In its Save Open Space ("SOS") Bond Act, authorized by voter referendum in 2004, Suffolk County took the bold step to meet the complementary goals of preserving critical open space and creating much needed workforce housing. The SOS program provides the ability for the county to strip so-called development rights from non-farmland open space purchases and direct these credits in support of increased sewage flow capacity of a particular workforce housing site.
- The SOS Bond Act mandates that the Transfer of Development Rights Program be established solely to provide affordable ownership and rental workforce homes as defined in Article XXXVI of the Suffolk County Administrative Code. The County Department of Planning established criteria for the use of these development rights to meet these requirements and other county-wide policy concerns which can be found in the Save Open Space Bond Act Workforce Housing Transfer of Development Right Implementation Plan
The use of development rights will continue and/or expand groundwater preservation initiatives.
Additionally, for the initial stages of the program, development rights are to be utilized intra-Ground Water Management Zone and intra-Town only. Utilization of development rights between Ground Water Management Zones or between Towns may require approvals of other jurisdictions and may not be construed "as-of-right". Request for use of the development rights will be screened by the Affordable Housing Director in consultation with the Departments of Planning and Health Services and eliminated from consideration if any one of the above goals are not achieved.
Interested parties are encouraged to obtain further information by selecting the links below.