.”

By Kris Sherman with Staff writers Lisa Pemberton and Matt Batcheldor contributed to this report.

The Feb 24th Blog entry here echoes Yelm’s growth figures.

Ed Note:
Regarding this comment: Some 25 eateries now line the citys main street.
Yes, and how many in the last 10 years are franchises with headquarters out of the area to where the profits go back?