Name: American Planning Association AICP Exam
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Question 1

Scenario

A site application is complete and is about to go before the planning commission. You have a conflict of interest because you personally own property near the proposed site and stand to benefit from the increase in property value that the new development is projected to generate. If you are the only planner in the community what might you do?

AYou are definitely conflicted in this case. So first issue is to recognize this financial conflict of interest and disclose it. (Rule of Conduct 6) You have 2 options. One option is to get approval of your supervisor with full written disclosure as to your personal interest. You may get consent in writing to move forward and complete the review.
The second option is to hire an independent consultant to review the situation. It is good policy for a planning department to pre-qualify consultants for such situations so that the matter can be expeditiously turned over. This may also be a good route to take if the applicant is a member of the city council and has hiring authority over the planner.

BYou are definitely conflicted in this case. So first issue is to recognize this financial conflict of interest and disclose it. (Rule of Conduct 8) You have 4 options. One option is to get approval of your supervisor with full written disclosure as to your personal interest. You may get consent in writing to move forward and complete the review.
The second option is to hire an independent consultant to review the situation. It is good policy for a planning department to pre-qualify consultants for such situations so that the matter can be expeditiously turned over. This may also be a good route to take if the applicant is a member of the city council and has hiring authority over the planner.

Answer : A

Question 2

Scenario

The owner of the local NFL football team tells the mayor through the press that he will relocate his team unless the city builds a new stadium and practice field. The mayor wants the team to stay because his campaign platform included a promise to keep the team in the community. He asks you, the planning director, to evaluate the costs and benefits of building a new stadium. The planning staff does the analysis and demonstrates that large-scale public investment in a new stadium makes no economic sense and may lead to bankruptcy. What might you do?

AAs with any analysis, verify the facts and assumptions made in the analysis and be sure that all appropriate procedures were used. Write the report accurately despite the fact that it may be embarrassing to the mayor. However, before presenting the report publicly, as with any report and because you are sensitive to the mayor's dilemma, it would be best to first to reveal its contents to the mayor. Should the situation be politically charged, you might recommend having a consultant revisit the analysis and present the findings to the mayor. The mayor may be more willing to consider alternatives when they are presented by a paid, independent, expert consultant rather than by staff (Ethical Principle 4) Suppose the mayor, upon learning about your report, refuses to make it public and makes plans to go ahead with the construction of a new stadium. Then, it may be time to resign. Or, it may be time to release the information to the media because of your responsibility to the public regarding the long-range consequences of actions, which may obviously put your job in jeopardy (Ethical Principle 1; Rule of Conduct 8)
Suppose the mayor pressures you to alter your findings and report favorably on the potential impacts of the stadium. Then you might engage in a frank discussion with the mayor and suggest some alternatives. The mayor may, for example, discard the idea in favor of a proposal to conduct significant renovations to the existing facility. Suppose you see that the information about how bad the new stadium might be for the community as a whole as well as information about the pressure being applied by the mayor might be helpful in preventing the mayor from winning reelection. And suppose you do not personally want to see this mayor reelected. As a planning director, you may NOT use the information to your personal advantage, and, for example, go directly to the press with the results of the analysis (Rule of Conduct 5)
Suppose you are indifferent as to the mayor's election but believe that this course of action will bankrupt the community. To prevent a substantial injury to the public, you could still go to the press after verifying all facts and seeking reconsideration of the matter

BAs with any analysis, verify the facts and assumptions made in the analysis and be sure that all appropriate procedures were used. Write the report accurately despite the fact that it may be embarrassing to the mayor. However, before presenting the report publicly, as with any report and because you are sensitive to the mayor's dilemma, it would be best to first to reveal its contents to the mayor. Should the situation be politically charged, you might recommend having a consultant revisit the analysis and present the findings to the mayor. The mayor may be more willing to consider alternatives when they are presented by a paid, independent, expert consultant rather than by staff (Ethical Principle 2) Suppose the mayor, upon learning about your report, refuses to make it public and makes plans to go ahead with the construction of a new stadium. Then, it may be time to resign. Or, it may be time to release the information to the media because of your responsibility to the public regarding the long-range consequences of actions, which may obviously put your job in jeopardy (Ethical Principle 1; Rule of Conduct 7)
Suppose the mayor pressures you to alter your findings and report favorably on the potential impacts of the stadium. Then you might engage in a frank discussion with the mayor and suggest some alternatives. The mayor may, for example, discard the idea in favor of a proposal to conduct significant renovations to the existing facility. Suppose you see that the information about how bad the new stadium might be for the community as a whole as well as information about the pressure being applied by the mayor might be helpful in preventing the mayor from winning reelection. And suppose you do not personally want to see this mayor reelected. As a planning director, you may NOT use the information to your personal advantage, and, for example, go directly to the press with the results of the analysis (Rule of Conduct 7)
Suppose you are indifferent as to the mayor's election but believe that this course of action will bankrupt the community. To prevent a substantial injury to the public, you could still go to the press after verifying all facts and seeking reconsideration of the matter

Answer : B

Question 3

Scenario

You are responsible for recommending contracts to the city council. Your immediate supervisor has asked you to prepare a recommendation for a large contract for an individual you know is a good friend of your supervisor. After reviewing the contract, you conclude that the contract amount is not commensurate with the scope of work provided. You believe the contract is a waste of taxpayer dollars if it were to be granted. What might you do first?

AThe first thing to do might be to carefully review the data and procedures used in the analysis for accuracy and completeness (Ethical Principle 1). You should document everything during this entire process such as the date and nature of your supervisor's request and the sources of data used to draw the conclusion that the consultant's price is too high. Then write your report and submit it to your supervisor.

BThe first thing to do might be to carefully review the data and procedures used in the analysis for accuracy and completeness (Ethical Principle 7). You should document everything during this entire process such as the date and nature of your supervisor's request and the sources of data used to draw the conclusion that the consultant's price is too high.

Answer : A

Question 4

A private sector planner is preparing a site plan. He intends to secure local government approval for his client's development project since it could lead to additional work for him in the subsequent phases of the project. According to the AICP Code of Ethics:

AThis constitutes a conflict of interest

BThere is no conflict of interest in this case.

CThe Code has no provision for conflict of interest.

DThere is a conflict of interest only if the planner holds a law degree.

Answer : B

Note that this definitely does not suggest that a private sector planner need not comply with the Code of Ethics. (See introduction to AICP Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct.) All members of the AICP must abide by the provisions of the Code.

Question 5

You are the planning director in a small town. Your husband runs the local country club and is applying for construction of a new swimming pool. This application will be reviewed by the planning commission for approval. What will you do?

AInvite the planning commission to tour the country club to see exactly where the pool will be built.

BAsk your husband to offer complimentary memberships to all commissioners.

CInform the commission about your connection to the situation and remove yourself from the review process.

DWrite an extensive staff report about the benefits of the pool for the community.

Answer : C

See Rule of Conduct 6. Remove yourself from the process completely so that you do not in any way influence the members of your staff or the consultants who might review the application.

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American Planning Association AICP Sample Exam Questions

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