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Michigan/Cities P

Michigan/Cities P

This is a list of cities, villages and townships in Michigan, arranged in alphabetical order. In Michigan, townships are statutory units of government, meaning that they have only those powers expressly provided or fairly implied by state law. Cities and villages are vested with home rule powers, meaning that they can do almost anything that is not expressly prohibited by law. Cities have greater freedom to operate independently; however, cities are also required by law to fulfill certain governmental positions--meaning that cities generally require a higher level of taxation to support the increased obligations. Villages are not required to provide the same level of services as a city and share responsibility for some services with the township. Most cities and villages are incorporated under home rule charters, although there are a small number that were incorporated before home rule legislation was enacted and have chosen not to reincorporate with a home rule charter. But this distinction has little practical difference. There are two types of townships in Michigan: general law and charter. Charter township status was created by the state legislature in 1947 and grants additional powers and stream-lined administration in order to provide greater protection against annexation by a city. As of April 2001, there were 127 charter townships in Michigan. Charter townships are able to levy millage on the residents without a vote of the people. This is not permitted in general law townships, which are funded mainly through State Shared Revenues, although the people of a township can vote for a levy. Consequently, general law townships typically do not offer things such as street cleaning, refuse hauling, sidewalk maintenance or other services provided in a city unless tax payers specifically pass a millage to cover the cost. General law townships are also prohibited by law to construct and maintain their own roads. The County Road Commission is legally the agency that must care for the roads. That does not prevent the local residents from determining that they want more than the Road Commission can provide, and in so doing, fund portions of the road work out of the local budget. There are also many named unincorporated communities in Michigan that may appear on maps or travel information. These unincorporated communities generally do not have any official governmental status, although residents in newer developments may fall under the control of a homeowners association. These do not have the same legal status as a municipality, but can make rules and charge fees for services. Further reference: [http://www.viennatwp.com/News/township_government_in_michigan.htm Township Government in Michigan]; [http://www.lib.umich.edu/govdocs/michloc.html#indtown Townships and Cities arranged by County]; [http://www.michigan.gov/emi/0,1303,7-102-116-2746--,00.html Local Government links from Michigan.gov]; [http://www.michigantownships.org/ Michigan Townships Association]

A

- Acme Township
- Acme, unincorporated community
- Ada Township
- Addison, village
- Adrian, city
- Afton, unincorporated community
- Ahmeek, village
- Akron, village
- Alanson, village
- Alba, unincorporated community
- Albion, city
- Alden, unincorporated community
- Alger, unincorporated community
- Algonac, city
- Allegan Township
- Allegan, city
- Allen, village
- Allen Park, city
- Allendale, unincorporated community
- Allenton, unincorporated community
- Allouez Township
- Alma, city
- Almont Township
- Almont, village
- Alpena, city
- Alpha, village
- Alto, unincorporated community
- Amasa, unincorporated community
- Anchorville, unincorporated community
- Ann Arbor, city
- Applegate, village
- Arcadia, unincorporated community
- Argyle, unincorporated community
- Armada, village
- Arnold, unincorporated community
- Ashley, village
- Athens, village
- Atlanta, unincorporated community
- Atlantic Mine, unincorporated community
- Atlas, unincorporated community
- Attica Township
- Au Gres, city
- Au Train, unincorporated community
- Auburn, city
- Auburn Hills, city
- Augusta, village
- Avoca, unincorporated community
- Azalia, unincorporated community

B

- Bad Axe, city
- Bailey, unincorporated community
- Baldwin, village
- Bancroft, village
- Bangor, city
- Bannister, unincorporated community
- Baraga, village
- Barbeau, unincorporated community
- Bark River, unincorporated community
- Baroda, village
- Barryton, village
- Barton City, unincorporated community
- Bath, unincorporated community
- Battle Creek, city
- Bay City, city
- Bay Port
- Bay Shore
- Bay View
- Beal City, unincorporated community
- Bear Lake
- Beaver Island
- Beaverton
- Bedford Charter Township
- Bedford Township
- Belding
- Bellaire
- Belleville
- Bellevue
- Belmont
- Bentley
- Benton Harbor
- Benzonia
- Bergland
- Berkley
- Berrien Center
- Berrien Springs
- Bessemer
- Beulah
- Beverly Hills
- Big Bay
- Big Rapids
- Bingham Farms
- Birch Run
- Birmingham
- Bitely
- Black River
- Blanchard
- Blissfield
- Bloomfield Hills
- Bloomfield Charter Township
- Bloomingdale
- Boon
- Boyne City
- Boyne Falls
- Bradley
- Branch
- Brant
- Breckenridge
- Breedsville
- Brethren
- Bridgeport
- Bridgewater
- Bridgman
- Brighton
- Brimley
- Britton
- Brohman
- Bronson
- Brooklyn
- Brown City
- Bruce Crossing
- Brutus
- Buchanan
- Buckley
- Burlington
- Burnips
- Burr Oak
- Burt
- Burt Lake
- Burton
- Byron
- Byron Center

