city planning

American  

noun

1. the activity or profession of determining the future physical arrangement and condition of a community, involving an appraisal of the present condition, a forecast of future requirements, a plan for the fulfillment of these requirements, and proposals for constructional, legal, and financial programs to implement the plan.

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city planning British  

noun

1. the US term for town planning

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• city planner
  noun

Etymology

Origin of city planning

First recorded in 1910–15

Example Sentences

"Voronoi diagrams have been used for centuries in a variety of applications ranging from city planning to network design," Navlakha says.

From Science Daily • May 14, 2026

There’s also the question of civic urbanism—an approach to city planning that puts citizenship and community at the center.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 20, 2026

Shade-first city planning would upend more than a century of conventional wisdom about zoning.

From Slate • Jul. 23, 2025

Of the roughly 15,200 square feet of decking that fell into the sea, about 1,100 square feet will be rebuilt, according to city planning documents.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 8, 2025

Nowadays we hear much about planning—town planning, city planning, nation planning.

From The Good Housekeeping Marriage Book by Bigelow, William F. (William Frederick)