Growth
Management
• Linking
Lands and Communities
Regional Brownfields Initiative
Stimulating Infill and Brownfield Development in the
Land-of-Sky Region -
Click
here for the new report
Land-of-Sky Regional Council's Regional Brownfields
Initiative is Soliciting Sites for Grant Funding and
Technical Assistance -
Click here
Loan Funds Available to Clean Up Brownfields
Properties -
Click here
What is the Regional
Brownfields Initiative?
About the Regional
Brownfields Initiative
Benefits of
Brownfields Redevelopment
Frequently Asked Questions
Brownfields Site Map for Region B
Suggest-A-Site
Brownfields Success
Stories
Brownfields Related
Links
Partners
Contact Us
What is the
Regional Brownfields Initiative?
Land-of-Sky Regional Council, in close cooperation with
numerous stakeholders, has begun a long-term initiative
to comprehensively address the assessment, cleanup and
redevelopment of the region’s Brownfields. The program
offers numerous economic, social and environmental benefits
to the Land-of-Sky region.
The EPA defines a “Brownfield site” as: real
property, the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of which
may be complicated by the presence or potential presence
of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant.
Partners in this initiative include the region’s
Local Governments, Economic Developers, Commercial and
Industrial representatives, area funding institutions,
non-profit agencies, federal and state agencies and various
private sector stakeholders.
The North Carolina Brownfields Program encourages the
safe reuse of abandoned properties that have some measure
of environmental impairment. Under a "Brownfield agreement" with
a prospective developer, DENR defines the necessary cleanup
and land management actions, and the prospective developer
receives liability protection that allows him/her to obtain
previously unobtainable loans for the project. In doing
so, the program serves as a tool to turn these abandoned
properties into productive use rather than building in
a greenspace area and contributing to urban sprawl.
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About the Regional Brownfields Initiative
Background/Funding
In 2002, President Bush signed new Brownfields legislation
appropriating $200 million nationally to Brownfields
revitalization. Land-of-Sky Regional Council, in partnership
with local stakeholders (link to partners page), applied for
and received a $200,000 grant from the U.S. EPA in October
of 2002 to fund Brownfields site assessments and
redevelopment planning.
Additionally, the U.S. Economic Development Administration
(EDA) awarded Land-of-Sky Regional Council a $50,000 grant
for further Brownfields redevelopment focused on
infrastructure, marketing redeveloped properties and
industrial park needs. Advantage West provided additional
funding to support this Grant. These grants are designed to
address the Regional Vision 2010 mission to “improve
utilization of existing industrial sites.”
RBI Current Focus and Plan
From now until the end of August of 2003, Land-of-Sky
Regional Council will accept site submissions of potential
Brownfield sites in the region. The Council encourages all
citizens to suggest possible Brownfield sites in the
four-county region. Click on the “suggest a site” link to
submit a potential Brownfields site to the RBI for funding.
Based on these applications, the Council will then select
the five owners to receive funding for assessments and
redevelopment plans.
Land-of-Sky Regional Council will request proposals from
environmental consultants, remediation crews, and developers
for the five sites and then link them with the chosen
Brownfields owners. The Council will select appropriate site
assessors, clean-up crews and developers on an individual
basis for each site. Land-of-Sky Regional Council will act
as a facilitator throughout the process.
RBI Structure
The Regional Brownfields Initiative is directed by the
Brownfields Advisory Group which is charged with serving in
an advisory capacity for the Initiative. The committee is
composed of members from Buncombe, Henderson, Madison, and
Transylvania Counties, representatives from financial
institutions, legal firms, environmental consulting groups,
regional non-profits, economic developers, state
representatives, Land-of-Sky Regional Council staff and
others.
This Brownfields Advisory Group steers the activities of
four workgroups which are charged with executing specific
grant work plan tasks. Their focus is on funding
possibilities, site selection, consultant selection, and
public outreach. These workgroups are composed of Advisory
Group members and other community volunteers with interests
in Brownfields.
The Land-of-Sky Regional Council internal team monitors
grant progress, reports to the RBI funders, addresses
internal needs of the program, and scans for future
Brownfields opportunities.
Please refer to the organizational chart below for
clarification on the structure of the Regional Brownfields
Initiative.