C

- Cadillac
- Caledonia
- Calumet
- Camden
- Cannonsburg
- Canton
- Capac
- Carleton
- Carney
- Caro
- Carp Lake
- Carrollton
- Carson City
- Carsonville
- Casco
- Caseville
- Casnovia
- Caspian
- Cass City
- Cassopolis
- Cedar
- Cedar Lake
- Cedar River
- Cedar Springs
- Cedarville
- Cement City
- Center Line
- Central Lake
- Centreville
- Ceresco
- Champion
- Channing
- Charlevoix
- Charlotte
- Chase
- Chassell
- Chatham
- Cheboygan
- Chelsea
- Chesaning
- Chesterfield
- Chippewa Lake
- Chocolay Charter Township
- Christmas
- Clare
- Clarklake
- Clarkston
- Clarksville
- Clawson
- Clayton
- Clifford
- Climax
- Clinton
- Clio
- Cloverdale
- Cohoctah
- Coldwater
- Coleman
- Coloma
- Colon
- Columbiaville
- Columbus, unincorporated community
- Comins
- Commerce
- Comstock
- Comstock Park
- Concord
- Conklin
- Constantine
- Conway
- Cooks
- Coopersville
- Copemish
- Copper City
- Copper Harbor
- Coral
- Cornell
- Corunna
- Covert
- Covington
- Cross Village
- Croswell
- Crystal
- Crystal Falls
- Curran
- Curtis
- Custer
- Cutlerville

D

- Dafter
- Daggett
- Dansville
- Davisburg
- Davison
- De Tour Village
- Dearborn
- Dearborn Heights
- Decatur
- Decker
- Deckerville
- Deerfield
- Deerton
- Deford
- Delton
- Detroit
- DeWitt
- Dexter
- Dimondale
- Dollar Bay
- Dorr
- Douglas
- Dowagiac
- Dowling
- Drayton Plains
- Drummond Island
- Dryden
- Dundee
- Durand

E

- Eagle
- Eagle River
- East China
- East Detroit
- East Grand Rapids
- East Jordan
- East Lansing
- East Leroy
- East Tawas
- Eastlake
- Eastpointe
- Eastport
- Eaton Rapids
- Eau Claire
- Eben Junction
- Eckerman
- Ecorse
- Edenville
- Edmore
- Edwardsburg
- Elberta
- Elk Rapids
- Elkton
- Ellsworth
- Elm Hall
- Elmira
- Elsie
- Elwell
- Emmett
- Empire
- Engadine
- Erie
- Escanaba
- Essexville
- Eureka
- Evart
- Ewen

F

- Fair Haven
- Fairgrove
- Fairview
- Falmouth
- Farmington
- Farmington Hills
- Farwell
- Felch
- Fennville
- Fenton
- Fenwick
- Ferndale
- Ferrysburg
- Fife Lake
- Filer City
- Filion
- Flat Rock
- Flint
- Flushing
- Forestville
- Fort Gratiot
- Foster City
- Fostoria
- Fountain
- Fowler
- Fowlerville
- Frankenmuth
- Frankfort
- Franklin
- Fraser
- Frederic
- Free Soil
- Freeland
- Freeport
- Fremont
- Frontier
- Fruitport
- Fulton

G

- Gaastra
- Gagetown
- Gaines
- Galesburg
- Galien
- Garden
- Garden City
- Gaylord
- Genesee
- Germfask
- Gilford
- Gladstone
- Gladwin
- Glen Arbor
- Glenn
- Glennie
- Gobles
- Goetzville
- Good Hart
- Goodells
- Goodrich
- Gould City
- Gowen
- Grand Blanc
- Grand Haven
- Grand Junction
- Grand Ledge
- Grand Marais
- Grand Rapids
- Grandville
- Grant
- Grass Lake
- Grawn
- Grayling
- Greenbush
- Greenland
- Greenville
- Gregory
- Grosse Ile Township
- Grosse Pointe
- Grosse Pointe Farms
- Grosse Pointe Park
- Grosse Pointe Shores
- Grosse Pointe Woods
- Gulliver
- Gwinn

H

- Hadley
- Hagar Shores
- Hale
- Hamburg
- Hamilton
- Hamtramck
- Hancock
- Hanover
- Harbert
- Harbor Beach
- Harbor Point
- Harbor Springs
- Harper Woods
- Harrietta
- Harris
- Harrison, city in Clare County
- Harrison Charter Township in Macomb County
- Harrisville
- Harsens Island
- Hart
- Hartford
- Hartland
- Harvey
- Haslett
- Hastings
- Hawks
- Hazel Park
- Hemlock
- Henderson
- Hermansville
- Herron
- Hersey
- Hesperia
- Hessel
- Hickory Corners
- Higgins Lake
- Highland
- Highland Park
- Hillman
- Hillsdale
- Holland
- Holly
- Holt
- Holton
- Homer
- Honor
- Hope
- Hopkins
- Horton
- Houghton
- Houghton Lake
- Houghton Lake Heights
- Howard City
- Howell
- Hubbard Lake
- Hubbardston
- Hubbell
- Hudson
- Hudsonville
- Hulbert
- Huntington Woods

I

- Ida
- Idlewild
- Imlay City
- Indian River
- Ingalls
- Inkster
- Interlochen
- Ionia
- Iron Mountain
- Iron River
- Irons
- Ironwood
- Ishpeming
- Ithaca

J

- Jackson
- Jamestown
- Jasper
- Jeddo
- Jenison
- Jerome
- Johannesburg
- Jones
- Jonesville

K

- Kalamazoo
- Kaleva
- Kalkaska
- Kawkawlin
- Kearsarge
- Keego Harbor
- Kendall
- Kent City
- Kenton
- Kentwood
- Kewadin
- Kimball
- Kincheloe
- Kinde
- Kingsford
- Kingsley
- Kingston
- Kinross

L

- L'Anse
- La Salle
- Lachine
- Lacota
- Laingsburg
- Lake
- Lake Ann
- Lake City
- Lake George
- Lake Leelanau
- Lake Linden
- Lake Odessa
- Lake Orion
- Lakeland
- Lakeside
- Lakeview
- Lakeville
- Lambertville
- Lamont
- Lansing
- Lapeer
- Lathrup Village
- Laurium
- Lawrence
- Lawton
- Le Roy
- Leland
- Lennon
- Leonard
- Leonidas
- Leslie
- Levering
- Lewiston
- Lexington
- Lincoln
- Lincoln Park
- Linden
- Linwood
- Litchfield
- Little Lake
- Livonia
- Long Lake
- Loretto
- Lovells
- Lowell
- Ludington
- Luna Pier
- Lupton
- Luther
- Luzerne
- Lyons

M

- Macatawa
- Mackinac Island
- Mackinaw City
- Macomb
- Madison Heights
- Mancelona
- Manchester
- Manistee
- Manistique
- Manitou Beach
- Manton
- Maple City
- Maple Rapids
- Marcellus
- Marenisco
- Marine City
- Marion
- Marlette
- Marne
- Marquette
- Marshall
- Martin
- Marysville
- Mason
- Mass City
- Mattawan
- Maybee
- Mayfield
- Mayville
- McBain
- McBrides
- McMillan
- Mears
- Mecosta
- Melvin
- Melvindale
- Memphis
- Mendon
- Menominee
- Merrill
- Merritt
- Mesick
- Metamora
- Michigamme
- Michigan Center
- Middleton
- Middleville
- Midland
- Mikado
- Milan
- Milford
- Millersburg
- Millington
- Minden City
- Mio
- Mohawk
- Moline
- Monroe
- Montague
- Montgomery
- Montrose
- Moorestown
- Moran
- Morenci
- Morley
- Morrice
- Moscow
- Mosherville
- Mount Clemens
- Mount Morris
- Mount Pleasant
- Muir
- Mullett Lake
- Mulliken
- Munger
- Munising
- Munith
- Muskegon
- Muskegon Heights

N

- Nadeau
- Nahma
- Napoleon
- Nashville
- National City
- National Mine
- Naubinway
- Nazareth
- Negaunee
- New Baltimore
- New Boston
- New Buffalo
- New Era
- New Haven
- New Hudson
- New Lothrop
- New Troy
- Newaygo
- Newberry
- Newport
- Niles
- Nisula
- North Adams
- North Branch
- North Lake
- North Muskegon
- North Star
- North Street
- Northeast
- Northland
- Northport
- Northville
- Northwest
- Norton Shores
- Norvell
- Norway
- Nottawa
- Novi
- Nunica

O

- Oak Grove
- Oak Park
- Oakland
- Oakley
- Oden
- Okemos
- Old Mission
- Olivet
- Omena
- Omer
- Onaway
- Onekama
- Onondaga
- Onsted
- Ontonagon
- Orchard Lake
- Orion
- Orleans
- Ortonville
- Oscoda
- Oshtemo
- Osseo
- Ossineke
- Otisville
- Otsego
- Ottawa Lake
- Otter Lake
- Ovid
- Owendale
- Owosso
- Oxford

P

- Painesdale
- Palmer
- Palmyra
- Palo
- Paradise
- Parchment
- Paris
- Parma
- Paw Paw
- Pearl Beach
- Peck
- Pelkie
- Pellston
- Pennfield
- Pentwater
- Perkins
- Perrinton
- Perronville
- Perry
- Petersburg
- Petoskey
- Pewamo
- Pickford
- Pierson
- Pigeon
- Pinckney
- Pinconning
- Pittsford
- Plainwell
- Pleasant Lake
- Pleasant Ridge
- Plymouth
- Pointe Aux Pins
- Pompeii
- Pontiac
- Port Austin
- Port Hope
- Port Huron
- Port Sanilac
- Portage
- Portland
- Posen
- Potterville
- Powers
- Prescott
- Presque Isle
- Prudenville
- Pullman

Q

- Quincy
- Quinnesec

R

- Ralph
- Ramsay
- Rapid City
- Rapid River
- Ravenna
- Ray
- Reading
- Redford Township
- Reed City
- Reese
- Remus
- Republic
- Rhodes
- Richland
- Richmond
- Richville
- Ridgeway
- Riga
- River Rouge
- Riverdale
- Riverside
- Riverview
- Rives Junction
- Rochester
- Rochester Hills
- Rock
- Rockford
- Rockland
- Rockwood
- Rodney
- Rogers City
- Rollin
- Romeo
- Romulus
- Roosevelt Park
- Roscommon
- Rose City
- Rosebush
- Roseville
- Rothbury
- Royal Oak
- Ruby
- Rudyard
- Rumely
- Ruth

S

- Saginaw
- Sagola
- Saint Charles
- Saint Clair
- :For alternate meanings see city (disambiguation) A city is an urban area that is differentiated from a town, village, or hamlet by size, population density, importance, or legal status.

Introduction

In most parts of the world, cities are generally substantial and nearly always have an urban core, but in the United States many incorporated areas which have a very modest population, or a suburban or even mostly rural character, are designated as cities. City can also be a synonym for "downtown" or a "city centre". A city usually consists of residential, industrial and business areas together with administrative functions which may relate to a wider geographical area. A large share of a city's area is primarily taken up by housing, which is then supported by infrastructure such roads, streets and often public transport routes such as a subway or a metro rail system. Lakes and rivers may be the only undeveloped areas within the city. The study of cities is covered extensively in human geography. "The city is a human habitat that allows people to form relations with others at various levels of intimacy while remaining entirely anonymous." (This definition was the subject of an exhibition at the Israeli pavilion at the 2000 Venice Biennale of architecture)

