This paper reveals what it is like to be a planner in a small town and offers survival tips for the practitioner. Working in a small town brings its own set of unique challenges and opportunities. The challenges can include a small staff and small budget. However, working in a small town offers opportunities that aren't available in a large planning agency. In a small town, you'll be expected to do it all.
Small towns are different from suburbs or cities.
Here, then, are some small town survival tips. The anonymity that prevails in big cities just isn't a factor in small towns. They're your neighbors, and everyone else's neighbors as well. The folks testifying before City Council or the Planning Commission are likely former classmates or even relatives. There is almost always some connection if the town is small enough.