AICP EXAM PREP – QUIZ VERIFIED
ANSWERS (LATEST 2026) 100% CORRECT
1. The Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 required local
governments to address potential hazards in a Hazard Mitigation
Plan in order to remain eligible to receive certain federal funds
before and following federally-declared disasters. Your
community has integrated such a plan into the General Plan.
Now the Safety Element of the General Plan is expanded to
cover the following: I. Natural hazards II. Man-made hazards III.
Fiscal responsibility for disasters IV. A development retreat from
low-lying coastal areas
a. II & III
b. I, II, & IV
c. I & IV
d. I, II, III, & IV - correct answer- B. FEMA HMA of 2000 seeks
to expand pre-disaster planning to precipitate the widespread
loss of life, damage to property, infrastructure and the
environment. The Act does not assign any fiscal responsibilities
of disasters to any entity. Most local Safety Element covers also
man-made hazards. However, local jurisdictions are not
burdened with the fiscal impact associated with disasters.
,1. What is a defined area within which businesses pay an
additional tax to fund services, activities, and improvements
within the area's boundaries?
a. Downtown enhancement zone
b. Tax and services zone
c. Business Improvement District
d. Empowerment zone - correct answer- C. Business
Improvement Districts create additional revenue under a
voluntary agreement with businesses to provide higher levels of
service including trash pickup and business promotion.
10. Which of the following established a system of rectangular
survey coordinates for virtually all of the country west of the
Appalachians?
a. The Homestead Act (1862)
b. The Ordinance of 1785
c. The General Land Law Revision Act (1891)
d. Morrill Act (1862) - correct answer- B. The Ordinance of
1785 provided for the rectangular land survey of the Old
Northwest. The rectangular survey has been called "the largest
single act of national planning in our history and . . . the most
significant in terms of continuing impact on the body politic"
(Daniel Elazar). In 1862, the Homestead Act opened the lands of
the Public Domain to settlers for a nominal fee and five years
,residence. In 1891, the General Land Law Revision Act gave the
President power to create forest preserves by proclamation. In
1862, Congress passed the Morrill Act, which authorized that
proceeds from the sale of land were to be used to found colleges
offering instruction in agriculture, engineering, and other
practical arts.
100. Which of the following refers to the study of mechanical
properties of liquids, including the flow of water?
a. Hydrograph
b. Hydraulics
c. Hydrology
d. Riprap - correct answer- B. Hydraulics is the study of the
mechanical properties of liquids, including the flow of water. A
hydrograph is a graph showing the stage, flow, velocity, or other
property of the volume of water with respect to time. Hydrology
is the study of water, especially with respect to the effects of
precipitation and evaporation on groundwater. Riprap is rock or
rubble along a stream bank or shoreline for protection from
erosion or scour.
101. Which of the following is probably the most effective way
to stop development in a watershed?
a. Floodplain regulations
, b. Purchase of Development Rights
c. Performance-based zoning
d. Floating zone regulations - correct answer- B. With
Purchase of Development Rights (PDR), the right to develop a
property is severed from property ownership. Floodplain
regulations call for elevation of building in flood prone areas, not
throughout a watershed. Performance-based zoning regulates
the character of the use of land and is more flexible than
traditional zoning regulations; such regulations may, for
example, call for no negative impact on the watershed. These
are difficult to administer and enforce and are not commonly
used at this point in time. Floating zones are districts that are
described in a zoning ordinance but have not necessarily been
included on the zoning map. The zone "floats" over the
community until it is affixed to a particular area through an
amendment to the zoning map. Floating zones are difficult to
administer and are often found to be invalid because they
appear similar to spot zoning.
102. Which type of program encourages conversion of
underutilized commercial buildings to housing in an historic
area?
a. Affordable housing policy
b. Downtown redevelopment district
c. Adaptive reuse program
ANSWERS (LATEST 2026) 100% CORRECT
1. The Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 required local
governments to address potential hazards in a Hazard Mitigation
Plan in order to remain eligible to receive certain federal funds
before and following federally-declared disasters. Your
community has integrated such a plan into the General Plan.
Now the Safety Element of the General Plan is expanded to
cover the following: I. Natural hazards II. Man-made hazards III.
Fiscal responsibility for disasters IV. A development retreat from
low-lying coastal areas
a. II & III
b. I, II, & IV
c. I & IV
d. I, II, III, & IV - correct answer- B. FEMA HMA of 2000 seeks
to expand pre-disaster planning to precipitate the widespread
loss of life, damage to property, infrastructure and the
environment. The Act does not assign any fiscal responsibilities
of disasters to any entity. Most local Safety Element covers also
man-made hazards. However, local jurisdictions are not
burdened with the fiscal impact associated with disasters.
,1. What is a defined area within which businesses pay an
additional tax to fund services, activities, and improvements
within the area's boundaries?
a. Downtown enhancement zone
b. Tax and services zone
c. Business Improvement District
d. Empowerment zone - correct answer- C. Business
Improvement Districts create additional revenue under a
voluntary agreement with businesses to provide higher levels of
service including trash pickup and business promotion.
10. Which of the following established a system of rectangular
survey coordinates for virtually all of the country west of the
Appalachians?
a. The Homestead Act (1862)
b. The Ordinance of 1785
c. The General Land Law Revision Act (1891)
d. Morrill Act (1862) - correct answer- B. The Ordinance of
1785 provided for the rectangular land survey of the Old
Northwest. The rectangular survey has been called "the largest
single act of national planning in our history and . . . the most
significant in terms of continuing impact on the body politic"
(Daniel Elazar). In 1862, the Homestead Act opened the lands of
the Public Domain to settlers for a nominal fee and five years
,residence. In 1891, the General Land Law Revision Act gave the
President power to create forest preserves by proclamation. In
1862, Congress passed the Morrill Act, which authorized that
proceeds from the sale of land were to be used to found colleges
offering instruction in agriculture, engineering, and other
practical arts.
100. Which of the following refers to the study of mechanical
properties of liquids, including the flow of water?
a. Hydrograph
b. Hydraulics
c. Hydrology
d. Riprap - correct answer- B. Hydraulics is the study of the
mechanical properties of liquids, including the flow of water. A
hydrograph is a graph showing the stage, flow, velocity, or other
property of the volume of water with respect to time. Hydrology
is the study of water, especially with respect to the effects of
precipitation and evaporation on groundwater. Riprap is rock or
rubble along a stream bank or shoreline for protection from
erosion or scour.
101. Which of the following is probably the most effective way
to stop development in a watershed?
a. Floodplain regulations
, b. Purchase of Development Rights
c. Performance-based zoning
d. Floating zone regulations - correct answer- B. With
Purchase of Development Rights (PDR), the right to develop a
property is severed from property ownership. Floodplain
regulations call for elevation of building in flood prone areas, not
throughout a watershed. Performance-based zoning regulates
the character of the use of land and is more flexible than
traditional zoning regulations; such regulations may, for
example, call for no negative impact on the watershed. These
are difficult to administer and enforce and are not commonly
used at this point in time. Floating zones are districts that are
described in a zoning ordinance but have not necessarily been
included on the zoning map. The zone "floats" over the
community until it is affixed to a particular area through an
amendment to the zoning map. Floating zones are difficult to
administer and are often found to be invalid because they
appear similar to spot zoning.
102. Which type of program encourages conversion of
underutilized commercial buildings to housing in an historic
area?
a. Affordable housing policy
b. Downtown redevelopment district
c. Adaptive reuse program
