Land Use Planning & Zoning Flashcards
7 cards from real CPL practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Land Use Planning & Zoning flashcards as text
An 'overlay zone' in land use planning is best described as:
Answer: An additional layer of regulations applied on top of existing base zone requirements
An overlay zone imposes supplemental standards (such as flood plain, historic preservation, or wellhead protection rules) on top of the existing base zone without replacing it.
Which of the following best describes 'downzoning'?
Answer: Reclassifying land from a more intensive use to a less intensive use
Downzoning reduces the permitted intensity or density of use on a property, such as changing a commercial parcel to residential, often reducing its development potential.
A landman reviewing a proposed pipeline route should check for 'right-of-way' conflicts in zoning ordinances because:
Answer: Zoning ordinances can designate certain corridors where pipelines are prohibited or require special permits
Some zoning ordinances restrict utility and pipeline corridors in residential or agricultural zones, requiring operators to obtain special approvals or route pipelines through designated corridors.
The Dillon's Rule principle in the context of local zoning authority means:
Answer: Local governments have only those powers expressly granted by the state legislature
Under Dillon's Rule, local governments are creatures of the state and possess only the powers expressly granted by the state legislature, limiting their zoning authority.
An operator wants to build a tank battery on land within a floodplain. Which zoning/planning tool most commonly imposes additional construction and siting restrictions in such areas?
Answer: Floodplain overlay district
Floodplain overlay districts impose additional elevation, construction, and use restrictions on top of the underlying base zone to reduce flood risks and comply with FEMA requirements.
In states that follow the 'home rule' doctrine, local governments have the authority to:
Answer: Enact land use regulations on any matter not prohibited by the state constitution or statutes
Home rule states grant local governments broad self-governance authority, allowing them to regulate land use on any topic not preempted or prohibited by state law.
A 'transfer of development rights' (TDR) program allows property owners to:
Answer: Sell unused development capacity from a restricted parcel to a receiving area parcel
TDR programs allow landowners in sending areas (such as farmland or open space) to sell their unused development rights to buyers who can use them in designated receiving areas.