City limits or city boundaries refer to the defined boundary or border of a city. The area within the city limit can be called the city proper. Town limit/boundary and village limit/boundary apply to towns and villages. Similarly, corporate limit is a legal name that refers to the boundary of municipal corporations. In some countries, the limit of a municipality may be expanded through annexation.
In the UK, city boundaries are more difficult to define, since British cities are defined as any town or local authority area, regardless of area or population size, that has been granted letters patent as a royal prerogative. In smaller cities, such as Wells (pop. approx. 10,000) or Gloucester (pop. approx. 100,000), the boundary will be that governed by the city council, though in certain cases such as Carlisle, this may include large rural and even uninhabited areas which are largely distinct from the main settlement. In the case of larger cities, such as Birmingham (pop. approx. 1,000,000), local government will be administered by a metropolitan borough but the wider metro area may also have a county or regional combined authority. London, the largest city, is the original model for this in the UK: almost all of the metropolitan area (known as Greater London) is governed by the Greater London Authority. However, as a regional administration its powers are limited, and the 32 boroughs plus the ancient City of London contained within it are responsible for the majority of services to citizens.
Although British city (or borough) boundaries are often important for defining local services such as refuse collection and planning (zoning), in most places they form a low level local government. Law enforcement, education and other services are generally defined by county boundaries (or larger areas), and central government is responsible for the National Health Service (NHS Scotland or NHS Wales outside of England).
Planning (zoning) law around British cities is generally determined by green belt laws, which prevent building on the countryside surrounding large and medium-sized towns and cities.
United States
Large signs like this one in Schulenburg, Texas are often posted at the city limits of American cities.
Property within a city limit is subject to city taxation and city regulation, and expects city services. Areas outside any city's limit are considered to be unincorporated, and in most U.S. states they are by default regulated and taxed by the county. In others, areas outside a city's limit fall within another type of local government, such as the civil township (a division of a county). Cities and towns may have extraterritorial jurisdiction beyond their limits, typically for zoning purposes. The distance this extends varies based on the population or area of the city, or which "class" it is considered to be under state law.
A city's limit may extend into more than one county, which can complicate certain matters of policing and taxation. (For example, sales taxrevenue collected in a city by one county may not be spent in another part of the city outside that county.) Where a city merges its government with that of its county to become a consolidated city-county, the city limit is usually considered to be expanded to occupy all of the previously unincorporated area of the county, while other existing municipalities continue to exist but are permanently locked into their city's limit without the possibility of annexation (except possibly into a neighboring county). An independent city's limit separates it from being in any county at all. Similarly, cities and towns may or may not be considered part of the township[s] they are in.
City, town, and village limits are not usually coterminous with post office locations or ZIP codes, and the USPS even considers some places to be "unacceptable" for use on mail. (For example, parts of Sandy Springs within its city limit but outside 30328 must use "Atlanta, GA" instead.) School districts and other special-purpose districts may be overlaid on cities, or cities may choose to have their own — however, these are often under other authorities.
A Town's limit was often a radius from a train depot, and several still remain this way.
^"Google Maps". Google Maps. Retrieved 2014-02-03.
^"Google Maps". Google Maps. Retrieved 2014-02-03.
