The Calvert County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) and the Agricultural Preservation Advisory Board announce an extension of the application period for the county’s Purchase and Retirement (PAR) Fund program. Applications are now being accepted through Dec. 12, 2025. Established in 1992, the PAR fund program is part of Calvert County’s longstanding effort to preserve agricultural land.
Through the program, Transferable Development Rights (TDRs) are purchased, retired and permanently removed from the market to protect farmland from development.
The BOCC has approved a purchase price of $6,230 per TDR, which replaced the $6,000 price previously approved in August 2024. The county will offer to buy development rights from willing sellers until TDR funding is exhausted. The annual cycle will conclude prior to the end of the current fiscal year, in June 2026. There is no cap on how many TDRs can be sold by an owner.
Current owners of Agricultural Preservation Districts may apply. Applications are ranked by a formula established in the Agricultural Preservation Program rules and regulations.
The extended application deadline is Dec. 12, 2025, at 4:30 p.m. Applications are available on the county website at www.calvertcountymd.gov/PAR.
Completed applications may be submitted by mail to the Department of Planning & Zoning, attention: Rural Planner Jennifer David at 205 Main St., Prince Frederick, MD 20678, or by email to [email protected]. For more information, email or call Jennifer David at 410-535-1600, ext. 2238.
Find information on Calvert County Government services online at www.CalvertCountyMd.gov. Stay connected with Calvert County Government through the mobile app, newsletters, social media and more at www.CalvertCountyMd.gov/StayInformed.
