ABSTRACT
In the United States, city planning takes place within a democratic constitutional system of government. City administrators attempt to guide the planning process on what is possible with the amount of resources and within the legal guidelines and at the same time be responsive to what is desired by the elected officials. The legal basis for all land use regulation is the police power of the city to protect the public health, safety, and welfare of its residents. During 1920s, the authority of cities to control zoning arose from a need to control a location and proximity of uses for land within city limits. The impact of the federal government in local planning has been direct and indirect in its impact on shaping the formation and growth of cities in America. Some in the public administration profession are concerned that zoning laws are destroying the sense of community, increasing crime, increasing traffic congestion and air pollution, and contributing to poverty.
