American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) Practice Exam

What distinguishes a variance from other land entitlements?

1. Findings are not necessary with a variance

2. Variances are ministerially approved

3. Manufactured housing (mobile homes)

4. The absence of a hardship requirement

The correct answer is: The absence of a hardship requirement

A variance is a specific type of land use entitlement that allows for a deviation from the strict application of zoning regulations. What distinguishes a variance from other land entitlements is indeed the absence of a hardship requirement in certain contexts. While many jurisdictions require a demonstrated hardship to justify the granting of a variance, some do not necessarily mandate this requirement, focusing instead on the uniqueness of the property or the condition of the surrounding area. In many jurisdictions, the presence or absence of hardship as a requirement can greatly influence how variances are granted. Jurisdictions that maintain a more permissive view regarding hardship might allow property owners to obtain a variance more readily, while others may have stricter criteria. This flexibility can set variances apart from other land use approvals, which often have well-defined criteria that do not typically involve the subjective measure of hardship. The other choices presented do not accurately capture the distinguishing characteristics of a variance: - Certain jurisdictions do require specific findings to be made in order to approve a variance. - Variances are not typically approved ministerially; instead, they often undergo a legislative or quasi-judicial process, which might involve public hearings. - The mention of manufactured housing (mobile homes) does not convey a distinction specifically associated with the nature of vari