CLA Site Analysis & Planning 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A site has a slope of 8%. What does this mean in practical terms?
- 8 feet of rise for every 100 feet of run (Correct answer)
- 8 inches of rise for every 10 feet of run
- 8 meters of rise per kilometer
- A slope angle of 8 degrees
Correct 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.
Question 2: Which agency produces the primary source of publicly available soils data used in US site analysis?
- US Army Corps of Engineers
- USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) (Correct answer)
- EPA Region offices
- US Geological Survey (USGS)
Correct 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.
Question 3: A riparian buffer zone along a stream on a project site should be classified as:
- A developable asset
- A constrained area requiring protection (Correct answer)
- A zone suitable for impervious paving
- An area for utility installation
Correct 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.
Question 4: The concept of 'opportunities and constraints' in site analysis is used to:
- Calculate construction bid costs
- Identify favorable and limiting site conditions to guide design (Correct answer)
- Determine zoning compliance
- Map underground utilities
Correct 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.
Question 5: For a project in a FEMA-designated AE flood zone, the site analysis must establish the:
- Frost depth
- Base Flood Elevation (BFE) (Correct answer)
- Regional groundwater table
- 100-year drought threshold
Correct 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.
Question 6: Which type of site analysis diagram best communicates the sequential experience of moving through a landscape?
- A slope analysis map
- A circulation and movement diagram (Correct answer)
- A soil permeability map
- A solar radiation chart
Correct 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.
Question 7: What is the primary purpose of a noise analysis during site planning for a residential project near a highway?
- To comply with stormwater permit requirements
- To identify sound levels and guide mitigation strategies like berms or planting screens (Correct answer)
- To measure wind speed differentials
- To document ambient light pollution
Correct 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.
CLA Site Analysis & Planning 3
A site has a slope of 8%.
What does this mean in practical terms?