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Benefits of Brownfields Redevelopment
Economic benefits
• Hundreds of millions in funding assistance
available nationally
• Increased property values
• Tax incentive
• Existing utilities and infrastructure
• Stimulate blighted areas
• Create new businesses
• Create new jobs
• Protect developers from future liability
Social benefits
• Enhance “sense of place”
• Reuse historic buildings
• Relieve potential environmental health hazards
• Increase neighborhood safety
• Aesthetically pleasing landscapes
Environmental benefits
• Improve air, water, and soil quality
• Reuse previously developed land and buildings
• Reduce urban sprawl
• Protect local ecology |
Economic benefits
Our region will benefit Economically, Environmentally, and
Socially from Brownfields redevelopment. Revitalizing
Brownfields will profit local Brownfield owners, citizens,
environmental assessors, clean-up crews, developers, and
communities as a whole.
Redeveloped Brownfield sites may provide new businesses and
new jobs in the area. In addition, redeveloped Brownfield
sites may help to stimulate more business in blighted areas
and increase adjacent property values. Benefits for
Brownfield owners and business developers include: A North
Carolina tax incentive offering a five year property tax
exemption; protection from future liability due to site
contamination; and funding available for site assessments
through Land-of-Sky Regional Council’s RBI and other
programs. Furthermore, Brownfield sites often have existing
utilities and proximity to infrastructure, saving the
business owner additional expenses in redevelopment.
Social benefits
Social benefits for local citizens resulting from
Brownfields revitalization can include: relief from
potential environmental health hazards, aesthetically
pleasing urban landscapes, and increased neighborhood safety
and health. In addition, the Brownfields project can seek to
preserve historical buildings and landmarks for future
generations to enjoy. Finally, Brownfields revitalization
may enhance citizens’ “sense of place” by transforming
blighted areas to more livable and loveable towns and
cities. According to Land-of-Sky Regional Council’s Regional
Vision 2010, the mountains of Western North Carolina are “a
special place, one to be protected, restored and enjoyed,”
and Brownfields revitalization helps Western North
Carolinians achieve these objectives.
Environmental benefits
Environmental benefits include improvements in local air,
water and soil quality. Reusing previously developed land
and buildings will lessen the need to consume additional
residential and undeveloped areas for industrial or
commercial development. Reducing urban sprawl may improve
air quality by decreasing vehicle traveling distances in and
around cities. Soil and water quality will improve on and
near Brownfield sites as crews clean up existing
contamination. Brownfield clean-up and development efforts
will also seek to protect local ecology and existing
wildlife habitats.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked
Questions
Local Brownfields Initiative
Q. If I report a Brownfield site,
what further obligations do I have?
A. None, other than to provide a
specific location and contact information for the owner.
Q. What are some examples of
Brownfield sites?
A. Brownfields sites may include old
service stations, radiator shops, abandoned factories or
mills, old landfills, and junkyards. Brownfields sites may
simply be underutilized properties with redevelopment
potential.
Q. How and by when should I submit a
Brownfield site?
A. Submit a site by going to the
“submit a site” link on this webpage or by contacting Holly
Bullman at Land-of-Sky Regional Council directly for a
submission form. Remember all site submissions are due by
August 29, 2003.
More
FAQs about Brownfields Around the Nation
Please refer to
www.epa.gov/brownfields or
www.ncbrownfields.org
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Suggest-A-Site
The Land-of-Sky Regional
Council (“LOS”) has received grants to promote the
redevelopment of properties where there is actual or
perceived environmental contamination. Such properties are
often referred to as “Brownfields.” The purpose of this
form is to register with LOS a property where there is
actual or perceived environmental contamination that may be
hindering the property’s redevelopment and, as a result,
could possibly benefit from assistance from LOS. The
submission of this form, however, does not obligate LOS to
provide assistance of any type or guarantee or ensure any
particular result or outcome. Sites are ranked on a
competitive basis.
Click here for printable form
Please contact Land-of-Sky
Regional Council (828) 251-6622; (ask to speak with a member
of the Brownfields Team) with questions and for information
about the Regional Brownfields Initiative and the NC
Brownfields Program.
Brownfields Success Stories
Within the Region
Regional Brownfield success stories are currently in the
making. Be a part of our Regional Brownfields Initiative.
