Daniel Hudson Burnham (1846–1912)

I know that not many people have an interest in how a city works, much less how "urban development" is accomplished. Like most, for a long time, I thought that such things as zoning were dumb. "Who do those people think they are, telling me I can't build a 5-story tower here? I own this property!" Then, I went to work for a land use planning firm, and learned why these things are important.

Planning, it seems, is not designed to tell people what they can do, but to insure that no one else creates a situation in which the individual can not enjoy their own property. If I were to build a 5-story tower on my property, how will it affect my neighbors? Will the person behind me, who used to be able to enjoy the sun waking him up each morning, be as happy with a large shadow on his property much of the day? What if Joe, down the street, decides to paint his house in brilliant green and puce? Will I be able to look at it without throwing up?

While city planning has existed in one form or another for many decades, Daniel Burnham, et al., created the first plan for a modern city. Since I grew up in Chicago, I had often heard of "the Burnham Plan," but didn't make much of it. But this plan is the reason that Chicago, unlike most cities that city on a shore, has 26 miles of park rather than industry along Lake Michigan. All you have to do is look at how its lakefront compares to Milwaukee's or New York's, and you'll suddenly comprehend how wonderful land use planning is.

What is most wonderful about this plan is that, with only a few alterations over the years, it has been able to accommodate the beautiful skyline that Chicago has, the museums that lie on the lakeshore, easily accessible to everyone. "The main problem to be solved is the disposition of the various streams of traffic, so that people may reach expeditiously the places to which their daily vocations call them." He realized that there needed to be an effective way of moving people in and out of the city's commercial center, but without having people be discommondated by the site and smell of railways.

To be sure, many things in the Plan were not implemented, to the sorrow of the average person (if she knew and understood what had happened). The plethora of large apartment buildings along Lakeshore Drive allowed a few people to enjoy the view, but blocks the morning sun for eveyone behind them. This is something Burnham would not have liked. However, the wisdom of the plan has prevailed in many ways, for which I am grateful, even if the City is no longer my home.

I'm also grateful for the influence that the Plan has had on other places, especially Madison, where I now live. If it hadn't been for this book, my city would be a sadder, uglier place as well. Thank you, Mr. Burnham. I hope that, if there is a heaven, God has placed you on his zoning board.… (more)