AICP Land Use Law and Regulations 3

Question 1

Form-based codes differ from conventional Euclidean zoning primarily because they:

Accepted Answer

Regulate the physical form of buildings and the public realm rather than primarily separating land uses

Answer

Form-based codes emphasize the physical character of buildings, frontages, and streets to create walkable, mixed-use environments rather than separating uses into segregated districts.

Question 2

Under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is required when:

Accepted Answer

A federal agency proposes a major action significantly affecting the quality of the human environment

Answer

NEPA mandates that federal agencies prepare an EIS for major federal actions that may significantly affect the human environment, ensuring environmental impacts are considered in decision-making.

Question 3

The Fair Housing Act of 1968 is directly relevant to planners because it:

Accepted Answer

Prohibits housing discrimination and can be used to challenge exclusionary zoning practices with discriminatory effects

Answer

The Fair Housing Act bars discrimination based on protected characteristics and has been applied to challenge zoning practices—such as exclusionary large-lot zoning—that have a disparate impact on protected groups.

Question 4

Overlay zoning districts are used to:

Accepted Answer

Apply supplemental standards to a defined geographic area without eliminating the underlying base zone

Answer

Overlay zones add a second layer of standards—such as floodplain, historic, or airport hazard regulations—on top of the base zone, providing additional controls tailored to special geographic circumstances.

Question 5

In land use law, vested rights protect a developer by:

Accepted Answer

Allowing completion of a project under regulations that existed when the developer substantially relied on those rules

Answer

Vested rights prevent municipalities from applying new, more restrictive zoning regulations to a developer who has made substantial expenditures and obtained permits in good-faith reliance on prior rules.

AICP - American Institute of Certified Planners Practice Test

AICP - American Institute of Certified Planners Practice Test

AICP Land Use Law and Regulations 3