The Town of Fletcher in Henderson County has partnered with
Land-of-Sky Regional Council in redeveloping their “Heart of
Fletcher” district. The Town began the process of
revitalizing this downtown district with redevelopment plans
and a letter of intent to the NC DENR office to secure a
Brownfields Agreement. Through extensive planning and
redevelopment efforts, Fletcher plans to create a new, vital
urban center and Town Hall.
Within North Carolina
Visit
http://www.epa.gov/brownfields/html-doc/ss_char2.htm for
an EPA summary of the Gaines Brown Design Project, which
focuses on a property located in Charlotte's Wilmore
neighborhood.
Visit
http://www.ncbrownfields.org/BFSuccessStories.htm for a
summary of other Brownfield success stories around North
Carolina. This site is sponsored by NC’s Division of
Environment and Natural Resources.
Within Town of
Woodfin
Land-of-Sky Regional Brownfields Initiative adopts Elk
Mountain Landfill of Woodfin and Grey Hosiery Mill of
Hendersonville.
Click here to go to the press release
Within Land-of-Sky Regional Council
"Land-of-Sky Regional Council receives NADO 2003 Innovations
Award for Regional Brownfields Initiative"
Click here to go to the press release
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Brownfields Related Links
National News and Events about Brownfields can be found at
http://www.eda.gov/Research/Brownfields.xml
Economic Development Administration's Brownfields
Redevelopment web site
http://www.epa.gov/brownfields/announcg.htm
www.epa.gov/brownfields is a link to the Federal EPA’s
website, containing information and news about the National
Brownfields Cleanup and Redevelopment Program.
www.ncbrownfields.org
links you to North Carolina Department of Environment and
Natural Resources (DENR) Division of Waste Management’s
brownfields site, which contains information about NC’s
Brownfield initiative. If you are
interested in applying to the State program click on the
link to the guidance documents:
http://www.ncbrownfields.org/nws/guidance_docs.htm
or to speak directly with a Brownfields Project Manager
click on the link for contact information:
http://www.ncbrownfields.org/nws/contact_info.htm.
http://www.brownfield.org Portland, Oregon Brownfield
Showcase Program. Go to “Global Learners” link for
Brownfields and related educational information.
SMARTSITES.ORG is a
Brownfields site listing services offered by Research
Triangle Institute, designed to bring together municipalities
who want to list potential brownfield sites and developers
searching for redevelopment opportunities, all with a
smartgrowth focus. This link is here for information
purposes only. It is not controlled or endorsed by DENR.
http://www.epa.gov/region4/ is a link to the EPA’s
Region 4, which includes NC.
www.brownfields2002.org/ is a link to a summary of the
2002 National Brownfields conference.
http://www.epa.gov/epahome/headline_011102.htm
summarizes the new Brownfields legislation, signed by
President Bush in 2002, appropriating double the amount of
past funds for FY 2003 to Brownfields revitalization.
http://www.epa.gov/brownfields/topics.htm. contains
articles about Brownfields liability, environmental
insurance, legislation, tax incentives, sustainable
development, environmental justice, and education and
outreach can be found at
ttp://www.epa.gov/brownfields/resource.htm.
contains articles about Brownfields economics, laws and
regulations, and other publications.
Downloadable articles, news, and links about economics,
community, environment, redevelopment, government, law, and
innovation can be found at
http://www.brownfieldsource.org/, including information
on subtopics of these headings.
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Regional Brownfields Initiative Partners
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
U.S. Department of Commerce, Economic
Development Administration
Advantage West North Carolina
North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural
Resources,
Waste Management Division
In addition to the funds provided by the
EPA, EDA and Advantage West, numerous stakeholders from the
region partner with the RBI through their involvement in the
one or more of the project’s
workgroups
(this is a Microsoft PowerPoint file). The Council regularly updates the members of
the Peer Group, who are regional stakeholders whose
expertise relates to Brownfields issues.
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Contact Us/Calendar
Contact Us
Land-of-Sky Regional Council
(828)-251-6622
www.landofsky.org
Ron Townley
ron@landofsky.org
Linda Giltz
linda@landofsky.org
Jim Stokoe
jim@landofsky.org
Holly Bullman
holly@landofsky.org
Kate O’Hara
kate@landofsky.org
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