AICP Practice Questions – Latest Exam Prep
2025/2026 | Complete Study Guide & Verified
Q&A
As the manager of the long-range planning division of a community in
Maryland you have been asked to organize the citizen participation
process for a comprehensive plan update. Which of the following
would be most effective to kick off the process?
a. Focus Groups
b. Public Hearing
c. Open House
d. Town Hall Meeting - correct answerTown Hall Meeting - because you can get
everyone together, kick something off and get the conversation started in a cohesive
way.
As a planner you have been working hard to try to resolve a conflict over
development along a local river. The environmentalists want to stop all
development, while the property owners want to be able to build whatever
they would like. Local officials are concerned about water quality and the
tax base. Which of the following would be most appropriate to use?
a. Conflict Resolution
b. Consensus Building
c. Coalition Building
d. Town Hall Meeting - correct answerConsensus Building - because you have multiple
parties with varying goals
Neighborhood advocates in a low-income economically depressed
neighborhood have come to you as the planning director in a Florida city.
They want you advice on organizing their community to support the
expansion of a light rail line into their neighborhood. Which of the following
would you advise?
a. Coalition building
b. Public Hearing
c. Open House
d. Visual Preference Survey - correct answerCoalition building - to organize people to
build agreement
The Mayor's Office has requested that you conduct a citizen survey to determine
satisfaction with city services. You are evaluating whether to use a mail or phone
survey. Thinking about telephone surveys, which of the following is the most important
negative of using telephone surveys?
A. They are expensive
,B. They may not reach a representative sample
C. They are time consuming
D. It may be difficult to find people to conduct the survey - correct answerB. They may
not reach a representative sample
Telephone surveys can result in an unrepresentative sample. This is due to a number of
factors including the lack of a home telephone (for example cell phone only or no phone
at all), the use of caller ID to screen calls, unlisted phone numbers, and no one home at
the time of the call. Labor, expense, and time are all factors, but the best choice is an
unrepresentative sample.
As the planning director for a large city with a struggling downtown, you have decided to
undertake a SmartCode planning process. Which of the following public participation
tools would be the most appropriate?
A. Hold a public hearing
B. Host a design charrette
C. Create a downtown newsletter
D. Organize a stakeholder meeting - correct answerB. Host a design charrette
As part of the SmartCode procedures, a design charrette is held to determine the
pedestrian sheds, transects, and design guidelines for the planning area. Other
techniques could be useful, but the charrette is essential as part of the SmartCode
process.
You are a planner in California working on an integrated regional water management
plan. Priorities include maintaining and restoring water quality, the quantity of water
available for people and the environment, and environmental quality. You have
developed the public participation plan. Which of the following outreach strategies would
be best for communities possibly affected by environmental justice issues?
I. Build a list of contacts for these communities
II. Work with public agencies and non-profit staff to facilitate outreach efforts
III. Identify water agencies, irrigation districts in rural areas
IV. Place information, documents and other materials in local libraries
A. I only
B. I and II only
C. I, II, III only
D. I, II, III and IV - correct answerAll of these items should be a component of a public
outreach strategy intended to reach into communities that could be affected by
environmental justice issues.
The correct answer is: I, II, III and IV
As a federal planner with the Department of Defense, you are responsible for an
environmental restoration project at a military base. You are developing a public
,participation plan for engaging the base and stakeholders in the community the base is
located in. Which of the following should be principals guiding public participation?
I. Strive to create a process in which communities and federal agencies are seen as
partners in the dialogue on cleanup issues
II. Develop linkages among communities and public stakeholders, to share information
about how priorities are being set and decisions will be made
III. Produce results that restore the environment, while maintaining local community
needs
IV. Provide access to resources, information, and training, so that all stakeholders are
able to participate in decision-making
A. I only
B. I and II only
C. I, II, and III only
D. I, II, III, and IV - correct answerThe US EPA defines environmental justice as the "fair
treatment and meaningful involvement of all people, regardless of race, ethnicity,
culture, income, or education level with respect to development, implementation, and
enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies." In 1992, the Federal
Facilities Environmental Restoration Dialogue Committee offered these four guidelines
for stakeholder involvement in federal facility cleanup activities.
The correct answer is: I, II, III, and IV
As the planner responsible for a neighborhood planning process you have undertaken a
participatory process that allows the participants to assess project alternatives by
weighing the alternatives according to a group of citizen goals. This is known as a:
A. Delphi Technique
B. Planning Cell
C. Charrette
D. Coffee Klatch - correct answerA planning cell allows citizens to learn about, assess
and choose between multiple alternatives. Planning cells is a method for deliberation
developed by Dr. Dienel, and is designed to be a "micro-parliament." In a planning cell,
approximately twenty five people from various backgrounds work together to develop a
set of solutions to a problem delegated to the participants by a commissioning body.
