Abstract

Problem, research strategy, and findings

Transfer of development rights (TDR) programs are land preservation programs that promise to conserve land in its current use by allowing landowners to sell development rights on their parcels. Using Montgomery County (MD) as an example, I examine how development patterns evolve under a TDR program and how well this program delivers its promise of permanent preservation. Montgomery County is a national model as one of the most successful TDR programs in the United States. After matching the digitized TDR transaction records with land use/land cover maps, I found a clear effect of the program on encouraging agricultural land and forest preservation. However, scattered development patterns have also emerged in the TDR sending area. The TDR program showed promising effects on preserving agricultural land and forest but also insufficiency in advancing desirable development patterns and ensuring permanent conservation.

Takeaway for practice

Planners should be cautious about the putative advantages of land preservation through TDR programs. Such efforts may not engender the desired outcomes. Owing to the unbridled pressure for development in large metropolitan areas, attempting to maintain land for agricultural and forest use perpetually in their suburbs is financially challenging. Thus, planners should enhance their endeavors to track the actual preservation achieved by TDR programs and discern whether sprawling patterns start to emerge in the TDR sending areas. I also discuss specific design features that planners can use in land preservation programs to improve their effectiveness.

中文翻译：

---

发展权转让计划下的土地保护

摘要

问题，研究策略和发现

发展权转让计划（TDR）是一项土地保留计划，承诺允许土地所有者在其土地上出售发展权，以保护其当前使用的土地。以蒙哥马利县（MD）为例，我研究了TDR计划下的开发模式是如何演变的，以及该计划如何实现其永久保存的承诺。蒙哥马利县是美国最成功的TDR计划之一，堪称全国典范。在将数字化的TDR交易记录与土地使用/土地覆盖图进行匹配之后，我发现该计划在鼓励农业用地和森林保护方面具有明显的效果。但是，在TDR发送地区也出现了分散的发展模式。

外卖练习

计划者应谨慎对待通过TDR计划保留土地的假定优势。这样的努力可能不会产生预期的结果。由于大都市区的发展面临巨大压力，因此试图在其郊区永久保留用于农业和森林的土地在财务上具有挑战性。因此，规划者应加强努力，跟踪TDR计划实现的实际保存，并确定TDR发送地区是否开始出现蔓延模式。我还将讨论计划人员可以在土地保护计划中使用的特定设计功能，以提高其有效性。