Verified applicable restrictions prohibit development on 0.8 acre of a 2.5-acre site. The remaining 1.7 acres are confirmed developable for the stated project, with no other area excluded. What percentage is developable?
Correct Answer
B) 68%
Developable portion=2.5−0.8=1.7 acres. Its share=1.7/2.5×100=68%. The restricted share is 32%, not the requested developable share. This follows the supplied actual restrictions and remaining-area facts, not a universal rule that every mapped wetland or easement is wholly unbuildable or has zero value.
Why This Is the Correct Answer
Option B is correct because the developable area is 2.5 - 0.8 = 1.7 acres, and 1.7 / 2.5 x 100 = 68%. The stem confirms that no other area is excluded, so 1.7 acres is the full developable portion. The percentage must be measured against the entire 2.5-acre site.
Why the Other Options Are Wrong
Option A: 47%
Option A, 47%, comes from dividing the restricted area by the developable area: 0.8 / 1.7 x 100 = 47%. That uses the wrong part and the wrong base; the developable share is 1.7 / 2.5 x 100 = 68%.
Option C: 72%
Option C, 72%, would require 1.8 developable acres (1.8 / 2.5 = 72%), which results from subtracting 0.7 instead of 0.8 acre. The correct calculation is (2.5 - 0.8) / 2.5 x 100 = 68%.
Option D: 32%
Option D, 32%, is the restricted share: 0.8 / 2.5 x 100 = 32%. The question asks for the developable share, which is 1.7 / 2.5 x 100 = 68%.
Part over whole
A percentage share is the part you want divided by the whole. Find the right part first (developable, not restricted), then divide by the total site.
How to use: Use this whenever a question gives an excluded area and asks for the remaining share.
Exam Tip
Check which share the question asks for and which base it uses; the restricted and developable percentages of the whole site add to 100%, and both often appear as options.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- -Reporting the restricted share (32%) instead of the developable share
- -Dividing by the developable area instead of by the total site
- -Assuming restricted land has zero value without market support
Concept Deep Dive
Analysis
This question tests whether you can convert a land-area fact into the share actually requested. Subtract the restricted 0.8 acre from the 2.5-acre site to get 1.7 developable acres, then divide by the whole site. The traps are answering with the restricted share or dividing by the wrong base.
Background Knowledge
Appraisers often analyze how legal or physical restrictions reduce the usable portion of a site. Zoning and other restrictions can govern permitted uses, density, setbacks and building height, and the effect on value depends on the actual restriction rather than a blanket assumption that restricted land is worthless.
Real-World Application
An appraiser values a 2.5-acre commercial parcel where a verified conservation restriction covers 0.8 acre. The appraiser reports that 68% of the site is developable and then analyzes how the smaller buildable area affects the site's highest and best use and value.
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