The purpose of the Transfer and Purchase of Development Rights Program is to permanently conserve resource lands such as forestry and agriculture, rural lands, recreational trails, open space and habitat areas through acquisition and extinguishment of the development rights on those lands which are designated as "sending sites." All other rights of ownership, including the right to continue operation of farming, forestry, recreation and other uses permitted within the zone, may continue.

This market-based technique encourages transfer of development from places where the community would like to see less development, like farmland, to places where communities would like to see more development, like in cities and towns.

Development rights from a sending site may be transferred to a receiving site where they could be used to increase the intensity of development. For example, a site that receives development rights may be able to increase the number of dwelling units (density), increase the height of buildings, or increase building size. Development rights may also be purchased, and then extinguished, for the sole purpose of land conservation.

Once the development rights are transferred or purchased from a sending site, a conservation easement is recorded to restrict the type of activities that may take place on the land to ensure permanent conservation of rural and resource lands.