Which term describes physical assets constructed or purchased to provide, improve, or replace a public facility, and which are typically large scale and high cost?

• A. Land use
• B. Capital improvement
• C. Concurrency rules
• D. Concurrency elements

Answer: (B)

Capital improvements are physical assets constructed or purchased to provide, improve, or replace a public facility, and they’re typically large in scale and high in cost. Think of projects like building a new road, expanding a library, upgrading a water system, or constructing a new school. These investments extend the life or increase the capacity of public infrastructure and are usually funded through long-term financing and capital budgets rather than regular operating funds. Routine maintenance or minor repairs aren’t capital improvements because they don’t add capacity or extend life.

The other terms describe different ideas: land use is about how land is designated and developed, not the assets themselves; concurrency rules are the standards ensuring facilities exist before or as development occurs, and concurrency elements are parts of that framework. The described term is capital improvement.