EnvironmentalIntermediateCalifornia Exam

Which of the following is the BEST description of a 'brownfield' site?

AAgricultural land converted to residential use, under California environmental disclosure law

BA vacant or underused property where redevelopment is complicated by real or perceived environmental contaminationCorrect

CA parcel in a wetland buffer zone, as required under standard hazard disclosure practice

DA property in a FEMA-designated floodplain, consistent with California environmental regulations

Why A vacant or underused property where redevelopment is complicated by real or perceived environmental contamination Is Correct

Answer B: A vacant or underused property where redevelopment is complicated by real or perceived environmental contamination

Brownfields are former commercial or industrial sites where redevelopment is hindered by actual or suspected contamination. Federal and state programs (EPA Brownfields Program, California's DTSC) provide funding and liability protection to encourage cleanup and reuse.

Exam Tip: Environmental

Environmental questions test knowledge of hazards like asbestos, lead-based paint, radon, and mold. Know the disclosure requirements and when a professional inspection is required. CERCLA liability is strict, joint, and several.

People Also Study

Key Terms to Know

Zoning

Local government regulations that control land use by dividing areas into zones specifying permitted uses, building sizes, and densities.

Variance

Official permission to use land in a way that does not conform to the applicable zoning ordinance, granted by a zoning board when strict enforcement would cause undue hardship.

Eminent Domain

The power of government to take private property for public use, with the requirement to pay the owner just compensation.

Adverse Possession

A doctrine by which a person can gain legal title to another's land by openly, continuously, and adversely occupying it for a statutory period.