Fundamental Planning Knowledge (15%) Flashcards
How many acres are in one hectare?
2.47 acres in one hectare
How many acres of land does it take to feed a U.S. household?
2 acres of land per household of 4
You are working with neighborhood leaders to encourage conversion of underutilized commercial buildings to housing in this historic area. Which would be the best to encourage?
Adaptive reuse
The City Council has asked you, as Planning Director, to come up with a plan to reduce the number of lots that become buildable each year. Which of the following techniques would be most appropriate to recommend?
Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance - Allows the city to determine when infrastructure will be extended and maintain an adequate level of service. New building permits would not be issued unless the infrastructure is adequate.
EDIT Which of the following measures is the most commonly used for traffic volume?
Average daily traffic (ADT) volume is the number of vehicles that travel on a road in a typical day.
What is adverse possession?
Adverse possession is a method of acquiring title to a property by possession for a period of time, based on statute. Over time you take occupancy of the property, making repairs, you then continuously occupy the property for a period of ten years. You decide that you want to have the property legally transferred into your name, and you put forward the argument that you are legally entitled to this property.
(aka conservatorship)
What is homesteading?
Homesteading occurs when the land has no legal owner or is owned by the government - the government allows homesteading with an expectation that the person occupying the property will undertake specific actions to gain the title.
What is adverse abandonment?
Adverse abandonment is associated with acquiring land abandoned by a railroad.
What are “squatters rights”?
Squatters rights are a specific form of adverse possession. Squatters typically do not have a right to the title of the property but cannot be removed without due process.
You are responsible for organizing an advisory committee that will provide comments to the city on plans for redevelopment in the neighborhood. Who should be on this committee?
I. Neighborhood residents
II. Neighborhood business owners
III. Developers
Advocacy Planning
Advocacy planning brought planning into the public eye and assisted in recognizing the different needs of interest groups in the community.
The goal was to introduce pluralism into urban planning and represent different groups.
aim to understand that each planning decision has different benefits and costs to each of the stakeholders and try to create space for each group of stakeholders.
posits that planners are political beings
You have been asked to undertake a study of housing in the city - which would be the best way to represent an affordability index?
The ratio of median housing price to median income shows how affordable or unaffordable a community may be. A ratio of greater than 2.5 would indicate that the housing may be unaffordable.
Agins v. City of Tiburon established that a regulation is a taking if:
A regulation is a taking if it deprives the property of all economic value AND does not advance a governmental interest. A temporary deprivation does not cause a taking.
As a planner for the EPA, you are responsible for air pollution management planning. You are coordinating with the state to ensure that there is coordination among the various local and regional plans as part of the state air pollution implementation plan. In your review, what would you expect to be integrated?
Regional Transportation Plans and Regional Transportation Improvement Programs.
Transportation is a major source of air pollution - for example carbon monoxide, which is required to be addressed as part of the state implementation plan.
States are required to develop a state implementation plan for air quality, which must include the following: Provisions for ozone nonattainment areas, Provisions for carbon monoxide nonattainment areas, Provisions for particulate matter nonattainment, provisions for designated nonattainment for sulfur oxides, nitrogen dioxide, or lead.
What does SIP stand for?
air quality State Implementation Plan (SIP)
Who was the first president of the American Society of Planning Officials?
Alfred Bettman was the first president of ASPO.
Saul Alinsky
Saul Alinsky was an advocate of community organizing.
Alinsky organized Chicagos poor in the late 1930s and 1940s.
In 1946 he published Reveille for Radicals, which encouraged those who are poor to become involved in American democracy. Later he published Rules for Radicals, which provided 13 rules for community organizing.
would encourage neighbors who oppose a proposal to organize and use their collective power to disrupt a public hearing.
Who is Alfred Bettman?
Alfred Bettman (1873-1945) was the first president of ASPO and one of the key founders of modern urban planning.
- Zoning can be attributed to his successful arguments before the U.S. Supreme Court, which resulted in the 1926 decision in favor of the Village of Euclid, Ohio versus Ambler Realty Company.
- The concept of the “Comprehensive Plan,” as used in most cities across the U.S., was in no small part due to the work of Bettman and Ladislas Segoe on the “Cincinnati Plan.”
- Communities of all sizes across the U.S. may also thank Bettman for his part in creating the “Capital Improvements Budget.”
Provide a summary of ADA history.
The Americans with Disabilities Act passed in 1990 and was significantly amended in 2008. Current regulations are set in the 2010 Standards for Accessible Design, which replaced standards set in 1991.
The ADA Amendments Act of 2008 overturned two controversial Supreme Court decisions and made the scope of the ADA more broad and inclusive. The 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design set minimum requirements for newly designed and constructed or altered State and local government facilities, public accommodations, and commercial facilities to be readily accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities.
Amitai Etzioni proposed which theory?
Mixed scanning
When using ArcGIS, a planner can obtain mapping data from which 3 sources?
the Census, United States Geological Survey, and ESRI
What is an arterial street?
Arterial streets limit direct access to homes and businesses (local, non- arterial streets). A high-capacity urban road for through traffic on a continuous route with a high level of traffic mobility.
Principal arterials serve longer trips, carrying the highest traffic volumes, and a large percentage of the VMT on a minimum amount of mileage while providing minimal land access.
What is the historical relationship between the American Society of Planning Officials, the American Institute of Planners, and the American Planning Association?
The APA was formed in the late 1970s when the AIP and ASPO consolidated. The AIP first started in 1917 as the American City Planning Institute until it was renamed in 1939.
Associated Home Builders of Greater East Bay v. City of Livermore dealt with what issue?
Timing of Development
Eg. The city you work for in California has been experiencing significant growth, and the planning commission has asked you to investigate ways of putting in rules that would phase development. You advise that the phasing of development should be contingent on performance standards being met. It is related to this legal case.
What 3 things would be most useful in marketing in order to attract e-commerce companies?
E-commerce companies need a well-educated workforce with web design skills. They prefer a region with utility competition, which results in lower costs for internet service. They prefer downtown offices and their workforce wants vibrant urban scenes and active nightlife.
- A large university in the region with a well-known design program
- Significant utility competition
- A vibrant downtown with an active nightlife
You are looking at how you can make sure all voices are heard as you plan for engagement meetings.
Which of the tools would be most effective in ensuring that you maximize participation of those in attendance?
Audience Response System - an instant polling software where answers are sent anonymously
What is the Audience Response System?
ARS is an instant polling software used in conjunction with a slide presentation. A USB receiver/base station retrieves the data provided by an audience using wireless hand-held devices and stores this information on the presenter’s computer. Some ARS programs offer the option of participating in the process via personal cellular phones or laptop computers. The most obvious benefit of ARS is the chance to receive instant and accurate feedback from the audience. This feedback is assumed to represent honest opinions because the answers are sent anonymously.
You ask a developer to provide evidence that the soil is suitable for septic tanks - what report would the developer provide?
An auger test - An auger can be used to retrieve soil samples and then examined for the soil profiles.
What is an auger test and what is it used for?
An auger can be used to retrieve soil samples and then examined for the soil profiles.
Which of the law cases is the eminent domain case?
In economics, the “free rider problem” refers to a situation where…
Some individuals in a population either consume more than their fair share of a common resource, or pay less than their fair share of the cost of a common resource.
Someone benefits from the consumption of a public good without paying their full share.
Binary Variables
have only two different values, typically represented as 0 and 1.
Binary variables are used for variables for which there are only two possible outcomes, such as male or female, or yes or no.
What is biophilic design?
Biophilic Design brings humans and nature together through sustainable strategies, which can include lighting, ventilation, access to water and natural elements.
includes:
-Natural attributes in buildings
-Stormwater reuse irrigation
-Dynamic artificial lighting
The Standard State Zoning Enabling Act (and most state zoning enabling statutes) authorized a board of adjustments to do what:
- Grant variances to provide relief from the terms of the zoning ordinance
- Hear and decide appeals from determinations made by local zoning officials
Board of Zoning Adjustments cannot: enact or amend zoning ordinances or permit special exceptions or develop a comprehensive plan
Those are achieved through a legislative process with the planning commission.
issued by this Federal Department of Commerce (1924)
How is brainstorming as a method for public participation used in the planning process?
I.Getting a sense for what agencies want to accomplish together
II. Identifying the measurable improvements that will be achieved through working together
III. Informally gathering input in the initial stages of a project
Recently cities have undertaken efforts, known as __________, in order to create a specific image of a city that is embedded in the minds of the public.
Branding
How might someone use bridging to communicate a clear message to the public?
A transitional phrase to stay on message when the question could take you off topic.
Bridging is used to bring the conversation back to the central message when questions take you off topic.
What is another name for abandoned industrial sites?
Brownfields - contaminated industrial sites
What is a “buffer” in map-making?
A buffer is a reclassification based on distance. Buffering measures distance outward in directions from an object, in this case a stream. Buffering can be done on three types of vector data - point, line, area.
Could be used to illustrate: A proposed stream corridor protection ordinance which calls for a 50 foot setback from all stream corridors. As part of the staff report for the draft ordinance you want to include a map that illustrates the ordinance.
The city requires a building permit before construction can begin. This is an exercise of:
Police Power
What is police power?
Police Power is the power of a government to impose what it considers reasonable restrictions on the liberties of its citizens for the maintenance of public order and safety. In the case of a building permit this is ensuring the safety of citizens.
The downtown businesses owners have been repeatedly complaining to the city council to do something about the homeless on the street panhandling, the trash, and the general dirty appearance along the sidewalk. What is the best solution?
form a block watch, or pass an ordinance against loitering.
DON’T simply to place the homeless in jobs.
What is a cap park?
A cap park provides a park over a segment of the freeway to encourage people to move through the space going from one area to another.
What is the best way to reach the Hispanic population?
Among Hispanics, 61% have wireless service only. With a younger population, they are unlikely to respond to a mail survey. While social media is a way to publicize the survey, you will be more likely to get a response through direct contact with residents via cell phone.
According to the Pew Research Center, almost half of Americans have a cell phone, but no landline service (as of 2015) (http://www.pewresearch.org/methodology/u-s-survey-research/collecting-survey-data/).
The primary purpose of the Census is to provide the basis for…
Fairly apportioning the number of seats in the United States House of Representatives for each state.
NOT to determine the population or to distribute funds; though, it does help serve these purposes, too
Which of the following most accurately describes how the US Census Bureau collects data through the American Community Survey?
It uses a series of monthly samples to produce annually updated estimates for census tracts and block groups.
The percentage of multigenerational households has grown from a low of 12 percent in 1980 to approximately ______ percent of households in 2021.
18%
The theorist associated with incrementalism is:
Charles Lindblom - wrote about incrementalism as a step by step incremental approach to achieving plans.
The State of Pennsylvania Supreme Court upheld the use of planned unit developments in which case?
Cheney v. Village 2 at New Hope
The Court in 1968 found that planned unit developments are acceptable if the regulations focus on density requirements rather than specific rules for each lot.
The 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition included the _____________, designed by Daniel Burnham.
White City
The term has been applied to mean the color of the buildings as well as the exclusionary tactics used.
What is a chicane?
A chicane is a short, shallow S-shaped turn that requires drivers to turn slightly left and then right again to stay on the road, which results in slowing speeds down. Chicanes are most effective when there are volumes of traffic that are similar from both approaches.
Where is diagonal parking best applied for traffic calming purposes?
Diagonal parking can reduce traffic speeds, this is best applied in non-residential areas.
Where are roundabouts best applied for traffic calming purposes?
Roundabouts are intended to slow traffic while increasing traffic efficiency. Use when there is a desire to increase efficiency of traffic movement, to encourage more traffic movements.
Where are speed humps best applied for traffic calming purposes?
While a speed hump could be used to slow traffic, they have to be placed continuously along a road to be effective.
Which of the following is not a common method of achieving agreement on a course of action?
Appointing a single person to adjudicate dispute and make a final decision.
What kinds of limitations may prevent citizens from participating in the planning process?
i. No broadband access
ii. Language barriers
iii. Sight impairment
iv. Difficulty reading material
Which U.S. Supreme Court case is considered a landmark ruling that made government agency decisions subject to judicial review and also spurred the creation of large numbers of citizens groups dedicated to environmental activism?
Citizens to Preserve Overton Park v. Volpe
In the 1960s, Citizens to Preserve Overton Park filed suit against US Secretary of Transportation John Volpe after he announced plans to build Interstate 40 through Overton Park in Memphis. The suit claimed that he was violating section 4(f) of the Dept. of Transportation Act of 1966, which required the government to show there were no “feasible and prudent” alternatives to using public lands, such as parks when building freeways. In 1971, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of Citizens to Preserve Overton Park. This led to a considerable increase in grassroots environmental organizing.
Which planning movement focused on reviving the civic center of a city in an attempt to attract the wealthy, eradicate social ills, and bring US cities into parity with their European counterparts?
City Beautiful
In this case, the respondent argued that the city had violated a telecommunications act by discriminating against a commercial enterprise:
City of Rancho Palos Verdes v. Abrams
City of Rancho Palos Verdes established that there are administrative procedures to remedy violations of the telecommunications act and that an individual cannot force compliance.
What is the Civil Rights Act of 1964?
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 banned discrimination and segregation on the basis of race, religion, national origin and gender in the workplace, schools, public accommodations and in federally assisted programs.
What is the Civil Rights Act of 1968?
The Civil Rights Act of 1968 provided for equal housing opportunities regardless of race, creed, or national origin.
The Fair Housing Act (FHA) is also known as Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968.
Clarence Perry’s Neighborhood Unit Concept (1929) was published in which of the following plans?
Regional Survey of New York and Its Environs
The idea was to create complete neighborhoods that provided convenient access for residents to school and businesses.
The Regional Planning Association of America sought to undertake major regional scale projects, such as the Appalachian Trail. Who is a co-founder of the Regional Planning Association of America?
Clarence Stein is a co-founder of the Regional Planning Association of America.
As part of your comprehensive planning for the community you want to engage with regulatory authorities about ways to improve water quality on the river. Who should you engage?
The US EPA and the Army Corp of Engineers
Clean Water Act of 1972 exercised its power to regulate interstate commerce by prohibiting discharges into the nation’s navigable waters. If the body of water can be used to transport goods from one state to another it is covered by the Clean Water Act. The Environmental Protection Agency and the Army Corp of Engineers have regulatory power to prepare rules for navigable waters.
If a neighborhood wants your advice on organizing their community to support the expansion of a light rail line into their neighborhood, what would you advise?
Coalition building - bringing together organizations that support light rail to build a coalition would be most helpful.
An open house could be used to inform the public about light rail. A public hearing could be used to express interest in the part of the city council. A visual preference survey would not be helpful because people don’t need to vote on pictures of light rail.
What are some elements of the potential goals of a coalition?
Coalitions often have goals as varied as coalitions themselves, but they often include one or more elements of:
I. Influencing or developing public policy, usually around a specific issue
II. Changing people’s behavior
III. Building a healthy community
To what level of government are regional councils or Councils of Government (1954) accountable to?
Local government.
A COG or regional council is a multi-service entity that delivers a variety of federal, state, and local programs, and they are accountable to local units of government. They can also function as partners for state and federal governments.
What is the difference between a Council of Governments (CoG) (1954) and a Regional Council?
There is essentially no difference.
The terms regional council (RC) and council of governments (COG) are generally interchangeable. They might also be called regional planning commissions, regional commissions, or planning districts.
The Cohort Survival population estimation method
The Cohort Survival method, also known as the population pyramid, is one of the most detailed population estimation methods.
It uses the population at the time of the last census divided into five-year age groups and gender. A death rate is applied to each age group. New groups are created based on birth rates and net migration rates.
smallest time frame using this method is 5 years.
You are organizing a committee to consider the future renovation needs of schools throughout the school district. What would be the optimal committee size?
9 to 15. Having at least 9 members ensures that all personality types are represented with a diversity of voices. A small committee can at times not bring a broad enough set of interests to the table. In this case you would want a mix of stakeholders, such as parents, neighbors, teachers, staff, administrators etc.
Communicative Planning Theory
Communicative theory emphasizes that the planner is Consensus building.
Bringing stakeholders to the table to build consensus is a cornerstone of communicative planning.
Rational Planning
Using a scientific process to plan
Incremental Planning
Viewing planning as a series of incremental steps
Transactive Planning
Working one-on-one with citizens to develop a plan
Consensus Building
Consensus Building brings together stakeholders to work together to come to a solution.
When is it good to have a Town Hall Meeting?
A Town Hall Meeting is good to identify issues.
Coalition Building
Coalition Building brings parties who agree together to promote an idea.
Conservation Zoning
Conservation zoning requires the clustering of homes while preserving open space. The subdivisions can be designed to protect well water areas by placing septic systems in other areas.
A regulatory technique that would be useful if within your city’s jurisdiction there has been a rapid increase in the number of homes built with septic tanks and the city is concerned about the possibility of well water contamination.
