Fictional Municipality/County Changes

[kirbykart]

Chicago's borders are quite awkward. So it would make sense to absord all small suburbs near Chicago to Chicago.

Why would it make sense?

[Poiponen13]

Chicago's borders are quite awkward. So it would make sense to absord all small suburbs near Chicago to Chicago.

Why would it make sense?

To have fewer small suburbs.

[hotdogPi]

I actually agree here. Look at New England, where municipalities have reasonable boundaries, annexing is impossible, and there are no enclaves or exclaves. It's much easier to determine which municipality you're in at any given time.

Cambridge, MA is considering banning right on red. If it had a shape like non-New England cities, it would be very hard to determine which intersections ban right on red if it passes (it hasn't yet) [correction: it has now].

[Poiponen13]

I actually agree here. Look at New England, where municipalities have reasonable boundaries, annexing is impossible, and there are no enclaves or exclaves. It's much easier to determine which municipality you're in at any given time.

Cambridge, MA is considering banning right on red. If it had a shape like non-New England cities, it would be very hard to determine which intersections ban right on red if it passes (it hasn't yet).

Every part of US should have municipalities similar sizes as New England.

[Scott5114]

I actually agree here. Look at New England, where municipalities have reasonable boundaries, annexing is impossible, and there are no enclaves or exclaves. It's much easier to determine which municipality you're in at any given time.

Cambridge, MA is considering banning right on red. If it had a shape like non-New England cities, it would be very hard to determine which intersections ban right on red if it passes (it hasn't yet).

Every part of US should have municipalities similar sizes as New England.

[GaryV]

Every part of US should have municipalities similar sizes as New England.

States too.   

[Poiponen13]

Every part of US should have municipalities similar sizes as New England.

States too.   

I meant "Every part of US should have municipalities similar sizes as in New England."

[GaryV]

And I sarcastically replied that every area of the country should have states the same size as in New England. Obviously that's not true.

Your suggestion that all municipalities should be New England sized is flawed. I picked a town in MA - Plymouth. It's one of the larger ones in eastern MA. To make cities all the same size across the country, Los Angeles would have to be divided into 4 parts. Not gonna happen.

[hotdogPi]

Your suggestion that all municipalities should be New England sized is flawed. I picked a town in MA - Plymouth. It's one of the larger ones in eastern MA. To make cities all the same size across the country, Los Angeles would have to be divided into 4 parts. Not gonna happen.

I could support the main city being 100-200 square miles in more spread-out areas that are urbanized, but still, they should be polygons or blob-shaped and not stringy or Swiss cheese, no unincorporated areas until you get to places where municipality populations would be in the low triple digits, and no "we (<1 sqmi) don't want to join with the city that surrounds us on all sides".

[Poiponen13]

Your suggestion that all municipalities should be New England sized is flawed. I picked a town in MA - Plymouth. It's one of the larger ones in eastern MA. To make cities all the same size across the country, Los Angeles would have to be divided into 4 parts. Not gonna happen.

I could support the main city being 100-200 square miles in more spread-out areas that are urbanized, but still, they should be polygons or blob-shaped and not stringy or Swiss cheese, no unincorporated areas until you get to places where municipality populations would be in the low triple digits, and no "we (<1 sqmi) don't want to join with the city that surrounds us on all sides".

100% of US should be divided into municipalities. They would be named "cities", "towns" and "townships".

[kirbykart]

^This is impractical in large open expanses of nothing, like you have throughout large portions of the West and Midwest.

[kphoger]

Chicago's borders are quite awkward. So it would make sense to absord all small suburbs near Chicago to Chicago.

Why would it make sense?

To have fewer small suburbs.

Why would that make sense?

100% of US should be divided into municipalities. They would be named "cities", "towns" and "townships".

I have a feeling they would actually be named "Jade" and "Sault Sainte John Madden" and "Troll".

[hotdogPi]

Chicago's borders are quite awkward. So it would make sense to absord all small suburbs near Chicago to Chicago.

Why would it make sense?

To have fewer small suburbs.

Why would that make sense?

