McHarg's core argument is a powerful one: instead of viewing development and nature as opposing forces, planners should create designs that work in harmony with the environment.

For planners, the path to a better community is rarely black and white. From accepting a seemingly innocent gift to dealing with conflicting timelines, the profession is filled with ethical dilemmas that require more than just a passing thought.

Every city, town, and neighborhood has a story, and the comprehensive plan is where its next chapters are written. In his book, Community Planning: An Introduction to the Comprehensive Plan, Eric Damian Kelly provides an essential guide to this foundational document that charts the course for a community’s future.

For anyone who has studied urban planning, a familiar challenge often emerges when classroom theory meets the real world: the textbook ideal of a community plan can quickly crumble under the weight of political realities.

In a world often focused on the planning challenges of sprawling cities and urban centers, we took a step back to the countryside. Arendt, the mind behind the influential book Rural by Design, makes a powerful case that thoughtful planning is not just for metropolitan areas.