CORBOR refers to:
National Corridor Planning and Development Program and the Coordinated Border Infrastructure Program
It provided funding between 1999 and 2005, but was DISCONTINUED under The Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act and the Coordinated Border Infrastructure Program.
Which type of government is set up to work toward coordination of plans and programs at the regional level?
Council of Governments (CoGs—also known as regional councils, regional commissions, regional planning commissions, and planning districts) are regional governing and/or coordinating bodies that exist throughout the United States.
Started in 1954!
Crime Prevention through Environmental Design
Takes a safety-based approach to the design of the environment, including features such as lines of sight and lighting.
The American Planning Association Policy Guide on Security provides for best practices in designing secure spaces:https://www.planning.org/policy/guides/adopted/security.htm
Richard Florida, author of The Rise of the Creative Class argues that in order for a city to attract the Creative Class, it must possess “the three ‘T’s”:
- Talent (a highly talented/educated/skilled population): Significant existing employment in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, Arts, Design, and Media
- Tolerance (a diverse community, which has a ‘live and let live’ ethos)
- Technology (the technological infrastructure necessary to fuel an entrepreneurial culture)
You are undertaking a survey to assess whether opinions about public transit service will change when a new policy is implemented. You are undertaking a:
A longitudinal survey — a survey over time— which is implied by the question since you are assessing how opinions will change.
Longitudinal Survey
A survey over time.
Cross-Sectional Survey
A cross-sectional survey is a type of survey that involves the analysis of data collected from a representative subset of a population at one specific point in time.
How does the Delphi Method encourage consensus among participants?
The Delphi Method encourages the panel of subject matter experts to achieve consensus by revising their answers to hypothetical questionnaires.
Participants fill out a questionnaire and then are encouraged to revise their answers after hearing one another’s replies, decreasing the range of answers over time.
It is a technique that can be used to develop consensus on an issue and relies on input from individuals with different types of knowledge. Successive rounds of questions are used.
Citizen Advisory Committee (also known by other names in each community)
A group of appointed citizens to advise the governing body.
Which governing body is responsible for the review of historic preservation applications at the federal level?
Department of the Interior is responsible for the National Park Service, which is responsible for overseeing the National Register of Historic Places.
Dependency Ratio
the equation [(children + elderly)/(working age population)]
The dependency ratio is a ratio of dependents, those who are younger than 15 and those older than 64, to represent the working age population. Data are shown as the proportion of dependents per 100 working age population.
Descriptive Statistics
Distinguished from inferential statistics (or inductive statistics), in that descriptive statistics aim to summarize a sample, rather than use the data to learn about the population that the sample of data is thought to represent.
If you have data about a population, you would use descriptive statistics to describe your data.
You are preparing a zoning ordinance amendment that will include specific design criteria for new large scale retail development. In the staff report outlining the changes to the zoning ordinance you emphasize:
The legal basis for enforcing the design standards
You are working on a complex planned unit development project. This project includes more than 1,000 acres, of which a portion is unimproved – lacking infrastructure. As part of the land planning process, the county institutes a _______________ to ensure adequate infrastructure.
A development agreement - can be used to clarify what infrastructure will be provided as part of a development.
You have a variable that has a finite number of values. This is known as a ___________ variable.
Discrete Variable
Dichotomous Variable
A dichotomous variable has only two values, typically zero and 1. This is also known as a binary variable.
Four factors to consider in ensuring a healthy downtown commercial district in a HISTORIC community:
I. Historic Preservation
II. Parking Capacity
III. Wayfinding
IV. Small Business Promotion
What are the advantages of using visioning in a comprehensive planning process?
It keeps implementation moving forward and citizens will be motivated to keep track of actions proposed to achieve the vision they helped create.
It keeps the process on track and citizens can make sure the rest of the process addresses vision achievement.
It serves as a catalyst and brings residents together in new ways.
What are 3 disadvantages of visioning?
- Visioning adds to the cost of the planning process since it is an intensive public participation effort.
- Visioning can create unrealistic expectations that the government can’t fulfill.
- Visioning is dependent on a facilitator.
What is the purpose of visioning?
The purpose of visioning is to build consensus.
You are a planner in charge of coordinating an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). Which step should you undertake first?
Determine whether minority populations, low-income populations, or Indian tribes are present.
It states that consideration of environmental justice issues must be considered during preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement. These considerations include documentation, data analysis and public participation, but not mitigation of past environmental injustices.
Your AICP certification was revoked five years ago and you wish to seek reinstatement. How would you pursue reinstatement?
Submit a petition to the AICP Ethics Committee.
Planners shall seek social justice by working to expand choice and opportunity for all persons, recognizing a special responsibility to plan for the needs of the disadvantaged, and to promote racial and economic integration. Which theoretical perspective most influenced this principle?
Advocacy planning, created by Paul Davidoff, emphasized the importance of planning for the needs of diverse groups of stakeholders in the community.
You are opposed to providing incentives to retailers and service providers that do not generate basic jobs. The City Council has asked you to develop an economic development strategy that includes incentives for retailers. This is completely against your beliefs. What should you do?
Prepare the report outlining the options for incentives and the pros and cons associated with the incentive options.
You are faced with an ethical dilemma and struggling to decide what you should do. What is the best course of action?
Seek informal advice from the APA Ethics Officer
Moonlighting
“We shall not, as salaried employees, undertake other employment in planning or a related profession, whether or not for pay, without having made full written disclosure to the employer who furnishes our salary and having received subsequent written permission to undertake additional employment, unless our employer has a written policy which expressly dispenses with a need to obtain such consent.”
Moonlighting is acceptable, but it should be in a position that does not conflict with your primary employment and permission is needed from your employer.
Euclidean Buffer
A Euclidean buffer measures the distance in two-dimensional Cartesian plan – that is straight line distances are calculated. This type of buffer works well when working at a city scale.
If a city is considering a new zoning requirement that would require a 10 foot setback from waterways, you’d use a euclidean buffer to present a spatial analysis of the impact of the ordinance.
Geodesic Buffer
A geodesic buffer accounts for the curvature of the earth and would be used when the map projection is at a large regional scale or global scale.
Vector Data Model
A vector data model is an overarching term that would cover buffering, overlays, distance measurement and spatial statistics.
Which city is home to the first historic preservation commission in the United States?
In the 1920s, Vieux Carre (aka the French Quarter_, New Orleans created the nation’s first historic preservation commission.
Fiscal Impact Analysis
The purpose of fiscal impact analysis is to estimate the impact of a development or a land use change or a plan on the costs and revenues of governmental units serving the development.
Which form of zoning prescribes development standards, rather than use standards?
Form based zoning focuses on defining desired development patterns. It also allows the market to determine the use.
Future Searches
As part of the region’s visioning process, Future Search is a 2 ½ day event designed to result in a common vision of the future. The event is organized into five tasks of approximately 3-4 hours each.
-Create a group mind map
-Identify highly differentiated points of view
-Identify common futures
Future Value Equation
FV = PV (1 + r)^n
Where PV is current value ($300,000), r is the discount (or interest) rate, 0.10, and n is the
number of years (4).
So, the future value of $300,000 at this interest rate is $300,000 x (1.10)^4 = $300,000 x 1.464 = $439,200.
The reverse, the present value of $500,000 four years from now is $500,000/ 1.464 = $341,530.
So, if you waited four years and spent $500,000, it would cost you $41,530 more in today’s equivalent value (at the discount rate of 10%) than if you spent $300,000 today.
There are two main types of local governments. What is the key distinction?
Two types of local governments are: 1) general-purpose local government, which includes counties and townships; and
2) single-purpose, which includes school districts and fire districts.
_____________ is expressed as births per 1,000 persons calculated by the number of recorded live births in a year divided by the mid-year female population between the ages of 15 and 44.
The General fertility rate is the number of live births per 1000 women between the ages of 15 and 44 years.
Government regulation of land use at the local level is typically accomplished by:
Zoning and subdivision regulations manage land use.
NOT Nuisance laws since they’re not always about regulating land use, and NOT restrictive covenants since they’re private restrictions.
You have been trying to identify a participatory approach that would allow you to engage your residents in a comprehensive planning process. What electronic technology would you use to support meetings at a distance?
Groupware - includes a variety of electronic technologies that support virtual collaboration. Techniques use hardware, software, and or internet technology to allow for sophisticated collaboration activities.
5% of the housing across the city is vacant and half are in serious disrepair. You are preparing for a presentation to the city with a recommendation that CDBG funds be allocated to focus on the vacant housing problem. What would be the most effective in conveying the results?
A heat map that shows the variation in concentrations of vacant housing across the city.
A heat map would illustrate the areas of the city where vacant housing is most concentrated. Because 5% is a relatively low number it would be less impactful in a chart. A city-wide map would not be at a scale small enough to show individual properties. A photomontage would help illustrate the issue and could be used in combination with a heat map.
What is a scientific measurement that tracks environmental conditions over time?
Environmental indicator is a scientific measurement that tracks environmental conditions over time.
The Message Pyramid contains three key elements to use in communicating a clear and concise message to the public, in the following order (from first to last):
Key Message → First Proof → Second Proof
The key message comes first to provide a clear and consistent statement, followed by the two “proof layers” to back up and reinforce this statement.
Bridging
Bridging is a technique used by planners to reframe controversial issues.
Most states require local governments to adopt annual budgets. Which of the following is most important for local governments in the budgeting process?
-Consider long range capital facility and operating costs
-Forecast revenue and expenditure estimates into the future
-Determine long term benefits costs of adding personnel
What are 4 steps for creating a plan for increasing staff?
- Classification Scheme
- Recruitment
- Professional Development
- Performance Assessments
Classification Scheme
This is about the kinds of employees you would have and the job titles they would have.
Through this, you know the positions.
Which of the following would be a legally closed session by a planning commission?
Consultation with the City Attorney about commission procedures.
Final plat approval, Review of a conditional use permit, and Rezoning applications are public.
You want to make sure you conduct a _______________ analyzing the geologic, hydrologic, soil, and other physical data to understand the potential for land development.
Land capability analysis
Which of the following are the sources of land use law in the United States?
Common law, the constitution, and statutes.
NOT zoning and subdivision regulations - enabled by state statutes.
Historically, there was a shift in thinking about the role of the federal government in supporting citizens through large scale aid programs. When did large scale aid programs begin?
In the 1930s, large-scale federal aid programs were instituted to spur recovery from the Great Depression.
You are preparing a town hall meeting to discuss hazard mitigation. Which of the following would be the best way to encourage participation?
Postcards mailed to residents - the mailer is the method that allows for the broadest contact with residents. It is likely that you would pursue a mix of methods to ensure broad awareness of the meeting.
A mean is a proper summary of the central tendency of which of the following types of data: (1) nominal; (2) ordinal; (3) interval; (4) ratio.
A mean is only appropriate for interval and ratio scale data.
The values of nominal data just represent categories and in and of themselves are meaningless. The values given to the ranks for ordinal data similarly are not appropriate for computations.
What is a Message Pyramid?
A way of communicating a message to the public using a clear statement and evidence to support your statement.
The Message Pyramid is an approach to communicating clearly to the public. The Message Pyramid involves a concise key statement that creates an environment and belief system for the audience. This statement is followed by two pieces of evidence: one that supports the benefits of planning and one that amplifies the first using data or evidence.
You have been working to protect the scenic character of an important highway. You are engaging the communities along the highway in a corridor planning process. Which programs guidelines would be most appropriate to use in preparing the corridor plan?
National Scenic Byway Program
provides guidelines for preparing scenic corridor plans.
National Scenic Byway Program
The National Scenic Byway Program provides guidelines for preparing scenic corridor plans. The National Scenic Byways Program is part of the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration. Established in Title 23, Section 162 of the United States Code under the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 and reauthorized and expanded significantly in 1998 under The Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century and again under The Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users in 2005.
A neighborhood is struggling to determine how they want the new community center to look. What method of structuring public participation is most appropriate to solve this conflict?
A visual preference survey best determines aggregate resident preferences, especially around the physical look of the natural and built environments.
When is a public hearing a best communication engagement method?
A public hearing is best at the end of the planning process to allow for final thoughts.
When is brainstorming a best communication engagement method?
Brainstorming is best for determining goals at the beginning of the project rather than specific details.
When is mediation a best communication engagement method?
Mediation is best for identifying interests and priorities of opposing groups, rather than getting a sense for general resident preferences.
What are three characteristics/principles of New Urbanism?
-Pedestrian scale facades
-Variety of housing types
-Multi-modal transportation and gridded street pattern
You want to create a public engagement process that will bring together the vocal minority and the silent majority to generate ideas for how to address the problem. Which of the following would be most appropriate to use?
Nominal Group Technique
The nominal group technique allows for brainstorming, enabling all members of a group to meaningfully participate. There are silent times allowing for idea generation followed by individual sharing of ideas.
The notification process of your city requires that property owners within a one-quarter mile radius of a proposed project be notified about proposals under consideration for development approval. What would be an appropriate way to handle the fact that many property owners within the one-quarter mile radius are located outside of the city’s jurisdiction?
You should provide notice to all properties within the prescribed radius (even if they’re outside of the city’s jurisdiction).
Which of the following is true of a null hypothesis?
A null hypothesis is a neutral statement that does not suggest the direction of the result.
The null hypothesis is the commonly accepted fact; it is the opposite of the alternate hypothesis. Researchers work to reject, nullify or disprove the null hypothesis. Researchers come up with an alternate hypothesis, one that they thin
Open Meetings Laws require that…
Planning Commission meetings be open to the public.
Which four requirements must ordinances and regulations that impose conditions on the issuance of development permits but do not compensate the owner for the property meet?
(such as the reservation of land for beach access)
All of these conditions must be met for the ordinance to be upheld as constitutional:
1. The condition must have some essential nexus with the public purpose it seeks to fulfill
2. The condition must bear some rough proportionality to the impact of the development for which the permit is sought
3. The condition may be satisfied by the payment of a fee in lieu of (FILO) compliance
4. Not result in the temporary loss of use of property while the application for the development permit is undergoing review by government staff.
What is the best description of Oregon’s Measure 37 law?
A land owner to be compensated if the land regulation results in a devaluation of the property if they are the owner at the time the regulation was put in place.
Oregon Measure 37 has had a significant impact on the ability of local governments to engage in land regulation.
You want to engage the public in planning for the future of the county. You want to get information from the public and have them analyze the information that would be used in the plan. The educational level of the community is relatively low, so which techniques do you need to use that will work for a non-literate group?
Participatory Rural Appraisal is a group of techniques that allow for the provision and analysis of information by the public. These are typically highly visual including creation of maps or picture cards.
Samoan Circle
A leaderless meeting intended to help negotiations in controversial issues. While there is no ‘leader’, a professional facilitator can welcome participants and explain the seating arrangements, rules, timelines and the process.
Plebiscite
the direct vote of all the members of an electorate on an important public question such as a change in the constitution.
You have undertaken a participatory process that allows the participants to assess project alternatives by weighing the alternatives according to a group of citizen goals. This is known as a:
Planning Cell - allows citizens to learn about, assess and choose between multiple alternatives.
Planning cells is a method for deliberation developed by Dr. Dienel, and is designed to be a “micro-parliament.” In a planning cell, about 25 people from various backgrounds work together to develop a set of solutions to a problem delegated to the participants by a commissioning body.
A farmer has been actively farming a property for the past 20 years. In that time, fences were built on the property boundaries. The farmer wishes to continue to farm the portion of the land that is not actually his property. You advise him to seek a:
Prescriptive Easement is typically obtained under principles of adverse possession. A prescriptive easement can be earned through the ongoing and regular use of a property. A prescriptive easement allows the right to use the property and does not allow the farmer to gain title to the land.
A “prescriptive’ easement arises when, for 21 consecutive years, one landowner uses the land of another in an “open, notorious and uninterrupted’ manner. If your neighbors run their cable line across your property, then after 21 uninterrupted years they have established the right to do so.
Easement Appurtenant
An easement appurtenant allows access to your property, for example giving you the right to use your neighbor’s driveway to access your property.
Easement in Gross
A public utility easement
The senior planner for a county is responsible for developing a public participation process for a county-wide plan. When should the public become involved in the planning process?
Before the plan goals have been set
You are preparing to facilitate what is sure to be a volatile meeting. In order to get the most of this facilitation session, you do which of the following:
Record the issues and suggested solutions as presented during the facilitation and group similar issues and solutions together.
As a facilitator, DON’T suggest potential solutions that best address the issues. The facilitator can introduce bias if the issues are specified by the facilitator and potential solutions are best suggested by the participants rather than the facilitator. The role of the facilitator is to record the meeting and help group ideas together.
You have been promoted to the director and you want to emphasize new regionalism. What should you emphasize?
Emphasize the importance of bringing together regional stakeholders including public and private sectors.
How would you best use a social accounting matrix (SAM) to support your work?
You would use a SAM to understand the existing state of the economy and use this to analyze the likely effects of policy proposals.
