How to Found a New City (and Why You Might Want To)

We all have to live somewhere, and wherever you live, there are likely many existing laws and government infrastructure, all of which likely existed long before you came along. Most of us simply exist within these boundaries and don’t complain—we vote in local elections, pay property taxes , and obey local laws—or work to change them.

But if you don’t like how the cities in your backwoods work, you can give up and start your own . In fact, the United States is practically the only place on the planet where this is still possible to do this, because we have a lot of so-called “unincorporated lands”, that is, lands that are not part of an established city or city (communities that arise when people building homes on this land are called, unsurprisingly, unincorporated communities ). It’s actually not always an easy process, but if you want to start your own new city, you can probably do it.

Reasons to found a new city

Okay, you can create a new city out of thin air, but why would you want to? So, there are several main reasons:

• Autonomy. The main reason why people found a new city is to be able to make their own rules within certain limits. New towns are sometimes created when a large nearby municipality threatens to swallow up an unincorporated area, imposing its own government (and taxes) on it. But when you create your own city, you have a rare opportunity to choose your form of government – and a very good chance to determine everything about the city, so you can shape it as you see fit.
• Control. Living in an unincorporated area means that you are likely to fall under county jurisdiction, which means that there are likely very few laws governing land use, meaning that anyone can buy a piece of land and build whatever they want there. like. Incorporating as a city allows you and your neighbors to establish zoning laws to maintain property values ​​and ensure quality of life. This is why, for example, Elon Musk plans to build his own city in Texas and why a few years ago a small group of people voted to create the city of Westlake in Florida.
• Services. Living in an unincorporated community often means a lack of many basic services. Some unincorporated communities create property owners’ associations (POAs), which are similar to homeowners’ associations in that they collect dues from property owners and use them to pay for amenities, maintenance, and repairs, but these arrangements often fail over time because fixed fees mean that some owners benefit far more than others, and determining how to spend the money is a time-consuming and contentious process, and owners typically resist any attempts to increase contributions to cope with inflation and special assessments.-

How to found a new city

If you’re interested in creating your own town—either to escape the rule of a neighboring town or just so you can call the place Towny McTownFace and gain legendary madlad status—your first step is to research your state’s laws. Each state does things differently , and some states have very little unincorporated land, giving you your only chance to create your own city, separate from an existing municipality. Secession can be difficult and expensive, since the existing town or city will likely challenge your efforts in court (as will at least some of your neighbors who may not want to secede).

A much simpler process is to choose a state with a large amount of unincorporated land and follow the relatively simple process of founding a new city. Although each state is unique, the process for creating a new city in an unincorporated area is very similar and consists of the following basic steps:

1. Land survey. The first step is to pay for a survey of the area. This establishes the proposed boundaries of your new city, the residents who will be included (if any, but keep in mind that many states have minimum population requirements for new municipalities), and confirms that you are not claiming any land. which is already part of the existing municipality.
2. Signatures. If people already live there, you will need to get a majority to agree to become part of the new city. Again, requirements vary by state, but generally speaking, you need at least 51% of people to sign up.
3. OK. Once the signatures are received, you will need legal approval. In some states, this simply involves filing paperwork with a judge; in other cases, you may need approval from the state legislature. In any case, you will likely need an attorney to review all the documents and make sure all the details are correct.

The approval process also requires some details that you’ll have to work out in advance, including what you’re going to call your new city and, most importantly, the type of government your new paradise will have.

Different types of government to choose from

Even if you create your new city to escape government oppression, your city will need a form of government in order for it to be legally approved and recognized. Again, some states limit your choices, but essentially you have five options:

1. Governing Council. Voters elect a council, and then the council hires someone to manage the city’s operations. Sometimes one council member is appointed as mayor for a specified term, with roles rotating between council members, but there is no elected mayor.
2. Mayor-Council . Probably the most familiar option to most of us involves a chief executive (mayor) and a council that are elected separately from each other. The mayor’s powers vary greatly from city to city, so you can structure your powers to give the council more power or appoint a mayor where money runs out.
3. Commission . In such a city government, residents elect people to run specific departments—garbage collection, for example—and these commissioners then form a “management council” to make joint decisions, often electing a chairman of sorts. But, in fact, each of them deals with only one aspect of city management.
4. City meeting . If you love heated arguments and paralyzing dysfunction, this is your rub: every decision about the city must be made by the residents collectively.
5. Representative . This is the same basic idea as town meeting government, except voters elect representatives who actually set and enforce policy, rather than every resident attending the meeting.

One thing to remember when choosing your form of government is that this new city of yours will not be yours forever. If the project is successful, it will attract new residents, and new residents may have their own ideas about how things should be done. You need to be prepared for this. For example, the city of Clark, Texas, founded back in 2000, voted in 2005 to change its name to DISH , Texas in order to receive free television from Dish Network. The founder of the city L.E. Clark was not too happy about this and blamed the decision on his rivalry with the new mayor.

Whatever your reasons, depending on where you live, you and a few like-minded neighbors could start a new city today (or at least begin the process) if you have the time, energy, and resources.