The city’s Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) program is required to fulfill open space requirements of the expansion of the Black Diamond City Limits in the 1990’s. Much of the land developer OakPointe owns but has not yet developed can only be developed to their desired density if they acquire Development Rights Certificates (DRCs).

These DRCs come from selling TDRs on certain properties the city has designated as a priority to protect. These are mostly wetland and stream buffers. When the developer purchases a TRD, a conservation easement is recorded on the selling property. This easement is to ensure that no future development will ever seek an exception to develop or harm natural state or the property.

Information on the Status of Black Diamond’s TDR Program.

Details on the number of TDR’s sold and potentially available are difficult to find. The TDR program is mentioned in the Comprehensive Plan, but details of how much future housing is affected by TDRs is not provided. Public Records Requests to the city would be one way to get more information.