The correct answer is: Planning Cell
You are working on a regional visioning process focused on economic, social,
environmental and growth issues that represents the values of the region. You want to
ensure broad public participation to make sure the region's values are captured. Which
of the following would be the best approach to gain public participation?
, A. Host community forums in eight subregions inviting community members to share
their values for the region.
B. Host a regional roundtable inviting public officials from across the region to come
together to share their values and priorities.
C. Host a vision fair where you invite the public to come together to prioritize goals.
D. Invite region residents to participate in a survey they provides three separate
scenarios of regional values to identify which one best resonates with the public. -
correct answerHosting community forums throughout the region would allow community
members to share their values early in the process. Engagement of public officials is
important, but only captures one type of stakeholder. It would be best to engage the
public before issuing a survey of value alternatives. Prioritizing goals would come after
values have been developed.
The correct answer is: Host community forums in eight subregions inviting community
members to share their values for the region.
You are leading a visioning process early on in the planning process to encourage
citizen involvement and you want to encourage everyone in the community to
participate. To have a highly successful visioning process which of the following is
critical?
A. Media involvement
B. Surveys people can complete
C. Child care for participants
D. Staff buy-in - correct answerMedia involvement will be critical for getting the word out
and encouraging inclusive participation. While the other factors are important and
should be part of a public engagement process, media attention is the most critical
factor to encourage participation and publicize the ongoing effort, according to Local
Planning: Contemporary Principles and Practices
The correct answer is: Media involvement
Your MPO received a HUD regional sustainability planning grant. As part of the grant
you are responsible for developing a Fair Housing Equity Assessment. In the
development of this assessment, you and your team have undertaken extensive public
engagement. During a focus group at a homeless shelter you hear from a family who
describes how they had their application for a lease of a rental unit denied and that the
reason the landlord gave is that he doesn't want people like them in his complex. Which
of the following would be the best response?
A. Advise all focus group participants that housing discrimination is prohibited under
Title VI of the Civil Rights Act and share how they can file a complaint with HUD.
B. Offer to speak to the family personally afterwards. Take down their information and
then make a call to the local HUD office to file a complaint and provide information on
the family.
2025/2026 | Complete Study Guide & Verified
Q&A
As the manager of the long-range planning division of a community in
Maryland you have been asked to organize the citizen participation
process for a comprehensive plan update. Which of the following
would be most effective to kick off the process?
a. Focus Groups
b. Public Hearing
c. Open House
d. Town Hall Meeting - correct answerTown Hall Meeting - because you can get
everyone together, kick something off and get the conversation started in a cohesive
way.
As a planner you have been working hard to try to resolve a conflict over
development along a local river. The environmentalists want to stop all
development, while the property owners want to be able to build whatever
they would like. Local officials are concerned about water quality and the
tax base. Which of the following would be most appropriate to use?
a. Conflict Resolution
b. Consensus Building
c. Coalition Building
d. Town Hall Meeting - correct answerConsensus Building - because you have multiple
parties with varying goals
Neighborhood advocates in a low-income economically depressed
neighborhood have come to you as the planning director in a Florida city.
They want you advice on organizing their community to support the
expansion of a light rail line into their neighborhood. Which of the following
would you advise?
a. Coalition building
b. Public Hearing
c. Open House
d. Visual Preference Survey - correct answerCoalition building - to organize people to
build agreement
The Mayor's Office has requested that you conduct a citizen survey to determine
satisfaction with city services. You are evaluating whether to use a mail or phone
survey. Thinking about telephone surveys, which of the following is the most important
negative of using telephone surveys?
A. They are expensive
,B. They may not reach a representative sample
C. They are time consuming
D. It may be difficult to find people to conduct the survey - correct answerB. They may
not reach a representative sample
Telephone surveys can result in an unrepresentative sample. This is due to a number of
factors including the lack of a home telephone (for example cell phone only or no phone
at all), the use of caller ID to screen calls, unlisted phone numbers, and no one home at
the time of the call. Labor, expense, and time are all factors, but the best choice is an
unrepresentative sample.
As the planning director for a large city with a struggling downtown, you have decided to
undertake a SmartCode planning process. Which of the following public participation
tools would be the most appropriate?
A. Hold a public hearing
B. Host a design charrette
C. Create a downtown newsletter
D. Organize a stakeholder meeting - correct answerB. Host a design charrette
As part of the SmartCode procedures, a design charrette is held to determine the
pedestrian sheds, transects, and design guidelines for the planning area. Other
techniques could be useful, but the charrette is essential as part of the SmartCode
process.