A social accounting matrix is a framework for organizing statistical data about the economy. It considers household income, household expenditures, input-output of industries, trade, taxes, government expenditures, investments, and savings. A SAM allows for an understanding of the economic actors and is a tool for understanding how policy changes could result in economic changes.
Describing the cross section of a street:
-The street is sloped so that the high point is in the middle and it drains to the edges.
-If there is a sidewalk, it is included in the right of way of the street.
-Roads are typically sloped 1/2 inch per foot or higher to ensure proper drainage.
-The traffic lanes are typically 9 to 12 feet in width.
The city is focusing on the university district. The urban design strategy for the district is focused on adding pedestrian amenities. You encourage the addition of:
Street furniture - includes benches, planting, trash receptacles, and physical elements that improve the way pedestrian experience the district.
Are social media posts considered public record?
Unclear; consult state and local regulations to determine if social media posts are considered public record
Facilitation
The facilitator is often a trusted community member.
The facilitator is third party with no direct stake in the outcome facilitates the discussion.
Mediation
Mediation is often used to help resolve conflict outside of court BETWEEN 2 PEOPLE (often not of communities).
This method has multiple stages.
The mediator is a third party with no direct stake in the outcome facilitates the discussion.
You are developing a traffic forecast that will model future traffic conditions across the metropolitan area. In order to undertake the analysis you have broken down the projections into:
Traffic analysis zones - geographic units that divide a region into similar areas of land use.
Which of the technique would be most appropriate for limiting the expansion of infrastructure and public services if you are dealing with a fiscal crisis due to increased demand for services?
Urban Growth Boundary - a regional boundary, that limits sprawl by mandating that the area inside the boundary be used for higher density urban development and the area outside be used for low density development, such as agriculture.
You are trying to identify land uses with a low average vehicle trip per unit. Based on the Quick Response Urban Travel Estimation Techniques and Transferable Parameters, which would have the lowest number of average vehicle trips per unit?
Based on the Quick Response Urban Travel Estimation Techniques and Transferable Parameters, assisted living facilities would have the lowest number of average vehicle trips per unit.
You are working on developing design guidelines for your community. The historic architecture in the community uses locally available materials, this is known as ____________ architecture.
Vernacular architecture refers to architecture based on locally available materials.
A neighborhood is struggling to determine how they want the new community center to look. What method of structuring public participation is most appropriate to solve this conflict?
A visual preference survey best determines aggregate resident preferences, especially around the physical look of the natural and built environments.
A volume to capacity ratio of 1 indicates what?
Congested traffic flow. Congestion can be measured by a volume-to-capacity ratio (V/C Ratio). A V/C Ratio of greater than 1.0 indicates severe congestion.
In preparing a comprehensive plan you illustrate development alternatives including a scenario for transit oriented development. What is the walking radius that you show?
Half a mile is a typical standard for transit oriented development. Pedestrians will typically walk up to half a mile to reach transit or destinations.
The Land Ordinance of 1785
called “the largest single act of national planning in our history.”
-rectangular survey where coordinates were created for virtually all of the country west of the Appalachians.
- Set up a standardized system whereby settlers could purchase title to farmland in the undeveloped west/Old Northwest.
-Township = 36 sq. mi.
- Congress at the time did not have the power to raise revenue by direct taxation, so land sales provided an important revenue stream.
- The Ordinance set up a survey system that eventually covered over 3/4 of the area of the US.
- Laid the foundations of land policy until passage of the Homestead Act of 1862.
- Established the basis for the Public Land Survey System.
- The initial surveying was performed by Thomas Hutchins.
- Significant for establishing a mechanism for funding public education.
- Adopted by the United States Congress of the Confederation
The Homestead Act of 1862
-Opened the lands of the public domain to settlers for a nominal fee and they had to stay there for 5 years.
-This act was signed into law during the Civil War by Abraham Lincoln
-This law turned over vast amounts of the public domain to private citizens. 270 millions acres, or 10% of the area of the United States was claimed and settled under this act.
-The Homestead Act remained in effect until 1976, with provisions for homesteading in Alaska until 1986.
-A homesteader had to be the head of a household or at least 21yo to claim a 160 acre parcel of land for a nominal fee.
-Each homesteader had to live on the land, build a home, make improvements and farm to get the land. They had to be a citizen and not an enemy of the US.
The Morrill Act of 1862
-Congress passed this Morrill Land Grant College Act in 1862 which set aside federal lands to create colleges
-This Act authorized the proceeds from the sale of land to fund the creation of colleges: “land-grant colleges”
-The new land-grant institutions emphasized agriculture and mechanic arts.
-The Morrill Act committed the federal government to grant each state 30,000 acres of public land.
A land-grant university/college is an institution of higher education designated by a state to receive benefits.
The General Land Law Revision Act of 1891
-gave the president the power to create forest reserves by proclamation
Standard State Zoning Enabling Act (1922-26)
Authorized states to be able to do zoning and called for zoning regulations to be made in accordance with a comprehensive plan.
supported by Herbert Hoover while he was the Secretary of Commerce
published by the US Department of Commerce (1922-1926)
Standard City Planning Enabling Act (1928)
Authorized states to be able to conduct city planning; directed the planning commission to “make and adopt a master plan for the physical development of the municipality” (also referred to as the comprehensive or official plan)
The SCPEA covered:
1. The organization and power of the planning commission, which was directed to prepare and adopt a “master plan”
2. The content of the master plan for the physical development of the territory
3. Provision for adoption of a master street plan by the governing body
4. Provision for approval of all public improvements by the planning commission
5. Control of private subdivision of land
6. Provision for the establishment of a regional planning commission and a regional plan
published by the US Department of Commerce
Pierre L’Enfant
Assigned by President George Washington in 1791 to layout DC.
He produced a Baroque multi-centered plan. comparable to Paris - boulevards, sequences of spaces linked by avenues - dramatic urban form.
The City Beautiful Movement
-movement specific to the US
-Daniel Burnham’s “White City” Chicago. The buildings were white, people of color were also excluded from the city and the exposition.
-1893 World’s Columbian Exposition (Chicago)
-with McMillan Commission (Olmsted Sr.) pan for the monumental core of DC in 1902 + Burnham = resurrection of Pierre L’Enfant’s Baroque, multi-centered plan for DC.
-took root in commercial cities in the US.
-1909 Chicago Plan - civic ordering of the land, imposed on the Chicago grid.
-criticized as being not practical, not recognizing poverty and focusing on beauty and commercial benefit.
Garden City Movement
-launched by Ebenezer Howard (+ John Ruskin)
-only 3 cities: Letchworth, Welwyn, and Wythenshawe (UK)
- Garden cities were meant by Howard as having communal ownership of land, industry is part of it, and it’s completely planned as a city that had a source of employment and everything you needed for daily life
-produced many developments from this movement (“garden suburbs”)
-It involved the establishment of a limited-dividend company
-Farmland for the Garden City was to be purchased using an agricultural rate
A premise of Howard’s model was that construction of the Garden City would increase land values, and that the increase in value would pass back to the community.
Ebenezer Howard
-created the Garden City Movement
-wrote Tomorrow, A Peaceful Path to Social Reform (1898)
-wrote Garden Cities of Tomorrow (1902)
City Functional/Efficient Movement
-A counter-reaction against City Beautiful
aka “City Efficient” and “City Scientific”
-National Conference on City Planning (1909) is the launch.
-denounces the City Beautiful
-aim of this movement is to remedy congestion and making cities work well for commerce and commercialization
-Helps Zoning take off in the 1920s.
-Standardization: SSZEA/SCPEA
4 Books & their Authors against the City Beautiful Movement:
City Functional/Efficient/Scientific
- Benjamin Marsh, An Introduction to City Planning (1909)
- Charles Mulford Robinson, The Improvement of Towns and Cities (1907)
- John Nolan, Replanning Small Cities (1912)
- Flavel Shurtleff and Frederick Law Olmstead, Jr, Carrying Out the City Plan (1914)
NYC Zoning Code 1916
-NYC code that became law.
-This zoning ordinance divided NY into (1) commercial, (2) residential and (3) unrestricted districts.
- There were 5 types of “heights-of-buildings districts”
- Set-back design is mandated. Ziggurat tower came out of this 1916 code.
Zoning
-A popular “city efficient” technique
-An achievement of the City Efficient/ Functional Movement from the realists of city growth (opposing City Beautiful)
-takes off in the 1920s
-when land uses were regulated with zoning in NYC, zoning became well-known.
-Edward Bassett = father of zoning
Ziggurat = Set-back design
“setback” or “ziggurat” approach to skyscraper design. The style was fueled by the 1916 act to allow light and air to reach the streets. The “set-back” style encouraged a diversity of buildings in NYC,
Who is Edward M. Bassett?
known as “the father of zoning”
Chairman of the Heights-of-Buildings Commission in NYC
put together zoning resolution for NYC, which was the city’s first comprehensive zoning ordinance
Alfred Bettman
argued that zoning should be legalized before the Supreme Court
Euclid vs. Ambler Realty (1926)
Herbert Hoover supported zoning abd
Euclid vs. Ambler Realty (1926)
-argued by Alfred Bettman in the Supreme Court
-a landmark case established legal precedent and constitutional justification for zoning and, implicitly, “comprehensive” land-use planning
-Ambler Realty sued Euclid, Ohio because they owned several acres of land and didn’t like the zoned districts that determined what they could build or use their own land for.
upheld a local zoning ordinance as a constitutionally valid exercise of governmental power
Euclid’s zoning ordinance DID NOT become a standard used by many other communities. The ordinance was not very good (hence the legal challenge), so other cities chose to write different ordinances.
Regional Plan of New York and its Environs (1929)
-realist, quintessential City Efficient plan
-8 volumes of different surveys
-In one of the surveys, Clarence Perry’s concept of the “neighborhood unit” was formulated.
Clarence Perry
-created concept of the “neighborhood unit”
-very famous diagram
-this was picked up by developers all over the US
-Perry envisioned that the center of every neighborhood would have a school, community center, and it would be the lifeblood of the neighborhood
-mix of housing types in the neighborhood
-problematic figure because he had racist views.
What is a Neighborhood Unit and its 4 main features?
created by Clarence Perry
- a self-contained residential area
- bounded by major streets
- shops at the intersections
- school in the middle
Regional Planning Association of America (RPAA)
-against the NY RPNY, as not being enough for an equitable future.
-headed by Lewis Mumford; formed by Clarence Stein (1923)
Radburn, NJ (1929)
a “Garden City”
a very famous planning development based on Clarence Perry’s idea of a neighborhood unit
It was originally designed for 30,000 people and it called for a mix of uses.
planned out and only partially developed because of the stock market crash.
Suburban Expansion
-starts happening in the 1910s and 1920s after urban planning starts to get going.
-Greenbelt and Green Towns development - federal government developed towns
Greenbelts, Green Towns (Greenhills, Greendale, Green development…etc)
Greenbelt, Maryland was created in 1937 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Rural Resettlement Administration, as part of the “New Deal.” Modeled after European “garden cities” of that era, it was one of just three “greenbelt” towns created inside a ring of woodlands.
Greenhills, Ohio (Cincinnati) 1938
Greendale, Wisconsin (Milwaukee) 1938
idea is to move everyone out, tear the city down, and make parks - criticized by Robert Fishman for this approach. calling it “corporate regionalism” / anti-urban.
Greenbelt towns which provided affordable housing for federal government workers were planned by Rexford Guy Tugwell, head of the United States Resettlement Administration, under authority of the Emergency Relief Appropriation Act.
3 Interrelated Policies of “Corporate Regionalism”
- Suburban Housing - furthered by FDR, National Housing Act
- Automobile policy to add more roads to serve urban expansion
- Regional infrastructure put into place that march outward toward suburbia
Jane Jacobs
criticizes 40s-60s agenda post-war to stop the funding of garden cities and asks to stop suburban expansion and infrastructure policy supporting suburbs to focus on central cities instead.
3 Urban Structure Models:
(patterns of human settlement)
- Burgess Concentric Model
- Hoyt Sector Model
Harris-Ullman Multiple Nuclei Model
Ernest Burgess: Concentric Ring Theory/Model
1925 Ernest Burgess wrote an essay in the book The City (1925) that talks about this model.
Homer Hoyt: Sector Theory/Model
Homer Hoyt used this model to contribute to our understanding of the spatial aspects of city growth.
it prioritizes the role of transportation in urban development.
In Sector theory, areas in a city develop in sectors along the lines of communication, from the CBD outwards. High-quality areas locate along roads; industrial sectors develop along canals and railways, away from high-quality housing; working-class housing locates near industry.
Sector theory is a model of urban development proposed by Homer Hoyt in which sectors radiate out like pie shaped wedges from the central business district.
Each sector represents a specific land use, and thus represents a distinct area of land values. Land use sectors either complement or oppose each other.
High-quality housing is located away from industry.
Harris-Ullman Multiple Nuclei Model
1945 developed to argue that growth and development occurs around multiple centers of economic activity in a city.
This became more prominent
1st Amendment
freedom of speech and freedom of association (eg. group homes)
3 Constitution Principles that impact urban planning:
1st Amendment
5th Amendment
14th Amendment
5th Amendment
just compensation for when a taking occurs (about eminent domain)
cases are focused on takings (vs. valid use of police power)
also a 14th amendment case (when someone argues that it’s a taking they will also argue that it’s a violation of due process)
payment for private property taken for public use - eminent domain tied to just compensation
Police Power
Zoning was legitimated as a valid use of police power rather than a taking so communities don’t have to pay everyone for the zoning laws they enact
14th Amendment
due process, equal protection under the law
Young v American Mini Theaters, Inc
(1976) 1st amendment case
Ordinance that an adult theater must not be located within 1,000 feet of any other regulated use upheld
Metromedia, Inc. v City of San Diego
(1981) 1st amendment case
Metromedia vs. San Diego was an important case about the aesthetics of sign regulation. Supreme Court found that partial ban on signs was unconstitutional.
It was decided that cities could regulate billboards, HOWEVER San Diego/municipal governments could not treat commercial outdoor advertising more harshly than noncommercial messages. San Diego prohibiting outdoor advertising display signs to improve appearance of the city is invalid.
The Supreme Court held that aesthetics alone may serve as a sufficient justification for sign regulation.
There are substantial state interests in traffic safety and aesthetics and that sign regulations are a legitimate means of serving those objectives.
Los Angeles City Council v. Taxpayers for Vincent
(1984) 1st amendment case
Supreme Court found that an ordinance banning all signs on public property was not unconstitutional but it applied to everyone equally (it is content neutral). Acceptable because it didn’t restrict particular groups.
City of Renton v. Playtime Theaters Inc.
(1986) 1st amendment case
Renton enacted a zoning ordinance that prohibited adult motion picture theaters from locating within 1,000 feet of a residential dwelling, church, park or school - upheld by the Supreme Court
City of Ladue v. Gilled
(1994) 1st amendment case
Supreme Court decided it was not permissible for a sign ordinance to ban some signs based on content. The law has to be applied equally to all people.
(eg. 1st amendment concerns would be raised if planners try to restrict distracting subject of messages or prohibit digital billboards along major roads BUT the planner COULD control billboard luminance and how fast the billboard message changes/sequencing.)
Berman v. Parker; Supreme Court (1954)
Berman v. Parker - a landmark Supreme Court case that interpreted the Takings Clause of the 5th Amendment. an eminent domain case
It upheld the use of eminent domain for aesthetic purposes - for the redevelopment of a large area of DC so as to eliminate and prevent slum and substandard housing conditions.
case upheld redevelopment program to take (through eminent domain) and transfer property to private developers to eliminate blight
It held that private property could be taken for public purpose with just compensation.
a redevelopment agency can condemn land for aesthetic purposes, if tied to a general plan
Penn Central Transportation Co. v. The City of New York
(1978) 5th amendment case
INTRODUCED THE CONCEPT OF TDR
court ruled that historic preservation ordinances were constitutional because they fulfilled a valid public purpose
Penn Central could not develop air space over Grand Central Terminal (to construct a multistory office building above it)
Nollan v. California Coast Commission
(1987) 5th amendment case
State claimed that Nollan’s house would interfere with access to the public beach. State said that they would grant a building permit but only if they allowed public access to the beach. Supreme Court said this was a taking. State should use the power of eminent domain and compensate the owner if they wanted to maintain public access to the beach.
Dolan v. Tigard
(1994) 5th amendment case
Supreme Court ruled that government can require a person to deed portions of their property if they want to get a building permit. This involved deeding a portion of their land for a greenway as a condition of expanding a business.
The amount that is charged must be proportionate to the impact.
the burden on the property owner must be roughly proportionate to the benefit for the government.
This decision limited the power of governments to force property owners to make or contribute to improvements on public property through zoning and land use regulations in situations when the improvement is unrelated to the owner’s property.
Tahoe-Sierra Preservation Council, Inc. v. Tahoe
(2002) 5th amendment case
Supreme Court ruled that development moratoria don’t constitute a taking and don’t require a just compensation. Governments can block development and do not have to pay or use eminent domain because this is not a taking.
