CMM Community Planning & Development 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A municipality wants to encourage affordable housing production by private developers. Which regulatory incentive most directly achieves this?
- Downzoning residential areas
- Inclusionary zoning with density bonuses (Correct answer)
- Increasing parking requirements
- Restricting building heights citywide
Correct answer: Inclusionary zoning with density bonuses
Inclusionary zoning requires affordable units in new developments while density bonuses compensate developers with additional market-rate units, making the affordable requirement financially viable.
Question 2: The 'jobs-housing balance' concept in regional planning refers to:
- Matching the number of city employees to housing units owned by the city
- Ensuring that housing supply in an area is proportional to local employment, reducing long commutes (Correct answer)
- Requiring employers to provide on-site housing for workers
- Balancing commercial and residential tax revenue
Correct answer: Ensuring that housing supply in an area is proportional to local employment, reducing long commutes
Jobs-housing balance seeks to locate sufficient housing near employment centers so that workers can live close to their jobs, reducing vehicle miles traveled.
Question 3: Which environmental planning tool requires local governments in flood-prone areas to regulate development in Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHAs) to remain eligible for federal flood insurance?
- Coastal Zone Management Act
- National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) (Correct answer)
- Endangered Species Act Section 7
- Clean Water Act Section 404
Correct answer: National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)
The National Flood Insurance Program requires participating communities to adopt and enforce floodplain management regulations in SFHAs as a condition of NFIP participation.
Question 4: A 'community benefit agreement' (CBA) in the context of large development projects is best described as:
- A federal grant requirement for affordable housing
- A legally binding contract between a developer and community groups specifying public benefits in exchange for project support (Correct answer)
- A zoning variance granted in exchange for design improvements
- A property tax abatement for historic preservation
Correct answer: A legally binding contract between a developer and community groups specifying public benefits in exchange for project support
A CBA is a negotiated, enforceable contract between a developer and community organizations that commits the developer to provide specified community benefits.
Question 5: Which planning approach uses market analysis, visioning, and action plans to revitalize a specific commercial corridor or downtown district?
- Comprehensive plan update
- Main Street Program or corridor revitalization plan (Correct answer)
- Zoning audit
- Capital improvements program
Correct answer: Main Street Program or corridor revitalization plan
Main Street Programs and corridor revitalization plans combine market analysis, design, promotion, and organization strategies to strengthen commercial districts.
Question 6: Under the Dillon's Rule doctrine, which governs most U.S. municipalities, local governments:
- Have broad inherent powers to act in any area not prohibited by state law
- May only exercise powers expressly granted or necessarily implied by state statute (Correct answer)
- Can override state zoning laws through home rule authority
- Possess sovereign immunity from all land use lawsuits
Correct answer: May only exercise powers expressly granted or necessarily implied by state statute
Under Dillon's Rule, municipalities are creatures of the state and possess only those powers expressly delegated, necessarily implied, or essential to their purposes.
Question 7: A city is updating its general plan and must ensure its housing element complies with state law. The housing element must demonstrate:
- That all current residents own their homes
- That the city has adequate sites and zoning capacity to accommodate its Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) (Correct answer)
- That new housing will not increase traffic beyond level-of-service standards
- That the city has sufficient water supply for 50 years of projected growth
Correct answer: That the city has adequate sites and zoning capacity to accommodate its Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA)
State housing element law requires municipalities to demonstrate adequate zoned capacity to accommodate their RHNA share across all income categories.
CMM Community Planning & Development 5
A municipality wants to encourage affordable housing production by private developers.
Which regulatory incentive most directly achieves this?