The difference between towns and cities

The difference between towns and cities is differently understood in different parts of the English speaking world. There is no one standard international definition of a city: the term may be used either for a town possessing city status; for an urban locality exceeding an arbitrary population size; for a town dominating other towns with particular regional economic or administrative significance. Although city can refer to an agglomeration including suburban and satellite areas, the term is not appropriate for a conurbation (cluster) of distinct urban places, nor for a wider metropolitan area including more than one city, each acting as a focus for parts of the area. In the United Kingdom, a city is a town which has been known as a city since time immemorial, or which has received city status by royal charter — which is normally granted on the basis of size, importance or royal connection (traditional pointers have been whether the town has a cathedral or a university). Some cathedral cities, for example St. David's in Wales, are quite small, and may not be known as cities in common parlance. (See the City status in the United Kingdom.) A similar system existed in the medieval Low Countries where a landlord would grant settlements certain privileges (city rights) that settlements without city rights didn't have. This include the privilege to put up city walls, hold markets or set up a judicial court. In Australia and New Zealand, city is used to refer both to units of local government, and as a synonym for urban area. For instance the [http://www.southperth.wa.gov.au City of South Perth] is part of the urban area known as Perth, commonly described as a city. On the other hand, Gisborne in New Zealand is known as the first city to see the sun, despite being administered by a district council, not a city council. An interesting phenomenon in American English is the generalisation of the term city to all settlements. Britons may be bemused by forms with fields headed, not Town and Postal code, but City and ZIP, even though the person needing to fill it in could be living in a city, a town without city status, or even a village or hamlet. In turn, many Americans often talk of "City Halls" when referring to town halls in quite small European towns and villages. Strangely, even though Americans are well aware that "village" means something smaller than a town, the word has often been co-opted by enterprising developers to make their projects sound welcoming and friendly. The result are so-called villages with 20 and 30-story high-rises, like Westwood Village in Los Angeles.

Geography

Westwood Village, of around 1550. The city is completely surrounded by a city wall and defensive canal. The square shape is inspired by Jerusalem.]] The geographies of cities, both physical and human, are diverse. Often cities will either be coastal and have a harbour or be situated near a river giving economic advantage. Water transports on rivers and oceans were (and in most cases still are) cheaper and more efficient than road transport over long distances. Older European cities often have historically intact central areas where the streets are jumbled together, seemingly without a structural plan. This quality is a legacy of earlier unplanned or organic development, and is often perceived by today's tourists to be picturesque. Modern city planning has seen many different schemes for how a city should look. The most commonly seen pattern is the grid, almost a rule in parts of the United States, and used for thousands of years in China. Derry was the first ever planned city in Ireland, begun in 1613, with the walls being completed 5 years later in 1618. The central diamond within a walled city with four gates was thought to be a good design for defence. The grid pattern chosen was subsequently much copied in the colonies of British North America [http://worldfacts.us/UK-Londonderry.htm]. However, the grid has been used for a long time in history. The Greeks gave their colonies around the Mediterranian often with a grid. One of the best examples around is the city of Priene. This city even had it's different districts. Much like modern city planning today. Also in de Medival times we see a preference for lineair planning. Good examples are the cities establish in the south of France by various rulers. And city expantions in old Dutch and Flanders cities. Other forms may include a radial structure in which main roads converge on a central point, often the effect of successive growth over long time with concentric traces of town walls and citadels - recently supplemented by ring-roads that take traffic around the edge of a town. Many Dutch cities are structured that way: a central square surrounded by a concentric canals. Every city expansion would imply a new circle (canals + town walls). In cities like Amsterdam and Haarlem this pattern is still clearly visible.

History of cities

Towns and cities have a long history, although opinions vary on whether any particular ancient settlement can be considered to be a city. The first true towns are sometimes considered to be large settlements where the inhabitants were no longer simply farmers of the surrounding area, but began to take on specialized occupations, and where to trade, food storage and power was centralized. Societies that live in cities are often called civilizations. By this definition, the first towns we know of were located in Mesopotamia, such as Ur, and along the Nile, the Indus Valley Civilization and China. Before this time it was rare for settlements to reach significant size, although there were exceptions such as Jericho, Çatalhöyük and Mehrgarh. The growth of ancient and medieval empires led to ever greater capital cities and seats of provincial administration, with ancient Rome, its eastern successor Constantinople and successive Chinese and later Indian capitals approaching or exceeding the half-million population level. It is estimated that ancient Rome population exceeded one million people by the end of the last century BCE, which is considered the only city to reach that number until the Industrial Revolution, however, Alexandria population was close to one million at the same time. Similar large administrative, commercial, industrial and ceremonial centres emerged in other areas, though on a smaller scale. During the European Middle Ages, a town was as much a political entity as a collection of houses. City residence brought freedom from customary rural obligations to lord and community: "Stadtluft macht frei" ("City air makes you free") was a saying in Germany. In Continental Europe cities with a legislature of their own wasn't unheard of, the laws for towns as a rule other than for the countryside, the lord of a town often being another than for surrounding land. In the Holy Roman Empire (i.e. medieval Germany and Italy) some cities had no other lord than the emperor. In exceptional cases like Venice, Genoa or Lübeck, cities themselves became powerful states, sometimes taking surrounding areas under their control or establishing extensive maritime empires. Similar phenomena existed elsewhere, as in the case of Sakai, which enjoyed a considerable autonomy in late medieval Japan. Most towns remained far smaller places, so that in 1500 only some two dozen places in the world contained more than 100,000 inhabitants: as late as 1700 there were fewer than forty, a figure which would rise thereafter to 300 in 1900. A small city of the early modern period might contain as few as 10,000 inhabitants, a town far fewer still. While the city-states, or poleis, of the Mediterranean and Baltic Sea languished from the 16th century, Europe's larger capitals benefited from the growth of commerce following the emergence of an Atlantic economy fuelled by the silver of Peru. By the 18th century, London and Paris rivalled the well-developed regionally-traditional capital cities of Baghdad, Beijing, Istanbul, Kyoto and Venice. The growth of modern industry from the late 18th century onward led to massive urbanization and the rise of new great cities, first in Europe and then in other regions, as new opportunities brought huge numbers of migrants from rural communities into urban areas. In the Great Depression of the 1930s cities were hard hit by unemployment, especially those with a base in heavy industry. Today the world's population is about half urban, with millions still streaming annually into the growing cities of Asia, Africa and Latin America.