Holes in a major city should be part of that city. Having e.g. a city of 244 people the size of a suburban block that for some reason is not part of what surrounds it makes no sense, and they should be merged. This tiny city needs its own schools, fire and police departments, city officials, law book that differs from the main city, etc., which makes things less efficient. In addition, it's not obvious when passing through that you're not in the main city – what if you want to report a pothole, downed power line, etc., and call the city, who has nothing to do with it? And if the tiny city skimps on maintaining things due to lack of funding since it's so small, that hurts everyone, even those who don't live there. And if it doesn't lack funding, you basically have a city that relies on ticketing innocent people, and those shouldn't exist.

TL;DR: economies of scale

[kphoger]

But only towns that are completely surrounded by the larger city?  What about Evergreen Park, which is bounded by Chicago on three sides but not the fourth?  Or what about Raytown, which isn't entirely surrounded by Kansas City, but only by a matter of 300 yards.  What counts as a hole?

[GaryV]

Chicago's borders are quite awkward. So it would make sense to absord all small suburbs near Chicago to Chicago.

Why would it make sense?

To have fewer small suburbs.

Why would that make sense?

Holes in a major city should be part of that city. Having e.g. a city of 244 people the size of a suburban block that for some reason is not part of what surrounds it makes no sense, and they should be merged. This tiny city needs its own schools, fire and police departments, city officials, law book that differs from the main city, etc., which makes things less efficient. In addition, it's not obvious when passing through that you're not in the main city – what if you want to report a pothole, downed power line, etc., and call the city, who has nothing to do with it? And if the tiny city skimps on maintaining things due to lack of funding since it's so small, that hurts everyone, even those who don't live there. And if it doesn't lack funding, you basically have a city that relies on ticketing innocent people, and those shouldn't exist.

TL;DR: economies of scale

Highland Park is a "hole" in the middle of Detroit. And you know what? Detroit doesn't even want it.

[Scott5114]

I bet I can draw an area in Nevada that's the same size as a municipality in New England but has a population of 0.

[NWI_Irish96]

I bet I can draw an area in Nevada that's the same size as a municipality in New England but has a population of 0.

You could probably draw 51 such areas.

[GaryV]

I bet I can draw an area in Nevada that's the same size as a municipality in New England but has a population of 0.

You could probably draw 51 such areas.

Depends on what you count in the 51st area. The census does include aliens, right?

[NWI_Irish96]

I bet I can draw an area in Nevada that's the same size as a municipality in New England but has a population of 0.

You could probably draw 51 such areas.

Depends on what you count in the 51st area. The census does include aliens, right?

Only if they respond.

[Poiponen13]

Cities should not have holes. And Miami should be consolidated with Miami-Dade County, merging all suburbs to Miami.

[kphoger]

Some too small cities should be consolidated with county, such as Miami, which would then comprise entire Miami-Dade County.

Miami should merge with all other cities in Miami-Dade County

Merge all other cities in Miami-Dade County into Miami.

And Miami should be consolidated with Miami-Dade County, merging all suburbs to Miami.

Why do you post the same thing over and over again?

[Poiponen13]

Some too small cities should be consolidated with county, such as Miami, which would then comprise entire Miami-Dade County.

Miami should merge with all other cities in Miami-Dade County

Merge all other cities in Miami-Dade County into Miami.

And Miami should be consolidated with Miami-Dade County, merging all suburbs to Miami.

Why do you post the same thing over and over again?

I want an opinion to this proposal (which should be implemented as soon as possible).

[kphoger]

I want an opinion to this proposal (which should be implemented as soon as possible).

Too bad.  People don't have to answer you.

https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=992.msg24507#msg24507

What's not allowed:

Duplicate posts/topics. Please use the search feature before you post!

Demanding that someone reply to your topic or post. Sorry, but you can't force people to be interested in commenting on what you said.

[kphoger]

And I do realize that calling you out on forum guidelines is itself a violation of forum guidelines.  I was being gracious by not demanding moderator involvement.  If you (or the moderators) would prefer otherwise, then please let me know, and I'll just start reporting duplicate posts left and right whenever I notice them.

[CNGL-Leudimin]

Cities should not have holes.

Don't look at Albarracin, Spain then.