AICP Plan Implementation 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Tax Increment Financing (TIF) funds redevelopment by capturing which revenue source?
- Federal community development block grants
- Increased property tax revenues generated by rising assessed values within the TIF district (Correct answer)
- Sales tax receipts from new retail establishments
- State transportation earmarks
Correct answer: Increased property tax revenues generated by rising assessed values within the TIF district
TIF redirects the incremental property tax growth above the base year's assessed value to finance redevelopment improvements within the district.
Question 2: Under the Dillon's Rule doctrine, local governments may exercise only those powers that are:
- Implied by local tradition and custom
- Expressly granted or necessarily implied by state law (Correct answer)
- Approved by a two-thirds majority of local voters
- Consistent with adjacent jurisdictions' ordinances
Correct answer: Expressly granted or necessarily implied by state law
Dillon's Rule holds that municipal governments possess only those powers explicitly granted by, or fairly implied from, state statutes or constitutions.
Question 3: Which scenario best illustrates a regulatory taking requiring compensation under the Fifth Amendment?
- A city rezones land from industrial to commercial use
- A floodplain regulation removes all economically viable use from private property (Correct answer)
- A city requires a developer to install sidewalks along a public street
- A height limit reduces potential building size by 20%
Correct answer: A floodplain regulation removes all economically viable use from private property
Lucas v. South Carolina Coastal Council established that regulations eliminating all economic value of property constitute a per se taking requiring just compensation.
Question 4: A specific plan in California serves what primary function in the implementation hierarchy?
- It replaces the general plan for a focused area with detailed development standards and infrastructure programs (Correct answer)
- It establishes statewide environmental review thresholds
- It supersedes local zoning and requires no further entitlements
- It sets regional housing allocations under RHNA
Correct answer: It replaces the general plan for a focused area with detailed development standards and infrastructure programs
A specific plan bridges the general plan and zoning by providing tailored land use, circulation, infrastructure, and financing programs for a defined sub-area.
Question 5: What distinguishes a 'use permit' (conditional use permit) from a 'variance'?
- A variance is legislative; a use permit is ministerial
- A use permit allows an otherwise prohibited use with conditions; a variance grants relief from dimensional standards (Correct answer)
- A use permit is granted by the city council; a variance is granted by the planning commission
- A variance requires CEQA review; a use permit does not
Correct answer: A use permit allows an otherwise prohibited use with conditions; a variance grants relief from dimensional standards
A conditional use permit authorizes a use listed as conditionally permitted in the zone, while a variance allows deviation from numeric standards like setbacks or height.
Question 6: Which environmental review requirement is primarily mandated by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)?
- Air quality conformity determinations for state transportation plans
- Environmental Impact Statements for major federal actions significantly affecting the environment (Correct answer)
- Stormwater pollution prevention plans for construction sites
- Wetlands delineation reports for all land development
Correct answer: Environmental Impact Statements for major federal actions significantly affecting the environment
NEPA requires federal agencies to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for any major federal action that may significantly affect environmental quality.
Question 7: A municipality adopts a development agreement with a large mixed-use developer. What key protection does the agreement provide to the developer?
- Exemption from all state and federal environmental laws
- Vested rights to develop under regulations in effect at the time of the agreement for a specified period (Correct answer)
- Guaranteed approval of all future permit applications
- Priority access to federal infrastructure grants
Correct answer: Vested rights to develop under regulations in effect at the time of the agreement for a specified period
Development agreements freeze applicable regulations for the agreement's duration, giving developers regulatory certainty in exchange for public benefits.
AICP Plan Implementation 3
Tax Increment Financing (TIF) funds redevelopment by capturing which revenue source?