Washington State Department of Commerce

Transfer of Development Rights: A Regional Approach

June 2012

Overview

• TDR in Puget Sound• Regional TDR

Program/Alliance • Watershed Grants in

Puget Sound to implement the Puget Sound Partnership’s Action Agenda

3

TDR in Puget SoundExisting conservation TDR:• King County (1998/2001)• Redmond (1997)• Issaquah (2005)• Seattle (1998/2001)• Bellevue (2008)• Sammamish (2011)

• Kitsap County (2006)• Bainbridge Island (1996)

• Pierce County (2007)• Snohomish (2004/2008)• Arlington (2004)• Everett (1991/2006)

Issaquah

Focus on Regional Transfers• Sending areas – land designated by the counties as

sending areas that are:• Agricultural or forest land of long-term significance;• Rural land being farmed or managed for forestry;• Land whose conservation meets other state and

regionally adopted priorities; and• Land that is in current use as a

manufactured/mobile home park.

• Receiving areas - incorporated cities and towns

Regional TDR Alliance

Alliance Partners: Snohomish County, Pierce County, King County, Forterra, Puget Sound Regional Council, and Commerce to:• Implement and enhance county TDR programs• Build capacity in cities to receive development

rights from farms, forest land and open space• Provide information resources to cities and

counties• Interlocal Terms and Conditions Rule

TDR Project Grants for Cities$1 million in grants to 10 cities (*plus

$ from King County):• Arlington• Everett• Issaquah• Mountlake Terrace• Normandy Park*• Port Orchard • Puyallup*

• Seattle• Snohomish• Tacoma*

Watershed Protection and Restoration: Land Use and Working Lands

• Focus on working farm and forest lands, and vibrant cities:• Skagit County and

Burlington • King County and

Kirkland • Snohomish County

Lessons Learned: Inter-jurisdictional issues

• Benefits to cities for receiving density• Inclusion of sufficient

receiving areas and not too much sending area• Relationship to existing

density bonus menus

Lessons Learned: TDR Success Factors

Essential For Success• Demand for bonus development• Customized receiving areas

Extremely Important• Strict sending-area regulations• Few alternatives to TDR in receiving areas• Market incentivesSource: “What Makes TDRs Work?”, Pruetz and Standridge, JAPA, Winter 2009

Information on TDR and other related topics are

on our web site at: www.commerce.wa.gov/tdr

Or contactheather.ballash@commerce.wa.gov

(360) 725-3044