Modern conceptions

Traditional approach

A universal linear approach to cities has been in place and accepted for a long time. As this approach falls short of explaining a number of aspects of city life, such as the diversity between cities, new ways have been sought. Influenced by post-structuralist thinking a new approach was born: using spatial thinking it is possible to not only fill the gaps, but indeed replace the old completely. Three characteristics have been identified as defining a city: the number of people to area (density), the networks of the city, as well as a particular way of life. None of these characteristics alone is enough to make a place a city. Until recently cities were almost exclusively viewed as part of a single, linear line of development. Starting with the Greek city-state, this linear approach placed each city somewhere, and it was believed that it was only a matter of time until the next stage along the prescript path of advancement was reached. For each stage an exemplar was identified. Step by step from Athens onwards to Venice and London, Los Angeles seemed to be the ultimate stage of a postmodern city. Such an approach regarded a city as a single static entity, which could be studied disconnected in time and space. This leads to a theoretical framework with little connection to real cities, but these were simply seen as less clear examples. In spite of apparent shortcomings, this approach is still very commonplace in respected and popular publications.

Shortcomings

Despite its wide acceptance this traditional approach to cities had serious shortcomings. Firstly, leaving the latest stage aside, it was completely eurocentric. It was believed that every city in the world could be compared with a past stage in the history of one European city. Secondly, there was no real explanation when and how changes occurred, how another stage in the line of development was achieved. There seemed no need to follow the changes of one city, but instead attention was turned to another exemplar. Thirdly, the disconnected view of cities is problematic. It implies that history, culture and connections of a place do not influence a place, which is questionable. Some thinkers argue that a history ignoring connections is necessary incomplete. Fourthly, the traditional approach failed to define what makes a city. It is unclear why one place is regarded as a city while another one is not. Lewis Mumford argued in 1937 for a social dimension, describing cities as geographical plexuses. Finally, viewing cities as a single body misses modern conceptions that there is more than one story to a place. The city of an aristocrat will surely differ from that of a slave. This also reflects a shift away from one single history of the powerful élites (often referred to as city élites) to a multidimensional perception of history. The notion of city rhythms has been introduced to highlight the different aspects of city life... The term city can be used to mean either an area of contiguous urbanization or a particular municipality (an [http://www.demographia.com/db-world-muni.htm area within the political borders of an incorporated municipality]). There is a substantial variation in municipalities around the world. The largest municipality, Chongqing, is approximately the same size as the state of Indiana and contains much more rural territory than continuous urbanization. In most cases, however, the continuous urbanization popularly thought of as the city extends well beyond the boundaries of the core incorporated city.

Modern approach

As a modern approach to cities, urban thinking analyzes various issues that arise in urban areas. It focuses largely upon connections and internal divisions which helps create a better understanding of the dynamics of cities. Using such spatial thinking, it is possible to understand various aspects for which the traditional approach did not provide an adequate explanation. One important aspect of spatial thinking is looking at the connections of a city. Such connections allow one to understand the unique character of a place. Rather than treating all cities the same, places are seen as interconnected through networks of culture, economics, trade or history. So while London and Tokyo are economically linked through stock markets, Graz and Stockholm are linked via the Cultural Capital of Europe. These networks overlap and are concentrated in cities. Arguably this concentration of networks creates a unique feeling of a place. Such networks, however, do not only link cities with cities, but also a city to its surroundings. The notion of a city footprint reflects the idea that a city on its own is not sustainable: it depends on produce from its surroundings, it needs trade links and other connections for economic viability. Looking at networks, it becomes possible to explain the rise and fall of cities. This has to do with the changing importance of connections and is maybe best illustrated with the arrival of Spanish colonizers in America. Within a short time, connections to Madrid became more important than connections to the former centre Tenochtitlán. The concentration of networks in cities can be used as an explanation of urbanization. It is the access to certain networks that attracts people. As various networks spatially run together in a confined area, people gather in cities. At the same time, this concentration of people means the introduction of new networks, such as social links, increasing the creation of new possibilities within cities. Urban social movements are a direct result of this possibility of making new connections. It is this openness to new connections that makes cities both attractive and to a certain degree unpredictable. Another important aspect of modern urban thinking is looking at the divisions within a city. This internal differentiation is linked to the external connections of a city. As places of meeting histories, cities are hybrid and heterogeneous. Hybrid they are as the connections which link places are bilateral, involving giving and taking in both directions. Heterogeneous they are because of the dynamism of cities. New encounters are ongoing processes where social relations and differences are constantly negotiated and shaped, reflecting the unequal power involved. Neither the internal differentiations nor the connections and networks of a place on their own define a city. Internal divisions are caused by external links, while at the same time connections to the outside open up the possibility of new social divisions. Divisions and connections in every city are intertwined, and only by considering both aspects of spatial thinking the complexity of cities is approachable. Immigration illustrates this interconnection of external networks and internal divisions well. The networks concentrated in the core of the city attract immigrants. As they immigrate, the newcomers bring along their histories, bringing new networks or enforcing existing ones. At the same time, their history offers opportunities to identify with or likewise exclude. Division and connection come hand in hand. Rather than attempting to eradicate such tensions and contradictions in the theoretical framework, modern urban thinking – influenced by poststructuralist thought – accounts for both sides. Static universal bodies are replaced by multidimensional networks, allowing for fluidity and dynamism.