May 23, 2023
city, limits, other, uses, disambiguation, this, article, multiple, issues, please, help, improve, discuss, these, issues, talk, page, learn, when, remove, these, template, messages, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, impr. For other uses see City limits disambiguation This article has multiple issues Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page Learn how and when to remove these template messages This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources City limits news newspapers books scholar JSTOR August 2007 Learn how and when to remove this template message The examples and perspective in this article may not represent a worldwide view of the subject You may improve this article discuss the issue on the talk page or create a new article as appropriate December 2010 Learn how and when to remove this template message Learn how and when to remove this template message City limits or city boundaries refer to the defined boundary or border of a city The area within the city limit can be called the city proper Town limit boundary and village limit boundary apply to towns and villages Similarly corporate limit is a legal name that refers to the boundary of municipal corporations In some countries the limit of a municipality may be expanded through annexation Contents 1 United Kingdom 2 United States 3 See also 4 ReferencesUnited Kingdom EditIn the UK city boundaries are more difficult to define since British cities are defined as any town or local authority area regardless of area or population size that has been granted letters patent as a royal prerogative In smaller cities such as Wells pop approx 10 000 or Gloucester pop approx 100 000 the boundary will be that governed by the city council though in certain cases such as Carlisle this may include large rural and even uninhabited areas which are largely distinct from the main settlement In the case of larger cities such as Birmingham pop approx 1 000 000 local government will be administered by a metropolitan borough but the wider metro area may also have a county or regional combined authority London the largest city is the original model for this in the UK almost all of the metropolitan area known as Greater London is governed by the Greater London Authority However as a regional administration its powers are limited and the 32 boroughs plus the ancient City of London contained within it are responsible for the majority of services to citizens Although British city or borough boundaries are often important for defining local services such as refuse collection and planning zoning in most places they form a low level local government Law enforcement education and other services are generally defined by county boundaries or larger areas and central government is responsible for the National Health Service NHS Scotland or NHS Wales outside of England Planning zoning law around British cities is generally determined by green belt laws which prevent building on the countryside surrounding large and medium sized towns and cities United States Edit Large signs like this one in Schulenburg Texas are often posted at the city limits of American cities In the United States such limits are usually formally described in a state provincial or territorial law or an appropriate regulation as being under the control of the municipal corporation or agency that constitutes the city government It is customary to indicate city limits with signs on freeways highways and arterial roads Property within a city limit is subject to city taxation and city regulation and expects city services Areas outside any city s limit are considered to be unincorporated and in most U S states they are by default regulated and taxed by the county In others areas outside a city s limit fall within another type of local government such as the civil township a division of a county Cities and towns may have extraterritorial jurisdiction beyond their limits typically for zoning purposes The distance this extends varies based on the population or area of the city or which class it is considered to be under state law Home rule within a city s limit is usually exercised by the mayor executive branch and city council legislative branch Home rule outside the city s limit is usually exercised by the county commission which is often both legislative and executive or the township s board of supervisors Even without home rule the county as a unit of state government also has certain powers and responsibilities even within the limits of its cities including the sheriff that performs evictions runs the county jail that all city and county police departments take arrested persons to and guards the courthouse for the county s state court even though it is usually within the city limit of the county seat Elections and health departments are also common county responsibilities which include all cities City residents still pay some county taxes for these reasons If a city chooses to have its own emergency services they generally only operate within the city s limit except for mutual aid typically among fire departments in case of disaster Telephone companies also must keep track of changing a city s limit to ensure that calls to 9 1 1 are routed to the appropriate public safety answering point if the city operates a PSAP separate from the county Calls from mobile phones are usually routed based on the location of the base station rather than the calling party so these along with landline calls to non emergency telephone numbers must be handled manually by the telephone operator or dispatcher determining whether the caller or incident is within a particular city limit or not so that the proper authorities may be sent A city s limit may extend into more than one county which can complicate certain matters of policing and taxation For example sales tax revenue collected in a city by one county may not be spent in another part of the city outside that county Where a city merges its government with that of its county to become a consolidated city county the city limit is usually considered to be expanded to occupy all of the previously unincorporated area of the county while other existing municipalities continue to exist but are permanently locked into their city s limit without the possibility of annexation except possibly into a neighboring county An independent city s limit separates it from being in any county at all Similarly cities and towns may or may not be considered part of the township s they are in City limits or boundaries in California are regulated by Local Agency Formation Commissions LAFCO Rail tracks and roads often separate or bound cities In this case a BNSF right of way and Esperanza Road separate the strip mall on the left which is in Yorba Linda 1 from the car dealership on the right which is in Anaheim 2 City town and village limits are not usually coterminous with post office locations or ZIP codes and the USPS even considers some places to be unacceptable for use on mail For example parts of Sandy Springs within its city limit but outside 30328 must use Atlanta GA instead School districts and other special purpose districts may be overlaid on cities or cities may choose to have their own however these are often under other authorities A Town s limit was often a radius from a train depot and several still remain this way See also EditList of cities proper by populationReferences Edit Google Maps Google Maps Retrieved 2014 02 03 Google Maps Google Maps Retrieved 2014 02 03 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title City limits amp oldid 1146411157, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
