Urban planning is a field involving the management of growth and development within a city. Planners are most often employed in the public sector (only 20% work for private industry), generally as employees of city governments. They work to form long-term plans for a city's growth, to develop and administer regulations involving city development, and work in more specific fields to promote particular interests. Urban planning, in particular, focuses on the use of space, shaping the geographic layout of a city, zoning specific areas for development and deciding on the location of major public facilities, like utilities and transportation corridors. Urban planning, ultimately, concerns the design and development of a city to create a space that is pleasant, efficient, and attractive to residents, both present and future.
Land use planning
Land use planning is the most traditional and most common type of planning. It may involve the development of long-term proposals for development, taking into account all of the activities a community performs (housing, infrastructure, transportation, and so forth.) Land use planners may also consult with a city to evaluate the impact of proposed developments or work to balance the demand for development with the necessity of open or agricultural land.
Economic development planning
Professionals in this field work to enhance the prosperity of a community through planning. They work to attract businesses, create jobs, and save economically depressed regions. They work to finance the costs of development and to bring housing and commercial enterprise into poor neighborhoods.
Environmental planning
Environmental planning involves the preservation of natural resources and the ecology of an area. They attempt to predict the impact of arising from regulations or development and they weigh environmental concerns against those of economy and city design.
Transportation planning
Transportation planners, like the title suggests, work to meet people's transportation needs and predict the results of changes to a city's infrastructure. They work with computer models to analyze traffic patterns and deal with the economic impact of travel, both involving cars and public transportation. Often they work to encourage people to drive less and to balance the need for transportation with the needs of the environment and the aesthetic beauty of the community.
Other planners work to increase the supply of housing, especially for low-income citizens, and to improve the comfort and quality of life in poor neighborhoods. Often planners will work to improve every aspect of a disadvantaged community, from transportation to medical facilities.
Planners will work with every aspect of city design - the aesthetic effects of development, the development's access to infrastructure - streets, sewer and water lines, electricity - their economic effects, and the effect of the development on noise, job opportunities, and the neighborhood's character.
Planners work with politicians, businesspeople, citizens, and experts in various subfields to create and refine plans for the growth and change of a city. Their jobs center on balancing the various needs of a city to provide the best environment for its inhabitants.
Planners work in every size city, as well as at the county, state, and federal levels. Some planners work in the private sector as well, often with consulting firms or with many different types of businesses whose actions impact or are influenced by cities. Planners tend to work behind the scenes, rarely achieving fame but they are extremely important to the development of a city. | 
