CLA Site Analysis & Planning 3

Question 1

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

Accepted Answer

8 feet of rise for every 100 feet of run

Answer

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?

Accepted Answer

USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)

Answer

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:

Accepted Answer

A constrained area requiring protection

Answer

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:

Accepted Answer

Identify favorable and limiting site conditions to guide design

Answer

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:

Accepted Answer

Base Flood Elevation (BFE)

Answer

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.

(CLA) Certified Landscape Architect Practice Test

(CLA) Certified Landscape Architect Practice Test

CLA Site Analysis & Planning 3