Development often infringes on sensitive environmental areas. Planning seeks to protect wetlands, steep slopes, floodplains, prime agricultural land and wildlife habitat.

Planners create and promote farmers markets, urban agriculture, healthy food choices in low-income neighborhoods, and food pantries for the poor.

Planners ensure there is a diversity of housing stock for lifestyles of all types, including affordable housing programs for low-income residents.

Natural hazards threaten many communities. Planners work to reduce the community's risk and to help communities to recover from disasters.

Planners use computerized geographic information systems (GIS) to map issues and produce alternative response plans. They also inventory the community's assets.

Communities need great places. Planners design public parks, commercial corridors, entertainment districts, complete streets, and residential developments to be aesthetically pleasing and socially inviting.

Planners work to bring businesses to their community that will provide the needed goods and services, employ the community's residents, and drive the tax base that funds the community, publicly and privately.

Planners work to create communities that protect their natural environment while remaining economically resilient and socially equitable.

Planners help residents of the community form their vision of the ideal future of the community, using techniques that assist groups to make decisions collectively.