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

• city planner
  noun

Etymology

Origin of city planning

First recorded in 1910–15

Example Sentences

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

"This discovery gives us a rare look at how the early Romans experimented with city planning," he said.

From Science Daily • Dec. 2, 2025

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

From Slate • Jul. 23, 2025

The program proved popular, with nearly 24,000 units approved for construction, according to the city planning department.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 20, 2025

An expert in such work has said that "city planning has few functions more important than the restoration of impaired property values."

From Abroad at Home American Ramblings, Observations, and Adventures of Julian Street by Street, Julian