Value of Planning in the Urban Development Essay - 2

Value of Planning in the Urban Development - Essay Example Traditionally, planning concentrated on improving the physical conditions of the houses and streets with response to prevailing circumstances whereby this contrasted with the new aspects of urban planning. City planning process is highly a complex matter, as it must put into account characteristics together with the long-range welfare of people of that particular urban area or city (Barney, 2006). It follows a systematic process that involves series of studies and surveys, land-use development plan, transportation system plan, budget preparation, not forgetting that it has to receive a unified master plan approval from several agencies or legislative bodies. The history of urban development is a controversial subject in the States. Many planners at the beginning of 19th century used to consider total costs of urban planning as opposed to its benefits and this drew a very different picture. However, as time went by, urban community planning took a turning point with a progressive approach where planners concentrated on maximizing the difference between costs and benefits and did not necessarily consider minimizing costs. This was in response to the fact that minimizing costs and at the same time minimizing benefits was of no value, not to the planners nor the country. The history of America reveals that American cities increased and expanded in the early decades of the 19th century. Due to their expansion, geography born rise to city planning as most of the vital roads by then existed for two centuries earlier. As a result, they winded up in erratic areas in local ways and around topographic areas. Afterward, the presence of equipment for construction permitted straighter roads hence planners persisted in establishing a good framework for developing the urban community transportation network (Weiner, 2008).