Brownfields are abandoned, idled, or under-used industrial and commercial sites where expansion or redevelopment is complicated by real or perceived environmental contamination. Examples range from abandoned industrial sites in large cities, to empty lots or abandoned gas stations in smaller ones.
Many cities are running out of clean land to accommodate industrial expansion. This becomes an economic development concern when developers and lenders alike focus on suburban and ex-urban, or greenfield, sites, which are not polluted. The consequences include the increased use of suburban sites or sites in unincorporated areas - urban sprawl - and the continued deterioration of inner city sites. Cities may lose businesses, jobs, and tax revenues as a result.
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Economic Centers Revitalized: Cities have the opportunity to begin or enhance revitalization projects, drawing more people and thus more money to the urban core of the community.
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Much Needed Jobs Provided: Development of businesses on these sites creates an improved job market.
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Critical Property and Income Tax Dollars Generated: Property values will rise in relation to the values before redevelopment occurred. Income taxes will increase from the use of properties, as well as additional sales tax revenue from the business that is generated.
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Establish agreement of what property to develop.
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Clearly define actions required to remediate a site and the standards to be achieved.
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Reduce the "political bandwagon" effect - using brownfields for political issues rather than the immediate environmental, social, and economic issues posed by the problem.
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Explain to the public exactly what the risks are.
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Listen more carefully to the public regarding its concerns.
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Site Identification: Development and maintenance of the sites, helping developers to find ones that meet needs, and advertising abandoned sites.
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Initial Site Assessment: Review of public record, physical surroundings, and other readily available data.
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Economic Assessment: Evaluation of site characteristics, advantages and disadvantages, to determine viability of a potential site.
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Detailed Site Assessment: Environmental engineering investigation, sampling, and chemical analysis of site.
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Project Development and Financing: Selection and financing of a cleanup and redevelopment Project.
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Cleanup Planning and Execution: Selection and implementation of a cleanup approach.
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Redevelopment of Property: Construction or alteration of the property to suit the new use for which it is being redeveloped.
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What can Local Governments do?
Local governments can play active roles in facilitating and financing brownfields redevelopment. Local government can facilitate development, provide technical assistance to developers and non-profit groups, and conduct proactive land assembly. In brownfields finance, economic development programs can be implemented. Temporarily acquiring property, giving incentives to lenders, and allowing tax incentives for vacant land are successful techniques that have been employed by cities across the country.
The first step to involvement is to increase the awareness - both of local governments and citizens - of brownfields issues.
Public participation in these processes is encouraged because redevelopment issues affect many sectors of public and community life. William Beranek of the Indiana Environmental Institute suggests that five things are needed to bring about effective community involvement.
The redevelopment process can be divided into seven stages that may be undertaken by either public or private groups.