Overview of the TDC Program

Deschutes County adopted its original Transferable Development Credit Program in 2002 as one of the solutions to a potential ground water quality problem in South Deschutes County.  Originally, a Transferable Development Credit (TDC) was the development right attached to eligible properties in South Deschutes County.  The goal of the original TDC program was to reduce the number of onsite septic systems in the sending area and transfer that potential development to the receiving area that will be served by a community sewer and water system.

On June 5, 2006, the Deschutes County Board of Commissioners adopted amendments to the County Transferable Development Credit Program, Chapter 11.12.   The adopted amendments to the Transferable Development Credit Program (DCC 11.12) and supporting documents are available for download below.

The amendments change the focus of the Transferable Development Credit program to a pollution reduction credit program that will require retrofitting existing septic systems to create credits required for development in the Neighborhood Planning Area.  Neighborhood Planning Area developers will be required to work with homeowners to retrofit existing septic systems with nitrogen-reducing technology or pay into a "Partnership Fund" that would then be made available to property owners interested in retrofitting their existing wastewater treatment systems.

Designed to protect the sole source aquifer in the La Pine Region from nitrate loading, the TDC program amended under  Ordinance 2006-016  includes Pollution Reduction Credits (PRCs) that would be created when an existing onsite wastewater treatment system is upgraded to a nitrogen reducing system.   PRCs, like TDCs can be accumulated so that developers earn the right to develop in the Neighborhood Planning Area.

Click on the links to the right to find out more about TDC's, or contact Catherine Morrow  at (541) 385-1708.