Project Overview

What is TDR?

Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) is a land use tool that municipalities can use to preserve certain areas from development while shifting development towards other areas that can accommodate growth, ensuring that property owners are allowed to realize appropriate value of their land. In combination with zoning measures, TDR is a voluntary and market-based strategy that municipalities can use to preserve agricultural land, protect sensitive environmental areas, protect historical buildings or protect flood prone areas.

TDR to achieve additional land use planning goals.

By combining TDR with smart growth principles, municipalities can achieve other important sustainability and economic development objectives. By transferring development from low-density preservation areas to areas with greater densities and mixes of uses, possibly downtown areas or Transit Oriented Development (TOD) areas, one can reduce vehicle miles of travel in a community and generate greater economic activity with lower infrastructure costs, in addition to the conservation benefits.

Goal of the TDR Toolbox.

The purpose of the TDR Toolbox is to provide an overview of different types of TDR programs, assist New York municipalities in implementing an appropriate TDR process for their communities and facilitate the establishment of TDR ordinances. Enabling legislation exists at the state level that allows local municipalities to establish their own TDR program through zoning, however, there have been relatively few applications in New York State. The intent of the TDR Toolbox is to provide guidance on how municipalities can coordinate TDR programs with local zoning regulations and the State Environmental Quality Review (SEQR) process.