Population growth means new rules for Whitfield County

Published 6:29 am Friday, March 18, 2011

Whitfield County’s surge in population will result in some big changes. Some are known, some aren’t.

The 2010 census showed Whitfield County with a population of 102,599, up from 83,525 in 2000.

Whitfield County Board of Commissioners Chairman Mike Babb said many state and federal rules are tied to population. Counties with larger populations must meet more rules and more exacting standards than those with smaller ones.

“That is a key number — 100,000 — where a lot of things kick in,” Babb said. “Air pollution rules and burn permits are tied to population and population density. I don’t know exactly how this will affect us, but it will. We’ll find out more I’m sure in the next few weeks and months.”

One change, according to County Attorney Robert Smalley, is that Probate Court judges in counties with at least 100,000 population must be lawyers. That isn’t the case in smaller counties.

The increase in population may also affect the standards for other elected offices as well as the pay of those who hold them.