Brownfields
Area-Wide Planning Pilots
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
EPA56O-R-13-OO2
June 2014
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The EPA Office of Brownfields and Land Revitalization would like to thank the following
contributors to this report:
The 23 Brownfields Area-Wide Planning pilot program recipients for sharing their experiences,
ideas, lessons learned and project pictures.
Cassie Mance (of EPA Region Vll's Water, Wetlands, and Pesticides Division) for contributing to
the report format and layout.
ABOUT THE EPA OFFICE THAT PRODUCED THIS REPORT
EPA's Brownfields and Land Revitalization Program is designed to empower states, communities,
and other stakeholders in economic redevelopment to work together in a timely manner to prevent,
assess, safely clean up, and sustainably reuse brownfields. A brownfield is a property, the expansion,
redevelopment, or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a
hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant.
EPA's Brownfields and Land Revitalization Program provides financial and technical assistance for
brownfields activities through an approach based on four main goals:
Protecting the Environment Addressing brownfields to ensure the health and well-being of
America's people and environment.
Promoting Partnerships Enhancing collaboration and communication essential to facilitate
brownfields cleanup and reuse.
Strengthening the Marketplace Providing financial and technical assistance to bolster the
private market.
Sustaining Reuse Redeveloping brownfields to enhance a community's long-term quality of life.
More information can be found at www.epa.gov/brownfields.
COVER PHOTOS (clockwise from top left):
Brownfield site reuse rendering along the south Platte River in Denver, CO.
Brownfield site in the Tanner St Corridor/Ayer's City Industrial Park in Lowell, MA.
Community brownfields design charrette for the PR#i2y Petrochemical Zone of Guayanilla and
Penuelas, Puerto Rico hosted by DISUR.
Brownfield site in the Mill Yard revitalization area in Sanford, ME.
Blue Greenway community project hosted by the San Francisco Parks Alliance.
Brownfields design charrette workshop materials for the gth St Corridor in Goshen, IN.
For more information on EPA's Brownfields Area-Wide Planning (BF AWP) Program, please visit
www.eoa.brownfields/areawide erants.html.
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BROWNFIELDS AREA-WIDE PLANNING PILOTS
Ideas and Lessons Learned for Communities
Contents
Introduction
Cross-Project Theme i:
Manage for Successful Community Involvement 4
Cross-Project Theme 2:
Form and Maintain Strong and Supportive Partnerships 13
Cross-Project Theme 3:
Identify What Is Feasible 19
Cross-Project Theme 4:
Prioritize Sites and Projects 25
Cross-Project Theme 5:
Develop Strategies for Plan Implementation Throughout the BF AWP Process 29
Cross-Project Theme 6:
Maximize Resources Through Targeted Project Area Investments and Leveraging .... 35
Cross-Project Theme 7:
Maintain Strong Project Management Throughout the Project 43
Conclusion 46
Appendix: Brief Descriptions of the Project Areas for the
23 Brownfields Area-Wide Planning Pilots
47
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BROWNFIELDS AREA-WIDE PLANNING PILOTS
Ideas and Lessons Learned for Communities
Introduction
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Brownfields Area-Wide Planning (BE AWP) Program
provides grant1 funding to communities that struggle with the challenges presented by a concentration
of brownfield sites in a particular area of their city or town, such as a neighborhood, downtown district,
waterfront, or a local commercial corridor. The BE AWP Program enables these communities to research
existing conditions and gather community input to create an area-wide plan that will guide the cleanup and
reuse of the brownfield properties and the surrounding area.
EPA supports an area-wide approach to brownfields cleanup and redevelopment. When multiple brownfield
sites are concentrated in a specific area, they are connected not just by proximity, but also often by
environmental conditions and infrastructure, which together limit the environmental health, and economic
and social prosperity of their surroundings. Rather than addressing brownfield sites one by one, an area-wide
approach provides an opportunity to systematically consider the challenges related to multiple brownfields
and incorporate site-specific assessment and cleanup into larger community revitalization efforts. An area-
wide planning process enables a community to develop a shared vision for revitalization within the project
area, strategize the best way to implement that vision, and more efficiently remediate and reuse brownfield
sites to help reverse disinvestment.
HUD-DOT-EPA Partnership for Sustainable Communities
The BE AWP program is part of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the U.S.
Department of Transportation, and U.S. EPAs Partnership for Sustainable Communities (HUD-DOT-
EPA PSO. Brownfields area-wide planning facilitates the realization of the Partnership's six livability
principles by emphasizing meaningful public engagement opportunities, integration with community
planning efforts, and neighborhood revitalization approaches that benefit local residents.
Sharing Lessons Learned
This report conveys key lessons learned across the 23 projects that received pilot grant funding from EPAs
BE AWP Program. Compiled from grantee feedback and observation of their experiences as grantees, seven
cross-project themes emerged:
1. Manage for Successful Community Involvement
2. Form and Maintain Strong and Supportive Partnerships
3. Identify What Is Feasible
Grant or grantee refers to the cooperative agreement relationship between EPA and the recipient(s) who received funding to perform
the BF AWP project(s). Cooperative agreement is explained atwww.epa.gov/ogd/recipient/glossarv.htm.
