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

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

From Science Daily • Dec. 2, 2025

Mr. Angel is a professor of city planning at New York University.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 17, 2025

To be back on Temple Street talking about cities was exciting, and I wanted to see how urbanists from across the country would perceive this place that had so shaped my sense of city planning.

From Slate • Sep. 21, 2025

The city approved these two projects in 2022, but their developers have not applied for permits, according to the city planning department.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 28, 2024

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

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