1
ARE 5.0: PA Questions with Correct Answers
| Updated (100% Correct Answers)
A project site has 50,000 sf of land and 10,000 sf of gross building
floor area. The zoning ordinance has a required ratio of 3 sf of
parking area to 1 sf of gross building area. How many parking
spaces are required at 400 sf/car? Answer: 75
3:1 = ___:10,000
30,000/400 = 75
general amount of square footage dedicated to parking space
Answer: 300-400 sqft
(350 sqft is best to use in equations)
typical drive aisle width in a parking lot Answer: 24 feet
typical parking space dimensions Answer: 9' x 19' (WxL)
The higher this value, the better the material's chances of reducing
the heat island effect Answer: SRI (Solar Reflectance Index)
Maximum length corridor with a dead end Answer: 20 ft
charged to specific project/bonds/insurance/temp
facilities/permits/transportation Answer: Project Overhead
© 2025 All rights reserved
,2
cannot be attributed to project/rent/utilities/advertising/office
supplies/legal expenses Answer: General Overhead
A negotiable loan (debt security) issued by a government entity
Answer: 'bond' in financing
a municipal bond that uses legally available resources to repay bond
holders; funds public projects/no revenue/voter approval/repaid via
property taxes
Ex: School Answer: General Obligation Bond
Funds public project/yes revenue/re aid via revenue.
Ex. Airport Answer: Public Enterprise Revenue Bond
used for purchase of land that developer intends to subdivide and
resell Answer: Blanket loan
secured by property purchased Answer: Conventional mortgage
short term loan used to close quickly on property or to finance
project that must begin immediately Answer: Bridge loan
large loans with variable interest often used by developers/ stock in
developers company is used as collateral Answer: Mezzanine loan
based on value of property Answer: Hard Money loan
© 2025 All rights reserved
,3
a program that enables cities to use tax revenues generated by a
development project to help finance the construction of the new
private project through bonds given to developers and/or direct tax
incentives Answer: Tax Increment Financing (TIF)
Fees imposed on developers in order to pay for the improvements
to off-site infrastructure (such as roads, utilities, etc) that the new
development make necessary. Answer: Development Impact Fees
usually consist of several small convenience and specialty stores
Ex: Groceries as an anchor, Avg: 40,000 sf Answer: Neighborhood
Center
designed to serve an area within a 3 to 5 mile radius with a wider
variety of merchandise than a neighborhood center
Ex: Large supermarket, Avg: 150,000 sf Answer: Community Center
a shopping center that contains between 300,000 and 750,000
square feet in gross leasable area and contains at least one full-line
department store
Ex: Malls Answer: Regional Center
excellent for construction drainage and sewage Answer: Gravel
A mixture of rich soil and tiny rocks/very porous/unstable when
wet/swells and heaves when frozen Answer: Silt
© 2025 All rights reserved
, 4
finest soil/very porous/poor for foundation and
landscaping/unsuitable for sewage Answer: Clay
Extensive deposits of partially decayed organic material often
formed primarily from the wetland moss Sphagnum/excellent for
landscaping/unsuitable for foundations/usually need to be removed
Answer: Peat
A grassy sloped ditch that filters the storm runoff as it is directed
away from a building or padded area; it allows water to seep into
the ground and helps recharge the aquifers Answer: Bioswale
A closed depression in the earth (pond) from which water can
escape only into the soil; recharges groundwater Answer: Infiltration
Basin
Determined by: occupancy group/construction type/zoning/fire
suppression Answer: Height Allowance
emphasized retention and repair/character preserved/no chemical
treatments/avoid altering internal spaces/preserve changes
throughout history/some leeway to replace damaged materials
Answer: Rehabilitation
property as record of time, place, use/permits removal of materials
from time periods that are not most significant/replace features
Answer: Restoration
© 2025 All rights reserved
ARE 5.0: PA Questions with Correct Answers
| Updated (100% Correct Answers)
A project site has 50,000 sf of land and 10,000 sf of gross building
floor area. The zoning ordinance has a required ratio of 3 sf of
parking area to 1 sf of gross building area. How many parking
spaces are required at 400 sf/car? Answer: 75
3:1 = ___:10,000
30,000/400 = 75
general amount of square footage dedicated to parking space
Answer: 300-400 sqft
(350 sqft is best to use in equations)
typical drive aisle width in a parking lot Answer: 24 feet
typical parking space dimensions Answer: 9' x 19' (WxL)
The higher this value, the better the material's chances of reducing
the heat island effect Answer: SRI (Solar Reflectance Index)
Maximum length corridor with a dead end Answer: 20 ft
charged to specific project/bonds/insurance/temp
facilities/permits/transportation Answer: Project Overhead
© 2025 All rights reserved
,2
cannot be attributed to project/rent/utilities/advertising/office
supplies/legal expenses Answer: General Overhead
A negotiable loan (debt security) issued by a government entity
Answer: 'bond' in financing
a municipal bond that uses legally available resources to repay bond
holders; funds public projects/no revenue/voter approval/repaid via
property taxes
Ex: School Answer: General Obligation Bond
Funds public project/yes revenue/re aid via revenue.
Ex. Airport Answer: Public Enterprise Revenue Bond
used for purchase of land that developer intends to subdivide and
resell Answer: Blanket loan
secured by property purchased Answer: Conventional mortgage
short term loan used to close quickly on property or to finance
project that must begin immediately Answer: Bridge loan
large loans with variable interest often used by developers/ stock in
developers company is used as collateral Answer: Mezzanine loan
based on value of property Answer: Hard Money loan
© 2025 All rights reserved
,3
a program that enables cities to use tax revenues generated by a
development project to help finance the construction of the new
private project through bonds given to developers and/or direct tax
incentives Answer: Tax Increment Financing (TIF)
Fees imposed on developers in order to pay for the improvements
to off-site infrastructure (such as roads, utilities, etc) that the new
development make necessary. Answer: Development Impact Fees
usually consist of several small convenience and specialty stores
Ex: Groceries as an anchor, Avg: 40,000 sf Answer: Neighborhood
Center
designed to serve an area within a 3 to 5 mile radius with a wider
variety of merchandise than a neighborhood center
Ex: Large supermarket, Avg: 150,000 sf Answer: Community Center
a shopping center that contains between 300,000 and 750,000
square feet in gross leasable area and contains at least one full-line
department store
Ex: Malls Answer: Regional Center
excellent for construction drainage and sewage Answer: Gravel
A mixture of rich soil and tiny rocks/very porous/unstable when
wet/swells and heaves when frozen Answer: Silt
© 2025 All rights reserved
, 4
finest soil/very porous/poor for foundation and
landscaping/unsuitable for sewage Answer: Clay
Extensive deposits of partially decayed organic material often
formed primarily from the wetland moss Sphagnum/excellent for
landscaping/unsuitable for foundations/usually need to be removed
Answer: Peat
A grassy sloped ditch that filters the storm runoff as it is directed
away from a building or padded area; it allows water to seep into
the ground and helps recharge the aquifers Answer: Bioswale
A closed depression in the earth (pond) from which water can
escape only into the soil; recharges groundwater Answer: Infiltration
Basin
Determined by: occupancy group/construction type/zoning/fire
suppression Answer: Height Allowance
emphasized retention and repair/character preserved/no chemical
treatments/avoid altering internal spaces/preserve changes
throughout history/some leeway to replace damaged materials
Answer: Rehabilitation
property as record of time, place, use/permits removal of materials
from time periods that are not most significant/replace features
Answer: Restoration
© 2025 All rights reserved
