ZONING EXAM QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS
FLOOR AREA RATIO (FAR) - ANSWER-The ratio of a building's total floor area (gross)
to the size of the piece of land upon which is built. FAR is most frequently used in
downtown areas to help control light and air. A FAR of 0.1 would mean that on a 10,000
sq. ft. lot the building could have no more than 1,000 sq. ft.
MAXIMUM PARKING STANDARDS - ANSWER-An alternative to the conventional
minimum parking standards that most communities have. Maximum parking standards
cap the amount of parking that a property owner or business can provide.
This addresses the problem of providing excessive impervious cover and undermining
pedestrial quality.
For example, some retailers provide enough parking for their busiest days of the year,
leaving an empty parking lot for the rest of the year.
Donald Shoup's "The High Cost of Free Parking" showed that 99% of parking in the
U.S. is free, despite the negative impact.
McMansion - ANSWER-A term that describes large houses that are mass produced and
have perceived negative impacts on a community, sometimes because they are out of
scale with the surrounding homes.
PARACHUTE HOME - ANSWER-Describes a scenario where a home is dropped
(almost randomly) into an area where it clearly does not fit with the neighborhood's
character.
TEARDOWN - ANSWER-Term that refers to the demolition of a home for the purposes
of building a large home on the same lot.
This type of development frequently occurs in large cities and in neighborhoods
convenient to employment centers.
ZONING - ANSWER-The separation of land uses or functions into separate districts or
"zones."
Zoning is implemented through locally enacted legislation that regulates and controls
the use of private property.
PURPOSES OF ZONING - ANSWER-To regulate land use, prevent land use conflicts,
and allow growth in a planner manner.
It also does the following:
, 1. Protect and maintain property values;
2. Promote public health and safety;
3. Protect the environment;
4. Promote the aesthetic of a community;
5. Manage traffic;
6. Manage density;
7. Limit housing size and type, or encourage a variety of housing types;
8. Attract businesses and industries
WHAT DOES ZONING REGULATE? - ANSWER-1. Land use
2. Lot size
3. Density
4. Building placement
5. Building height
6. Building bulk
7. Setbacks
8. Provision of adequate light and air
9. Parking
10. Landscaping
11. Signage
STAFF - ANSWER-Professional staff that handles matters pertaining to zoning.
Primary task of staff is to provide information to the public regarding the zoning
ordinance.
Responsible for reviewing applications and writing reports to the PC and Board of
Zoning Appeals.
ANSWERS
FLOOR AREA RATIO (FAR) - ANSWER-The ratio of a building's total floor area (gross)
to the size of the piece of land upon which is built. FAR is most frequently used in
downtown areas to help control light and air. A FAR of 0.1 would mean that on a 10,000
sq. ft. lot the building could have no more than 1,000 sq. ft.
MAXIMUM PARKING STANDARDS - ANSWER-An alternative to the conventional
minimum parking standards that most communities have. Maximum parking standards
cap the amount of parking that a property owner or business can provide.
This addresses the problem of providing excessive impervious cover and undermining
pedestrial quality.
For example, some retailers provide enough parking for their busiest days of the year,
leaving an empty parking lot for the rest of the year.
Donald Shoup's "The High Cost of Free Parking" showed that 99% of parking in the
U.S. is free, despite the negative impact.
McMansion - ANSWER-A term that describes large houses that are mass produced and
have perceived negative impacts on a community, sometimes because they are out of
scale with the surrounding homes.
PARACHUTE HOME - ANSWER-Describes a scenario where a home is dropped
(almost randomly) into an area where it clearly does not fit with the neighborhood's
character.
TEARDOWN - ANSWER-Term that refers to the demolition of a home for the purposes
of building a large home on the same lot.
This type of development frequently occurs in large cities and in neighborhoods
convenient to employment centers.
ZONING - ANSWER-The separation of land uses or functions into separate districts or
"zones."
Zoning is implemented through locally enacted legislation that regulates and controls
the use of private property.
PURPOSES OF ZONING - ANSWER-To regulate land use, prevent land use conflicts,
and allow growth in a planner manner.
It also does the following:
, 1. Protect and maintain property values;
2. Promote public health and safety;
3. Protect the environment;
4. Promote the aesthetic of a community;
5. Manage traffic;
6. Manage density;
7. Limit housing size and type, or encourage a variety of housing types;
8. Attract businesses and industries
WHAT DOES ZONING REGULATE? - ANSWER-1. Land use
2. Lot size
3. Density
4. Building placement
5. Building height
6. Building bulk
7. Setbacks
8. Provision of adequate light and air
9. Parking
10. Landscaping
11. Signage
STAFF - ANSWER-Professional staff that handles matters pertaining to zoning.
Primary task of staff is to provide information to the public regarding the zoning
ordinance.
Responsible for reviewing applications and writing reports to the PC and Board of
Zoning Appeals.
