The Landscape Conservation and Local Infrastructure Program in Seattle has been a major success. This program gives cities a financial incentive to use transfer of development rights—a market-based growth management and conservation tool.
Rural landowners are able sell their development rights to developers in downtown Seattle and South Lake Union which allows the developers gain additional building hight in exchange for permanently protecting those farms and forests. The City of Seattle, as part of the program, can access funding from King County to make infrastructure investments. The program in Seattle will result in the conservation of about 50,000 acres of farm and forest, while generating upwards of $30 million for streetscape improvements. These investments will enhance mobility in parts of the city and the region will benefit from the permanent protection of lands that are essential to human and environmental well-being.
If fully implemented by all eligible cities, the Landscape Conservation and Local Infrastructure Program could result in conservation of more than 600,000 acres of resource land in King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties, paid for by the private market.
Funding Sources:
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
- Washington State Department of Commerce
Congressional Districts: 1,7, and 8, with more to come
Partners:
- Forterra
- City of Seatte
- King County
- HeartLand LLC
- BERK
- Washington State Department of Commerce
- Puget Sound Regional Council
- Stakeholders representing developers, realtors, agriculture, forestry, and local government
Further questions? Think you can use this as inspiration for your own project? Please inquire with:
Marc Seligson–Communications Manager for Forterra
mseligson@forterra.org