Jefferson City is moving forward with annexation plans, looking to promote further economic development in the area by boosting population numbers.
At a recent neighborhood meeting on annexation efforts on the western side of the city, City Administrator Nathan Nickolaus said by increasing the city population, there are greater chances of attracting more franchises, businesses and industries to the area.
Many nationwide businesses, restaurants and corporations have certain requirements when choosing new locations, he said, and one of the most common requirements centers around population figures.
Olive Garden, for example, requires a trade area with a minimum of 125,000 people within a 15-minute drive time, and Nickolaus said corporations do not include unincorporated areas in that population count, only neighboring towns.