Published online by Cambridge University Press: 10 May 2017
Present land use control mechanisms are seen as inadequate for the preservation of open space, agricultural land, and other “uneconomic” uses of land. Many proposals have been cited as possible solutions to the problems created by present land use control mechanisms. The transfer of development rights (hereafter known as TDR's) is one such proposal. This mechanism for land use control can be of several forms. There are severe theoretical and practical problems, to be discussed, which a transfer of development rights program must overcome if it is to function in practical application.
This paper results from research project funds of NE-125, “Socioeconomic Factors and Rural Land Use.” The authors would like to acknowledge the helpful comments put forth by Marilyn Altobello, Robert Leonard, Edmund Jansen, and Paul Bruns. Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station Contribution No. 762 and Scientific Contribution No. 970 of the New Hampshire Agricultural Experiment Station.