AICP Trivia 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which historic planning document, produced in 1909, is often considered the first modern comprehensive plan in the United States?
- The Burnham Plan of Chicago (Correct answer)
- The 1909 Washington DC Plan
- The New York Regional Plan
- The City Beautiful Plan of Philadelphia
Correct answer: The Burnham Plan of Chicago
Daniel Burnham's 1909 Plan of Chicago is widely regarded as the first modern comprehensive city plan in the United States.
Question 2: What is a 'view shed' as used in planning and environmental analysis?
- A structural component of green building design
- The area of land, water, or other environmental elements visible from a specific vantage point (Correct answer)
- A zoning buffer zone around scenic highways
- A federal designation for protected mountain landscapes
Correct answer: The area of land, water, or other environmental elements visible from a specific vantage point
A view shed (or viewshed) is the geographical area visible from a given observation point, commonly analyzed to protect scenic resources.
Question 3: Under the AICP Code of Ethics, planners must give priority in which order?
- Employer, client, public interest, profession
- Public interest, clients, profession, colleagues
- Public interest, profession, employer/client, colleagues (Correct answer)
- Clients, public interest, employer, profession
Correct answer: Public interest, profession, employer/client, colleagues
The AICP Code of Ethics places the public interest first, followed by obligations to the profession, then to employers and clients, and finally to colleagues.
Question 4: What is 'upzoning'?
- Changing zoning to allow lower density or less intensive uses
- Rezoning land to allow higher density or more intensive uses (Correct answer)
- Temporarily suspending zoning regulations during a declared emergency
- Applying agricultural zoning to previously industrial land
Correct answer: Rezoning land to allow higher density or more intensive uses
Upzoning increases the allowable intensity or density of development on a parcel, such as changing single-family zoning to multi-family or commercial.
Question 5: Which legislation established the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program?
- Housing Act of 1949
- Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 (Correct answer)
- Community Reinvestment Act of 1977
- Urban Mass Transportation Act of 1964
Correct answer: Housing and Community Development Act of 1974
The Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 created CDBG, consolidating several categorical programs into a flexible block grant to localities.
Question 6: What does 'eminent domain' allow a government to do?
- Zone private land without owner consent
- Compulsorily acquire private property for public use, with just compensation (Correct answer)
- Regulate building heights without triggering a takings claim
- Require developers to set aside affordable housing units
Correct answer: Compulsorily acquire private property for public use, with just compensation
Eminent domain is the power of government to take private property for public use, provided the owner receives just compensation under the Fifth Amendment.
Question 7: Which planning theorist introduced the concept of 'advocacy planning' in 1965?
- Paul Davidoff (Correct answer)
- Kevin Lynch
- Jane Jacobs
- Ian McHarg
Correct answer: Paul Davidoff
Paul Davidoff introduced advocacy planning in his 1965 article 'Advocacy and Pluralism in Planning,' arguing planners should represent the interests of disadvantaged groups.
AICP Trivia 3
Which historic planning document, produced in 1909, is often considered the first modern comprehensive plan in the United States?