MICROPOLITANS: THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS Part 1

MICROPOLITANS: THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS

A peaceful view of mountains from the office where big city business deals are made. Acres of development-ready infrastructure unfettered by urban bureaucracy and red tape. Savvy business proprietors plying their trades Monday through Friday, then fly fishing and hiking on the weekends in their own backyards.

What may sound like non-sensical contradictions or a novelist’s flight of fancy are realities in communities all across the country. Such communities – called micropolitans – exist throughout the United States and are attracting the attention of developers and residents alike, particularly those who want big city conveniences and a small town feel.

But just exactly what is a micropolitan and why are they factoring into America’s growth trends? The US Office of Management and Budget in June 2003 introduced the following definition: “at least one urban cluster of at least 10,000 but less than 50,000 in population.”

To put this in real terms, a true expert is essential and Robert Lang fits the bill.

Robert Lang, a professor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, was the director of the Metropolitan Institute at Virginia Tech as well as an associate professor in Urban Affairs and Planning. He has researched and written about micropolitans (or micros) extensively.

“Micros are a fringe metropolitan area, not in a metro area. And it’s the size of the micro’s core -- the principle city or cities -- that matters. A micropolitan can be comprised of one or more counties, but they are there own distinct places,” he said.