This concept usually references a map. It can range from someone looking at a paper map for their next drive or vacation to mapping the distribution of any phenomenon, such as population growth or urban parks.
A quick definiton from Wikipedia would be "Urban planning includes techniques such as: predicting population growth, zoning, geographic mapping and analysis, analyzing park space, surveying the water supply, identifying transportation patterns, recognizing food supply demands, allocating healthcare and social services, and analyzing the impact of land use."
Another reference from ESRI, the GIS (Geographic Info. Systems) standard company says, references the power of maps in geographic planning.
TED Conference founder Richard Saul Wurman has an often-repeated quote, “A map is a pattern made understandable, and understanding precedes action.” GIS helps us understand the demographics, socioeconomic characteristics, housing situation, and more about individual neighborhoods. Instead of relying on anecdotal and/or dated information, GIS provides access to thousands of authoritative variables to generate a clear picture about the aspects, resources, and needs of a community.
Geographic planning shows spatial relationship with maps, such as how far from the ocean or the mountains might be from your city. Geographic planning may use a layered approach, like GIS.