As a city, how do I engage private developers in brownfields redevelopment in this economy? – Monica P., city redevelopment planner

First, the city will need to determine the type of development desired – commercial, retail, housing, industrial, residential or mixed-use. Within each category, there are also those who specialize by location and market type. The city can market their interest through various forums, such as their website, business associations and newspapers.

Second, the city should identify the locations where they would want development and collect information that is useful to a developer. Apart from baseline environmental information, the city can collect information on demographics, infrastructure, market analysis and financing assistance.

Third, the city can offer assistance on various levels to facilitate the analysis and development of a brownfields project. In addition to common tools used by cities, such as convening meetings with property owners and neighbors, assistance in obtaining grants and financing, assistance with project entitlement, the city can build partnerships with regulatory agencies, conduct exploratory brownfields assessments, or conduct more detailed assessments on sites that have been identified for redevelopment. The next step would be for the city to acquire strategic sites for redevelopment.

There is a range of activities that a city can take to demonstrate their commitment to brownfields redevelopment. Showing this commitment is another key step in attracting developers.

If a city does not have a brownfields inventory, how can I find a brownfield site for redevelopment?  – Carl H., partner

Few cities publish an inventory of brownfields sites due to liability reasons.  Local environmental or health departments are not tuned into brownfields redevelopment as they deal with enforcement or cleanup activity, rather than redevelopment activity. Contacting the economic, redevelopment or housing staff of cities is a better alternative. When you contact a city, don’t ask for a “brownfield” site.  Just ask if they have a list of sites identified for redevelopment.  If the site has not already been assessed or redeveloped, it may be because it is a brownfield.

You can also conduct research by reviewing online documents at each cities’ redevelopment agency or housing department.  Some cities will list preferred areas or target sites – these are not necessarily brownfields however.

Many cities have also received grants from the EPA to identify sites for assessment and redevelopment – this EPA website – http://cfpub.epa.gov/bf_factsheets/ – lists all the cities and counties that have received EPA assessment, cleanup and revolving loan fund grants.

Where can I find a list of available brownfield sites for redevelopment?  – Joe S., developer
Great question, Joe – one that’s actually much more complicated and nuanced than it appears. The greatest challenge in answering this question lies in the fact that there exists no standard criteria for determining whether or not a given property is a “brownfield.” This is because it is not simply the contamination itself that makes a property a brownfield, but rather the effect this contamination has on the ability of a property to realize its highest and best use. Furthermore, many owners of potentially contaminated properties would rather stay off of any “brownfield list” for fear of the stigma, decreased property value, and potential liabilities that may result from the discovery of any contamination. For a more complete discussion of the challenges of brownfields inventorying – including how one city has successfully met these challenges in their community revitalization efforts – check out our white paper titled “How Many Brownfields Does California Have?”