Cities are probably the most complex things that human beings have ever created. They are the wellsprings of culture, technology, wealth and power. People have a love-hate relationship with cities. We are torn between our needs for community and privacy and the conflicting attractions of urban and rural life.
Throughout most of human history, we haven't been very successful at planning our cities. Like natural ecosystems, our cities have largely been the result of conflict and adaptation and powerful forces beyond our control. Planning is a relatively recent discipline invented to deal with a vast and complex array of urban problems which we still don't completely understand.
Planning objectives are implemented with a wide variety of tools including traditional planning, zoning and subdivision regulations, and some newer concepts such as urban growth boundaries and conservation easements. It's important to understand what planning is and how it works because it has a profound influence on the natural environment, our quality of life and the value of property.

..A Brief History of Urban Planning (Part 1)
..A Brief History of Urban Planning (Part 2)