consider the independent city of charlottesville, va.....only 39 k people in a 10.5 sq. mile area....should proximity to a large community, as in somerville's case, designate a relatively smaller community's status as suburb? sounds too restrictive. if boston wants to isolate itself from its neighbors in the way it draws up its borders,so be it. boston's a city surrounded by smaller cities.
Like it or not, Somerville is a part of Boston and vice versa. People commute from one to the other. Somerville contains the commuter rail repair facility for all of Boston. Etc, etc.
This city ringed by cities functions as one metropolis, which would be easier to manager if everything were merged into one municipal entity, a la New York.
You said: "Like it or not, Somerville is a part of Boston and vice versa." I get your point - if Boston were almost anywhere else, Somerville would likely be a neighborhood of Boston. Sorry to tell you, but Somerville is NOT part of the City of Boston. It is a seperate city. If you pay property taxes, you pay them to the City of Somerville, not the City of Boston (as opposed to someone who lives in the neighborhood of Dorchester within the City of Boston - property taxes go to Boston, not "Dorchester").
A lot of people, most of whom seem to come from the suburbs, don't understand the difference between municipalities and neighborhoods. I am not one of them.
You're getting the point perfectly and missing it completely at the same time.
ohhhhhh.i wish i lived in boston.well, you dont.keep saving your pennies and we will have the association look at your application and possibly grant you entry into allston, which actually is part of boston! it aint the greatest but at least nobody calls it slumerville.
This city ringed by cities functions as one metropolis, which would be easier to manager if everything were merged into one municipal entity, a la New York."
Somerville is a city. But bordering on Boston makes it a suburb of Boston. Not suburban, but a suburb.
I think this comment by Rhea sums up why there's some confusion about calling SOmerville a suburb. Somerville is not a neighborhood of Boston, but there's an obvious relationship between Somerville and Boston. So, people that aren't from here, might call Somerville a suburb just to describe that Somerville is adjacent to Boston. Somerville is part of greater Boston. But, to call it suburban implies that it is not urban. This is ridiculous because it's more densely populated than Boston, it's one of the most densely populated cities in the country.
16 Comments:
Did anything in particular prompt this?
A clipping from the Berkshire Eagle with headline "Boston Suburb Goes on Diet" that appeared on my refrigerator.
sounds to me like someone is fat.
Somerville is a city. But bordering on Boston makes it a suburb of Boston. Not suburban, but a suburb.
Strongly disagree. Boston is an exceptional case in that the municipal boundary exists at the exact [northern] edge of downtown.
Somerville = The Cambridge of Medford. 'nuff said.
in fact, google "Cambridge of Medford". 1st result? City of Somerville website.
Let's see what the police chief of the city of Somaville has to say:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3xfYrrQ_Yc
consider the independent city of charlottesville, va.....only 39 k people in a 10.5 sq. mile area....should proximity to a large community, as in somerville's case, designate a relatively smaller community's status as suburb? sounds too restrictive. if boston wants to isolate itself from its neighbors in the way it draws up its borders,so be it. boston's a city surrounded by smaller cities.
Like it or not, Somerville is a part of Boston and vice versa. People commute from one to the other. Somerville contains the commuter rail repair facility for all of Boston. Etc, etc.
This city ringed by cities functions as one metropolis, which would be easier to manager if everything were merged into one municipal entity, a la New York.
You said: "Like it or not, Somerville is a part of Boston and vice versa." I get your point - if Boston were almost anywhere else, Somerville would likely be a neighborhood of Boston. Sorry to tell you, but Somerville is NOT part of the City of Boston. It is a seperate city. If you pay property taxes, you pay them to the City of Somerville, not the City of Boston (as opposed to someone who lives in the neighborhood of Dorchester within the City of Boston - property taxes go to Boston, not "Dorchester").
This post has been removed by the author.
A lot of people, most of whom seem to come from the suburbs, don't understand the difference between municipalities and neighborhoods. I am not one of them.
You're getting the point perfectly and missing it completely at the same time.
ohhhhhh.i wish i lived in boston.well, you dont.keep saving your pennies and we will have the association look at your application and possibly grant you entry into allston, which actually is part of boston! it aint the greatest but at least nobody calls it slumerville.
"People commute from one to the other...
This city ringed by cities functions as one metropolis, which would be easier to manager if everything were merged into one municipal entity, a la New York."
Can I still shit on Yonkers?
NO, you can't shit on Yonkers!
Somerville is a city. But bordering on Boston makes it a suburb of Boston. Not suburban, but a suburb.
I think this comment by Rhea sums up why there's some confusion about calling SOmerville a suburb. Somerville is not a neighborhood of Boston, but there's an obvious relationship between Somerville and Boston. So, people that aren't from here, might call Somerville a suburb just to describe that Somerville is adjacent to Boston. Somerville is part of greater Boston. But, to call it suburban implies that it is not urban. This is ridiculous because it's more densely populated than Boston, it's one of the most densely populated cities in the country.
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