APA American Planning Association AICP Questions & Answers

• Question 1:

  Which of the following would be included as an element of a comprehensive plan?

  A. Land Use Plan

  B. Demographics

  C. Historic Preservation

  D. Implementation Schedule

  Correct Answer: ABCD

• Question 2:

  In what year did Yellowstone become the first National Park?

  A. 1872

  B. 1873

  C. 1972

  D. 1973

  Correct Answer: A

• Question 3:

  What year was the first urban growth boundary established in the US?

  A. 1958

  B. 1959

  C. 1990

  D. 1991

  Correct Answer: A

• Question 4:

  Scenario

  You are a planner in a city that has recently opened a new shelter for homeless people. The shelter opens each evening during the winter and provides a place for people to sleep during the night in dormitory-style rooms with cots. Some community members would like the shelter closed because they feel that the large number of people who congregate on the sidewalks near the shelter as they wait for it to open pose a threat to public safety. Your planning director decides to address these concerns by classifying the shelter as a hotel. The planning director knows that the zoning ordinance specifies that a hotel must provide private sleeping quarters, which the shelter does not. By classifying the shelter as a hotel, the planning director is taking steps to close the shelter based on the ground that it is in violation of the zoning ordinance. Suppose you have reviewed the situation carefully and believe that the director made an unethical decision. What might you do?

  A. Answer: See the solution below

  Correct Answer: A

  If the director is a member of the AICP, then you might discuss the situation with the AICP Ethics Officer (Procedures 2 and 3) You may decide to file a charge of unethical conduct with the AICP ethics Officer (Procedure 5). Beware that this course of action will probably result in a tense work environment and should only be followed after careful consideration.

• Question 5:

  How many square feet are in one acre?

  A. 40,000

  B. 43,560

  C. 4,3560

  D. 435,60

  Correct Answer: B

• Question 6:

  Scenario

  An oil company is interested in building a refinery on several thousand acres of waterfront property that the company owns. The general plan classifies this area as recreational and residential. The oil company files a re-zoning application to change this area to a heavy industrial classification. The planning director opposes the rezoning amendment stating that the scenic area is a valuable natural resource. Assume that the planning agency acted legally in all respects (proper notice, etc.). However, the county commissioners approve the amendment.

  A group of residents who live near the proposed refinery site take the case to court and subpoena the planning director to testify. The planning director provides some information to the citizens' group as they prepare their case and also testifies truthfully in court about the value of the property to the community. Under the AICP Code of Ethics, all the following are true about the behavior of the planning director EXCEPT:

  A. The director was acting in an ethically responsible manner in trying to protect the integrity of the natural environment.

  B. The director should not have testified in court. The Code of Ethics requires planners to accept the decisions of their employers.

  C. The director served the public interest by providing information to citizens preparing their case.

  D. The director exhibited a concern for the long-range consequences of the proposed land use changes.

  Correct Answer: B

  See Ethical Principle 1, Rules of Conduct 1 and 25. Members of AICP must comply with the law.

• Question 7:

  Scenario

  A site application is complete and is about to go before the planning commission. You have a conflict of interest because you personally own property near the proposed site and stand to benefit from the increase in property value that the new development is projected to generate. If you are the only planner in the community what might you do?

  A. Answer: See the solution below

  Correct Answer: A

  You are definitely conflicted in this case. So first issue is to recognize this financial conflict of interest and disclose it. (Rule of Conduct 6) You have 2 options. One option is to get approval of your supervisor with full written disclosure as to your personal interest. You may get consent in writing to move forward and complete the review. The second option is to hire an independent consultant to review the situation. It is good policy for a planning department to pre-qualify consultants for such situations so that the matter can be expeditiously turned over. This may also be a good route to take if the applicant is a member of the city council and has hiring authority over the planner.

• Question 8:

  The Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA) was adopted in what year?

  A. 1962

  B. 1968

  C. 1972

  D. 1978

  Correct Answer: C

  A. transportation funding had mandated set asides for planning

  B. National Flood Insurance Act

  D. Urban Parks and Rec Recovery Act

• Question 9:

  Scenario

  You are a planner for a city planning department and you have an old friend who runs a planning consulting firm in the same city. Your friend submits a competitive proposal to work as a consultant for your department to you on Friday and while in your office, asks you to be her guest for dinner at a very fancy restaurant on Saturday evening. What might you do if you actually have no influence about awarding the contract?

  A. Answer: See the solution below

  Correct Answer: A

  You should worry about the appearance of a conflict of interest, even if the invitation for dinner is not intended to enhance your friend's chances of being awarded the contract (Rules of Conduct 5, 8, 19) Because you have no influence about the decision to award the contract, which would include having no professional contact with the decision-makers, you might have dinner with your friend, but it might be safer to postpone the dinner until after the contract has been awarded.

• Question 10:

  Echo Boomers (aka: Generation Y) are those born between the years of?

  A. 1977-2000

  B. 1965-1976

  C. 1940-1945

  D. 1946-1964

  Correct Answer: A