CMM Community Planning & Development 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Transit-oriented development (TOD) is best described as:
- Building park-and-ride facilities at highway interchanges
- Concentrating higher-density, mixed-use development within walking distance of transit stations (Correct answer)
- Extending bus routes into low-density suburban areas
- Requiring employers near transit to subsidize employee passes
Correct answer: Concentrating higher-density, mixed-use development within walking distance of transit stations
TOD concentrates walkable, mixed-use, higher-density development around transit stations to maximize ridership and reduce auto dependence.
Question 2: Which legal doctrine allows local governments to require developers to dedicate land or pay fees for parks and public facilities as a condition of subdivision approval?
- Police power
- Eminent domain
- Exaction authority (Correct answer)
- Tax increment financing
Correct answer: Exaction authority
Exaction authority allows municipalities to require developers to provide land dedications or impact fees to offset the public costs of new development.
Question 3: A 'form-based code' differs from conventional zoning primarily by:
- Regulating only the uses permitted in each district
- Emphasizing the physical form and character of buildings rather than land use categories (Correct answer)
- Eliminating all dimensional standards
- Requiring mandatory design review for all projects
Correct answer: Emphasizing the physical form and character of buildings rather than land use categories
Form-based codes regulate the physical form, scale, and character of development rather than focusing primarily on land use categories.
Question 4: An 'urban growth boundary' (UGB) is a planning tool designed primarily to:
- Attract commercial investment to urban cores
- Contain urban sprawl by designating limits for urban development (Correct answer)
- Establish minimum densities in downtown areas
- Restrict building heights near airports
Correct answer: Contain urban sprawl by designating limits for urban development
An urban growth boundary defines where urban development may occur, directing growth inward and preserving rural and agricultural land outside the boundary.
Question 5: Which analysis technique do planners use to evaluate a site's development suitability by overlaying multiple environmental and physical constraint maps?
- SWOT analysis
- McHarg suitability analysis / GIS overlay analysis (Correct answer)
- Cost-benefit analysis
- Level-of-service analysis
Correct answer: McHarg suitability analysis / GIS overlay analysis
Ian McHarg's suitability analysis, now commonly performed with GIS overlay techniques, identifies development-suitable areas by layering environmental constraints.
Question 6: The Fair Housing Act prohibits municipalities from using zoning to:
- Establishing minimum lot sizes in residential zones
- Excluding group homes for persons with disabilities from residential neighborhoods (Correct answer)
- Setting maximum densities in commercial districts
- Requiring environmental review for large projects
Correct answer: Excluding group homes for persons with disabilities from residential neighborhoods
The Fair Housing Act prohibits zoning practices that discriminate against protected classes, including excluding group homes for people with disabilities from residential areas.
Question 7: A municipality conducting a 'housing needs assessment' is primarily seeking to determine:
- The tax revenue generated by residential properties
- The gap between current housing supply and the types and quantities needed by the community (Correct answer)
- The number of building permits issued annually
- The average commute time for residents
Correct answer: The gap between current housing supply and the types and quantities needed by the community
A housing needs assessment identifies the gap between existing housing supply and what is needed to accommodate current and future populations across income levels.
CMM Community Planning & Development 3
Transit-oriented development (TOD) is best described as: