NS Contract - Strategic Growth Rural Conservation Consultant Implementation Update Amendment

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~ ~ ~ STRATEGIC GROWTH AND RURAL CONSERVATION PROGRAM ~ Draft (10.1.20071 Island County, Washington. Literally a group of islands in Jeff Tate, Assistant Director the Puget Sound Region of Washington, Island County Planning Department discontinued its TDR program in 1995 after 11 years of (360) 679-7344 operation. Low participation rates on the development / JeffT@co.island.wa.us receiving side was the primary reason cited, with the result that only 88 acres were preserved. In 1998, the County started another program with significant input from the farming community called the Earned Development Credit (EDC) Program. This program, like TDR, allows farmers (and farmland owners only) to create a Farm Management Plan that, when adopted, guarantees that the farm will stay in use according to deed restriction, and that the property owner gets 0.2 EDU credits for every acre preserved. The owner can then sell each EDU credit or, more likely to occur, a owner uses a cre 1 Imse o construct on another piece of property elsewhere that he also owns. There are no designated Sending /Receiving Areas, although only areas zoned agricultural .can participate (about 80% of the land area of the County). Notable Features: Unlike the other examples, the EDU credits can be used for non- residential purposes like churches, country inns, mini-storage facilities, and restaurants, all of which have varying numbers of credits that would be required to develop the particular land use. Like the Orange County SGRC proposal, Island County does not serve as a broker or banker of credits. Unlike the Orange County program, only farmers can participate in generating EDU credits. Strong design guidelines are integral in mitigating density concerns from residents. Issues: The Island County program does not recognize differing development pressures to adjust its credit ratio, nor does it have established performance benchmarks or a dedicated tracking mechanism. The free market determines the worth of an EDU credit to the seller; however, in all cases thus far, the seller and buyer of credits has been the same person. . Pertormance: Years TDR Program in Effect: TDR in effect 14 years; EDU for 10 years Number of TDR Credits Created: 160 Acres Conserved: 800 Gallatin County, Montana. The Gallatin area is a Tim skop, Planner gateway into Yellowstone National Park as well as the Planning Department Bridger Bowl skiing area, both very popular tourist (406) 582-3130 destinations. TDR is used to transfer development rights in tim.skop@aallatin.mt.aov only three zoning districts currently, one of which is used primarily to allow higher densities of development closer to popular ski slopes, thereby reducing traffic on local roadways. The main incentive for participating in the program is the high development costs associated with providing roadway access and infrastructure to remote areas within the County. Clustering development is a requirement in two of the three zoning districts, with no more than 10% - 15% of Orange County, North Carolina . • •