Kelo v. City of New London
(2005) 5th amendment eminent domain case
Upheld that planners can take properties through eminent domain for the purposes of economic development.
Economic development is a valid public purpose. New London city used eminent domain to seize private property to sell to private developers. Kelo (a property owner) argued that taking private property to sell to private developers was not a public use, but the Supreme Court ruled for New London - economic development is a valid public purpose.
In response, some states enacted legislation to prohibit local governments from seizing land for private development (against the Kelo case).
The Kelo decision found that the use of eminent domain for economic development is a valid use of police powers.
Village of Belle Terre v. Boaraas; Supreme Court
(1974) 14th amendment case
Court upheld that a community may prohibit unrelated individuals from living as a family in the same house. Purpose of this case was to keep more than 2 unrelated students from renting a house together.
Village of Arlington Heights v. Metropolitan Housing Development Corporation; Supreme Court
(1977) 14th amendment case, which was about violation of the Equal Protection Clause
Supreme Court upheld a zoning ordinance that denied approval of a rezoning application for low-income housing. This was because the ordinance didn’t violate the equal protection clause.
The Metropolitan Housing Development Corp. (MHDC) was trying to build racially integrated low-and moderate-income housing, but it needed a zoning change to switch from a single to a multiple-family classification. MHDC challenged Arlington’s denial as racially discriminatory.
The US Supreme Court held that MHDC failed to establish Arlington’s racially discriminatory intent or purpose. While indicating that Arlington’s zoning denial may result in a racially disproportionate impact, the Court held that the evidence did not show that this was Arlington’s deliberate intention.
Southern Burlington County NAACP v. Township of Mount Laurel; New Jersey Supreme Court
a landmark housing case (1975)
(1975; 1983) 14th amendment case
1st case - landmark housing case - the court required that a township provide the opportunity for low-income housing development through the zoning ordinance
2nd case - “Mount Laurel 2” -
courts instruct townships to provide their fair share of low income housing which led NJ legislature to pass the Fair Housing Act in 1985
Welch v. Swasey (1909)
Zoning Law Case - US Supreme Court that provided the ability to limit building height
Local governments have power to zone via Euclid v. Ambler case, but even before that we had this case. Decision by court upheld that the statutes of Massachusettes limiting the heights of buildings in a certain quarter of the city did not violate the constitution.
Hadacheck v. Sebastian (1915)
Zoning Law Case - 14th Amendment case
considered whether some restrictions or prohibiting certain activities constituted a taking. (eg. banning a brickyard)
The Court held that an ordinance of LA, prohibiting the manufacturing of bricks within specified limits of the city did not unconstitutionally deprive the petitioner of his property without due process of law, or deny him equal protection of the laws.
Hadacheck v Sebastian was a zoning case testing whether a Los Angeles zoning ordinance violated the 14th Amendment Due Process and Equal Protection Clauses. The US Supreme Court found that the ordinance prohibiting the location of a brick manufacturing plant in a specific location in the city did not violate the 14th Amendment.
It was ruled that the restrictions didn’t constitute a taking.
Village of Euclid v. Ambler Realty Co. (1926)
Zoning Law Case - US Supreme Court
upheld zoning as a constitutional/valid use within the Police Power of the state - it’s not a taking.
Police Power vs. Eminent Domain
Police Power controls actions and property of individuals without compensation.
Eminent Domain takes private property for a public purpose WITH just compensation.
Construction Industry Association of Sonoma County vs. City of Petaluma; 9th Circuit Court of Appeals (1971)
Growth Management Case (1971) supports the idea of growth mgmt.
Court ruled that governments can preserve open space and small town character by managing growth in an orderly way. The rules upheld the city’s annual limits on the number of permits that can be issued.
The court held that a 5 year municipal housing and zoning plan that restricted housing development in the form of projects of 5 or more units for a total of 500 units per year is a valid exercise of Police Power.
Golden v. Planning Board of Town of Ramapo; New York Court of Appeals (1972)
Growth Management Case (1972)
Ramapo established a growth management system that awarded points to development proposals based on availability of public utilities. This case was upheld.
Made development conditional based on the provision of services.
The Golden case marked the first time in the U.S. that a town was legally approved to control its own growth.
upheld an ordinance that made issuance of a development permit contingent on the presence of public facilities. Golden v. Ramapo (1972) was the first growth management case, allowing the city to control its own growth. The case upheld a growth management system that awarded points to development proposals based on the availability of public utilities, drainage facilities, parks, road access, and firehouses. A proposal would only be approved upon reaching a certain point level. Developers could increase their point total by providing the involved facilities themselves.
Associated Homebuilders v. City of Livermore; CA Supreme Court (1976)
Growth Management Case (1976) related to the timing/phasing of development and performance standards
CA Supreme Court ruled that it was permissible to phase growth to allow for relief of overcrowded schools and sewer treatment facilities and to try to increase water reserves.
The City of Livermore enacted an ordinance prohibiting issuance of new residential building permits until local educational, sewage-disposal, and water-supply facilities complied with specified performance standards.
The Associated Home Builders Associations (Plaintiffs) brought suit to prevent the implementation of the ordinance on the grounds that the ordinance was unconstitutional.
ruled that if a municipal land use ordinance is reasonably related to the public welfare, then the ordinance is a valid exercise of the police powers.
“Coming to Nuisance” Cases
-Right to farm laws
-Spur Industries v. Webb Development Company (1972); AZ Supreme Court
-Alternative: “amortization of nonconforming use”
Right to Farm Laws
“Coming to Nuisance” cases
In the US, nuisance lawsuits are denied if against farmers who use accepted and standard farming practices and have been in prior operation even if these practices harm or bother adjacent property owners or the general public. Agricultural nuisances may include noise, odors, visual clutter and dangerous structures.
Passed to preserve farmland and agricultural practices in the US. Their intent is to make farming more viable. All 50 states have some form of Right to Farm law.
Spur Industries v. Webb Development Company (1972); AZ Supreme Court
“Coming to Nuisance” case
Involved new retirement community’s efforts to prohibit the operation of a preexisting feed lot. The feed lot was allowed to continue to operate.
“Amortization of nonconforming use”
A community can use this if they want to eliminate an existing use (eg. adult bookstore)
Ordinance can require the termination of uses over a period fo time. At the end of the amortization period, the nonconforming use has to end and no payment has to be made by the community.
8 Theories of Planning:
- Synoptic Rationality Planning
- Incremental Planning (Lindblom)
- Advocacy Planning (Davidoff)
- Communicative Planning
- Transactive Planning
- Radical
- Utopianism
- Equity Planning
Rational Planning (aka synoptic/comprehensive)
A scientific planning theory
“synoptic rationality” or “comprehensive rationality”
Banfield and Perloff
Collection and analysis of data, consideration of all alternatives, and selection of the best alternative
Five steps/Five “Ds”:
1.set a goal (DESIRES)
2. come up with alternatives (DESIGNS)
3. evaluate the means against the ends (DEDUCTION)
4. consider costs and benefits (DECISIONS)
5. implement the best alternatives (DEEDS)
Rational planning follows a process of determining values, analyzing data, identifying alternatives and identifying the best alternative:
useful planning model but is much criticized doesn’t take the communities desires into that much consideration
It does not consider what people actually want, and it is often not realistic cost-wise.
Centralized, Rational: the planner as applied scientist
Incremental Planning
A scientific planning theory: incrementalism = “mutual adjustment”
-Lindblom (1965 book, The Intelligence of Democracy)
-Etzioni “mixed-scanning method”
don’t try to solve everything about planning all at once. think about it incrementally.
Centralized, Nonrational: the planner confronts politics
Amitai Etzioni
“Mixed-Scanning Method” that is related to incremental planning
organizations should plan on two levels:
1. tactical
2. strategic
scan the environment on multiple levels and choose different strategies and tactics to address what they found.
Etzioni was kind-of criticizing Lindblom’s incremental planning theory because he said it was too functional.
Advocacy Planning
a planning theory
Paul Davidoff
we should recognize different groups with different perspectives. planning should be an advocate for groups (not just the under-served)
planners can focus on the needs of particular groups.
a version of this is also Norman Krumholz’s idea of Equity Planning
Decentralized, Rational: the planner as political activist
Equity Planning
-Norman Krumholz 1970s
-related to advocacy planning theory HOWEVER it is the principle of working inside the government to address the needs of the under-served.
-Thought the principle focus of planning should be helping the underserved. that we should ensure planning benefits the poor and underserved.
Communicative Planning
a planning theory
about consensus building and bringing key stakeholders together.
integrate scientific thinking with people who have their own values and goals to bring to the table.
Decentralized, Nonrational: the planner as communicator
Transactive Planning
John Friedman 1970s
planning theory
-the job of the planner is to distribute information and get feedback.
-relies on face-to-face interaction, interpersonal dialogue
-decentralized process where individual citizens have a say
-most appropriate for small scale problems because cities are too large to use this approach
Radical Planning
planning theory where the planners role is to facilitate and provide information (idea that we don’t really need planners) planners coordinate.
hasn’t really taken off in the planning world
Normative Planning Theory
Theory of “how things ought to be”
Kevin Lynch believed this planning theory was “spindly and starved for light” - that normative planning theory is underdeveloped.
important for the urban design realm
theories behind what ought to happen in the planning of cities: how should our cities look and function
Kevin Lynch made the argument that there are 3 types of planning theories.
What are the 7 Core Values of Urban Planning?
(listed in AICP Code of Ethics)
- equity and social justice
- public interest
- sustainability
- healthy and prosperous communities
- diversity
- democratic engagement
- transparency
Comprehensive Plan Standards for Sustaining Places
-a livable built environment
-planning for multi-modal transportation
-transit-oriented development
-harmony with nature
-resilient economy
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
understanding how we can make people who are engaged in urban planning come from a more diverse set of backgrounds. we need diverse of thought, planning, and approach
What is the difference between equality and equity:
the more important goal for us is focusing on the outcome of giving everyone the same level of resources
Equity is all about improving the distribution of resources, funding, or access in a fair or impartial way and understanding how discrimination has created these inequities.
What are some of the principles involved in building equity?
-combating structural racism
-affordable housing
-living wage jobs & job training
-quality education & early learning
-healthy food & food systems
-equitable justice system
-healthy built and natural environments
-community economic development
-transportation
-safe and supportive neighborhoods
-health care & human services
-parks & natural resources
-diversity and inclusion
-civic engagement
-physical and emotional wellbeing
Environmental Justice
about redressing environmental racism. race influences the location of hazardous waste and highways. the goal is to improve the environmental conditions of communities that have been at a disadvantage.
California’s SB 1000 (approved by governor) requires that cities consider environmental justice in their planning process (eg. overhauling zoning, not allowing car services in certain locations, making sure residential neighborhoods are mixed-income, prioritizing compact, mixed-use development, cleanup contaminated brownfield sites, city to distribute parks more evenly, avoid siting schools and parks within 500 ft of the freeway
In what ways are planning and public health aligned?
Planners and public health professionals are concerned with air and water quality, crime, pedestrian safety, and the effect of the physical environment on obesity and physical activity.
Related Planning Professions - 8 areas
1.Civil Engineering
2. Environmental Science
3. Architecture
4. Landscape Architecture
5. Attorneys - investment, finance, various agreements, zoning ordinances
6. Public Health
7. Real Estate Professionals - agents & brokers
8. Police - rise in community policing - set policing priorities in their neighborhoods
In what ways are planning and civil engineering professions aligned?
Civil engineering is a professional discipline that deals with the built environment. Areas of focus include roads, bridges, water and waste water, and utilities.
In what ways are planning and environmental science professions aligned?
An environmental scientist assesses the environmental health and stability of a given area. This involves creating surveys or research projects to collect a variety of environmental samples such as soil, water or air samples.
In what ways are planning and architecture professions aligned?
Planners could include architects in plan making, especially in the creation of design guidelines or architectural recommendations.
Architects are most often part of private developer implementation when designing a building within a planning area.
In what ways are planning and landscape architecture professions aligned?
Landscape architects can assist in the creation of parks and recreation master plans, or on specific outdoor projects such as parks, plazas, open space, and streetscaping.
Standard Hierarchy of Census Geographic Entities
Nation
Regions
Divisions
States
Counties
Census Tracts
Block Groups
Census Blocks
Census Statistical Units
Core Based Statistical Area
a census statistical unit
core and adjacent communities
Combined Statistical Areas
adjacent CBSA
Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)
Each metropolitan statistical area will contain at least one urbanized area of 50,000 or more people
core and surrounding counties
urbanized areas (UZAs) form the urban cores of metropolitan statistical areas
A[n] _______________ can be described as a central city plus surrounding communities to which it is linked economically.
core county has at least 50k population,
core has a density of 1,000 people/sq. mile 100,000 total
Micropolitan Statistical Area
each micropolitan statistical area will contain at least one urban cluster of at least 10,000 and less than 50,000 people
core and surrounding counties
core county has 10k-50k population
urban clusters form the urban cores of micropolitan statistical areas
Principal Cities
the largest incorporated area in a CBSA, but there can be several
eg. LA has 19 principal cities in it
Census Blocks
small in area; a block in a city is bounded on all sides by streets
smallest level of Census data collection
Block Groups
Block groups are statistical divisions of census tracts (groups of blocks)
they generally contain 600 to 3,000 people, and are used to present data and control block numbering
A collection of block groups forms a census tract.
Census Tracts
Census tracts generally have a population size between 1,200 and 8,000 people, with an optimum size of 4,000 people (on average).
A collection of block groups forms a census tract.
Compared to block groups and blocks with the most information eg. household, economic data
What’s the difference between a CBSA and a Metropolitan Statistical Area?
A Core Based Statistical Area (CBSA) has a core of at least 10,000 population, whereas a Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) has a core of at least 50,000.
Metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas represent the county-based functional regions associated with urban centers (hence, the generic term “core based statistical areas”).
Both consist of core and surrounding communities.
What is the optimum size of a census tract?
A population of 4,000.
Census tracts typically range from 1,200 to 8,000.
With surveying the population there are 2-3 main objectives:
- to estimate how many people there are in a given area
- to project what the population might be at some future time
Census Bureau is the main source of population data.
3. The purpose is to define the electoral district to determine representatives for Congress
Long-Form Census
Purpose was to develop information on the socioeconomic characteristics for typically census tracts and up.
No longer exists.
Replaced with American Community Survey (ACS).
17% of households received the long form.
American Community Survey (ACS)
rolling survey done every year
since this survey isn’t done for the same group of people every year, to obtain statistical reliability, you take the average of ACS data over the past 5 years.
ACS data are estimates; the Coefficient of Variation must not exceed 15 percent.
The U.S. Census uses the Coefficient of Variation (CV) to test for reliability of Census estimates (such as ACS estimates). The CV should be no greater than 15 percent to allow for reliable data interpretation.
What are the two fundamental drivers of population change?
- Natural change: births > deaths
- Net migration: inmigration - outmigration (more people moving in than moving out)
Step-Down Method
A population estimate method that takes the estimate of a larger area and uses a proportional ratio to estimate the amount for the smaller area.
The step-down or ratio method compares the population of a smaller entity to that of a larger entity and assumes the share remains the same.
The step-down method applies proportion and uses the population of a larger entity (e.g., a city) to estimate the population of a smaller entity within it (e.g., a neighborhood).
For example, Plannersville had a population of 50,000. Clintonville is a neighborhood in Plannersville and, in 2000, it represented 10 percent of Plannersville’s population. The current population of Plannersville is 55,000. What method could you use to determine the current population of Clintonville? Step-Down
Population Pyramid
shows how many people are in each age group/age distribution
Population Rates:
Birth Rate, Crude Birth Rate, Death Rate, Migration Rate, Total Fertility Rate
these rates are used to create population projections for the future.
Total Fertility Rate (TFR)
A measure of the degree to which a population replaces itself.
= number of births / female population in childbearing age
typically the replacement rate is 2.1
What are the 3 broad groups of population projection methods?
- Trend Extrapolation
- Allocation Methods
- Cohort Survival (Cohort Component)
Trend Extrapolation (population projection method) and its 3 models
method where you take the past and project it into the future as if it would continue indefinitely.
Three Models:
1. Linear Extrapolation Model
2. Exponential Extrapolation Model
3. Gompertz Extrapolation Model
Allocation Methods (population projection method) and its 2 methods
take some projection for a different larger area and scale it down to a smaller area.
- Ratio Method (step-down)
- Distributed Housing Unit Method
Cohort Survival - Cohort Component (population projection method)
most sophisticated method, but most demanding in terms of data.
Trend Extrapolation - Linear Projection Model
Population(t) = a + bt
Linear projection is a straight time trend where the average change over the past period will continue in the future.
However, population growth is typically NOT linear form it’s exponential (steeper, faster growth)
Trend Extrapolation - Exponential Model
Population growth is typically exponential
Trend Extrapolation - Gompertz Model
a growth curve that comes from biology
S shaped curve with an increase in growth that levels off at a total carrying capacity.
