A 5-acre parcel has FAR 2.0, expressly defined as total permitted gross floor area divided by full site area. Using 43560 SF per acre, what is the FAR ceiling? A separate parking requirement does not change this denominator; ignore other constraints for this arithmetic.
Correct Answer
C) 435,600 square feet
Site area=5×43560=217800 SF; FAR ceiling=217800×2.0=435600 SF. Common errors: reporting the site area instead of the permitted floor area gives 217,800 square feet; dividing by the FAR instead of multiplying gives 108,900 square feet; misplacing the decimal in the FAR gives 4,356,000 square feet.
Why This Is the Correct Answer
Option C is correct because the site area is 5 × 43,560 = 217,800 SF, and the FAR ceiling is 217,800 × 2.0 = 435,600 SF. Since FAR is defined as floor area divided by full site area, multiplying the site area by the FAR gives the maximum permitted floor area. The stem directs that parking and other constraints be ignored for this calculation.
Why the Other Options Are Wrong
Option A: 108,900 square feet
Option A is wrong because 108,900 square feet comes from dividing the site area by the FAR (217,800 ÷ 2.0) instead of multiplying. The ceiling is 217,800 × 2.0 = 435,600 square feet.
Option B: 217,800 square feet
Option B is wrong because 217,800 square feet is just the site area (5 × 43,560), not the permitted floor area. Applying the FAR gives 217,800 × 2.0 = 435,600 square feet.
Option D: 4,356,000 square feet
Option D is wrong because 4,356,000 square feet comes from misplacing the decimal in the FAR and multiplying by 20 instead of 2.0 (217,800 × 20). The correct ceiling is 217,800 × 2.0 = 435,600 square feet.
Site times FAR equals floor
Convert the site to square feet, then multiply by the FAR to find the maximum floor area.
How to use: Use this for any FAR question that asks for the maximum building size.
Exam Tip
Convert acres to square feet first, and multiply by the FAR rather than dividing.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- -Reporting the site area as the permitted floor area
- -Dividing site area by the FAR
- -Misplacing the decimal point in the FAR
Concept Deep Dive
Analysis
This question tests floor area ratio arithmetic using a stated definition. FAR is total permitted gross floor area divided by site area, so the ceiling equals site area times FAR. The parcel must first be converted from acres to square feet.
Background Knowledge
Zoning regulations address density or intensity of use, and floor area ratio is a common way to limit building intensity. FAR expresses the relationship between a building's gross floor area and the area of its site. Other constraints such as height limits, setbacks and parking requirements may further limit what can actually be built.
Real-World Application
An appraiser analyzing a 5-acre commercial site for highest and best use checks the zoning FAR to estimate maximum buildable floor area. The appraiser then considers parking, height and setback rules that may reduce what is feasible.
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