Plan and Policy Development

Question 1

What are the basic 3 steps in the planning process

Answer 1

1. Pre-planning
2. Planning
3. Post Planning

Question 2

Steps in the pre-planning stage of the planning process

Answer 2

1. Community Diagnosis
   - Determine your community’s purpose, capacity and readiness for planning.
   - Identify key stakeholders
2. Process Design
   - Establish a budget for planning.
   - Issue an RFP if applicable.
   - Incorporate opportunities for public participation and education.

Question 3

Steps in the planning stage of the planning process

Answer 3

1. Data collection and analysis
2. Issue identification
3. Goal and objective formulation
4. Strategy formulation

Question 4

Steps in the post-planning stage of the planning process

Answer 4

1. Plan implementation

2. Monitoring and assessment

Question 5

Visioning

Answer 5

A process whereby citizens go to a series of meetings to offer input on community goals for the future.

Question 6

Home rule states

Answer 6

States where the cities, municipalities, and counties are granted the right to govern themselves (Still meeting some State rules/minimums)

Question 7

Dillon’s rule states

Answer 7

Dillon’s rule is the principle that cities, towns and counties have no powers other than those assigned to them by state governments.

Question 8

General-purpose local government

Answer 8

counties, cities, townships, etc.

Question 9

Single-purpose local government

Answer 9

school districts, fire districts, etc.

Question 10

Special Districts

Answer 10

an independent unit of local government often created by referendum and organized to perform government functions in a specific geographic area. They usually have the power to incur debt and levy taxes.

Question 11

Area wide planning organizations

Answer 11

provide grants and planning assistance, coordinate intergovernmental activities. They are not a separate layer of government.

Question 12

Regional planning agency

Answer 12

develops regional plans, reviews regional impacts and projects. In some cases a local government may transfer some local government powers to a regional agency but that is not usually the case.

Question 13

Preemption

Answer 13

preemption is when the law of a higher level of government limits or even eliminates the power of a lower level of government.

Question 14

Tribal sovereignty

Answer 14

Tribes are their own source of power. According to the 1959 case Williams v. Lee, tribes possess “the right … to make their own laws and be ruled by them.

Question 15

How many tribal governments are recognized?

Answer 15

538

Question 16

Fiscal Impact Analysis

Answer 16

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.

Question 17

Examples of what a fiscal impact analysis might look at

Answer 17

1. A city’s property tax rate
2. The average cost of educating a child in the local school system
3. The average cost per square foot of constructing a public building

Question 18

economic impact analysis

Answer 18

focuses on the cash flow to the private sector (measured in income, jobs, output, indirect impacts, etc.).

Question 19

Cost-benefit analysis

Answer 19

a quantified comparison of costs and benefits generally expressed in monetary or numerical terms.

Question 20

Environmental impact analysis

Answer 20

An Environmental Assessment is required to determine whether there is a significant environmental impact.

Question 21

Four sections required of an Environmental Impact Statement

Answer 21

1. Introduction - Including statement of purpose/need for the action
2. Description of affected environment
3. Alternatives
4. Analysis of the impacts of each alternative

Question 22

Negotiation

Answer 22

involves discussion to reach an agreement. Negotiation usually results in a memorandum of agreement but it is generally not legally binding.

Question 23

Mediation

Answer 23

involves a third party, but it is nonbinding.

Question 24

arbitration,

Answer 24

a third party determines a resolution (or “award”), which is legally binding. only in arbitration is a decision by the third party binding.