AICP Functional Areas of Practice 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A planner developing a watershed protection ordinance is primarily working in which functional area?
- Water resources planning (Correct answer)
- Environmental planning
- Natural hazards planning
- Infrastructure planning
Correct answer: Water resources planning
Water resources planning addresses watershed protection, stormwater management, and water supply and quality issues.
Question 2: Which functional area encompasses conducting community needs assessments and allocating CDBG funds?
- Housing planning
- Economic development
- Community development planning (Correct answer)
- Social services planning
Correct answer: Community development planning
Community development planning includes needs assessments and administration of federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds.
Question 3: Level of service (LOS) standards for roads and intersections are a primary analytical tool in which planning area?
- Land use planning
- Transportation planning (Correct answer)
- Infrastructure planning
- Urban design
Correct answer: Transportation planning
Transportation planning uses LOS standards to evaluate roadway and intersection capacity relative to traffic demand.
Question 4: A planner tasked with updating a local government's Capital Improvement Program (CIP) is working in which functional area?
- Fiscal planning and budgeting
- Infrastructure and capital planning (Correct answer)
- Economic development
- Land use planning
Correct answer: Infrastructure and capital planning
Infrastructure and capital planning includes CIP development, which schedules and funds major public capital expenditures over a multi-year horizon.
Question 5: Urban heat island mitigation strategies such as green roofs and urban forestry programs fall under which functional area?
- Sustainability and resilience planning (Correct answer)
- Environmental planning
- Recreation planning
- Infrastructure planning
Correct answer: Sustainability and resilience planning
Sustainability and resilience planning addresses urban heat islands through green infrastructure, energy efficiency, and climate adaptation strategies.
Question 6: Which functional area focuses on planning for the aging population's housing, mobility, and service needs?
- Social services planning
- Health and human services planning (Correct answer)
- Housing planning
- Community development
Correct answer: Health and human services planning
Health and human services planning addresses the needs of vulnerable populations including seniors, focusing on accessible housing, transportation, and services.
Question 7: A planner working on a Specific Plan for a mixed-use transit village is primarily engaged in which functional areas?
- Land use and transportation planning (Correct answer)
- Urban design and economic development
- Housing and environmental planning
- Community development and zoning
Correct answer: Land use and transportation planning
A transit village Specific Plan integrates land use and transportation planning to create walkable, transit-accessible mixed-use development.
AICP Functional Areas of Practice 4
A planner developing a watershed protection ordinance is primarily working in which functional area?