Actually...yes I do want them hanging out around my city...it would then be a real seige...unlike now. Seiges historically took months and years...so whatever fireaxis needs to do to do that I am all for
I can agree with this, making sieges last longer would be nice. With a higher city strength the only way to really take over a city is either pounding it repeatedly with siege units or suiciding melee units into it. Unless you really have the upperhand this would take longer and allow for counterattacks by the defending civ.
Right now, it does often feel like sieges are short (wheter you fail or succeed), and this leads to a steamroll situation. I think the idea for stronger cities but without ranged attack is a good one, especially to make conquest sligthly less easy and more strategic (you'll need the right units and enough of them).