The Gompertz curve/function is a time series mathematical model in which GROWTH IS SLOWEST AT THE START AND END OF A GIVEN TIME PERIOD.
Allocation Methods - Ratio Method (Step Down)
a smaller area proportional to a larger area. for example, if you have population data for the state and you don’t have good data for the county, then you take the share of that county and the state pop as fixed and complete a new total from the state total - same applies to census tracts or subareas of a city.
Allocation Method - Distributed Housing Unit Method
uses housing unit data and simplifying assumptions
Population(t) = housing units(t) x occupancy rate x household size
gives a reasonable estimate, especially in small areas when not much data is available.
Cohort Survival (population estimation method)
Cohort survival uses birth, death and migration rates within age cohorts. based on the fundamental population equation
Pop(t+1) = Pop(t) + Births (t to t+1) - Deaths (t to t+1) + Net Migration (t to t+1)
births and deaths are easy to track because we have certificates. migration is harder to track because we don’t have a system for this.
How is a linear model different from an exponential model?
A linear model has a constant rate of change (growth). An exponential model has an increasing rate of change.
What are the components of the fundamental population equation in the cohort component method?
The population in the next period is the current population + births - deaths + net migration.
When is the distributed housing unit method used?
This method can be used to calculate population in between census years.
4 Economic Analytical Methods Used in Planning
- Economic Base Analysis
- Location Quotient
- Shift-Share Analysis
- Input-Output Analysis Econometric Models
3 Main Principles of Economic Analysis:
- Follow the money/jobs
- Direct and indirect effects - multiplier analysis (critical in measuring the impact of new activities)
- Economic Impact Analysis - major component of cost-benefit analysis (eg. if there’s a new infrastructure project, how will that impact the economy: retail, real estate)
Economic Base Analysis
Separate the economy into basic and non-basic (an economic analytical method)
Total= basic + non-basic
Basic = export, brings in money from the outside (eg. tourism)
Non-Basic = recirculating the outside money (eg. retail, banking), local/service
Eg. As an economic development strategy it would be appropriate to undertake an analysis of employment in the county, comparing the proportion of basic and non-basic employers.
Economic base analysis looks at the current economic situation to determine future economic possibilities. It includes an ASSESSMENT OF CURRENT EMPLOYMENT BY INDUSTRY. Economic base analysis compares employment in the region to national levels of employment in the same industry.
DOES NOT INCLUDE:
-Projections of future job growth
-A current inventory of office and industrial space and occupancy
Economic Base Multiplier
multiplier = total activity / basic activity
The indirect effect of $1 additional basic (direct) activity on the economy = multiplier - 1
eg. total number of jobs divided by jobs in basic sector
How to determine basic and non-basic sectors in Economic Base Analysis:
-use employment data
-Standard Industrial Classification SIC (old) or North American Industrial Classification NAICS (new) sector classifications
-Empirical approach
-Minimum requirements (compare to a reference)
-Location quotients (most commonly used method)
What is the difference between basic and non-basic employment?
Basic employment or export employment brings in money from outside the region.
Non-Basic, or local/service employment recirculates the outside money within the region.
What is the economic base multiplier?
The ratio between total and basic employment. It gives a measure of how much additional value is created in the region for an additional dollar of outside money (it multiplies that money).
Location Quotient
the most commonly used method of defining the base sector of a study area
You take the relative share of a sector in a region (eg. manufacturing relative to total employment in a region) and you compare it to a relative share of that same sector in the nation.
If location quotient is larger than 1, that would mean that there is more manufacturing employment in that region than in the nation.
If the location quotient is less than one it is the opposite.
LQi > 1 is an export/basic sector
LQi < 1 is a local/non-basic sector
You can use a fraction of the location quotient over 1 to estimate basic employment.
Shift-Share Analysis - what are the three components?
a description of what is going on in an economy.
decomposition of employment by different parts:
-national component (share)
-industry component (mix)
-regional component (shift)
Take a region, divvy it up into the 3 above parts, then identify the:
Leading and Lagging Sectors
What are leading and lagging sectors?
related to Shift-Share Analysis
-separate out national and industry trends
-use regional shift to target leading sectors
Shift-Share Equation
SSi = National Share (NSi) + Industry Mix (IMi) + Regional Shift (RSi)
What are the different components involved in shift-share analysis?
- National component (share)
- Industry component (mix)
- Regional component (shift)
What does it mean if the regional shift is negative? (shift-share analysis)
A negative regional shift happens when the growth in the local employment is less than the growth nationally.
Input-Output Analysis
General Equilibrium Model fo an Economy (Leontieff)
-many assumptions
-fixed technology
-total production = intermediate production + final demand
Input-output analysis is a form of macroeconomic analysis based on the interdependencies between different economic sectors or industries.
It has a number of uses, including estimating employment change.
- It is a form of macroeconomic analysis
- It analyzes ripple effects throughout an economy
- It is commonly used for estimating the impacts of positive or negative economic shocks
- It can be used to estimate local employment change
What are the two Input-Output Tables?
transactions table = inter-industry flows (who buys from whom)
technical coefficients table = proportion of inputs
Technical Coefficient
Input-Output Equation
X = AX + Y
total output = intermediate output + final demand
Input-Output Multipliers
RIMS - Regional Input-Output Modeling System, IMPLAN, REMI, others…
planners don’t actually do this.
Computable General Equilibrium Models
Econometric Models
What are the components of total production in input-output analysis?
Total production is decomposed into intermediate products (production to make other products) and final demand.
What is a transactions table in the input-output analysis?
The transactions table shows the inter-industry flows (eg. which sector buys from what other sector(s) and how much.
Comprehensive Plan Standards for Sustaining Places
APA developed these guiding principles into a set of recommended planning practices to serve as a resource for the preparation of local comprehensive plans.
-livable built environment
-harmony with nature
-resilient economy
-responsible regionalism
3 Core Planning Values
- Diversity
- Equity
- Justice
Core Planning Value: Diversity
we need membership that reflects the world -need a more diverse set of backgrounds in planning.
seek diversity of thought, experience, perspective, and approach.
women have made strong advances, but not people of color.
Core Planning Value: Equity
Not the same as equality. Equity is focused on the outcome of giving everyone the same level of resources.
Understand the principles involved in equity.
What is the APA’s core concern on the topic of diversity?
How to get a more diverse set of people involved in the planning process; diversity makes APA a stronger organization.
How is equality different from equity, and which is more important?
Equality is about applying all compensation equally, regardless of need or ability. Equity is about making sure that outcomes are equitable.
Equity is often considered a more important goal.
Environmental Justice
about redressing environmental racism. Race influences the location of hazardous waste and highways.
Goal is to improve the quality and environmental conditions of communities that have been at a disadvantage.
CA’s SB 100
What is environmental racism?
Environmental racism occurs when hazardous environmental effects disproportionately impact people of color (which is often the case).
How can environmental justice be addressed in a comprehensive plan?
A few suggestions include:
-overhauling zoning to allow mixed-income housing
-prioritizing the cleanup of contaminated sites in poor neighborhoods
-ensuring an equitable distribution of parks
-prohibiting the construction of housing and schools near freeways.
Which author argued “the need is for deliberate, abstract thought” devoted to what we mean by a good city.
Lawrence Haworth
wrote the book The Good City, which argued for a thoughtful approach to what actually makes a city good.
Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) system SAN FRANCISCO
It opened in 1972 but its story began right after WWII.
The first segment of the BART system officially opened in 1972 following decades of engineering work and political and funding challenges. The BART story began in 1946 and gradually evolved at informal gatherings of business and civic leaders on both sides of the San Francisco Bay.
In 1928 the U.S. Department of Commerce passed the __________________ Act.
Standard City Planning Enabling Act
_____________________ argued that towns planned on a grid are visually appealing, but they are are not effective at deterring invaders. He argued that if a city is infiltrated, people can easily navigate the streets and that it would be better to have streets people can get lost in, promoting security.
Aristotle
He stated: “The arrangement of private houses is generally considered to be more sightly, and more convenient for peacetime activities, when it is regularly planned in the modern style introduced by Hippodamus. For reasons of military security, however, the very reverse is preferable — they should follow the old-fashioned manner, which made it difficult for strangers to make their way out and for assailants to find their way in.” Politics
Which industry classification system replaced the U.S. Standard Industrial Classification System (SIC)?
The North American Industry Classification System
NAICS was developed jointly by the U.S., Canada, and Mexico in 2002.
The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) is the standard used by statistical agencies to classify business establishments.
The NAICS numbering system employs a six-digit code at the most detailed industry level, allowing planners to select industry segments to analyze, or to better understand economic diversity.
What is the largest concrete structure in the US, built in 1942?
Grand Coulee Dam
The largest concrete structure in the US built in 1942, located on the Columbia River in the state of Washington.
Which of the following Supreme Court Cases first upheld a community’s use of zoning?
Ambler Realty vs Village of Euclid, Ohio
is the case that upheld zoning as a legitimate use of police power
Welsh v. Swasey (1909) concluded what about regulating construction?
A building height limitation of 80 to 100 feet does not deprive the property owner of profitable use.
In Berman v. Parker (1954), the court declared what?
Aesthetics is a valid reason to support actions taken for the public welfare.
Young v. American Mini Theaters (1976) decided what?
Communities can zone for location of adult entertainment establishments without necessarily violating the First Amendment.
The verdict of the Village of Arlington Heights v. Metro. Housing Development Corp (1977) concluded what?
Regulation effectively denying housing to people based on race, immigration status or national origin is unconstitutional.
In the 1932 case Bove v Donner-Hanna Coke Corp., the courts declared:
Owner not permitted to make an unreasonable use of premises to the material annoyance of a neighbor, if the latter’s enjoyment of life or property is materially lessened.
In the 1987 case Nollan v. California Coastal Commission, the Supreme Court came to what conclusion?
Must be a nexus between state’s interest and exaction.
If state wanted to have public access to the beach, they had to use eminent domain and provide a just compensation for that portion of Nollan’s land.
The court decision Calvert Cliffs v. U.S. Atomic Energy Commission 1971:
Overturned approval of nuclear plant because the AEC did not follow NEPA; gave NEPA strength.
Loretto v. Teleprompter Manhattan CATV Corp. (1982) determined that:
If regulation causes a physical invasion of privacy then it is a taking.
Construction Industry Association of Sonoma County v. City of Petaluma (1975) saw the court reach what conclusion?
Communities can restrict the number of building permits granted each year if reasonable.
Metromedia v. City of San Diego (1981) decided:
If an ordinance places tighter restrictions on non-commercial billboards than on commercial ones it violates the First Amendment.
First English Evangelical Lutheran Free Church v. County of Los Angeles (1987) decided what about takings:
Money damages could be appropriate for a temporary taking.
In 1990, the Supreme Court verdict for the case Cohen v. Des Plains concluded:
Zoning cannot be used to give churches an advantage over commercial establishments; Church could have day care but commercial entities couldn’t.
Moore v. City of East Cleveland (1977) concluded that:
Cities cannot define “family” so that the definition prevents closely related individuals from living with each other.
Associated Home Builders of Greater East Bay v. City of Livermore (1976) declared that:
Court allowed time phasing of future residential growth until performance conditions were met.
What conclusion did Hadacheck v. Sebastian (1915) come to about takings?
The restriction of uses is not a taking.
Brickyard
The 1987 court case Keystone Bituminous Coal Assn. v. DeBenedictus concluded:
Nature of state’s interest in regulation is a critical factor in determining whether a taking has occurred.
The Supreme Court decided in the case Nectow v. City of Cambridge, MA (1928) that:
14th Amendment case - Zoning case
Zoning ordinance was struck down because it had no valid public purpose.
The rezoning had rendered the land worthless (it was both residential and unrestricted land use but could not be used for either).
In the Nectow case (1928), the plaintiff sued for a mandatory injunction for a permit to erect a building without regard to the zoning ordinance, which zoned the land residential. The US Supreme Court found that the zoning ordinance in question made no reasonable sense in placing the Plaintiff’s land in a residential district.
The U.S. Supreme Court reversed the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruling, and found that the invasion of the plaintiff’s property right was “serious and highly injurious,” and that the zoning ordinance would not promote the health, safety, convenience or general welfare of the inhabitants of Cambridge.
Although the City had broad power to restrict the petitioner’s rights through zoning ordinances, that power was not unlimited. the City could not exercise its power arbitrarily or irrationally, without relation to public health, morals, and safety. In this case, the respondent had exercised its power irrationally. Without an adequate basis for its action, respondent had violated petitioner’s rights under the 14th Amendment.
Pennsylvania Coal v. Mahon (1922) concluded that:
Restrictions on use are not a taking provided they do not go too far.
What was the result of the court case Mugler v. Kansas (1887)?
The Court validated state and local government actions that properly protect the public health, morals, and safety.
A person was making and selling beer. However, the state had a law prohibiting the manufacture or sale of intoxicating liquor. The person was arrested but took the case to the US Supreme Court claiming that this is an infringement of his 14th amendment DUE PROCESS rights. The court found in Mugler v. Kansas that the state law does not infringe on his right as it is an exercise of the state’s police powers.
In 1972, the courts decided that _______ in the case: Golden v. Planning Board of the Town of Ramapo.
Local governments can condition development approval on the provision of services.
In Kavanau v. Santa Monica Rent Control Board (1997), it was decided that:
Regulation that leaves some economically beneficial uses may still be a taking.
In 1986, the case Renton v. Playtime Theaters Inc. helped the courts determine that:
Distance separation or concentration requirements for adult uses is OK if the regulation serves a substantial governmental interest and leaves open alternative methods of communication.
Penn Central Transportation Co. v. New York City (1978) concluded:
Restrictions on use are legal as long as there is still some commercial value.
NYC did not allow Penn Central to add office buildings above Grand Central Station to preserve the historic character of the existing building.
In the 1912 court decision Eubank v. City of Richmond declared what about government control over land use?
Setbacks are constitutional.
In Lucas v. South Carolina Coastal Council (1992), what decision was reached?
Restrictions on use must show nexus to nuisance.
According to Sultum v. Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (1997), what can be said for takings?
Property owners need not sell their developmental rights before claiming the regulatory taking of property.
Tahoe-Sierra Preservation Council v. Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (2002) concluded the following about takings:
A three-year government moratorium on development is not a ‘taking’ of private property that requires payment of compensation.
Dolan v. City of Tigard (1994) required:
Required a reasonable relationship between conditions and impact.
The amount that is charged must be proportionate to the impact.
Southern Burlington County NAACP v. Township of Mount Laurel (II) (1983) saw the court reaching what conclusion?
Regulations do not prevent a jurisdiction’s achieving a fair share of regional growth, but affirmative measures should be used to ensure that a fair share goal is reached.
Agins v. City of Tiburon (1979) decided:
Two prong test – A taking if: (i) does not substantially forward state interest or (ii) denies owner an economically viable use of their land.
The takings test: Deprives property of all economically viable use?
The case Village of Belle Terre v. Boraas (1974) upheld:
Upheld power to prohibit more than two unrelated individuals from residing together as a single family; thus extended concept of zoning under police power to include community’s desire for certain types of lifestyles.
Members of City Council v. Vincent determined:
Aesthetics can satisfy advancing a legitimate public interest.
Who is Randall Arendt and what book did he write?
Rural by Design
What is the Maritime Industry?
Waterborne commerce.
In ______, the American City Planning Institute and the National Conference on City Planning published the first issue of City Planning, the predecessor to the current Journal of the American Planning Association.
1925
The American City Planning Institute of Planners (ACPI) was renamed to the American Institute of Planners (AIP) in ___________. The AIP was the forerunner of the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP).
1939
__________, was ACIP’s (1917) first president.
Frederick Law Olmsted, JR., was ACIP’s first president.
In _______, the American City Planning Institute of Planners (ACPI) was founded.
1917
In 1914, Flavel Shurtleff wrote _______________, the first major textbook on city planning.
Carrying Out the City Plan (1914)
1st major planning textbook
In 1912, Walter Moody published __________, adopted as an eighth-grade textbook by the Chicago Board of Education. This is the first known formal instruction in city planning below the college level.
Wacker’s Manual of the Plan of Chicago
In _____, the American Society of Planning Officials (ASPO) was founded.
1934
In _____, AIP adopted a Code of Ethics for professional planners.
1971
In _____, the first exam for AIP membership was administered.
1977
In ____, the American Planning Association was created through a merger of AIP and ASPO.
1978
In 1867, ___________ was the first city to pass the first land use zoning restriction/ordinance prohibiting the location of obnoxious uses.
San Francisco
In ____, [this city] created the first local civic center plan in the U.S. Daniel Burnham, John Carrere, and Arnold Brunner were responsible for the plan’s development.
1903; Cleveland
In ____, San Francisco was the first major American city to apply City Beautiful principles, using a plan developed by Daniel Burnham.
1906
In 1907, the first town planning board was created in ____________.
Hartford, Connecticut
Costs of Sprawl: T or F: The degree of county sprawl does not change dramatically over a 10-year period.
