Tallahassee-Leon County Wakulla Springs Initiative
Transfer of Development Units System, No Net Increase in Dwelling Units, and
No New Urban Fringe in the Primary Springs Protection Zone
The figure below identifies the Primary Springs Protection Zone and the receiving area for transfer of development units (Woodville Rural Community). The receiving area is defined by the Woodville Rural Community designation on the Future Land Use Map. As such, the area eligible to receive units can expand in the future if local government designates additional Woodville Rural Community. However, according to the adopted policy such action would require the concurrent protection of lands in the sending area sufficient to result in no net increase in allowed dwelling units. The figure below also identifies the sending areas (Urban Fringe and Rural) and the rate that dwelling units (DU) can be transferred out of these areas.
Example #1
A landowner is interested in developing a 5-acre parcel adjacent to the existing Woodville Rural Community. The parcel is currently designated as Rural. To apply for a Comprehensive Plan amendment to go from Rural to Woodville Rural Community, the landowner would need to place a conservation easement (buy development rights) on other Rural or Urban Fringe lands inside the protection zone based on the calculations below.
Existing: 5 acres of Rural (1 unit/ 10 acres) = 0.5 Potential Dwelling Units
Proposed: 5 acres of WRC (4 units/1 acre) = 20 Potential Dwelling Units
Total Increase in Units = 19.5 Potential Dwelling Units
In order for the change to result in no net increase in potential dwelling units, the landowner will need to purchase conservation easements on other Rural or Urban Fringe areas in the protection zone. The calculations below show the conversion rates.
Rural land (1 unit/ 10 acres) x (19.5 units) = 195 acres
Urban Fringe (1 unit/ 1.33 acre)* x (19.5 units) =14.6 acres
The policy also allows for increased density inside areas already designated as Woodville Rural Community without going through a Comprehensive Plan amendment. The Comprehensive Plan allows the maximum density in Woodville Rural Community to increase from 4 dwelling units/acre to 8 dwelling units/acre when the additional units are transferred from the sending areas. This option is currently not available as the central sewer facilities needed to develop at densities greater than 2 dwelling units/acre are not available in Woodville. Additional regulations in the Land Development Code will also be needed to guide this program when it becomes available.
Example #2
A landowner is interested in developing a 5-acre area already inside Woodville Rural Community at 8 dwelling units/acre. The landowner will need to place a conservation easement (buy development rights) on Rural or Urban Fringe lands inside the protection zone based on the calculations below.
Existing: 5 acres of WRC (4 units/ acre) = 20 Potential Dwelling Units
Proposed: 5 acres of WRC (8 untis/ acre) = 40 Potential Dwelling Units
Total Increase in Units =20 Potential Dwelling Units
The conservation easement size needed to result in no net increase in units is provided below. A mix of easements on Rural and Urban Fringe would also be allowed.
Rural land (1 unit/ 10 acres) x (20 units) = 200 acres
Urban Fringe (1 unit/ 1.33 acre) x (20 units) = 15 acresBy capping the total number of units allowed in the Primary Springs Protection Zone at the number currently allocated by the Future Land Use Map, the adopted policy controls future development without taking existing development rights from landowners. This policy also helps add value to existing rural lands that may be encumbered by other environmental features by creating a market for the sale of conservation easements.
Adopted Policy 4.2.5:[C] (Effective 4/10/09)
(4) Establish a transfer of development units system within the PSPZ to foster growth in Woodville Rural Community, increase the feasibility of providing centralized sewer service, and protect Wakulla Springs. The transfer of development units system shall be based on the policies below:
- The Rural and Urban Fringe Future Land Use Map categories inside the PSPZ shall be designated as the sending areas to transfer dwelling units out of. Expansion of the Urban Fringe Future Land Use Map category shall not be allowed in the PSPZ.Â
- Areas inside the Woodville Rural Community Future Land Use Map category, where connection to sewer facilities designed to achieve Advanced Wastewater Treatment standards is available and required, shall be designated to receive dwelling units. Â
- No net increase in dwelling units, as allowed by the Future Land Use Map on the effective date of this policy, shall be allowed in the PSPZ. Areas inside the USA are exempt from this policy and may increase in allowed density when consistent with applicable Comprehensive Plan policies. Approval of a Future Land Use Map amendment outside the USA that would allow an increased number of dwelling units shall require appropriate documentation that rights to the number of increased dwelling units have been, or are committed by a legally binding agreement to be, acquired from the designated sending areas.
