Regional Brownfields Initiative

A Brownfield is 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.

Quick Links

What is the Regional Brownfields Initiative?
Land-of-Sky Region Brownfields Site Map
Land-of-Sky Region Brownfields Site Info. Page
Brownfields Success Stories
Benefits of Brownfields Redevelopment
Frequently Asked Questions
Press Releases and Articles
Apply for Funding through the RBI
Brownfields Related Links
Download Our Brochure
Contact Us

News and Announcements

2008 Assessment Application

RBI Opens Application Round for Grant Funding

· Details on RBI/City of Asheville Grant Funds and
  application process

· Press Release

· City of Asheville Brownfields Application Form

· Regional Brownfields Application Form

Stimulating Infill and Brownfield Development in the Land-of-Sky Region - Click here for the new report

Loan Funds Available to Clean Up Brownfields Properties - Click here

What is the Regional Brownfields Initiative?

In 2002, Land-of-Sky Regional Council began a long-term program to address the assessment, cleanup and redevelopment of the region’s Brownfields. Under the guidance of economic development professionals, environmental consultants, financial institutions and community leaders, the Regional Brownfields Initiative promotes the “utilization of existing industrial sites” a primary strategy in the region’s Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS).

The North Carolina Brownfields Program (NCBP) of the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) encourages the safe reuse of abandoned properties that have some measure of environmental impairment. The LOS RBI works directly with the NCBP to help local prospective developers obtain a “Brownfield Agreement” with the NCBP. This agreement offers the prospective developer protection from future liability on the site, making loans more readily available for a project. The NCBP defines the necessary cleanup and land management actions, and 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.

Partners in this initiative include the region’s Local Governments, Economic Developers, Commercial and Industrial representatives, financial institutions, non-profit agencies, federal and state agencies and various private sector stakeholders.

RBI Funding

Land-of-Sky Regional Council utilizes funding from the US EPA Brownfields Program. To date, the RBI has utilized the following grants for Brownfields redevelopment activities in the region:

2002: EPA Brownfields Assessment Grant, $200,000

2004: EPA Brownfields Assessment Grant, $200,000

2004: EPA Brownfields Cleanup Grant – Town of Fletcher, $200,000

2004: EPA Brownfields Cleanup Grant – Town of Woodfin, $200,000

2004: EPA Revolving Loan Fund, $1,000,000

2006: EPA Brownfields Assessment Grant, Hazardous Substances Sites, $200,000

2006: EPA Brownfields Assessment Grant, Petroleum Sites, $200,000

2008: EPA Brownfields Assessment Grant, RBI Hazardous Substances Sites, $200,000

2008: EPA Brownfields Assessment Grant, RBI Petroleum Sites, $200,000

RBI Current Focus - 2008
Land-of-Sky Regional Council accepts applications for potential Brownfield on an ongoing basis. Based on these applications, the RBI will select redevelopment projects that offer community benefit, have strong redevelopment potential and that have community support for those 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.

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Regional Brownfields Initiative Success Stories

Regional Brownfield success stories are currently in the making.

The Mica Village Lofts is a prime local example of excellence in Brownfield redevelopment. In 2005, TR Enterprises sought to reuse the Asheville Mica Plant on Thompson Street in Biltmore. Two years later, their vision became a reality with all but one loft leased and a Brownfield Agreement in place. Only minor petroleum contamination was found on site from a leaking above-ground storage tank and DENR acknowledged the contaminants posed no threat to human or environmental health once the area was paved. The site’s developers adhered to the land use restrictions prescribed by DENR in the agreement and built residences on the second and third floors of the property. They also implemented green building techniques and reused many of the items from the old mill including the window pane glass as aggregate for countertops and pipes for towel racks. Only 5% of the construction waste was sent to the landfill. 95% was reused on site.

The Town of Fletcher partnered with Land-of-Sky Regional Council in redeveloping their “Heart of Fletcher” district. The district’s cornerstone will be a town hall, located on what they anticipated was a Brownfields site. The RBI assisted the Town with Brownfields assessment activities, contributing $60,000 towards the site investigation. When DENR determined cleanup was necessary, the RBI helped the Town earn a $200,000 EPA Cleanup Grant to defray the site’s cleanup costs. The Town now has a finalized Brownfields Agreement in place and they are currently seeking developers for the property.

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

"Land-of-Sky Regional Council receives NADO 2003 Innovations Award for Regional Brownfields Initiative"
Click here to go to the press release

Other success stories outside of the RBI:

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.

Visit http://www.atlanticstation.com/concept_greenstar.php to learn more about Region 4’s flagship Brownfield site, Atlantic Station.  A prime example of property reuse and smart growth principles, Atlantic Station was formerly 135-acre steel mill transformed into 600 million square feet of office space and 100 million square feet of residential space with two public parks, greenways, and access to public transit. In 2006, redevelopment partners won the prestigious honor of the national Phoenix Award for their innovation.

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Benefits of Brownfields Redevelopment

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

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:

Please refer to www.epa.gov/brownfields or www.ncbrownfields.org  

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Site Application Form

If you are a prospective developer of a Brownfield property and are interested in applying for financial or technical assistance, please fill one of the forms linked below. Sites are ranked on a competitive basis.

City of Asheville Site Identification Form
Regional Site Identification 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.

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Press Releases and Articles

Apply for Funding through RBI

If you are a prospective developer of a Brownfield property and are interested in applying for financial or technical assistance, please fill out one of the forms linked below. The first “City of Asheville Site Application Form” is for sites within the River District. The second is for sites within Buncombe, Madison, Henderson and Transylvania Counties, excluding the River District. Sites are ranked on a competitive basis.

City of Asheville Site Identification Form
Regional Site Identification 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 Related Links

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.

http://www.epa.gov/region4/ is a link to the EPA’s Region 4, which includes NC.

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 links to the guidance documents and contact info: http://www.ncbrownfields.org/nws/guidance_docs.htm  http://www.ncbrownfields.org/nws/contact_info.htm.

http://www.eda.gov/Research/Brownfields.xml Economic Development Administration's Brownfields Redevelopment

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 smart growth focus. This link is here for information purposes only. It is not controlled or endorsed by DENR.

 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. The Council regularly updates the members of the Peer Group, who are regional stakeholders whose expertise relates to Brownfields issues. If you would like to be included on updates from the RBI, please email holly@landofsky.org.

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Contact Us

Land-of-Sky Regional Council
(828)-251-6622
www.landofsky.org

Kate O’Hara – Project Manager
kate@landofsky.org

Jon Beck
jon@landofsky.org