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5. Transfer of Development Rights (TDR1 Implementation Planning Director Craig Benedict introduced this item. He introduced Scott Lane and Lisa Murphy with The Louis Berger Group. In 2005, the County hired the consultant to do a TDR feasibility study in two phases. It was determined that a TDR program could be feasible in Orange County. There were funds set-aside during the last budget cycle to continue with the consultant to work on the implementation phase. The survey questions that the County Commissioners filled out will lead the consultant team and the TDR staff team to determine how to design the eventual implementation program. Scott Lane said that this is a groundbreaking program, because no one in North Carolina actually does this yet. He made reference to the survey and said that the most important questions are numbers 1 and 4. Scott Lane asked for feedback on question 1, "What should TDR Sending Area priorities be for land preservation?" The listed priorities were as follows: Farmland, Water Supply Watersheds, Historic Properties, Wildlife Habitat, Parks and Recreation, and Other. She said that the goals of what to preserve in TDR are very similar to what is being preserved in the Lands Legacy program. Scott Lane said that the issue with TDR is whether it better preserves some of these things than others. Commissioner Jacobs listed his priorities as prime farmland, critical areas and water supply watersheds, national register and historic properties, and significant identified natural areas instead of wildlife habitat. Chair Carey said that he was the only one that filled out the survey and he thought they were doing this to give the staff some idea of the top priorities. Scott Lane asked for feedback on question 4, "What constitutes `success' by end of near 3 of the TDR Program?" Chair Carey said that he thinks that three years is reasonable, because it puts pressure on the County to do education as soon as possible so that people understand what this is all about. Commissioner Jacobs said that he would constitute success as the program being accepted and used. Laura Blackmon asked if the Board would want to reevaluate the program after three years. Commissioner Gordon said to evaluate it after three years, see if it is being accepted and used, and see if there can be a more strategic approach. Commissioner Jacobs said that one thing that has come up is whether it would be feasible to have more density in the rural activity nodes so that people would have shopping, etc., available without having to go from Cedar Grove to Hillsborough in order to get milk. Chair Carey said that he agrees with the comments and he would like to evaluate this every year. Laura Blackmon said that this might be an interesting incentive for economic development. She said that maybe residential should not be traded for residential when one of the major goals is going to be economic development. Craig Benedict said that certain high-density residential rentals are commercial tax base. He said that they would not suggest having single-family residential development in an economic development area, but possibly a higher density residential with a mixed use component might be a possibility. Commissioner Gordon asked for more specificity and the pros and cons of question #2, "What should TDR Receiving Area priorities be for types of increased development?". She said that she needs to think about this more before giving a response.