You are a planner in California working on an integrated regional water management
plan. Priorities include maintaining and restoring water quality, the quantity of water
available for people and the environment, and environmental quality. You have
developed the public participation plan. Which of the following outreach strategies would
be best for communities possibly affected by environmental justice issues?
I. Build a list of contacts for these communities
II. Work with public agencies and non-profit staff to facilitate outreach efforts
III. Identify water agencies, irrigation districts in rural areas
IV. Place information, documents and other materials in local libraries
A. I only
B. I and II only
C. I, II, III only
D. I, II, III and IV - correct answerAll of these items should be a component of a public
outreach strategy intended to reach into communities that could be affected by
environmental justice issues.
The correct answer is: I, II, III and IV
As a federal planner with the Department of Defense, you are responsible for an
environmental restoration project at a military base. You are developing a public
,participation plan for engaging the base and stakeholders in the community the base is
located in. Which of the following should be principals guiding public participation?
I. Strive to create a process in which communities and federal agencies are seen as
partners in the dialogue on cleanup issues
II. Develop linkages among communities and public stakeholders, to share information
about how priorities are being set and decisions will be made
III. Produce results that restore the environment, while maintaining local community
needs
IV. Provide access to resources, information, and training, so that all stakeholders are
able to participate in decision-making
A. I only
B. I and II only
C. I, II, and III only
D. I, II, III, and IV - correct answerThe US EPA defines environmental justice as the "fair
treatment and meaningful involvement of all people, regardless of race, ethnicity,
culture, income, or education level with respect to development, implementation, and
enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies." In 1992, the Federal
Facilities Environmental Restoration Dialogue Committee offered these four guidelines
for stakeholder involvement in federal facility cleanup activities.
The correct answer is: I, II, III, and IV
As the planner responsible for a neighborhood planning process you have undertaken a
participatory process that allows the participants to assess project alternatives by
weighing the alternatives according to a group of citizen goals. This is known as a:
A. Delphi Technique
B. Planning Cell
C. Charrette
D. Coffee Klatch - correct answerA planning cell allows citizens to learn about, assess
and choose between multiple alternatives. Planning cells is a method for deliberation
developed by Dr. Dienel, and is designed to be a "micro-parliament." In a planning cell,
approximately twenty five people from various backgrounds work together to develop a
set of solutions to a problem delegated to the participants by a commissioning body.
The correct answer is: Planning Cell
You are working on a regional visioning process focused on economic, social,
environmental and growth issues that represents the values of the region. You want to
ensure broad public participation to make sure the region's values are captured. Which
of the following would be the best approach to gain public participation?
, A. Host community forums in eight subregions inviting community members to share
their values for the region.
B. Host a regional roundtable inviting public officials from across the region to come
together to share their values and priorities.
C. Host a vision fair where you invite the public to come together to prioritize goals.
D. Invite region residents to participate in a survey they provides three separate
scenarios of regional values to identify which one best resonates with the public. -
correct answerHosting community forums throughout the region would allow community
members to share their values early in the process. Engagement of public officials is
important, but only captures one type of stakeholder. It would be best to engage the
public before issuing a survey of value alternatives. Prioritizing goals would come after
values have been developed.
The correct answer is: Host community forums in eight subregions inviting community
members to share their values for the region.
You are leading a visioning process early on in the planning process to encourage
citizen involvement and you want to encourage everyone in the community to
participate. To have a highly successful visioning process which of the following is
critical?
A. Media involvement
B. Surveys people can complete
C. Child care for participants
D. Staff buy-in - correct answerMedia involvement will be critical for getting the word out
and encouraging inclusive participation. While the other factors are important and
should be part of a public engagement process, media attention is the most critical
factor to encourage participation and publicize the ongoing effort, according to Local
Planning: Contemporary Principles and Practices
The correct answer is: Media involvement
Your MPO received a HUD regional sustainability planning grant. As part of the grant
you are responsible for developing a Fair Housing Equity Assessment. In the
development of this assessment, you and your team have undertaken extensive public
engagement. During a focus group at a homeless shelter you hear from a family who
describes how they had their application for a lease of a rental unit denied and that the
reason the landlord gave is that he doesn't want people like them in his complex. Which
of the following would be the best response?
A. Advise all focus group participants that housing discrimination is prohibited under
Title VI of the Civil Rights Act and share how they can file a complaint with HUD.
B. Offer to speak to the family personally afterwards. Take down their information and
then make a call to the local HUD office to file a complaint and provide information on
the family.