True. Given their fixed boundaries, most counties become more compact.
Costs of Sprawl: __________ is the common denominator of sprawl.
Poor accessibility
Costs of Sprawl: What is the definition of sprawl?
Sprawl is a development pattern in which related land uses have poor access to one another, maximizing travel and its social, economic, and environmental costs.
Costs of Sprawl: What is the scattered/leap-frog development pattern?
People pass by vacant land on their way from one developed use to another. (eg. Detroit)
Costs of Sprawl: What is the commercial strip development pattern?
Consumers must pass other uses on the way from one store to the next.
Costs of Sprawl: What is the uniform low-density (single-use) development pattern?
Everything is far apart due to large private land holdings and segregated land uses.
Costs of Sprawl: What are the 4 different dimensions of county sprawl?
- Density
- Mixed-Use
- Centering (urban centers are concentrations of activity)
- Street Accessibility
Costs of Sprawl: Sprawl is associated with the _____ of centers of any type.
absence
Costs of Sprawl: The most sprawling counties have very ___-density ___________ development.
Low-density residential development = sprawl
Costs of Sprawl: What are the 3 influences of the built environment on travel? “The 3Ds”
- Density
- Diversity/land-use mix
- Design
Sprawl is low on these.
Costs of Sprawl: Average household vehicle ownership is directly related to what 3 things?
- household size
- household income
- % of whites in the population
Costs of Sprawl: What is “car shedding”?
a phenomenon whereby households in compact counties can make do with fewer cars because car trips are shorter and less.
Costs of Sprawl: _____ income households consume more transit service.
Actually, high-income households
Costs of Sprawl: _____ income households have shorter average drive times.
Actually, high-income households
Costs of Sprawl: Areas with more ________, _______, and _________, experience more traffic crashes (and coffee shops).
Residents, employment, and arterial lane miles
Costs of Sprawl: High VMT (vehicle miles traveled) =
More traffic crashes and fatalities!
Costs of Sprawl: What are the 3 major traffic crash determinants?
- Total miles of arterial roadways
- Presence of commercial box stores
- Presence of big box stores
Costs of Sprawl: Greater street connectivity = _____ car crashes
greater # of traffic conflicts (mostly at intersections)
However, the severity is lower.
Costs of Sprawl: Why is county compactness associated with fewer fatal crash rates?
Perhaps because dense areas have lower travel speeds, have lower VMT.
Costs of Sprawl: What are the 4 health risks associated with urban sprawl?
- Greater traffic fatalities
- Greater obesity (sprawl = higher BMIs)
- Greater air pollution
- Greater water pollution
Costs of Sprawl: What is the average trip length in the US?
10 miles
Costs of Sprawl: The greater the density, the _______ the physical activity.
greater
Costs of Sprawl: What are 6 impacts of sprawl?
- housing affordability
- traffic congestion
- traffic safety
- physical activity/obesity
- social capital
- air and water quality
Costs of Sprawl: Housing is considered affordable if the sum of Housing and Transportation (H + T) costs is less than ___% of household income.
45%
Average % spent on transportation is less in compact areas.
Costs of Sprawl: Why does sprawl have a negative impact on upward mobility?
Commute times to work are higher. Job opportunities could be inaccessible if too far away. Social capital is improved in compact areas - relationships help you get ahead.
Metro compactness index has a strong direct relationship to upward mobility.
Who is the father of regional planning?
Patrick Geddes
Who is the father of zoning?
Edward Bassett
Who is the father of city planning?
Daniel Burnham
Who is the father of modern ecology?
Ian McHarg
Who is the father of modern housing code?
Lawrence Veiller
Who is the father of advocacy planning?
Paul Davidoff
What is the Public Health Movement?
late 1800s to 1920
What is the Utopianism planning theory?
An urban utopia is a city that is both idealized and imagined. Famous examples include twentieth-century city plans created by Ebenezer Howard (Garden Cities), Le Corbusier (Radiant City), and Frank Lloyd Wright (Broadacre City).
Who is responsible for the 1920 Radiant City?
Le Corbusier
What was the first US city with a subway?
Boston in 1897
Where was the first US urban growth boundary established?
Lexington, Kentucky in 1958
Which city enacted the first historic preservation ordinance in 1931?
Charleston, SC in 1931
What was the first state to institute statewide zoning?
Hawaii in 1961
What is the largest concrete structure in the US?
the Grand Coulee Dam completed in 1941
What does zip code stand for?
Zone Improvement Plan Code
How many square feet are in 1 acre?
43,560 sq ft in 1 acre
How many acres are in 1 square mile?
640 acres
Who authored Image of the City and when was it published?
Kevin Lynch (1960)
Which book did the father of regional planning write?
Cities in Evolution (Patrick Geddes)
What is the APA’s National Community Planning Month?
October
Who is involved with an organizational approach that has invitations sent out by the neighborhood or organization and a paid organizer is then sent to the neighborhood?
Saul Alinsky - community organizing
What are 4 common principles of transit oriented development?
-walking environment
-access for vehicles and pedestrians
-diversity of housing types
-street orientated housing
What movement is Washington DC an example of?
City Beautiful
What is Peter Drucker assocated with?
MBO - Management by Objective
a personnel management technique where managers and employees work together to set, record and monitor goals for a specific period of time. Organizational goals and planning flow top-down.
What is Norman Krumholz known for?
Cleveland’s planning director (1969-1979) known for EQUITY PLANNING/ADVOCACY PLANNING
What is John Friedman known for?
TRANSACTIVE PLANNING THEORY
Who is Peter Calthorpe?
he founded the Congress for New Urbanism
Who was known for satisficing and what is it?
Herbert Simon in 1956 - satisficing is a form of decision-making where individuals choose the acceptable option, rather than the optimal one. In essence, it combines the words “satisfy” and “suffice”.
accepts “good enough”, doesn’t obsess over other options, and can move on after making a decision
a decision-making strategy or cognitive heuristic that entails searching through the available alternatives until an acceptability threshold is met
Who is Ernest Burgess?
Burgess is known for the concentric ring theory (1925) - urban areas grow in a series of concentric rings outward from the Central Business District
Who is associated with the Central Place theory and what is it?
Christaller
This theory sought to explain the economic relationships of cities with smaller settlements and the amount of market area a central place can control. It was introduced in 1933 to explain the spatial distribution of cities across the landscape.
What is Homer Hoyt known for?
Sector theory (1939) - urban areas develop in sectors along communication and transportation routes
Who designed Letchworth and who designed Welwyn?
Sir Raymond Unwin designed Letchworth.
Louis deSoissons designed Welwyn.
When was the Columbian Exposition?
1893
Who replaced Daniel Burnham in the 1920s as the city planning expert?
Robert Moses
What is the TVA and when was it established?
The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) was established in 1933.
as one of President Roosevelt’s Depression-era New Deal programs, providing jobs and electricity to the rural Tennessee River Valley, an area that spans seven states in the South. The TVA was envisioned as a federally-owned electric utility and regional economic development agency.
It still exists today as the nation’s largest public power provider.
the most famous experiment in river-basin planning
What was the first Garden City in the US? In the world?
Radburn, NJ
Letchworth was the first Garden City in the world.
Which greenbelt city was never completed?
Greenbrook, NJ
Who termed the word megalopolis?
Jean Gottmann
Who designed Riverside, IL, the 1st model for all future suburban land planning?
Frederick Law Olmstead SR.
What 2 railroads joined at Promontory Point, UT to form the first transcontinental railroad?
Union Pacific and Central Pacific
Who founded the Sierra Club and when?
John Muir in 1892
When did Ebenezer Howard write “Tomorrow: A peaceful path to real reform”?
1898
What 4 events occurred in 1909?
- Daniel Burnham completed his first regional comprehensive plan for Chicago
- Wisconsin passed the first state enabling legislation permitting cities to plan
- LA was the first city to apply zoning to undeveloped lands
- The 1st course in city planning was offered at Harvard’s landscape architecture dept.
Which case was found to violate the first amendment’s freedom of speech?
Metromedia vs. City of San Diego
Who said “a budget is goals with a price tag attached”?
Wildavsky
What are LULUs?
locally unwanted land uses
What population estimation method uses a larger geographic area to interpolate a smaller geographic area’s population?
Step-down
The ratio of an industry’s share of local employment divided by its share of the nation is <1. The area is _____ this industry’s products?
What is this economic analysis type?
Importing
Economic Benefit/Economic Base Analysis
How many subjects are in the short form of the US Census?
7
Clarence Perry’s Neighborhood Unit Concept proposes an ideal neighborhood that creates walkability and access. Which of the following best describes the size of the neighborhood unit?
Clarence Perry’s Neighborhood Unit concept identifies 5-9,000 residents with a density of 10 units per acre, a school at the center, and buildings around the edges for shopping.
Deaths, Births, Migration, and Fertility rates are components of which of the following population projection methods?
Cohort Survival Method
What 3 features characterize Columbia, Maryland? (James Rouse)
a.Self contained villages and neighborhood clusters
b.Prior land assembly
c.Jobs-housing balance
In 1963, the Rouse Company began the development of Columbia, Maryland. The 14,000-acre master planned development was developed to provide jobs, recreation, shopping, health care, and a mix of housing at different price points. The development was designed to create a jobs-housing balance.
“Our county shall include small villages surrounded by farmland, open space, and nature preserves.” This statement is an example of an objective or vision statement?
Community Vision Statement - The sentence explains what the community would like the county to look like.
What is CommunityViz?
CommunityViz is a software program that allows for the creation of 3-D models to assist citizens in visualizing change in an area. It’s a planning tool that shows how the area will look when the project is complete.
What is the typical planning time period the comprehensive plan is likely to cover?
20 years
How does the Concentric Zone Theory differ from the other theories of urban development?
The use of “invasion-succession” in describing dynamics.
Concentric Circle theory, developed by Earnest Burgess in 1925, finds that growth happens by land uses expanding outward from one area to another. For example, downtown office towers expanding into a warehouse district.
The neighborhood crime stoppers and community leaders have come together to try to come up with solutions to the problem. The neighborhood is working with the city planning department to improve the design of the neighborhood, using the Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design principles. The plan includes which:
I. Natural Surveillance
II. Territoriality
III. Connectivity to Nature
IV. Natural Access Control
The APA Policy Guide on Security reported that Crime Prevention through Environmental Design includes natural surveillance, territoriality, and natural access control.
You work for an Affordable Housing Corporation that is building a 22-unit rowhouse development in an area consisting mostly of single-family homes. The 7.3 acre site was approved by the City and building permits were issued. Because the property was zoned to allow for multifamily housing there were no public hearings.
However, once the construction began and neighbors realized the development was subsidized housing, they started a petition drive asking the City Council to revoke the building permit. You are preparing a presentation to the City Council in opposition of the downzoning of the property. Which of the following legal issues should you raise?
The Affordable Housing Corporation has a vested right to complete the project that is underway based on the City’s existing ordinance. If the City were to rezone the property that would interfere with the Corporation’s investment expectations of the property. A vested right has occurred because the building permit was issued for the project and the property was zoned for the use which is being constructed.
Which of the 3 policies should be pursued in effective neighborhood planning?
According to the APA Policy Guide on Neighborhood Collaborative Planning identifies:
a.Comprehensive plans provide the framework for neighborhood planning and should be done within the context of the broader community
b.A comprehensive plan should reflect neighborhood plans and neighborhood plans should support the broader needs of the community
c.Neighborhoods should be encouraged to seek the best organizational structure to achieve their goals and objectives
A, B, and C as policies that should be pursued in neighborhood planning.
Which city was the first to adopt a comprehensive plan?
Cincinnati - Alfred Bettman collaborated with Ladislas (Laci) Segoe on executing the studies for the Plan of Cincinnati.
In addition to transect-based code and transit oriented development, a community built following the principals of New Urbanism would use what?
form-based zoning
Form based zoning focuses on the placement of a building on a lot, considering the relationship between the building and the public realm.
As a planner, you have been appointed to work with a legislative task force that is looking into land use regulation in the state. In preparing for the first meeting of the task force, you want to bring forward relevant research and materials. Which of the following documents produced by the APA would be most appropriate to provide?
The Growing Smart Legislative Guidebook is the most appropriate. This 2002 document by Stuart Meck, FAICP, provides state and local governments with tools for better growth.
According to Aristotle, who is considered the pioneer of urban planning because of his plan for a city of 50,000 that addressed administrative structure, social structure, and land subdivision?
Hippodamus of Miletus was an ancient Greek urban planner who created grid plans for cities during the 5th century BC. His plans focused on creating order that both physically and socially ordered the city.
This program evolved out of efforts to implement planning requirements of the Housing Act of 1949 and became a signature program expanding local planning across the United States.
Section 701 of the Housing Act of 1954
Section 701 provided funding for local comprehensive planning, leading to communities across the country developing comprehensive plans.
What is Section 701 of the Housing Act of 1954?
Section 701 provided funding for local comprehensive planning, leading to communities across the country developing comprehensive plans.
funds made available to smaller communities that lacked resources for planning.
rescinded in 1981.
This form of development integrates information and communication technology and the Internet of Things to manage a city.
Smart City uses ICT and IoT to manage city assets such as information systems, schools, libraries, and transportation.
Who should lead a steering committee?
A steering committee should be led by a member OF THAT Committee rather than a staff member (eg. planning director). A staff member typically supports the work of the committee. Advise the committee to select a chairperson.
This US Supreme Court case overturned the “substantial advancement” test established in the Agins (1980) case:
Lingle v. Chevron
Lingle v. Chevron
Lingle v. Chevron overturned the “substantial advancement” test established in the Agins (1980) case.
In this case, Hawaii enacted a limit on the rent that oil companies could charge dealer service stations. The rent cap was a response to concerns about gas prices. Chevron argued the cap was an unconstitutional taking of its property. The district court held that the cap amounted to an uncompensated taking in violation of the 5th Amendment because it did not substantially advance Hawaii’s public interest in controlling gas prices. The court cited the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Agins v. City of Tiburon (1980), where the Court declared that government regulation of private property is “a taking if it does not substantially advance legitimate state interests.”
If an industry has a location quotient of 1.3, which of the following is true?
It is an export industry.
The industry employs more people in this region than the national average. The location quotient compares the share of employment of an industry in a region to the national share. If the share in the region is larger than the national share, the location quotient will be larger than 1, which suggests that the industry exports out of the region. The rationale is that the national share corresponds to self-sufficiency, so if the share is larger than the national share, there is more produced than needed for self-sufficiency, so the excess is exported.
Who is associated with “The City as a Growth Machine” Theory?
Logan and Molotch are associated with the City as Growth Machine Theory.
A[n] _______________ can be described as a central city plus surrounding communities to which it is linked ECONOMICALLY.
MSA
You are the City Planner. The local Metropolitan Planning Organization is recommending that your city place a moratorium on new development until the city and MPO can come to an agreement on the transportation improvement plan. You have been working with a large property owner to rezone a parcel for a regional mall that would significantly add sales tax revenue to the city. What should you do?
As a first step, the planner should have full information in order to make an appropriate decision. If the TIP will be ready in six weeks, this may work out with the mall developer’s timeline.
Contact the transportation division to find out when the TIP is expected to be complete in order to determine how long a moratorium might last.
This Appalachian Regional Commission covers 420 counties and 8 cities. This is an example of which of the following spatial areas of practice?
Multi-State (not regional, federal, or national)
Which level of government would be most likely to plan for a sustainable multimodal freight system?
State
Typically state or national.
With regard to takings, the U.S. Supreme Court has said that where a regulation is intended merely to prevent a[n] ____________, it should not be considered a taking.
Nuisance
Which was a key concept of the 1916 New York City Zoning Ordinance?
Established setback requirements (at specific heights, but did not establish height limitations).
buildings in strictly residential zones were permitted to rise only as high as the streets in front of them were wide; a ratio of one to one, put another way.
was the first citywide zoning code in the United States
Edward Bassett
What planner is associated with the idea of Transit Oriented Development?
Peter Calthorpe
Transit oriented development is planned and designed to locate high-demand land uses at or near the most efficient modes of transportation, like light rail lines, subway lines, and frequent, high-capacity bus routes. The concept of transit oriented development was pioneered by Peter Calthorpe who is an urban planner and founding member of the Congress for New Urbanism.
The 1909 Plan of Chicago was revolutionary in planning history for many reasons. Which of the following reasons is not associated with the plan’s significance?
I. The plan was implemented, maintained, and expanded upon for fifty years.
II. The plan was initiated and paid for by private business owners.
III. The plan addressed areas outside the central city.
IV. Citizens of the city were educated about the plan.
I. The plan was implemented, maintained, and expanded upon for fifty years.
The plan was not fully implemented and later plans replaced the Plan for Chicago.
The idea of “Plural Planning” is associated with which planning theory?
The idea of Plural Planning is associated with advocacy planning theory.
A poll was conducted to determine what percentage of the registered voters favored having the current mayor of a large city run for a second term. The results were that 52% of the registered voters polled were in favor of the second term with a margin or error of 0.04. What does this mean?
