AICP Plan and Policy Development 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), which document is required for federal actions that may significantly affect the environment?
- Environmental assessment (EA)
- Environmental impact statement (EIS) (Correct answer)
- Finding of no significant impact (FONSI)
- Categorical exclusion
Correct answer: Environmental impact statement (EIS)
A full Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is required when a proposed federal action is determined to significantly affect the quality of the human environment.
Question 2: The 'adequate public facilities' (APF) ordinance concept is designed to:
- Require developers to pay transportation impact fees
- Ensure infrastructure capacity exists before approving new development (Correct answer)
- Mandate affordable housing set-asides in large projects
- Establish minimum park acreage standards per resident
Correct answer: Ensure infrastructure capacity exists before approving new development
APF ordinances (also called concurrency requirements) condition development approval on demonstration that roads, schools, water, and sewer can serve the new demand.
Question 3: Which planning framework organizes policy goals into a hierarchy of vision, goals, objectives, and actions?
- Logic model
- VGOA framework (Correct answer)
- Balanced scorecard
- Issue-based planning
Correct answer: VGOA framework
The Vision-Goals-Objectives-Actions (VGOA) framework organizes plans from broad aspirational vision statements down to specific measurable actions.
Question 4: A 'transit-oriented development' (TOD) policy primarily aims to:
- Separate residential uses from transit corridors for noise mitigation
- Concentrate higher-density mixed-use development near transit stations to reduce auto dependence (Correct answer)
- Restrict commercial uses to areas served by bus rapid transit only
- Require employers near transit to provide shuttle services
Correct answer: Concentrate higher-density mixed-use development near transit stations to reduce auto dependence
TOD policies promote higher-density, mixed-use development within walking distance of transit stops to increase ridership and reduce automobile dependence.
Question 5: When evaluating alternative land use scenarios in a general plan update, planners most commonly use which tool to model traffic impacts?
- Geographic Information System (GIS)
- Travel demand model (Correct answer)
- Fiscal impact analysis
- Visual preference survey
Correct answer: Travel demand model
Travel demand models simulate how changes in land use patterns affect trip generation, distribution, and assignment on the roadway network.
Question 6: The 'precautionary principle' in planning policy suggests that when facing uncertainty about potential harms, decision-makers should:
- Delay action until all scientific evidence is conclusive
- Take protective action even in the absence of complete scientific proof (Correct answer)
- Defer to economic benefit analyses as the primary guide
- Rely on public opinion polls to determine acceptable risk
Correct answer: Take protective action even in the absence of complete scientific proof
The precautionary principle holds that lack of full scientific certainty should not be used as a reason to postpone protective measures when serious harm is plausible.
Question 7: Which type of regional plan specifically addresses the allocation of housing units among jurisdictions to meet projected population growth?
- Regional transportation plan
- Regional housing needs assessment (RHNA) (Correct answer)
- Multi-hazard mitigation plan
- Economic development strategy
Correct answer: Regional housing needs assessment (RHNA)
The Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) process allocates each jurisdiction's 'fair share' of regional housing growth across all income levels.
AICP Plan and Policy Development 4
Under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), which document is required for federal actions that may significantly affect the environment?