What is planning?

[Bruce]

Various planning authors have provided their definitions of planning. What is yours? Have you found it helpful to have a definition of “planning” in your mind?

[Nicole Masson]

That is an interesting question. I have been working toward a succinct answer to this question for the website.

As a jumping off point, here is what good old Merriam-Webster has to say:

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/urban%20planner?utm_campaign=sd&utm_medium=serp&utm_source=jsonld

And here is what the Info Genie ChatGPT says:

Urban planning is a technical and political process concerned with the development and design of land use and the built environment, including the infrastructure of urban areas, such as transportation networks, water supply systems, waste management, and public spaces. It aims to create orderly, sustainable, and functional cities and towns that meet the needs of the present and future populations.

Key elements of urban planning include:

1. Land Use Planning: Determining the best use for various areas within the city, balancing residential, commercial, industrial, and recreational needs.
2. Transportation Planning: Designing transportation systems that efficiently move people and goods within and between urban areas.
3. Environmental Planning: Ensuring that urban development is sustainable and minimizes environmental impact.
4. Economic Planning: Promoting economic growth and ensuring that all residents have access to economic opportunities.
5. Community Engagement: Involving local communities in the planning process to ensure that their needs and desires are met.
6. Zoning Regulations: Creating laws and guidelines that dictate how land can be used in different parts of the city.

Urban planners work with a variety of stakeholders, including government agencies, private developers, and the public, to create comprehensive plans that guide the growth and development of urban areas.

[Bruce]

Thanks for your response, NM. But doesn’t planning also occur in settings that are not “urban” or “metropolitan” and in other forms, e.g., social capital and cultural planning? I want to think our definition can be expansive while being succinct. I hope we can find a definition that addresses more than spatial issues. Spatially defined planning was where the profession was at about 100 years ago. BP

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