Global cities

A global city, also known as a world city, is a prominent centre of trade, banking, finance, innovations, and markets. The term "global city", as opposed to megacity, was coined by Saskia Sassen in a seminal 1991 work. Whereas "megacity" refers to any city of enormous size, a global city is one of enormous power or influence. Global cities, according to Sassen, have more in common with each other than with other cities in their host nations. Bangkok, Beijing, Brussels, Chicago, Hong Kong, Johannesburg, London, Moscow, Mumbai, New York, Los Angeles, Paris, São Paulo, Seoul, Shanghai, Singapore, Sydney, Tokyo, and Toronto are commonly referred to as global cities, however, the term is also applied to other cities. The notion of global cities regards the power of cities as contained within cities. The city is seen as a container where skills and resources are concentrated. The more successful city is able to concentrate more of these skills and resources. This makes the city itself more powerful in terms that it can influence what is happening around the world. Following this view of cities, it is possible to rank the world's cities hierarchically (John Friedmann and Goetz Wolff, "World City Formation: An Agenda for Research and Action," International Journal of Urban and Regional Research 6, no. 3 (1982): 319.). Critics of the notion point out to the different realms of power. The term global city narrowly focuses on economics. Cities like Rome are powerful in religious terms. Additionally, it has been questioned whether the city itself can be regarded as an actor. In 1995 Kanter argued that successful cities can be identified by three elements. To be successful, a city needs to have good thinkers (concepts), good makers (competence) or good traders (connections). The interplay of these three elements, Kanter argued, means that good cities are not planned but managed.

Environmental effects

Modern cities are known for creating their own microclimates. This is due to the large clustering of hard surfaces that heat up in sunlight and that channel rainwater into underground ducts. As a result, city weather is often windier and cloudier than the weather in the surrounding countryside. Conversely, because these effects make cities warmer (urban heat shield or urban heat islands) than the surrounding area, tornadoes tend to go around cities. Additionally towns can cause significant downstream weather effects. Garbage and sewage are two major problems for cities, as is air pollution coming from internal combustion engines (see public transport). The impact of cities on places elsewhere, be it hinterlands or places far away, is considered in the notion of city footprinting (ecological footprint).

Inner city

Main article: Inner city In the United States, United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland, the term "inner city" is sometimes used with the connotation of being an area, perhaps a ghetto, where people are less educated and wealthy and where there is more crime. These connotations are less common in other Western countries, as deprived areas are located in varying parts of other Western cities. In fact, with the gentrification of some formerly run-down central city areas the reverse connotation can apply - in Australia the term "outer suburban" applied to a person implies a lack of sophistication. For instance, in Paris the inner city is the richest part of the metropolitan area, where housing is the most expensive, and where elites and high-income individuals dwell. The United States, in particular, suffers from a culture of anti-urbanism that some say dates back as far as Thomas Jefferson who wrote that "The mobs of great cities add just so much to the support of pure government as sores do to the strength of the human body." On the businessmen who brought manufacturing industry into cities and hence increased the population density necessary to supply the workforce, he wrote "the manufactures of the great cities... have begotten a depravity of morals, a dependence and corruption, which renders them an undesirable accession to a country whose morals are sound." Modern anti-urban attitudes are to be found in America in the form of a planning profession that continues to develop land on a low-density suburban basis, where access to amenities, work and shopping is provided almost exclusively by car rather than on foot. However, there is a growing movement in North America called "New Urbanism" that calls for a return to traditional city planning methods where mixed-use zoning allows people to walk from one type of land-use to another. The idea is that housing, shopping, office space, and leisure facilities are all provided within walking distance of each other, thus reducing the demand for road-space and also improving the efficiency and effectiveness of mass transit.

References

- Toynbee, Arnold (ed), Cities of Destiny, New York: McGraw-Hill, 1967. Pan historical/geographical essays, many images. Starts with "Athens", ends with "The Coming World City-Ecumenopolis".

External links

- [http://www.populationdata.net/palmaresvilles.html All 1M+ major urban areas]
- [http://www.p.lodz.pl/I35/personal/jw37/EUROPE/europe.html Place Names of Europe]
- [http://www.tageo.com/index.htm Place Names of the world - Index of 2M cities]
- [http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/geo_lar_cit&int=-1&b_ac=1 Most populous city of each country]
- [http://www.world-gazetteer.com/st/statb.htm For all countries, number of cities per size category]
- [http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/geo_lar_cit_pop_cap&int=-1 For each country, part of its population that lives in its most populous city] (with some odd figures due to the comparison of data of different years)
- [http://www.nlc.org/nlc_org/site/ The National League of Cities] (United States)
- [http://www.innercitypress.org Inner City Press] (Weekly publication on cities, United States)
- [http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/cgi-local/DHI/dhi.cgi?id=dv1-52 Dictionary of the History of ideas:] The City
- [http://www.morganquitno.com/cit05list.htm Morgan Quinto's 11th Annual America's Safest (and Most Dangerous) Cities]
- [http://www.skyscraperpage.com A friendly website designed by skyscraper enthusiasts featuring diagrams and descriptions of the buildings of cities around the world.]
- [http://www.bifurcaciones.cl bifurcaciones.cl, urban cultural studies journal]
- [http://worldheritage-forum.net/de/ Worldheritage-Forum] Weblog and Informationen on UNESCO World Heritage topics (with focus on cities) Category:Urban studies and planning Category:Cities ja:都市 ja:市 nb:By simple:city th:เมือง

Village

:For a list of references which "The Village" could refer to, see The Village A village is a human settlement commonly found in rural areas. It is usually larger than a hamlet and smaller than a town or city. Villages have been the normal unit of community living in most areas of the world throughout its history, up until the Industrial revolution and the ongoing process of urbanization. In many U.S. states, a village is a type of municipal government (see below).