With 95% confidence, the estimated percentage of 52% is within 4% of the true percentage favoring the mayor’s run for a second term.
A 95% confidence interval is a standard statistical rule-of-thumb that comes from the assumption of a normal distribution. For a normal distribution, 95% of the values are around the true mean +/- 2 standard deviations.
The Planning Director undertakes a revision to the City’s comprehensive plan. As a first step, the director sets up a meeting with the Planning Commission and the City Council in executive session before inviting the public to participate in the process. After hearing about the planned meeting, the City Attorney informs the Planning Director that an executive session meeting would be a violation of state law. Why?
Procedural due process - is covered under the Fourteenth Amendment and provides protection against unfair process where an individual’s life, liberty, or property is concerned. States require open meetings in order to provide the opportunity for the public to be informed.
What is corridor planning?
You have been asked to write a policy brief explaining what the basic purposes of zoning are.
What would you most likely include AND NOT include in your summation?
Zoning ordinances are created for the protection of public health, safety, and welfare. Their purpose generally extends to:
-to implement the comprehensive plan
-provide coordinated and practical community development and proper density of population
-provide for the use of land within the municipality for residential housing of various dwelling types.
-to accommodate reasonable overall community growth
Zoning for the purpose of increasing property value or ensuring the highest and best use of land is NOT an appropriate zoning purpose.
Which of the following is most likely NOT considered a quasi-judicial process?
a. Consideration of a variance request
b. Amendment of the Master Plan
c. Adoption of a comprehensive revision to the zoning ordinance
d. Consideration of a conditional use permit
Adoption of a comprehensive revision to the zoning ordinance, as it is clearly a legislative action by the governing board; the others are usually quasi-judicial functions, with the caveat that a master plan amendment can be considered legislative in some states.
Real property includes which of the following?
a.Mineral Rights
b.Buildings
c.Easements
d.All of these choices are valid.
ALL. Real property consists of all land, structures, attached equipment such as street lights, anything growing on the land, and all “interests” in the property which may be the right to future ownership, right to occupy for a period of time, the right to drill for oil, the right to get the property back if it is no longer used for its current purpose, use of airspace or an easement across another’s property.
General Motors has announced that it will be closing a plant in your town, laying off 600 workers. The mayor wants to know what this will mean to the local economy. You have been asked to calculate an employment multiplier to estimate the total job loss for your community. What would you use?
The Regional input-output modeling system provided by the Bureau of Economic Analysis provides employment multipliers based on the North American Industrial Classification System which can be used to calculate a location quotient.
What is the purpose of a shift share analysis?
A shift share analysis provides information on the region’s share of employment in an industry compared to the national share.
This technique allocates a projected employment expansion to smaller geographic areas, to sub-regions or population centers based on the center’s present share of the employment.
A shift-share analysis, determines what portions of regional economic growth or decline can be attributed to national, economic industry, and regional factors.
The analysis helps identify industries where a regional economy has competitive advantages over the larger economy.
used identify the most promising sectors for your metropolitan area
Shift share analysis consists of the decomposition of employment growth in each sector into a national component (share), and industry component (mix) and a regional component (shift). The regional shift is used to identify leading and lagging sectors.
What is the Resettlement Administration?
The Resettlement Administration was a New Deal U.S. federal agency created May 1, 1935. It relocated struggling urban and rural families to communities (greenbelt) planned by the federal government.
Who planned the Greenbelt towns and why?
Greenbelt towns which provided affordable housing for federal government workers were planned by Rexford Guy Tugwell, head of the United States Resettlement Administration, under authority of the Emergency Relief Appropriation Act.
What are the 3 greenbelt cities?
Greenbelt, Maryland (outside DC) was created in 1937 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Rural Resettlement Administration, as part of the “New Deal.” Modeled after European “garden cities” of that era, it was one of just three “greenbelt” towns created inside a ring of woodlands.
Greenhills, Ohio (Cincinnati) 1938
Greendale, Wisconsin (Milwaukee) 1938
Who is Rexford Guy Tugwell?
founded and led the Resettlement Administration
Greenbelt towns
You are preparing a parks and recreation plan for your city which is completely built out and has a finite amount of parkland. You are currently conducting a needs assessment. Based on the parkland constraints, which of the following approaches would be best?
a.Resource Approach
b.Activity Approach
c.Economic Approach
d.Behavioral Approach
Resource Approach
A resource approach would be best. A needs assessment is a process for determining needs, between current conditions and desired conditions. In the case of parks, a resource approach may be best in documenting the parkland resources available and comparing this to appropriate benchmarks and national standards.
What is the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA) of 2000?
declares that no government may implement land use regulation in a manner that imposes substantial burden on the religious assembly or institution,
UNLESS the government demonstrates that imposition of burden both is in furtherance of compelling government interest and is at least restrictive means of furthering that compelling governmental interest
(RLUIPA) is a federal law that prohibits the imposition of burdens on the practice of religion and prohibits churches and other religious institutions from being overly restricted by zoning laws.
What is Smart Decline?
You have watched the population of a former industrial city decline over the last thirty years. The Mayor has asked for a plan that will embrace the population decline rather than be concerned with trying to grow the city. You have envisioned the city as one with
-more green space,
-reduced infrastructure, and
-revitalization of underutilized sites.
the idea of planning for less, focuses on strategies that improve the lives of existing residents rather than exhaust city resources
What is Social Justice?
Social Justice includes promoting a just society by challenging injustice and valuing diversity. Social justice is people being able to realize their potential in the communities they live in.
represented by the phrase “choice and opportunity for all persons.”
What is Spatial Justice?
the interest of spatial justice is how where people live affects their access to resources.
The ability to live anywhere in a city or equitable zoning practices are certainly important, but they do not define spatial justice.
This form of government serves a specific purpose to provide a specific and limited number of functions within a defined geographic area. This is known as:
Special District
Utility and School Districts are examples of a Special District. Special districts typically have the ability to levy taxes and take out debt in order to perform the functions required of the district.
What is State preemption?
Preemption is when the law of a higher level of government limits the power of a lower level to regulate a particular issue.
A frustration of local governments seeking to use innovative policy initiatives aimed at ensuring access to affordable housing is that their efforts can be thwarted by state preemption.
Summarize the 2 key functions that taxes serve:
- Redistribution of income
- Generation of revenue to finance government
The northeast 1/4 of the southeast 1/4 of Section 4 of Plannersville Township contains how many acres?
Townships are subdivided into sections. Each township is six miles by six miles, township contains 36 square miles, each one forming a section. Calculations start at the end and work to the beginning of a section. Each section is one square mile which is 640 acres. 1/4 of 640 is 160. 1/4 of 160 is 40 acres.
The correct answer is: 40
What is an urban cluster?
A densely settled territory that has a minimum of 2,500 people but less than 50,000
-A population density that is at least 1,000 people per square mile
-Added in the 2000 Census
-The size below a UZA
What are the 5 levels of cities by population size:
Urban Cluster (2,500-50k)
UZA (50k-100k)
MSA (100k), urbanized area of 50k
PMSA (1M)
Megalopolis (10M)
Urban design is best described as including which of the following:
a.Access
b.District focus
c.Aesthetics of buildings
d.Transportation focused
District focus
Urban design typically works at a district level. While aesthetics are part of urban design, the district focus is the most accurate.
Vested Rights:
- Once a building permit has been issued, there is a right to continue with the project regardless of changes in regulation.
-There is a vested right once a substantial financial investment has been made in the property.
-A nonconforming lot can be developed if the zoning change was after the creation of the lot.
There is NOT a vested right if a property has an existing zoning classification.
A ___________ is one that is difficult to solve because of incomplete, contradictory, and changing requirements that can be difficult to understand.
Planning is filled with WICKED problems. (eg. poverty - there is not a simple or easily understood cause or solution)
-homelessness
-climate change
-street design
A wicked problem is defined as a problem with multiple stakeholders with conflicting interests and no easy singular solution.
The Spectrum Act involves…
the colocation of wireless communication facilities
Who is Harland Bartholomew?
regarded as the first full-time professional planner in the US
Wrote a comprehensive plan for St. Louis.
was responsible for preparing the comprehensive plans for communities across the country.
What is the roadway hierarchy?
What is a collector street?
It provides access and traffic circulation with residential, commercial, and industrial areas by distributing traffic
not as accessible as a local street and not as mobility friendly as an arterial street or highway
providing both traffic circulation and land access with all land uses by collecting and distributing traffic to these geographic areas
What is the symptomatic method of population estimation?
it uses data such as building or occupancy permits, voter registrations, electric meter hookups, tax returns, school enrollments, telephone hookups, drivers licenses, or number of housing units.
Symptomatic population estimates include using local data such as utility connections or building permits to estimate the current population.
What is the Serviceman’s Readjustment Act of 1944?
aka the G.I. Bill
a law that provided a range of benefits for some of the returning World War II veterans including housing, funds for college education, and unemployment insurance.
partially responsible for sprawl
Community shopping centers are typically how larger in size?
100,000 - 300,000 sq. ft.
What did the Housing Act of 1954 do?
-stressed slum prevention rather than clearance (provided funds for urban renewal)
-stimulated comprehensive planning through Section 701
provided funding for 140,000 units of public housing, giving preferential treatment to families that would be relocated for slum eradication
Who is Jacob Riis?
he wrote How the Other Half Lives (1890) shocking the conscience of his readers with factual descriptions of slum conditions in New York City.
that became a powerful stimulus for housing and neighborhood reform.
Which city had the first parking regulations?
Columbus, OH
What is an edge city?
popularized by the 1991 book “Edge City: Life on the New Frontier” by Joel Garreau
an area on the outskirts of a city having a high density of office buildings, shopping malls, hotels, etc.
archetypal edge city is Tysons Corner, Virginia, outside Washington, D.C.
a concentration of business, shopping, and entertainment outside a traditional downtown or central business district, in what had previously been a suburban residential or rural area.
How do satellite cities differ from edge cities?
Satellite cities are suburbs with large employment bases and cultural offerings, in that satellite cities must have a true historic downtown, a distinct independent municipal government, existed as a city prior to becoming interconnected with the larger metropolitan core, and are surrounded by a belt of rural land between themselves and the central city.
Garreau established what 5 rules for a place to be considered an edge city?
- Has five million or more square feet (465,000 m²) of leasable office space
- Has 600,000 square feet (56,000 m²) or more of leasable retail space
- Has more jobs than bedrooms
- Is perceived by the population as one place
- Was nothing like a “city” as recently as 30 years ago. Then it was just bedrooms, if not cow pastures.
Is a paper napkin plan vested?
Depends on the state’s vested rights statute.
What are Works Progress Administration projects?
an ambitious employment and infrastructure program created by President Franklin Roosevelt in 1935 as part of his New Deal, during the bleakest days of the Great Depression. Perhaps best known for its public works projects
The largest single project of the WPA was the Tennessee Valley Authority.
includes: San Antonio Riverwalk, Griffith Observatory
A density of 4.5 units per acre is typical of:
single-family residential
Reed vs. Town of Gilbert (2015)
1st amendment case
U.S. Supreme Court (2015), unanimously invalidated an ordinance that treated signs differently based on their content.
In Arizona, the town of Gilbert’s ordinance put size, time limits on directional signs. The temporary directional signs could be no more than 6 square feet and could be displayed only 12 hours before and one hour after the qualifying event.
Pastor who posted church signs challenged ordinance on First Amendment grounds
What is the largest US city without traditional zoning?
Houston, TX
Which level of government determines annexation requirements?
the State (unless pre-empted)
Which level of government determines annexation requirements?
the State (unless pre-empted)
This area is known for its edge cities:
Dallas Fort Worth Metroplex
At what intervals should Minor Arterials be located?
One mile intervals
At what intervals should Arterials be located?
Arterial streets should be located every three to four miles in urban areas.
A “Pedestrian Shed” refers to..
the area within a 1/4 mile to 1/2 mile radius that people will walk
The “shy distance” refers to..
sidewalk area that pedestrians tend to avoid
Space left between vehicles or pedestrians as they pass each other. Pedestrians tend to travel in the center of sidewalks to separate themselves from traffic and avoid street furniture, vertical obstructions and other pedestrians entering and exiting buildings.
What is Creative Placemaking?
Creative placemaking integrates arts, culture, and design activities into efforts that strengthen communities.
best describes the idea of strengthening communities with arts at the core.
Who said: “Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men’s blood and probably themselves will not be realized.”
Daniel Burnham
What did the 1956 Federal Highway Act do?
- It created the highway system that links state capitals and most large cities, and
- It created the Highway Trust Fund to finance highway building. Sources of revenue for the Highway Trust Fund include taxes collected from vehicle sales.
The Federal Property Administration Act of 1949 was developed to allow the government to…
dispose of federal property
US federal law that established the General Services Administration which is responsible for managing, acquiring, and disposing of federal property.
The General Services Administration works to dispose of excess federal property. In most cases this land can be transferred for a public purposes.
Why is Southdale Center in Edina, Minnesota of special interest to planners?
Designed by Victor Gruen, it was the first indoor, climate-controlled regional mall built in the U.S.
Southdale Center was built in 1956 as the first indoor regional shopping mall in the U.S. It was part of a master plan that included residential, commercial, medical, office and mixed-use projects, but not within the Center mall itself. It set the precedent for shopping malls— 1,500 of which appeared across America 50 years after Southdale.
Which city had the first metropolitan plan in the United States?
Chicago
Fred French Investing Co. v. City of New York
transfer of development rights case - 5th amendment
the Court found that TDR is an inappropriate method to compensate the landowner for a taking by the City of New York.
in this case the city had put in place a regulation that required the placement of a public park on private property leaving no income producing use of the property. The Court invalidated the regulation, and ordered reinstatement of the prior mid-rise (R-10) density zoning.
Who is George Pullman?
Pullman is a neighborhood on the south side of Chicago; it was founded/built in the 1880s by George Pullman for his eponymous railroad car company, the Pullman Palace Car Company and for the workers who manufactured it. The company owned everything, from stores to townhouses. The houses were comfortable by standards of the day, but a rebellion ensued when Pullman sought to raise rents without raising worker pay.
Associated with:
-Model company town
-Worker rebellion
-Working housing
In the 19th Century, Paris was crowded and unhealthy, filled with medieval era neighborhoods. Emperor Napoleon III directed that Paris would be rebuilt. Under the direction of ____________ the rebuilding of Paris included demolition of neighborhoods, the annexation of suburbs and construction of new infrastructure, parks, and squares.
Georges-Eugene Haussmann
Haussmann was responsible for the recreation of Paris into what it looks like today. His efforts to recreate the city were met with fierce resistance which resulted in his ultimate removal.
The value of all final goods and services produced in a country in one year (gross domestic product) plus income that residents have received from abroad, minus income claimed by nonresidents.
Gross national product (GNP)
the market value of all the products and services produced in one year by labor and property supplied by the citizens of a country. Unlike gross domestic product (GDP), which defines production based on the geographical location of production, GNP allocates production based on location of ownership.
What is the County Board of Commissioners?
the legislative branch of County government/the governing body responsible for oversight of emergency management and hazard mitigation for the county.
According to the 2010 Census, ___% of new manufactured homes were located on private property, and ___% of new manufactured homes were located in manufactured-housing communities.
75%; 25%
According to the U.S. Census, what is a Consolidated Metropolitan Statistical Area?
A geographic entity, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget for use by federal statistical agencies, is based on the concept of two or more overlapping core areas with a large population nuclei that includes at least 1 million people.
an area consisting of two or more overlapping or interlocking urban communities (known as primary metropolitan statistical areas)
CMSAs comprise the 25 largest metropolitan areas in the United States. The New York CMSA, for example, includes the primary metropolitan statistical areas of New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island and New York-New Jersey-Connecticut.
Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21)
President Obama signed into law a new two year transportation reauthorization bill, includes many important provisions intended to help the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) in its important mission to reduce crashes, injuries and fatalities involving large trucks and buses.
Three core principles:
1. Raise the bar to enter the industry and operate on our roads;
2. Hold motor carrier and drivers to the highest safety standards to continue operations; and
3. Remove the highest risk drivers, vehicles, and carriers from our roads and prevent them from operating.
MAP-21 would fund Pedestrian paths, Bicycle paths, Passenger rail and public transit.
Who is T.J. Kent?
wrote The Urban General Plan (1964), which provided a guide to comprehensive planning practice
T.J. Kent defines the comprehensive plan as a community’s official statement of policies regarding desirable future physical development; the plan should be comprehensive in scope, general in nature and long-range in perspective.
What are element(s) of T.J. Kent’s components of an effective master plan as noted in The Urban General Plan?
-should be long-range
-comprehensive, general
-should provide a policy guide for decision-making rather than a detailed implementation program
-City Council identified as the client of the general plan
-adopted at one time with all elements integrated
-Focused on the physical development implications of socio-economic policies
Which type of legal description would include the following information? The SW 1/4 of the NE 1/4 of the SE 1/4 of Section 7
Township-range
What is an Urban Service Limit Line?
