While many authors have written about what urban plans should contain and how they should be used, this comprehensive book leads you step by step through the entire plan preparation process. Citing examples from across the country, Larz Anderson shows how to prepare, review, adopt, and implement urban plans. He explains how to identify public needs and desires, analyze existing problems and opportunities, and augment long-range general plans with short-range district and function plans. Anderson presents these guidelines as tasks. For each task, he explains the rationale behind it, recommends a procedure for completing it, and identifies the expected results. Throughout, Anderson encourages improvisation — he urges planners to adapt the guidelines to meet local needs. Excerpts from recently adopted general plans illustrate Anderson's points and provide examples of variations even within his recommendations. A related glossary gives comprehensive definitions to words that, though not technical, have meanings specific to the urban plan.

This new edition of "the best anthology in planning" includes 33 selections by many of the profession's most respected thinkers and eloquent writers. Returning editor Jay M. Stein chose the articles, about half of them new to this edition, based on suggestions from colleagues and students who used the first edition, recommendations from planning scholars, awards for writing in the field of planning, and his own review of recent planning literature. Classic Readings in Urban Planning offers an unparalleled depth of coverage and range of perspectives on traditional aspects of planning as well as on important contemporary issues. This is an exceptional main or supplementary textbook for advanced undergraduate or beginning graduate level students in urban and regional planning. As a general overview of the field of urban planning, it is also an excellent choice for planning commissioners, practicing planners, and professionals in related fields such as environmental and land use law, architecture, and government. An abstract introduces each reading, and each section includes suggestions for additional readings suitable for more extensive study. Many of these are also "classics" that could not be included as a main selection.

The city's development from ancient times to the modern age. Winner of the National Book Award. "One of the major works of scholarship of the twentieth century" (Christian Science Monitor). Index; illustrations.