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 answer: Town 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 answer: Consensus 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 answer: Coalition 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 answer: B. 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 answer: B. 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 answer: All 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