Prince William County announced on Apr. 3 the opening of its first application period for the Purchase of Development Rights (PDR) Program, a voluntary initiative aimed at preserving farmland, forests, and open space throughout the county.
The program seeks to encourage landowners to permanently protect their property while receiving compensation for development rights. This effort supports conservation goals outlined in the Prince William County Comprehensive Plan and aims to maintain the county’s rural character and natural resources.
The inaugural application window will run from July 1 through August 31, 2026. Under this program, Prince William County will purchase residential development rights from eligible properties and place a permanent open-space easement on participating lands. The property remains privately owned and can continue being used for agriculture or forestry, but future development is limited.
Eligible properties are generally those that are at least 20 acres in size or part of contiguous parcels totaling at least 20 acres. Properties must also be located within approved Comprehensive Plan land use designations such as Agriculture and Forestry (AF), Parks and Open Space (POS), Occoquan Reservoir Protection Area (ORPA), or County Registered Historic Site (CRHS). They must also be capable of qualifying for subdivision under county ordinance without Board approval.
Applications submitted during this period will be reviewed by Environmental Management staff before being evaluated through an established selection process. Final decisions regarding purchases are made by the Board of County Supervisors based on available funding. Participation is voluntary, and property owners whose applications are not selected may reapply in future periods.
More information about eligibility criteria and how to apply can be found on Environmental Management’s Purchase of Development Rights Webpage once the application period opens.
