Transfer of Development Rights

Transfer of Development Rights

Transfer of development rights will allow higher density development without going through the re-zoning process.  Developers can purchase inexpensive property in rural areas, or they can purchase the development rights from landowners with rural properties that have no intention for future development of their property.  They can then apply the density of the development rights to another property.

Example:  A developer wants to develop a 50-acre property zoned R-40.  Depending on the topography, streams or creeks located on the property and the roads, the yield or number of homes they can build will vary.  For this example let’s say that they will be able to build 45 homes on the 50 acres.  The developer can purchase property or purchase the development rights for that property.  For this example, the developer will purchase 200 acres in Waleska that is zoned agricultural (1 home on 2 acres).  The developer would be able to add 100 homes to the development bringing the total number of homes that can be built on the 50 acres to 145 homes.  Transfer of development rights would take away the rights of the area residents to oppose the increased density. 

My Plan: I do not support Transfer of Development Rights.  It is a terrible idea!  This would render our land-use plan useless and lead to uncontrollable growth.

There are tens of thousands of undeveloped acres in North Cherokee.  A large percentage was or is timber land and the land values are a fraction of the cost to purchase land in our district.

Transfer of development rights would take away the rights of the area residents to oppose the increased density.  Developers would be able to by-pass the re-zoning process which means that the commissioners would not be able to vote against the increased density.