King County’s Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) program is a voluntary, incentive-based land use program that uses markets to help conserve rural lands. The program helps private landowners of 'sending sites' (areas designated for conservation) achieve an economic return through the sale of development rights to 'receiving sites' being developed in urbanized areas.

The County’s TDR program allows individuals to purchase and sell residential development rights from farms, forests, open space, and regional trails as well as designated urban separator lands.

Landowners who enroll in the program and sell their development rights receive financial compensation without having to develop or sell their land. When development rights are sold from a particular portion of a property, that portion is permanently protected through a conservation easement. Landowners can also retain some development rights on their property for future use.

The transferred development rights are typically purchased by developers to be used for additional housing units in areas within the County’s designated urban growth areas where higher density development is more appropriate.

The number of transferable development rights allocated to landowners enrolled in the program is based on the property’s underlying zoning – and is usually greater than the number of units allowed under existing zoning. Since program inception, development rights have sold for between $10,000 and $24,500.

The following types of property can qualify as a TDR Sending Sites:

•    Agricultural Production District lands with 'A' zoning;

•    Forest Production District lands with 'F' zoning’

•    Rural properties with 'RA' zoning;

•    Lands within the Rural Forest Focus Areas;

•    Designated urban separator lands zoned R-1;

•    Habitat for threatened or endangered species.

To date the TDR program has preserved over 91,000 acres of land or almost 143 square miles.

For more information contact:

Darren Greve
TDR Program Manager
206-263-0435
darren.greve@kingcounty.gov

or

Visit the King County TDR program website at: http://dnr.metrokc.gov/wlr/tdr/