Traditional villages

Although many types and organizational patterns of village life have existed, the typical village was small, consisting of perhaps 5 to 30 families. Homes were situated together for sociability and defense, and land surrounding the living quarters was farmed.

England

In England the main historical distinction between a hamlet and a village is that the latter will have a church, and will therefore usually have been the worship centre of a parish. A village was traditionally distinguished from a town in that a village lacked a regular agricultural market, although today such markets are uncommon even in settlements which clearly are towns. Due to the vagueness of this definition, there is some question as to which is the largest village in England.

United States

Incorporated villages

In twenty U.S. states, the term "village" refers to a specific form of incorporated municipal government, similar to a city but with less authority and geographic scope. However, this is a generality; in many states, there are villages that are an order of magnitude larger than the smallest cities in the state. The distinction is not necessarily based on population, but on the relative powers granted to the different types of municipalities and correspondingly, different obligations to provide specific services to residents. In some states such as New York, Wisconsin, or Michigan, a village is an incorporated municipality, usually, but not always, within a single town or civil township. Residents pay taxes to the village and town or township and may vote in elections for both as well. In some cases, the village may be coterminous with the town or township. There are also many villages which span the boundaries of more than one town or township, and some villages may even straddle county borders. There is no limit to the population of a village in New York. (Hempstead, the largest village in the state, has 55,000 residents, making it more populous than many of the state's cities); however, villages in the state may not exceed five square miles (13 km²) in area. The state of Wisconsin has similar status for villages. The largest village is Menomonee Falls, which has over 25,000 residents. Michigan also has no set population limit for villages and there are many villages that are larger than cities in the state. Villages in Ohio are almost always legally separate from any townships that they may have been incorporated from (there are exceptions, such as Chagrin Falls, where the township includes the entirety of the village). They have no area limitations, but must reincorporate as cities if they grow to over 5,000 in population. Villages have the same home-rule rights as cities with fewer of the responsibilities. Unlike cities, they have the option of being either a "statutory village" and running their governments according to state law (with a six-member council serving four-year terms and a mayor who votes only to break ties) or being a "charter village" and writing a charter to run their government as they see fit. :See Political subdivisions of New York State#Village Village (Oregon)

Unincorporated villages

In many states, the term "village" is used to refer to a relatively small unincorporated community, similar to a hamlet in New York state. This informal usage may be found even in states that have villages as an incorporated municipality, although such usage might be considered incorrect and confusing.

External links

Village types:
- [http://www.pygmies.info/camps.html African Pygmies Villages] ja:村 th:หมู่บ้าน

Civil township

A civil township is a widely-used unit of local government in the United States, subordinate to a county. Specific responsibilities and the degree of autonomy vary based on each state. Civil townships are distinct from survey townships, but in states that have both, the boundaries usually coincide. The U.S. Census Bureau classifies civil townships (called "towns" in some states) as minor civil divisions. Township functions are generally attended to by a governing board (the name varies from state to state) and a clerk. Township officers frequently include justice of the peace, road commissioner, assessor, constable, and surveyors. In the 20th century many townships also added a township administrator or supervisor to the officers as an executive for the board. In some cases townships run local libraries, senior citizen services, youth services, disabled citizen services, emergency assistance, and even cemetery services.

Midwestern, central and western states

Most western states have only survey townships, such that all local government outside of incorporated municipalities is performed at the county level. In the Great Lakes states, civil townships are overlaid on the survey townships. The degree to which these townships are functioning governmental entities varies from state to state and in some cases even within a state. For example, in Illinois, townships in the northern part of the state are active in providing public services, such as road maintenance, after-school care, and senior services, whereas townships in southern Illinois frequently abandon these services in favor of the county. Most townships in Illinois also provide services such as snow removal, senior transportation and emergency services to households residing in unincorporated parts of the county and high schools are usually a body of the township but still controlled by the school district. Civil townships in these states are generally not considered to be incorporated, and nearby cities may annex land in adjoining townships with relative ease. In Michigan, townships can incorporate as charter townships, a status intended to protect against annexation from nearby municipalities and which grants the township some home rule powers similar to cities. In Wisconsin, such regions are known as "towns" rather than townships, but they are essentially the same thing. In Minnesota, state statute refers to such entities as towns yet requires them to have a name in the form "Name Township". In both documents and conversation, "town" and "township" are used interchangeably. Minnesota townships can be either Non-Urban or Urban (giving the township government greater power), but this is not reflected in the township's name.

Northeastern states

In New England and New York, the principal forms of local government are the town and the city, although survey townships are used in unorganized portions of Maine. Residents of these states do not generally recognize the word "township" as applying to their local governments, although the U.S. Census Bureau treats them identically. (Even though towns in these states are legally equal to cities in status, the Census is more concerned with patterns of settlement and development than the means of government; New England towns are similar to townships in the northern midwest in typically having one or more small built-up central districts surrounded by a much larger area of less intensive development.) In Pennsylvania, a township is a unit of local government responsible for services such as local road and street maintenance outside of towns or boroughs. Townships were established based on convenient geographical boundaries and vary in size from six to forty square miles (10–74 km²). A township in New Jersey is a form of municipal government equal in status to a village, town, borough, or city. These two states have strong county government, and their state constitutions prohibit special legislation.

