ancient cities

162 City Planning
units. Today planners are concerned with such
issues as housing affordability and whether or not
there is an adequate supply to meet demand. Just
as in the comprehensive planning process, planners
start by gathering and analyzing data in detail specific
to housing. Beyond looking at population and
projected population, planners also concern themselves
with housing condition, costs, projected new
housing starts, household size and income, and
vacancy rates. While typically government does
not provide housing, zoning and subdivision
regulations can directly affect housing supply,
including the availability of multifamily housing.
Government provision of streets, sewers, water
delivery and treatment, and other public facilities
and services is planned to encourage development
in areas where growth is desired.
Because of the current complexity of cities,
planners must deal with land use codes, review
development plans, evaluate annexation proposals,
encourage infill and sustainable development,
set development guidelines and standards, and
carry out numerous other tasks that guide development.
There are a number of legal means of implementing
plans. Based on comprehensive plans,
zoning ordinances and subdivision regulations are
tools for encouraging growth in some areas and
not others. Zoning ordinances divide land uses
into zones and regulate land use activity specific to
each zone. Subdivision regulations deal with the
division of land and the location, design, and
installation of infrastructure to service the activities
located there. Site reviews done by planners on
a site-by-site basis ensure that development conforms
to zoning and subdivision regulations and
that there is adequate parking, buffering, and landscaping
on the site for the particular use. As cities
have evolved, the legal tools have become increasingly
sophisticated to meet the demands of different
land uses. If special environmental or historic
sites need protection, overlay zones with greater
restrictions may be put into place. Today, cities are
seeking more and varied means of controlling
growth through such legal tools as infill incentives,
transfer of development rights, planned area development,
and impact fees.
Another key aspect of city planning is protection of
the environment. As cities and towns have expanded
into the urban fringe, planners and residents alike are
committed to saving open space, protecting wildlife
and watersheds, and promoting rural trails and
pedestrian and bicycle pathways. Under “smart
growth” practices, the comprehensive planning process
identifies natural areas and open space, recognizing
the importance of balance between the natural
and the built environment. A related tool is that of
“sustainable” development, which recognizes the
need to promote conservation in building practice,
including green building, urban water–harvesting
techniques, and compact development to encourage
use of alternative modes of transportation such as
bus, light rail, and bicycle travel.
City planning is vital to ensure that communities
make rational choices for their future. The roles that
residents and business owners take in the process
are key to making decisions that enhance the quality
of life for all. Public decision makers are guided by
planning and the use of legal tools to obtain the
growth, development, and redevelopment desired
by community members. As Paul Farmer, executive
director and chief executive officer of the American
Planning Association, stated in 2005 to the U.S.
Government’s House Transportation and Infrastructure
Subcommittees on Water Resources and
Environment, and Economic Development, Public
Buildings and Emergency Management, “Planning
is, at its core, about managing change in a way that
engages citizens, reflects their vision, and results in
increased value. . . . Planners have historically been
at the forefront of designing places and standards
that ensure safety while bolstering vitality and a
sense of community.”
Barbara Becker
See also General Plan; Planning Theory; Urban Planning;
Urban Policy
Further Readings
Dalton, Linda C., Charles J. Hoch, and Frank S. So, eds.
2000. The Practice of Local Government. 3rd ed.
Washington, DC: International City/County
Management Association.
Kelly, Eric Damian and Barbara Becker. 2000.
Community Planning: An Introduction to the
Comprehensive Plan. Washington, DC: Island
Press.