Government services in one quadrant or spread out?

[Thinksamuel 5]

Hi

When zoning new districts, would it make sense to keep a central quadrant free in the zone and put all services (schools, hospital, police, ...) there, or is it better to have a buidling in every quadrant of the zone?

[CorinaMarie 29,605]

It'll really depend on the density of your population and your budget.

If you have a lot of Sims in a small area around the schools and medical facilities they can overwhelm them. Additionally, to cover a large area with one set of facilities you'll prolly need to leave the school buses and ambulances funding at the default 100%. That'll eat into your budget tho. Another option is setting their lower slider to zero and then having more of them. Financially this works well, but you'll also then have a lot of repetition of those buildings.

Basically whichever strategy you wish to use when plopping is fine. The key is that most, if not all, of your Sims are within a coverage radius.

[TheMurderousCricket 5,055]

Usually, I (and many others) do find it useful to create "service islands" where all city services are located. It is indeed the challenge coming from circular ranges that gives us such ideas!

Not all services need to be grouped however. Here is how I'd usually approach the topic you mention:

1. Clinics, hospitals, schools, high schools and libraries are grouped in "service islands", because they affect an area and the population.

2. Museums are not grouped because they affect entire city.

3. Universities are not grouped because they affect entire city.

4. Fire depts. are not grouped, because fire hazards are not necessarily connected to residential areas.

5. Police are not grouped, because crime fluctuates and is not necessarily highest in residential areas.

By the way, if you build an exclusively commercial town, you will not have any crime.  Crime is ingrained in the residents and the outlaws within their ranks.