General Flashcards
7 cards from real AICP practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 General flashcards as text
A planner working on a regional housing element is told by elected officials to reduce the number of affordable units required. The planner believes this violates state law. The AICP Code of Ethics requires the planner to:
Answer: Inform the officials of the legal requirements and document the advice provided
AICP ethics require planners to inform decision-makers of legal constraints and document advice given, while continuing to serve the public interest.
Which of the following is the primary purpose of a 'specific plan' (or sector plan) in California-style planning?
Answer: To provide detailed development standards and implementation programs for a defined geographic area
A specific plan bridges the general plan and individual development projects by providing detailed land use, infrastructure, and financing plans for a focused geographic area.
The 'fiscal zoning' practice refers to municipalities using zoning primarily to:
Answer: Exclude land uses that generate more service costs than tax revenues, often at the expense of affordable housing
Fiscal zoning uses land use regulation to attract high-value uses and exclude those (like affordable housing or low-income residents) that may cost more in services than they generate in taxes.
The 'Level of Service' (LOS) standard in transportation planning uses which letter grade to indicate traffic conditions where demand exceeds capacity?
Answer: LOS F
LOS F represents forced or breakdown flow conditions where traffic volume exceeds roadway capacity, resulting in stop-and-go or gridlock conditions.
A developer proposes a mixed-income housing development and requests a density bonus under state law. Which of the following conditions typically triggers eligibility for a density bonus?
Answer: The project includes a specified percentage of affordable housing units
Density bonus laws (such as California's) allow developers to build more units than base zoning permits in exchange for setting aside a percentage of units as affordable.
Which urban growth management tool establishes a boundary that limits the geographic extent of urban development to protect agricultural land and open space?
Answer: Urban growth boundary (UGB)
Urban growth boundaries, famously implemented in Portland, Oregon, define a line outside which urban-scale development is prohibited, directing growth inward.
In the context of environmental justice, Executive Order 12898 requires federal agencies to:
Answer: Identify and address disproportionately high adverse environmental effects on minority and low-income populations
Executive Order 12898 (1994) directs each federal agency to make environmental justice part of its mission by identifying and addressing disproportionate environmental burdens on minority and low-income communities.