Other states have mitigation practices that are not currently used in Massachusetts. Below is a list of key practices used in other states.
Land Banking (Colorado)
Land banking is the practice of purchasing land with the intent to hold on to it until such a time as it is profitable to sell it to others for more than was initially paid. Municipalities can use land banking to retain some control over the future development of a particular area, such as suburban sprawl, preserve green space or to prevent growth from occurring. Through land banking, municipalities can control how land is developed. The City of Fort Collins, Colorado practices Land Banking. Their website is a good resource on this subject.
Concurrency (Florida and Washington)
Concurrency is a growth management concept intended to ensure that necessary public facilities are available concurrent with the impacts of development.
In Florida, a Growth Management Act was adopted in 1985 which requires all of the state’s counties and municipalities to adopt Local Government Comprehensive Plans that guide future growth and development.
The comprehensive plans are required to contain chapters or “elements” that address future land use, housing, transportation, infrastructure, coastal management, conservation, recreation and open space, intergovernmental coordination, and capital improvements. A key component of the Act is its “concurrency” provision that requires facilities and services to be available concurrent with the impacts of development.
- Read more about concurrency in the State of Florida.
- Download(13 MB) the Florida Department of Community Affairs’ Transportation Concurrency Best Practices Guide.
- Review an an ordinance from Citrus County, Florida.
In Washington, concurrency means that adequate public facilities are in place to serve new development as it occurs. Passed in 1995, the Growth Management Act (GMA) gives special attention to concurrency for transportation. The GMA requires each city and county in Washington to periodically review and, if needed, revise their comprehensive plans and development regulations to ensure that they comply with the GMA. Read more about concurrency in the State of Washington.
Transportation Development Districts (New Jersey)
Transportation Development Districts (TDDs) are regional districts created voluntarily by municipal and/or county governments to fund transportation infrastructure costs. Costs of infrastructure improvements are borne by the public sector (taxpayers) and private developers under a predetermined cost-sharing formula based upon traffic generation or other criteria associated with the development that occasions the need for additional investment in infrastructure.
A TDD must have a plan of development, and should be consistent with other land use and development plans. The overall goal of the TDD is to manage growth and coordinate and finance transportation infrastructure improvements in a regional growth area. The TDD plan identifies transportation infrastructure improvements that will be needed within the District to support anticipated development. The transportation goals of the TDD are to maintain acceptable traffic flows, protect quality of life for existing residents and make alternatives to the single occupancy auto more attractive.
Click here for information about Mercer County, New Jersey’s TDD.