Plan Implementation

Question 1

Variance

Answer 1

Change in terms of zoning regulations due to economic or physical hardship. 2 types: use and area variances. Must meet specific reqs for a variance: unique physical or economic hardship, variance will not reduce property values, property owner did not cause the need for a variance, variance is not contrary to the spirit of the zoning ord.

Question 2

Use Variance

Answer 2

Allows a property to build and maintain a use not explicitly allowed under zoning district regs.

Question 3

Area Variance

Answer 3

Allows a property to be excluded from the physical site reqs under the zoning ordinance.

Question 4

Big-box retail

Answer 4

Generally has 50K or more sf in a large box

Question 5

Concentrated animal feeding operations

Answer 5

Practice of raising farm animals indoors in high volumes. Local government may be limited in regulating these due to Right to Farm laws

Question 6

Floor Area Ratio

Answer 6

Ratio of buildings total (gross) floor area to the size of the piece of land on which it’s built

Question 7

Maximum parking standards

Answer 7

Alternative to conventional minimum parking standards - cap the # of parking property owner/business can provide. Addresses problem of excessive impervious surface and undermining pedestrian quality.

Question 8

McMansion

Answer 8

Large houses that are mass produced and have perceived negative impacts on the community (like not fitting community character)

Question 9

Teardown

Answer 9

Demo of a home for purposes of building a larger home in its place

Question 10

Overlay zoning

Answer 10

Set of add’l restrictions placed on top of an existing zone (i.e. airport overlay or historic preservation overlays)

Question 11

Planned Unit Developments

Answer 11

Unique zoning tool that can offer an alt to strict zoning regs. Typically for large dev’ts that include mix of uses. Flexibility in site design in exchange for community benefits (open space, bike trails, rec centers, etc)

Question 12

Nonconforming use

Answer 12

Property use that existed prior to regs that are allowed to continue under a grandfather clause. Some communities may amortize the uses by setting a time period for the use to come into conformance.

Question 13

Cumulative zoning

Answer 13

Less protective of various land uses than Euclidean. Each successive zoning district allows uses from previous zones.

Question 14

Modified cumulative zoning

Answer 14

Similar to cumulative zoning, but typically separated by land use

Question 15

Progressive taxes

Answer 15

Tax rate increases as income rises (such as the federal income tax system)

Question 16

Proportional taxes

Answer 16

Tax rate is the same regardless of income

Question 17

Regressive taxes

Answer 17

Tax rate decreases as income rises

Question 18

Criteria for tax implementation

Answer 18

Fairness, certainty (such as consistent rate of grocery store taxes), convenience, efficiency, productivity (should be a stable source of revenue), neutrality (tax should not change the way a gov’t would normally use its resources)

Question 19

Conformance-based evaluation

Answer 19

Sees planning as having the ability to control future development - plans are viewed as blueprints and the more outcomes conform to the plan, the more successful

Question 20

Performance-based evaluations

Answer 20

Views plans as decision-making tools (more in line w Incrementalism) - any result that is deemed desirable could be considered a success

Question 21

Components of an Evaluation Framework

Answer 21

Utility (who wants & for what purpose), Feasibility (practical for available resources), Propriety (fair and ethical), Accuracy

Question 22

Floating Zone

Answer 22

Implements concepts like PUDs or cluster development. Described in the zoning ord, but not shown on the zoning map.

Question 23

Form-based codes

Answer 23

Design-based regulations, not guidelines. Community vision translates to form. Meant to be visual, easy to understand, but through red tape, clearly show community vision

Question 24

Performance Zoning

Answer 24

Performance standards regulate development by setting desired goals (e.g. no negative impacts to watersheds). Provide flexibility, and tend NOT to include restricting specific uses. Difficult to administer and not widely used.