Urban Planning For Dummies

by Jordan Yin, W. Paul Farmer (Foreword by)

Overview

Find out how to plan a great future for your community

Urban planning is vital to the future success of cities, towns, and suburbs across the globe. Urban plans help communities take stock of what's good and bad about the community in the present and determine the best improvements to make for the future. With the majority of the world's population shifting to urban areas, it has become an increasingly vital profession. Whether you're thinking about a career in urban planning or looking for a way to get more involved in your community, Urban Planning For Dummies will give you a practical overview of this fascinating field, including determining the best uses for land, planning for transportation and economic development, and discovering how urban plans are made and carried out.

• Understand the building blocks of urban planning — explore all the different elements that contribute to the community's quality of life and a more sustainable local environment
• Explore the relationship between urban planning and the built environment — see how good urban design can make healthier, more attractive communities
• Examine the components of a comprehensive urban plan — learn the roles that land use, housing, transportation, natural resources, infrastructure, open space, and public services play in shaping a community
• Grasp the challenges that urban planners face — find out how pollution, rapid population growth, economic distress, and recovery from natural disasters affect the quality of life in cities and towns
• Be more involved — discover how a better understanding of urban planning can help you create more successful communities where you live

Open the book and find:

• How to create a sustainable community
• What resources are needed to make a good plan
• How to find useful information about your community
• The challenges facing today's cities, suburbs, and towns
• The role of urban planning in developing countries
• How to get hands-on experience
• Ways to improve and enhance your community
• Real-world examples

Learn to:

• Understand how cities and towns grow and change
• Plan for housing, transportation, and land use
• Explore how urban plans get made
• Design greener cities and sustainable communities

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781118101674
Publisher:	Wiley
Publication date:	02/21/2012
Series:	For Dummies Books
Sold by:	JOHN WILEY & SONS
Format:	eBook
Pages:	368
Sales rank:	923,247
File size:	13 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Jordan Yin, PhD, AICP, is a faculty member of the College of Urban Affairs at Cleveland State University and a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners. He has published research articles in leading academic journals, including Urban Affairs Review and Journal of Urban Affairs, and his work as an urban planner has been reported on by National Public Radio, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal.

Table of Contents

Foreword xix

Introduction 1

Part I: What Is Urban Planning? 7

Chapter 1: Making Great Cities: Why Planning Matters 9

Chapter 2: Changing Places: Planning for the 21st Century 23

Chapter 3: Who Makes Urban Plans and Why 43

Chapter 4: Making Plans: A Step-by-Step Approach 57

Part II: Putting All the Pieces Together: The Main Components of an Urban Plan 75

Chapter 5: Land Use: A Place for Everything 77

Chapter 6: Housing: A Place to Call Home 97

Chapter 7: Moving the City: Transportation 119

Chapter 8: The City Beautiful: Urban Design 135

Chapter 9: The Great Outdoors: Natural Resources, Open Space, and More 149

Chapter 10: Infrastructure and Public Services: Something for Everyone 163

Part III: Hot Topics and Urban Planning Challenges 179

Chapter 11: Greening the City: Making Sustainable Places 181

Chapter 12: Urban Revitalization: Cities on the Rebound 195

Chapter 13: Rushing to the Suburbs: Managing Sprawl 207

Chapter 14: Healing the City: Planning and Disasters 223

Chapter 15: Taking Care of Business: Jobs and Economic Development 237

Chapter 16: Global Urban Planning: Answering the Challenges of Growth and Development 253

Part IV: Getting Involved and Going Further 267

Chapter 17: Getting Involved in Your Community 269

Chapter 18: Becoming a Professional Urban Planner 279

Part V: The Part of Tens 291

Chapter 19: Ten Ways to Make Your Community a Better Place to Live, Work, and Play 293

Chapter 20: Ten Great Cities with Great Plans 301

Chapter 21: Ten Urban Plans You Can Find Online 309

Appendix: Resources 317

Index 325