Growing Cities

[Havoc1102 0]

Okay so I have 4 major cities in the region, but we're only concentrating on the largest, Europa and Irving Bay.

Now Europa is on a large plot of land, you know, the largest plot you can build a city on, and it takes up almost 75% of the space within it. The city has about 365,000 people, has an excellent mass transit and transportation system, all bars are in the green except for the environment (cant always fix that can we?) It's a well structured city but...I can't get it to get any bigger, and whenever I zone, it takes several months for that zone to develop, even at the highest simulation speed. The largest City I had before that was Plymouth and it had over 650,000 people, still not much but it could have been better.

Irving bay on the other hand is on a medium sized plot, so a plot the quarter of the size of the plot that Europa is on, Irving Bay is only a quarter of the size of Europa, and has more than half it's population, 170,000 people. The entire plot is full, there is no room for anymore development. This city also has an excellent transportation system, and probably has a better environment rating than Europa, anything I zone, will develop really really quickly.

Both cities have high demand for all types of zones, and desirability for those zones is easy to come across...so why is it that the town with more space and a lot of demand won't develop and has a litte more than half the population of the smaller city, won't grow? I zone, it won't grow for crap, I've got plenty of schools, hospitals, police stations all that, the city is perfect for development but it won't grow!

I'm kinda stumped here help me out.

[astronelson 339]

There are a few things I recommend in this situation: first, place more parks. These raise the population cap, and it sounds like you might have hit this. I'm pretty sure they help with environment too.

Second is to build other cities in the neighbouring tiles to take up some of the surplus demand. A higher region population allows larger buildings to grow.

Third, are there any reward buildings available? These generally raise population caps too. I think landmarks do as well, but I'm not as sure on this point.

If all that fails, I'm sorry, I haven't a clue either then.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

I assume your city is in the black and has a healthy income differential.  Try cutting taxes half a percent.  Demand doesn't mean willingness to build.  I consider the demand bars to be available building permits.  Just zoning doesn't necessarily do it.

How about amenities?  Often I have found that inserting a school in the middle of a residential zone causes development to follow.  The same applies to fire and police protection and a health site.

I have a rule that schools at least get a playground, which counts as a park.  It is often smart to sacrifice a little development space for some amenities.

Good luck with your city.  I don't much are for megalopoli, but every man to his own taste.  Sometimes a city is like Topsy and it "Jest growed".

[a2A209_ 10]

I have a power tip for you but I have a question, what kind of power powers your cities?

[Havoc1102 0]

Thanks for the input astro and nonny, I'll put those theories to the test, the environment advisor is always badgering me about parks...

As for your question a2A, uhh, my power system is varied but the budget has become strong enough to support the biggest of power plants, a hydrogen plant, a downloaded microwave power plant which was only recently put in, and a downloaded plasma gasification waste to energy plant, all my power sources are clean. I also want to state that since Europa's beginning, taxes on dirty industry have been made VERY high to chase them off and clean up the environment, now...im at the year 127 i believe...and i've lowered the taxes to try and bring them back, maybe create more jobs and entice developers, but I'm not sure if that'll work.

[DahMayorDefacto 1]

If you want more I-D jobs, build them in a neighbour city!

I once made a region named Solrein. A medium sized city (Hometown Bay) had a very trafficed and well-connected neighbour to Cestill, my Huge I-D Blob. Now, this stimulated demand for R-S a lot, i managed to get 3 Project hopes within 10 cells!

Poor residential takes much less place/inhabitant, while the biggest Hi-Wealth scrapers have around 400 in population, project hope and Simrises have 7000.

Today, Hometown bay has 160,000 inhabitants, and there's still a lot of Industrial and agricultural zoning left in the Medium tile. I think i can press it up to 400,000.

[Havoc1102 0]

Pretty cool...thats a good idea I should make a city with a lot of industry...maybe Oxnard Crater to the North of Europa...It has a lot of freeways to transport goods on

[a2A209_ 10]

If you wanna keep the dirty and manufacter industry away forever,increase their taxes to 20.0.Also, if you want high tech industry when you start a new city. First lower taxes to 0.0, with the radical ordinces,check in godfather project or connect your city to 2 cities and let them commute and build toll booths.Or you can do both.And make sure you have water and you don`t need residents or education at all. This was tested.

[Keder 116]

Three things to say : 1. Zone slowly, every time you zone try letting it develop before you zone any thing else. 2. Place at least one or two parks per city block. 3. Make sure your city has water, power, city facilities(police, fire protection, etc...), and a adequate transportation system. Do these things you'll be there in no time.