Without plans, things fail. A person may spend a lot of energy attempting to achieve a goal. But if there is no thought behind it, the end result is often a waste of energy. This is true when discussing things on a small scale, and it is also true when discussing things on a large scale, such as city planning. Most governments understand this. This is why city planning takes out a large chunk of the budgets for most municipalities. The idea is to balance the need for more housing, more retail space, and a better infrastructure with the desire to protect the environment. The idea is to distribute economic development to obtain social goals and to create collaboration between the local government and local businesses. When a city is well-planned, the results are extremely positive.
Good city planning takes every foreseeable circumstance into consideration. This includes the layout of the streets, the work done by a utility pole manufacturer, the location of stop signs, where residential buildings should be, and what areas should be zoned for commercial and agricultural use.
Good city planning lays out a framework for sustainable growth. Cities that are currently thriving are cities where those in a responsible position have had a clear vision for what they wanted the city to look like in the relatively near future, and they have worked to follow through with that by building on the framework they have laid out. The goal is not to centralize all of the responsibility for planning the city in a small body. The idea is to take into consideration the wants, needs, and the limitations of a community. The more input that is given and considered, the more likely a city layout is going to be a place that enhances livability, leads to financial prosperity, and provides all of the residents who live within the municipality equality when it comes to where they live and their quality of life.
When a person walks into a well laid out city, they should never take for granted that the city is well laid out as a result of something that happened spontaneously. To the contrary, the only way that a city can be well laid out is if there was thoughtful, constructive, premeditated planning.
A city plan is not only visually appealing to look at, but it is also well prepared. It’s designed to take into consideration possible natural disasters and other emergencies. It’s designed to keep its residents safe, keep them happy, and to promote the city’s well-being.