ABSTRACT
This chapter provides a summary of some basic sound planning principles, because it is important for citizens to understand not just the mechanics of planning but what good planning generally tries to accomplish. Every city is unique, and every community must decide for itself what it is trying to achieve. Most cities and counties strive to have a strong and diverse economic base. In many communities, the cost of housing has escalated to the point that only a shrinking share of the population can afford a home. Most people want a quiet and peaceful neighborhood setting; on the other hand, there is increasing concern that isolated residential subdivisions with few vehicular or pedestrian connections outside the subdivision do not promote strong neighborhoods that are part of a larger community. "Connectivity" is both a transportation and a community character issue. The identities of many communities are rooted in their history and their unique culture.
