Purchase of Development Rights (PDR)

Purchase of development rights (PDR) programs take various forms in Virginia. In the simplest form, a locality will purchase a conservation easement from a landowner, typically at a price below market value—what, in tax terms, is usually referred to as either a “bargain sale” or a “part sale, part donation.” More complicated PDR programs actually involve the transfer of development rights from one landowner to another—known as “transfer of development rights” programs.

Many PDR programs in Virginia are managed by localities. However, other funding sources for the purchase of development rights exist at both the state and national levels. One prominent example is the Army Compatible Use Buffer (ACUB) program, which benefits properties in the vicinity of Fort Pickett and Fort A.P. Hill. An excellent resource for learning more about the rationale behind the ACUB program is “Compatible Use Buffers: A New Weapon to Battle Encroachment,” an article published in the October–December 2004 issue of Engineer magazine.

For more information about PDR programs generally, see the posts that follow.