TDR Handbook (ePub)

"e;Transfer of DevelopmRights"e; (TDR) programs allow local governments to put economic principles to work in encouraging good land use planning. TDR programs moften permit landowners to forfeit developmrights in areas targeted for preservation and then sell those developmrights to buyers who want to increase the density of developmin areas designated as growth areas by local authorities. Although TDR programs must conform to zoning laws, they provide market incentives that make them more equitable (and often more lucrative) for sellers and frequently benefit buyers by allowing them to receive prior approval for their high-density developmplans. Since the 1970s when modern TDR applications were first conceived, more than 200 communities in 33 states across the U.S. have implemented TDR-based programs. The mcommon uses of TDR to date involve protecting farmland, environmentally sensitive land, historic sites, and "e;rural character,"e; and urban revitalization. Until now, however, there has never been a clearly written, one-volume book on the subject. At last, The TDR Handbook provides a comprehensive guide to every aspect of TDR programs, from the thinking behind them to the nuts and bolts of implementation-including statutory guidance, model ordinances, suggestions for program administration, and comparisons with other types of preservation programs. In addition, six of its twenty chapters are devoted to case studies of all major uses to which TDR programs have been utilized to date, including recurban revitalization projects that utilize TDR principles.