Taintor & Associates - South County Land Use

Best Land Use Management Strategies for 9 Rhode Island Towns

In 1999-2000 Taintor & Associates was a member of a consulting team recommending Best Land Use Management Practices for the Pawcatuck River Watershed in southern Rhode Island. The "South County Watersheds Technical Planning Assistance Project" was sponsored by the Rhode Island Rural Lands Coalition and was funded by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (under a Sustainable Development grant) and the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management.

The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management's Sustainable Watersheds Office has a website on the Technical Planning Assistance Project with links to all reports generated during the project. Links are also provided below to two reports for which Taintor & Associates was the primary author.

Project Reports by Taintor & Associates

Transfer of Development Rights Report [PDF, 684K]
This report describes the TDR concept, provides an overview of successful TDR examples in the United States, and discusses issues affecting the feasibility of implementing TDR in South County. It then outlines a possible TDR program, using the town of South Kingstown as an example, including a draft TDR ordinance for the town.

Farming and Forestry Strategies [PDF, 636K]
This report presents a variety of regulatory and non-regulatory strategies designed to promote the preservation of farming and forestry in South County. Among the strategies discussed are creation of a Rural Village Development district (a mini-TDR), provisions governing farm-based retail sales, zoning for farm-based service businesses, and property tax reductions for farmland.

South County WatershedsTechnical Planning Assistance Project

Best Land Use Management Strategies for 9 Rhode Island Towns

Project Reports by Taintor & Associates

South County Watersheds
Technical Planning Assistance Project