American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) Practice Exam

What regulatory tool can be used to establish overlay districts for specific areas?

1. Zoning ordinances

2. Building codes

3. Environmental regulations

4. Private covenants

The correct answer is: Zoning ordinances

Zoning ordinances serve as a primary regulatory tool for establishing overlay districts in specific areas. An overlay district is a zoning designation that is applied on top of an existing zoning classification, allowing for additional regulations or development standards that can address particular community needs, concerns, or goals. For example, overlay districts may be used to protect historic neighborhoods, enhance environmental sustainability, or control development in sensitive areas. Zoning ordinances provide the legal framework and authority for local governments to implement these overlay districts through established procedures, ensuring that the additional regulations are enforceable and consistent with broader land use policies. Overlay districts thus allow for flexibility in planning and zoning while also addressing unique attributes or challenges of a specific location. Other options, such as building codes and environmental regulations, focus on structural safety and environmental protections, respectively, but do not specifically pertain to the creation or governance of zoning overlays. Private covenants are agreements among property owners that establish certain conditions or restrictions on land use, but these are not formal regulatory tools like zoning ordinances and cannot create overlay districts at a municipal level.