The Katy school district has received more confirmation that the growth the area is experiencing shows no signs of slowing down. Though the district demographer's report won't come out until later this year, representatives from the development community told the school board Monday night to expect more of the boom that has left some campuses turning parking lots into classroom space with the aid of portable buildings.

The area, which includes the city of Katy as well as the Energy Corridor and land north and south of Interstate 10, including master planned communities, has seen tremendous growth in recent years. "We can't put lots on the ground fast enough to keep up with demand," Kerry Gilbert, a land planning consultant behind developments like Cinco Ranch, told the board. One of Houston's fastest-growing neighborhoods, Cinco Ranch beat out its booming neighbor to the north, The Woodlands, by roughly 10 new housing starts, a measure of new homes under construction, in the past year. Cinco Ranch also outsold The Woodlands in 2013 by more than 200 houses, according to numbers gathered by John Burns Real Estate Consulting, which ranks planned communities across the country.

The district expects to add more than 20,000 housing units by 2018, according to the most recent report from demographers at Population and Survey Analysts.

But it's more than just homes.

Gilbert pointed to some 18 projects along the Interstate 10 Energy Corridor alone. "You will notice that there are a lot of cranes," he said, pointing to projections from the Bureau of Labor Statistics that show Houston, just behind Dallas, leading the state's job-growth numbers in the past year.

"Even through the recession years," said Gilbert, "Katy ISD was growing at a very rapid rate."

The school district is the area's largest employer, with 8,000 employees. But BP America Inc. is close behind with 7,000.

Given the area's steady growth, Lance LaCour, CEO/president of the Katy Area Economic Development Council, said, "In about two years, I think Katy will be larger than the city of Pittsburgh." The area has a population of more than 297,000. The city limits of Pittsburgh has some 305,000 people, according to 2013 Census estimates. According to projections from the demographics firm Altyrex based on Census numbers, LaCour said he feels pretty confident Katy will surpass Pittsburgh.

challenges ahead

It is also expected that much of the growth will involve families earning more than $100,000 annually. LaCour also said the area can expect an increase in housing prices. "It's inevitable," he said.

Gilbert said land, materials and construction costs are all increasing, citing the Grand Parkway project in particular for some of the increase. The district's chief operating officer told the board that the average cost of a home in the Katy area now is around $240,000.

As the area gets richer and bigger, it also faces challenges.

"Mobility is always a challenge and you need to plan for the future," LaCour told board member Henry Dibrell, responding to a question about how all of the growth would affect mobility. Both LaCour and Gilbert pointed to the $185 million bond package approved by voters in 2013 in Fort Bend County for road projects across the county.

"While I don't like the traffic that comes with it," said board member Rebecca Fox, "I do appreciate the development."

Fox moved to the Katy area in the 1990s. "It didn't look anything like this," she said. She applauded both the economic development council for its role in the area's growth and the district's responsiveness to it.

Not last of portables

That responsiveness includes some campuses packed with portables, though the district opened two new elementary schools this year and added 11th grade to Tompkins High School.

Two of the hardest hit by crowding, Morton Ranch High and WoodCreek Junior High, have 33 portables between them. In all, 66 classes are held outside their main school buildings, some in what was once parking or playground space.

The $748 million bond package on the November ballot would help alleviate some of these pressures by building new schools and expanding existing facilities. But it won't mean the end of portables. In fact, the bond includes $2.75 million for 25 new portables.