An Urban Service Limit Line is a boundary, sometimes parcel-specific, located to mark the outer limit beyond which urban development will not be allowed.
It has the aim of discouraging urban sprawl by containing urban development during a specified period, and its location may be modified over time.
An Urban Service Limit Line is not appropriate for determining where public schools will be located.
What did the Housing Act of 1937 do? (Wagner-Steagall Act)
was the first act to link public housing with slum clearance.
used the Neighborhood Composition Rule in the act to continue segregation practices in the new housing.
The Wagner-Steagall Act of 1937 created a two-tiered policy of providing mortgage insurance to promote home ownership for the middle class, while creating public housing for the poor. The neighborhood composition rule created a class and race segregation.
Public housing in white neighborhoods was reserved for white families.
What are the functions of a Council of Government (CoG) or regional council?
A CoG/Regional Council is:
-a planning organization
-a Technical service provider
-“Visionary” to its member local governments
A COG or regional council is a multi-service entity with state- and locally-defined boundaries that delivers a variety of federal, state, and local programs while carrying out its functions.
What is an easement by necessity?
According to the common law doctrine, an easement by necessity is used to allow a landlocked landowner to access a public roadway over another’s private land when no other relief is feasible.
What are characteristics of Ebenezer Howard’s Garden Cities?
-Garden cities included a mix of housing types, included duplexes and multi-family units.
-They were surrounded by open space
-They were to include housing, retail, and industry
-They were connected by railways
Why do planners use economic forecasting?
To provide a basis for determining land use
Economic forecasting helps to determine the growth in jobs in the community which translates to demand for commercial business land uses.
NOT to determine the budget for next year (that is more so other professions)
Who is Jane Addams?
A housing reformer active in the 19th century.
In 1899, Jane Addams founded the Hull House in Chicago to provide housing to low-income families.
What are Land Based Classification Standards (LBCS)?
I. LBCS emphasizes activities based on observable character
II. LBCS emphasizes site development character in the overall physical development
III. LBCS has a five dimension nine color code
The Land Based Classification Standards help planners with a model for classifying land uses across 5 dimensions:
-Activity,
-Function,
-Structure Type,
-Site Development Character, and
-Ownership.
What is an MPO?
Each metropolitan planning organization (MPO) is required by law to develop a Transportation Improvement Program (TIP)—a list of upcoming transportation projects—covering a period of at least four years.
An MPO is the policy board of an organization created and designated to carry out the metropolitan transportation planning process.
MPOs are required to represent localities in all urbanized areas (UZAs) with populations over 50,000.
MPOs are designated by the governor of each state for every urban area with at least 50,000 residents. MPOs develop solutions to regional transportation problems and address other important issues such as land use, air quality, energy, economic development, commerce, and quality of life.
Each MPO develops a long-range regional transportation plan to guide transportation decision making and activities.
What is a TIP?
The Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) is a 6-year financial program (at least covering a 4 year period) that describes the schedule for obligating federal funds to state and local projects.
The TIP contains funding information for all modes of transportation including roadway projects, as well as transit capital and operating costs.
TIP must be developed in cooperation with the state and public transit providers.
The TIP should include capital and non-capital surface transportation projects, bicycle and pedestrian facilities and other transportation enhancements, Federal Lands Highway projects, and safety projects included in the State’s Strategic Highway Safety Plan.
What is a TMA?
Transportation Management Area (TMA) is an urbanized area with a population over 200,000, as defined by the Census and designated by the Secretary of the U.S. DOT.
An MPO in a TMA has a stronger voice in setting priorities for implementing projects listed in the TIP and are responsible for additional planning products.
What is the 1901 New York State Tenement House Law?
-Banned construction of dumbbell tenement buildings
-Lawrence Veiller drafted this act and led the reform movement.
-It improved living conditions for New York’s poor.
required:
-outward facing windows in every room
-open courtyard
-indoor toilets/running water
-fire safeguards
What is the Mission Statement of the Bureau of Reclamation?
“The mission of the Bureau of Reclamation is to manage, develop, and protect water and related resources in an environmentally and economically sound manner in the interest of the American public.”
This agency is the primary builder of federal dams in the western US, such as Hoover Dam.
US Bureau of Reclamation is a federal agency under the U.S. Department of the Interior. It oversees water resource management related to irrigation, water supply, and hydroelectric power generation in the western US.
What is the Bureau of Reclamation?
best known for the dams, powerplants, and canals it constructed in the 17 western states. These water projects led to homesteading and promoted the economic development of the West.
Reclamation has constructed more than 600 dams and reservoirs including Hoover Dam on the Colorado River and Grand Coulee on the Columbia River.
Today, they the largest wholesaler of water in the country. They bring water to more than 31 million people.
Reclamation is also the second largest producer of hydroelectric power in the United States.
Who is Robert Weaver?
Robert Weaver was the first African-American to serve in the US Cabinet, as the head of the Department of Housing and Urban Development
The first secretary of HUD
What 3 things is a shift-share analysis evaluating?
A shift-share analysis evaluates:
- the performance of an individual industry
- the strengths and weaknesses of an industry
- the region’s mix of industries
A shift-share analysis, determines what portions of regional economic growth or decline can be attributed to national, economic industry, and regional factors.
The analysis helps identify industries where a regional economy has competitive advantages over the larger economy.
What is UrbanSim?
a software program that will allow you to undertake modeling that allows for you to analyze urban development, considering the interactions between land use, transportation, and public policy on a regional scale.
UrbanSim is an open source urban simulation system to support metropolitan land use, transportation, and environmental planning.
UrbanSim is a simulation modeling software that allows the ability to simulate the impacts of land use and transportation plans from a parcel to metropolitan area.
The Warren County protests were the spark of which movement?
The environmental justice movement was launched into mainstream media attention when in 1982, predominantly Black residents of Warren County, North Carolina protested the state choosing to dispose of toxic PCB waste near the county’s water supply. The over 500 arrests encouraged national efforts against racist siting practices.
The Census Bureau reviews and updates urbanized area and urban cluster boundaries every ten years, following the decennial census. Census blocks provide the “building blocks” for measuring population density and delineating each urban area. Because population estimates and American Community Survey data are not available at the census block-level, the Census Bureau does not possess a nationally consistent set of population data at the level of geographic detail needed to delineate urban areas between censuses.
-Population estimates at the block scale are not possible between decennial censuses
-The Census Bureau will NOT update the boundaries based on written request from the Board
-Urbanized area boundaries can only be updated every 10 years
-Census blocks are the building blocks for measuring population density
What are the top 5 U.S. Census Bureau household surveys?
-Current Population Survey
-American Household Survey
-American Community Survey
-National Health Interview Survey
-National Crime Victimization Survey
Daniel Burnham
-Burnham completed City Beautiful plans for Cleveland and San Francisco.
-Daniel Burnham was Chief of construction for the World’s Columbian Exposition.
-Burnham headed the McMillan Committee, which resurrected L’Enfant’s plan for DC in the early 20th century.
-Burnham’s Plan of Chicago was completed in 1909.
Burnham was involved in a number of City Beautiful plans for major American cities, including Cleveland, San Francisco and Chicago.
Which road type has a design speed of 25-35 miles per hour?
Local roads have a design speed of 25-35 miles per hour.
What is downzoning?
Downzoning reduces the intensity of zoning on a site.
What is a drosscape?
Drosscape is an urban design framework that examines urbanized regions as the waste product of past defunct economic and industrial processes.
The concept focuses on the redesign and adaptive reuse of “waste landscapes” within regions.
e.g a site may have been used for toxic waste in the past
Solar Access Easement
What 3 things did the Housing Act of 1949 do?
-federal financing for slum clearance programs
-increased authorization for the Federal Housing Administration FHA mortgage insurance
-money to build more than 800,000 public houses
Which of the following US Supreme Court cases was responsible for putting forth the “severity of the burden” rather than the “substantially advances” test for takings cases?
In Lingle v. Chevron the Court found that the takings clause should be based on the severity of the burden that the regulation imposes upon property rights and not whether the effect of the regulation is to “substantially advance” governmental interest. The substantially advances clause came from Agins v. Tiburon.
The Village of Mariemont, designated as a National Historic Landmark, is interesting for planners because it was:
Modeled on Garden City principles
Mariemont was designed by John Nolen based on Garden City principles. It was also one of the earliest Garden Cities to be designed with the automobile in mind.
According to the U.S. Census, what is a MICROpolitan Statistical Area?
Urban areas in the United States based around an urban cluster (urban area) with a population of 10,000 to 49,999.
Only __ US states still have a majority rural population.
4 - in all other states the majority of the population is living in urban areas!
_____________ and ______________ are the key populations moving into cities.
Young professionals and Baby Boomers are the key populations moving into cities
The ________ U.S. is the most urbanized part of the country today.
The Western U.S. is the most urbanized part of the country today
_________________, rather than higher birth rates, is driving the growth of urban areas
Net migration is driving the growth of urban areas
What is the Telecommunications Act (1996)?
- Preempts local regulation of cell tower radio frequency emission effects
II. Requires zoning decisions be in writing and supported by substantial evidence
expressly preserves the authority of state and local governments to regulate land use and zoning, but places several substantive and procedural limits upon that authority when exercised in relation to personal wireless service facilities.
eliminated a cap on nationwide station ownership and increased the number of stations one entity could own in a single market.
opens up competition by local telephone companies, long distance providers, and cable companies with each other
The goal of this new law is to let anyone enter any communications business – to let any communications business compete in any market against any other.
What does TND stand for?
Traditional Neighborhood Development (TND) aka New Urbanism aka Neo-Traditional
TND stands for ‘Traditional Neighborhood Development’ with planning patterns that are based on traditional, pedestrian-oriented 18th and 19th century European and American towns.
more compact communities designed to encourage bicycling and walking for short trips by providing destinations close to home and work, and by providing sidewalks and a pleasant environment for walking and biking
What are Neo-Traditional Communities?
(New Urbanism)
Neo-Traditional communities are privately developed master-planned communities built using TND land planning and design principles. TND stands for ‘Traditional Neighborhood Development’ with planning patterns that are based on traditional, pedestrian-oriented 18th and 19th century European and American towns.
What strange thing may a site map include? (and not)
It would not be unusual for the application to require a map showing ownership information within a given radius, along with the names and addresses of all property owners and tenants within the radius.
will NOT include list of endangered species in the area.
What are the principles of smart growth?
“Smart growth is a better way to build and maintain our towns and cities. Smart growth means building urban, suburban and rural communities with housing and transportation choices near jobs, shops and schools. This approach supports local economies and protects the environment.”
-Wildlife Corridors and water conservation
-Transit Oriented Development and town centers
-Affordable housing and main street revitalization
-mixed land use, compact building design, walkable, strong sense of place, preserve open space, variable transportation options, encourage community & stakeholder collaboration
According to Susan Fainstein’s book, there are 3 elements of the “Just City”:
Democracy, Equity, and Diversity
What is a partial closure of a street?
Partial closure changes the traffic from two-way to one-way at a point in the road, would limit the traffic to locals only.
This solution is a method of traffic calming for reducing cut through-traffic on a neighborhood street.
What are Census Designated Places?
Census Designated Places (CDPs), which are delineated to provide data for settled populations that are not legally incorporated, have no size requirements.
Urban design guidelines usually don’t include:
a. Landscaping
b. Building materials
c. First floor height
d. Parking ratios
Parking Ratios - these are managed by zoning ordinances, as is land use.
What is grayfield development?
development of a vacant urban or suburban site that was formerly developed but is now obsolete.
A greyfield is a term used to describe underutilized land in need of redevelopment, such as a parking lot or a dead mall.
What is leapfrog development?
a type of sprawl where there are tracts of undeveloped land in between developments.
What is an Urban Service Area?
areas of land targeted for new or improved infrastructure over 5-10 years
By the year ____, over half of the US population will be minorities.
2045
What is a Zero Lot Line?
A zero lot line property is any property in which the structure of the home touches or comes very close to the boundary of the lot.
This form of development includes a building that is sited on one or more lot lines with no yard, the intent of which is to allow a more flexible site design and to increase the amount of usable open space.
A structure located on a lot that comes up to or very near to the edge of the property line. Rowhouses, garden homes, patio homes and townhomes are all types of properties that may be zero-lot-line homes.
What is the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949?
The Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949 established the General Services Administration.
What is the Federal Surplus Property Act?
The Federal Surplus Property Act of 1944 allows for the government disposal of property.
What is The Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976?
The Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, as amended, is the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) “organic act” that establishes the agency’s multiple-use and sustained yield mandate to serve present and future generations.
The BLM manages public lands and subsurface estate under its jurisdiction under the Federal Land Policy and Management Act or FLPMA.
Freedom of information rules…
don’t mean that public agency planners must hand over all information at any given time
FOIA rules vary from state to state and city to city
This law requires the full or partial disclosure of public information and documents.
Since 1967, the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) has provided the public the right to request access to records from any federal agency. In addition, all states have their own “open records” laws that provide access to state and local records.
The federal FOIA has 9 exemptions that protect interests such as personal privacy, national security, and law enforcement.
How many people are homeless in the U.S.?
In 2018, the number was estimated at 554,000.
Collective Bargaining Agreement
critical/the most important to consider when updating agreements with unionized employees. the collective bargaining agreement, covers all of the unionized employees.
What are the most common tools planners have in regulating cannabis activities?
The most common tools planners have in regulating cannabis activities:
- buffering (creating a buffer zone around sensitive uses like schools),
- zoning overlay districts that indicate where cannabis activities can occur,
- and setting up permitting requirements.
What is Multiplier Analysis?
Typically multiplier analysis is used to project the number of jobs created, but can also be used to project job loss. If an industry had a multiplier 1.5 then if 100 jobs were lost directly in the industry another 50 would be lost in the rest of the economy.
Multipliers are used to analyze the effects of economic and political changes.
Eg. You are a planner trying to calculate how many total jobs will be lost in your county as a result of job loss in the fishing and tourism industries.
What is the Hedonic Pricing Model?
What are National Heritage Areas?
These areas are legislatively authorized because they demonstrate a nationally unique natural, cultural, historic or scenic resource and link natural and cultural resources.
National Heritage Areas can be established through an act of Congress, with assistance from the National Park Service. They are managed at a local or regional level.
Alan Ehrenhalt has written about a process known as “The Great Inversion.” To what is he referring?
Poor, diverse suburbs surrounding wealthy central cities
many central cities continue to gain population and outpace suburban growth as a result of net in-migration Alan Ehrenhalt (2012) describes these changes as “The Great Inversion”
You are preparing the demographic section of the comprehensive plan. You want to begin by calculating the current total population to forecast the future population. The last Census was five years ago and you know the city has grown since this time. You have talked to a number of officials in the city to determine what type of data may be available to help you calculate the current population. Which of the following would be the best approach?
Identify the total number of building permits issued for housing and multiply this by the average household size.
(Symptomatic Population estimation method)
You are working as a planner in an economic development office, and you have been tasked with writing a report that summarizes the economic diversity in your region. What would be the best approach?
Classify establishments based on NAICS
The NAICS numbering system allows planners to analyze industry segments to better understand economic diversity.
The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) is the standard used by statistical agencies to classify business establishments.
What is an exurban community?
a region or settlement that lies outside a city and usually beyond its suburbs and that often is inhabited chiefly by well-to-do families.
Suburbs lie just outside of the city, whereas exurbs are areas farther out, beyond the suburbs. Exurbs tend to be situated in more rural areas. They can be near farmland or even the beach.
An exurb/exurban area is an area outside the typically denser inner suburban area, at the edge of a metropolitan area, which has some economic and commuting connection to the metro area, low housing density, and growth.
Robert Moses
Robert Moses (1888-1981) was infamous for building bridges extra-low to prevent poor people in buses from using certain highways.
He famously battled Jane Jacobs over the construction of a highway through Washington Square Park.
You discovered that the county has three endangered plant species. Which techniques is best suited for protecting these endangered species from development?
An Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) is the most effective method for preventing development in specified geographic areas.
NOT Overlay zoning, Down zoning, or Agricultural Preservation zoning
What is an Urban Growth Boundary good for?
-preventing development in specified geographic areas (eg. protecting endangered species)
-preventing sprawl
-limiting the expansion of infrastructure and public services if you are dealing with a fiscal crisis
A UGB mandates that the area inside the boundary be used for urban development and the area outside be preserved in its natural state or used for agriculture.
This is an area within which development is allowed over a specified period of time. Beyond this area development is prohibited or strongly discouraged.
What is a Smart City?
A Smart City uses information and communication technology (ICT) and Internet of Things (IoT) to improve operational efficiency, share information with the public and provide a better quality of government service and citizen welfare.
a technologically modern urban area that uses different types of electronic methods and sensors to collect specific data. Information gained from that data is used to manage assets, resources and services efficiently; in return, that data is used to improve operations across the city.
used to manage city assets such as information systems, schools, libraries, and transportation.
