Practice Test Geeks(CLA) Certified Landscape Architect Practice Test
← All CLA Flashcard Decks

Site Analysis & Planning Flashcards

7 cards from real CLA practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.

Read the first 7 Site Analysis & Planning flashcards as text

  1. A site has a slope of 8%. What does this mean in practical terms?

    Answer: 8 feet of rise for every 100 feet of run

    Percent slope is calculated as (rise/run) × 100, so 8% means 8 feet of vertical change for every 100 feet of horizontal distance.

  2. Which agency produces the primary source of publicly available soils data used in US site analysis?

    Answer: USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)

    The USDA NRCS publishes the Web Soil Survey (WSS), the standard resource for soil mapping units and interpretations used in landscape analysis.

  3. A riparian buffer zone along a stream on a project site should be classified as:

    Answer: A constrained area requiring protection

    Riparian buffers protect water quality and stream ecology and are typically regulated as constrained areas where development is restricted or prohibited.

  4. The concept of 'opportunities and constraints' in site analysis is used to:

    Answer: Identify favorable and limiting site conditions to guide design

    An opportunities and constraints analysis synthesizes site inventory data to highlight where design can capitalize on assets and where limitations must be mitigated.

  5. For a project in a FEMA-designated AE flood zone, the site analysis must establish the:

    Answer: Base Flood Elevation (BFE)

    The BFE in AE zones is the water surface elevation during the 1% annual chance flood event, which governs minimum finished floor and grading elevations.

  6. Which type of site analysis diagram best communicates the sequential experience of moving through a landscape?

    Answer: A circulation and movement diagram

    A circulation and movement diagram maps paths, nodes, and sequences of experience, capturing how users move through and perceive the landscape over time.

  7. What is the primary purpose of a noise analysis during site planning for a residential project near a highway?

    Answer: To identify sound levels and guide mitigation strategies like berms or planting screens

    A noise analysis quantifies decibel levels from traffic and other sources, informing the placement of earthen berms, walls, or dense planting to reduce sound at sensitive receptors.