ALACHUA COUNTY, FL - As part of the reorganization of the County’s Growth Management website (click here to view), the “Department Spotlight” on the main page now features a link to the County’s Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) program information and application materials (click here to view). Applicants wishing to sell development rights from their property can now fill out the application online to submit to Department staff (click here to view).
The TDR program allows owners of certain agricultural and conservation properties (generally 160 acres or greater) within the County’s unincorporated area to offer for sale the development rights for their property. The development rights can then be purchased by anyone wishing to reduce the amount of open space area required as part of their mixed-use or non-residential development project within the County’s Urban Cluster (the area targeted for more compact, higher density development surrounding the City of Gainesville). The rights is placed on the ‘sending property’ restricting its future development and the property owner agrees to a County initiated rezoning of the property to ‘TDR Sending District’ on the County’s Zoning Map.
“When done correctly, a TDR program can be a win-win for everyone involved,” said Growth Management Director Steve Lachnicht. “Sellers can keep their land while getting an economic return comparable to what they could get if they sold their land for development, buyers can maximize the developable area of their site for a greater return on their investment, and the County is able to preserve its most significant agricultural and conservation areas at little cost to the public.”
By placing the application materials online potential sellers can submit their property for consideration by County staff, who will then determine how many development rights are available for sale and place the available rights on a ‘Potential Sellers’ list. Interested buyers will then be able to contact potential sellers directly to negotiate a purchase.
For more information on the TDR program, contact Missy Daniels (mdaniels@alachuacounty.us) or Holly Banner (hbanner@alachuacounty.us) with the Alachua County Growth Management Department at 352-374-5249.