GEOG 4823, Urban & Regional Planning

Fall 2005

Study Questions for the Final Exam

These questions are NOT intended to be an all-inclusive set of questions that may be included on the final exam. They are intended to be representative of the general topics that may be covered on the exam and the level of detail that students should give to the various topics. The final exam may include any material covered since the mid-term; this includes the class project and the lectures and readings related to land subdivision regulations, strategic planning, environmental land use planning, and economic development.

Land Subdivision Regulations

  1. Overview the phases through which subdivision regulations evolved in U. S. planning history.
  2. What is a plat? What does it show? How is it used in a planning context?
  3. Describe three common deficiencies in subdivision ordinances.
  4. List four types of things that are generally controlled in subdivision regulations, and describe why these are included in the regulations.
  5. In a land use planning context define the following: berm, cul-de-sac, detention basin, swale, zero lot line.
  6. What are exactions? Describe two general types of exactions and discuss the pros and cons of each.
  7. Describe the review processes involved in the preliminary plat and final plat approvals.

Environmental Land Use Planning

  1. What is the EPA, and when was it established?
  2. Briefly identify each of the following individuals and note his primary contribution to the history of environmental planning in the U.S.:
  3. What is the primary task of a planner in the process of environmental land planning?
  4. List three federal agencies that would be good sources of information for an environmental planner, and briefly describe the type of information that could be obtained from each of the agencies.
  5. Describe the two broad, primary goals of an environmental planner.
  6. What is land suitability analysis, and what is the general process used in such an analysis?
  7. What is an EIA, and what does the National Environmental Policy Act require to be in an EIA?

Economic Development

  1. Describe, according to economic base theory, the two types of economic activities and the multiplier effect.
  2. Briefly define the four sectors of the economy, and give an example of an economic activity in each sector.
  3. What are the three conditions necessary for spatial interaction?
  4. In the context of economic development define "business climate" and note some factors that would usually be observed to assess the business climate of a community.
  5. If you were hired by the city of Tahlequah to serve as an economic development planner, describe the fundamentals of the process you would use to improve the economic viability of the community.
  6. List five types of key leaders that should be included on an economic development steering committee, and describe why each would be included.
  7. In the context of economic development what is a "target industry", and how is a target industry selected?
  8. What are transfer payments, and how might their impact on a local economy be interpreted?
  9. Describe three ways that a planner can function as a "facilitator" in economic development.

Strategic Planning

  1. What, if any, are the major differences between "comprehensive planning" and "strategic planning"?
  2. Describe and explain the five major steps of the strategic planning process.

Class Project

  1. Explain (in about two paragraphs for each topic) an innovative change that could be made to improve the Oklahoma planning enabling legislation (and why this would be an iimprovement) in the areas of:
    a) state planning
    b) local, comprehensive planning
    c) zoning
    d) subdivision regulations
    e) environmental planning or natural hazards planning
    f) variances or appeals

Last revised December 4, 2005.