Southern states

In the South, outside of cities and towns there is generally no local government beyond the county. As these states were surveyed prior to the Northwest Ordinance, there are generally no survey townships, either, although there are in Alabama, as Alabama Territory was relatively late in being established. North Carolina is an exception to this rule, and even the towns have townships due to extraterritorial jurisdiction. Numerous independent townships also exist, as every county is divided into townships as mandated since the North Carolina Constitution of 1868. Some urbanized counties such as Mecklenburg County (Charlotte) now number their townships (i.e. "Township 12") rather than using their real names. Townships all over the state used to have some official organization and duties, but now are only considered ceremonial divisions of each county, used on land surveys and other real estate documents.

External links

- [http://www.natat.org/ National Association of Towns and Townships] Category:Subdivisions of the United States Category:Townships

Charter township

A Charter Township is a form of local government in the U.S. state of Michigan. In general, a township in Michigan, like a county, is a statutory unit of government, in that they only have those powers expressly provided for or implied by state law. On the other hand, cities and villages in Michigan are vested with home rule powers, meaning that they can do almost anything not prohibited by law. In 1947, the state legislature created a special charter township status, which grants additional powers and stream-lined administration in order to provide greater protection against annexation of a township's land by cities and villages. As of 2001, there were 127 charter townships in Michigan. A township with a population of 2,000 or more may incorporate as a charter township and become a municipal corporation, which possess all the powers of a non-charter township in addition to those specified by the Charter Township Act of 1947. Legislative authority is exercised by a township board of 7 members composed of the supervisor, the township clerk, the township treasurer, and 4 trustees who are eligible to vote in elections and are residents of the township. Charter townships may appoint either a township superintendent or township manager, who can be assigned responsibilities for managing township functions (this is comparable to cities that utilize a city manager to oversee the day-to-day operations of the city). A charter township may establish a variety of municipal services, such as a police force, fire department, assessors and also acquire property. It may also borrow money and issue bonds, with the approval of a majority of township voting in an election. Similarly, a charter township cannot levy taxes without the approval of a majority of township voting in an election. This is one significant difference from home-rule municipalities, in which the municipal authority can levy taxes without specific approval from voters (of course, the authorities can be voted out of office in the next election). A charter township is exempt from annexation from contiguous cities or villages providing that the township meets certain requirements:
- Has state equalized valuation of at least $25,000,000
- Has a minimum population density of 150 people per square mile (58/km²)
- Provides fire protection service by contract or otherwise
- Is governed by a comprehensive zoning ordinance or master plan
- Provides solid waste disposal services to township residents, within or without the township, by contract, license, or municipal ownership
- Provides water or sewer services, or both, by contract or otherwise
- Provides police protection through contract with the sheriff in addition to normal sheriff patrol, through an intergovernmental contract, or through its own police department However, the charter township may still be subject to annexation under certain conditions, such as for the purpose of eliminating isolated islands of township or by vote of a majority of the residents of a portion of township.

External link

- [http://michiganlegislature.org/printDocument.aspx?objName=mcl-Act-359-of-1947&version=txt The Charter Township Act of 1947] Category:Government of Michigan Category:Townships

Homeowners association

Some of the developments that real estate developers build are common interest developments, a category that includes planned–unit developments of single–family houses, condominiums, and cooperative apartments. Before the first unit is sold, of one of these developments, the developer records restrictive covenants — on all of the properties — that "run with the land," meaning that all successive buyers are bound by the same covenants as the original purchaser. These covenants, among other things, form a homeowners association. A homeowners association is an organization comprised of all owners of units in the development. The vast majority of them are incorporated and are therefore governed by a board, which is a private government. Homeowners associations collect fees, fines, and assesments from homeowners, maintain the common areas of the development, and enforce the association's governing documents. These may include detailed rules regarding construction and maintenance of individual homes. Often, a homeowners association has to collect special assesments, in addition to the set fees, from all the members. Asssments can be to cover legal expenses for a judgement against the homeowner's association, to repair damage from a natural disaster, or to make improvements. In some states, California for instance, a Homeowners Association can sell a member's house without any judicial procedure in order to collect a fine. Other states, like Florida, require a judicial hearing. Some of the responsibilities that the covenants delegate to homeowners association boards would otherwise be performed by local governments. Nevertheless, only owners -- who need not be residents -- are allowed to vote in elections to choose the board. Residents of the community who are not owners (e.g., renters) are disenfranchised. Homeowners associations are increasingly common in the United States, exercising control over 19% of American homes, 20 million homes.

References

Evan McKenzie, Privatopia: Homeowner Associations and the Rise of Residential Private Governments, Yale University Press, ISBN 0-300-06638-4

External links

- [http://www.nytimes.com/2003/07/27/national/27HOME.html?ex=1060295374&ei=1&en=8f82e7d3efd5956b New York Times article, "Homeowner Boards Blur Line of Who Rules Roost" by Motoko Rich July 27, 2003] First published at http://www.internet-encyclopedia.org/wiki.phtml?title=Homeowners_association Category:Real estate Category:Legal entities

Acme Township, Michigan

Acme Township is a township in Grand Traverse County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the township had a total population of 4,332.

Communities

- Acme is an unincorporated community in the township, situated at the junction of U.S. Highway 31 and Michigan State Highway 72

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Introduction

The difference between towns and cities

Geography

History of cities

Modern conceptions

Traditional approach

Shortcomings

Modern approach

Global cities

Environmental effects

Inner city

See also

Lists

Miscellaneous

References

External links

Village

Traditional villages

England

United States

Incorporated villages

Unincorporated villages

See also

External links

Civil township

Midwestern, central and western states

Northeastern states

Southern states

See also

External links

Charter township

External link

Homeowners association

References

External links

Acme Township, Michigan

Communities