Planned any Cities lately?

I will be the first to admit that my job is not the easiest to summarize. It doesn't help that the organization I work for is harder to explain than the job itself. Inevitably when I get into the conversation people do one of several things:

1.Glaze over
2.Assume that my days consist essentially of playing SIM City all day (minus Godzilla)
3.Joke about whether I have Planned any Cities lately?
4.Pretend to see their wife or child and rush off in a hurry
5.Run away screaming and cursing

Here is perhaps a more simple example about what planners do. By no means is this all that they do, but perhaps it will provide a starting place for some who may have wondered:
My neighborhood in 1936 (our property outlined). Now keep in mind that in 1936 Eugene, located just south of this picture, had been an incorporated City for over 50 years. It had thousands of residents, established neighborhoods, even highways of sorts. This area was mostly orchards, and occupied by farmers.
This picture is from 1968. After the baby boom, and our nations move to the suburbs. You'll notice that the orchards are being replaced by homes, churches, a few businesses. This area was annexed in the 60's because of this population growth (seeking City services).
By 2008, this area is completely developed. Large open areas are only open because they have been designated and protected as open spaces, or belong to property owners who aren't ready to cash out and subdivide their larger lots. There are schools and parks to the north and east and a commercial area to the southwest. Each of these uses is permitted within areas designed to promote compatibility of use. School next to Freeway? Factory next to single family neigborhood? Probably not. Relatively speaking, there are also reasonable alternatives for people traveling by bike and car or feet to get to all of the places of interest in this neighborhood. Some roads are bigger than others because there focus is mobility, whereas the smaller ones are intended to provide access and ensure slower/safer speeds.

These neighborhoods, and commercial developments don't just happen. They require critically important developers, who are seeking to meet a social need (while assuming great risk and hopefully making a profit), and public servants who's job it is to ensure that the City's best interests are not threatened by the developers interests. Planners work with the City's policy makers and citizens to set some ground rules that help a City remain the kind of place that brought people there in the first place (or causes them to stay). Just like my property in 1936, there are vacant, open and farm lands surrounding every City in America. The process above plays over and over every day all over the world, and in MANY ways, some better (or much worse) than others.

This is oversimplified. Like all things, the ideal often struggles when working with real human beings. I do feel good about my job and enjoy it, even if few understand it... and some seem to have negative feelings about it.... If nothing else, this was an opportunity to show off cool aerial photos of my neighborhood.

Jake