Santa Ana has become a cool place to be, and that is scaring a lot of people. (Los Angeles: home, live)

[HyperionGap]

Well considering the huge difference in area between the two cities that's not surprising. AV is probably 100% built out while Irvine still has raw land.

The fact that AV has a population density over 6000 is actually pretty wild. Most moderately dense sir areas are around 4-5 thousand. Guess the developers really wanted to cram as many lots as possible.

[pacific2]

Aliso is almost completely built out, but OC's largest single parcel of available acreage (25 acres) is here and still up for sale.

[Urban Planner]

Originally Posted by pacific2

FWIW, or not, it's funny how you can play with statistics and definitions. Looking at the density criterion alone, tiny suburban Aliso Viejo (7.47 sq mi) with a population of 50,165 and a density of 6,400.3, is actually far more "urban" than the much larger city of Irvine (66.11 sq mi) with a population of 236,716 and a density of 3,212.6.

Aliso Viejo (city) QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau
Irvine (city) QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau

I am a numbers guy, but one has to understand that numbers alone do not determine whether or not you are a suburb or a urban city. Characteristics, built environment, and tons of other things determine that.

All of south OC is suburban. Most of north OC is suburban. Very few places within OC proper can be classified as a real urban city, most of Santa Ana being a part of that.

[pacific2]

Originally Posted by Urban Planner

I am a numbers guy, but one has to understand that numbers alone do not determine whether or not you are a suburb or a urban city. Characteristics, built environment, and tons of other things determine that.

All of south OC is suburban. Most of north OC is suburban. Very few places within OC proper can be classified as a real urban city, most of Santa Ana being a part of that.

Note that I didn't claim that AV is urban ("tiny suburban Aliso Viejo"). That's why I put the word in quotation marks. I said that people could play with statistics. It's just play and nothing more.

BTW, I moved here from Manhattan, so I am well aware of the differences between suburban and urban areas.

[dexter14]

Originally Posted by Urban Planner

I am a numbers guy, but one has to understand that numbers alone do not determine whether or not you are a suburb or a urban city. Characteristics, built environment, and tons of other things determine that.

All of south OC is suburban. Most of north OC is suburban. Very few places within OC proper can be classified as a real urban city, most of Santa Ana being a part of that.

You people make no sense whatsoever. You can't have an entire county with well over 3 million people and 34 cities classified as a "suburb". Even if you could, what is it a suburb OF? Los Angeles county? To have suburbs, you need a major urban city with the suburbs located on the outskirts and even that makes no sense with LA and OC. A suburb of LA would be more like Downey, Norwalk, Bellflower...smaller and more densely populated cities on the outskirts of Los Angeles. OC is its own entity and its far too populated (6th largest county in the country) to be considered a true "suburb". Not to mention it has things true suburbs lack, like a mass transit system with trains and busses, and high-rises.

[Urban Planner]

Originally Posted by mbell75

You people make no sense whatsoever.

Not to mention it has things true suburbs lack, like a mass transit system with trains and busses, and high-rises.

LOL. Thanks for the laugh dude.

[HyperionGap]

Originally Posted by mbell75

You people make no sense whatsoever. You can't have an entire county with well over 3 million people and 34 cities classified as a "suburb". Even if you could, what is it a suburb OF? Los Angeles county? To have suburbs, you need a major urban city with the suburbs located on the outskirts and even that makes no sense with LA and OC. A suburb of LA would be more like Downey, Norwalk, Bellflower...smaller and more densely populated cities on the outskirts of Los Angeles. OC is its own entity and its far too populated (6th largest county in the country) to be considered a true "suburb". Not to mention it has things true suburbs lack, like a mass transit system with trains and busses, and high-rises.

Yep, everyone single other person on this forum (including all the people with degrees in urban planning) are wrong. You, however, with no education in the subject are the expert. Sounds good.


Let me give you an old adage that is very apropos in this situation:

The first time someone calls you an ass you ignore him, the second time someone calls you an ass punch him on the nose, but the third time someone calls you an ass, well then perhaps it's time to go shopping for a saddle.

[blam]

I would have to agree that OC is a suburb. So what there are 3 million people? I still have to drive a car to go anywhere. I mean even Los Angeles is like 95% suburban. How many blocks do you have to go from downtown to start seeing houses? There's only a handful of real cities in America: New York, Chicago, San Francisco, I would imagine maybe Boston although I never been there.

[dexter14]

Originally Posted by blam

I would have to agree that OC is a suburb. So what there are 3 million people? I still have to drive a car to go anywhere.

No you don't. The Metrolink runs from Oceanside all the way up to LA making 12 stops in major OC cities along the way. You can also get busses anywhere in OC. Try that in a REAL suburb.

[dober1]

Originally Posted by HyperionGap

Yep, everyone single other person on this forum (including all the people with degrees in urban planning) are wrong. You, however, with no education in the subject are the expert. Sounds good.


Let me give you an old adage that is very apropos in this situation:

The first time someone calls you an ass you ignore him, the second time someone calls you an ass punch him on the nose, but the third time someone calls you an ass, well then perhaps it's time to go shopping for a saddle.

Ha, good one!