AICP Plan and Policy Development 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which scenario exemplifies the use of 'transfer of development rights' (TDR) as a planning policy tool?
- A city transfers ownership of a park to a nonprofit
- Development rights from a farmland preservation area are sold to allow higher density in a designated growth zone (Correct answer)
- A developer transfers building permits between two projects in the same zone
- The state transfers zoning authority to a regional agency
Correct answer: Development rights from a farmland preservation area are sold to allow higher density in a designated growth zone
TDR programs allow landowners in sending areas (e.g., farmland) to sell their development rights to owners in receiving areas, concentrating density while compensating landowners for preservation.
Question 2: In scenario planning, what is the primary purpose of developing multiple alternative futures?
- To identify a single preferred outcome and commit to it immediately
- To explore how different policy choices and external forces could shape long-range outcomes under uncertainty (Correct answer)
- To satisfy legal requirements for plan adoption
- To document historical development patterns for archival purposes
Correct answer: To explore how different policy choices and external forces could shape long-range outcomes under uncertainty
Scenario planning tests how different combinations of policies and external trends (e.g., demographics, technology) could produce divergent futures, helping communities make robust decisions under uncertainty.
Question 3: The 'equity planning' approach, associated with Norman Krumholz, prioritizes which of the following?
- Maximizing aggregate economic growth for the entire region
- Redistributing resources and opportunities to benefit the least-advantaged residents (Correct answer)
- Preserving historic character of established neighborhoods
- Streamlining permitting processes for large-scale development
Correct answer: Redistributing resources and opportunities to benefit the least-advantaged residents
Equity planning, as practiced by Krumholz in Cleveland, explicitly advocates for redistributing planning resources and decisions toward the poor and disadvantaged.
Question 4: A 'mixed-use overlay district' in a zoning ordinance is best described as:
- A historic preservation zone applied over existing districts
- A layer of regulations permitting additional uses and densities beyond what the base zone allows (Correct answer)
- A flood hazard boundary delineating special construction standards
- A zone that prohibits all commercial uses in residential areas
Correct answer: A layer of regulations permitting additional uses and densities beyond what the base zone allows
A mixed-use overlay adds permissions for commercial, residential, or other uses on top of the existing base zone, typically to encourage walkable, mixed-use development patterns.
Question 5: Which federal program provides direct funding to states and localities for community development activities, with a statutory requirement that 70% of funds benefit low- and moderate-income persons?
- HOME Investment Partnerships Program
- Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) (Correct answer)
- Choice Neighborhoods Initiative
- New Markets Tax Credit
Correct answer: Community Development Block Grant (CDBG)
The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program requires that at least 70% of expenditures principally benefit low- and moderate-income people.
Question 6: An 'indicators report' tied to a comprehensive plan is most useful for:
- Setting initial policy goals during the visioning phase
- Monitoring whether plan outcomes are being achieved over time (Correct answer)
- Comparing zoning text across multiple jurisdictions
- Determining infrastructure impact fee schedules
Correct answer: Monitoring whether plan outcomes are being achieved over time
Indicators reports track measurable data (e.g., housing affordability rates, VMT, park acreage per capita) to assess whether adopted plan policies are producing intended outcomes.
Question 7: The 'just city' framework in planning theory, advanced by Susan Fainstein, evaluates urban policy primarily on which three criteria?
- Efficiency, sustainability, and innovation
- Equity, democracy, and diversity (Correct answer)
- Growth, density, and connectivity
- Safety, mobility, and economic development
Correct answer: Equity, democracy, and diversity
Fainstein's Just City framework evaluates planning outcomes against equity (fair distribution of benefits), democracy (inclusive participation), and diversity (recognition of difference).
AICP Plan and Policy Development 5
Which scenario exemplifies the use of 'transfer of development rights' (TDR) as a planning policy tool?