INTRODUCTION
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Ideas and Lessons Learned for Communities
4. Prioritize Sites and Projects
5. Develop Strategies for Plan Implementation Throughout the Process
6. Maximize Resources Through Leveraging
7. Maintain Strong Project Management Throughout the Project
Each of the seven cross-project themes are described in this report, including summarized ideas and advice
as shared by the BF AWP grantees. Cross-project themes each include a set of relevant basic concepts,
as well as a set of specific lessons learned from BF AWP pilot projects. The "basics" section includes well-
known, common core project concepts that the grant recipients reinforced as best practices throughout their
projects. The "specific lessons learned from BF AWP pilot projects" represent ideas and approaches that the
grant recipients found particularly useful, constructive, and effective for helping them successfully manage
their brownfields area-wide planning process and develop a plan implementation strategy.
Brownfields Area-Wide Planning Pilot Grants
EPA competitively awarded BF AWP pilot grants in 2010. Under this pilot program, 23 recipients received
grant funding to conduct brownfields area-wide planning projects.2
The recipients of these grants represented diverse communities: five nonprofit organizations, one tribe,
one regional planning commission, and 16 local governments from various-sized cities (five large cities,
nine mid-sized, and four rural communities).
The pilot projects included a variety of project area types, including old industrial areas, downtown
districts, waterfronts, neighborhoods, recreational and other public spaces, local commercial corridors,
and greenway corridors, that struggle with one or more brownfield sites.
Pilot projects consisted of research activities and technical assistance, such as:
community engagement sessions to identify community priorities and opportunities to meet those
priorities through cleaning up and reusing brownfield sites;
brownfields area market studies and feasibility analyses;
review of existing environmental conditions;
coordination with existing community plans;
brownfields area infrastructure analysis;
brownfields site mapping;
site reuse planning and schematic designs to reflect the community's cleanup and reuse goals for the
brownfield sites;
See the Appendix for a list of the 23 grantees. Additional information can be found at www.epa.gov/brownfields/areawide_grants.htm.
INTRODUCTION
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BROWNFIELDS AREA-WIDE PLANNING PILOTS
Ideas and Lessons Learned for Communities
prioritization of brownfield sites for cleanup and reuse; and
brownfields area-wide plan implementation strategies.
Each grantee synthesized their research and technical assistance activities to develop an area-wide plan for
community brownfields revitalization, and identified the next steps necessary to implement the plan (i.e., the
actions they needed to take and the resources they needed to secure). As part of their efforts to improve the
local environmental and public health conditions surrounding brownfield sites, the grantees are now pursuing
the following types of revitalization goals in their communities:
improving active business and light industrial corridors to help maintain business viability;
diversifying land uses - creating a better mix of commercial/light industrial businesses with residential;
attracting manufacturing or industrial reuses where appropriate;
enhancing community waterfront access and activities, including better programming for the sites and area;
increasing recreation and green space opportunities, including community agriculture where able;
combining eco-restoration with economic redevelopment;
developing renewable energy opportunities; and
creating public uses, such as a museum, library, and better access to health care and healthy food.
Building from initial successes and lessons learned from the pilot projects, EPA competitively selected 20
additional recipients to receive BE AWP project grant funds in fiscal year (FY) 2013. The FY13 projects are
underway and will continue through 2015. EPA expects that the lessons compiled in this report will be useful to
current and future grantees, as well as other communities across the country, as they embark on the process of
developing an area-wide plan and implementation a strategy for cleaning up and reusing brownfield sites.
INTRODUCTION
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Ideas and Lessons Learned for Communities
Cross-Project Theme 1I Manage for Successful
Community Involvement
Meaningful and ongoing public engagement is the foundation
of a successful brownfields area-wide planning project. Active
community involvement helps ensure that the brownfield
sites selected for cleanup and reuse reflect the community's
priorities, and the subsequent redevelopment enhances the
community's character and future opportunities.
A fundamental component of BF AWP is that stakeholders
who are affected by brownfields contamination (whether real
or perceived) and historical disinvestment must benefit from
the cleanup and reuse of the sites. These stakeholders must
have a sense of ownership in developing the community's
vision for brownfields cleanup and reuse, and strong input
in the decision making. When the planning for brownfields
cleanup and reuse is driven by meaningful public engagement,
the community members, project partners, public funders, and
private investors recognize that there is strong commitment
to, and capacity for, making improvements in the area.
This commitment to revitalization can be used to prioritize
resources and hold decision makers accountable.
Meaningful engagement of the
community means using a variety
of active involvement approaches
throughout the project. Advisory
committees, public meetings, one-on-
one interactions, community tours, and
brownfields charrettes3 are just some
of the ways stakeholders can share
information and provide feedback that
will inform the area-wide plan.
Stakeholders include residents,
businesses, government, nonprofits, and
interest groups, as well as organizations
and individuals whose valuable input,
partnership, and resources can be used
for the brownfield area revitalization.
Community engagement activities for the BF AWP "Brown to Green" project led by Communities for a Better Environment (CBE)
(Huntington Park, CA). Photo credits: CBE
3 A charrette is an interactive, collaborative planning and design workshop that is used to engage a range of community stakeholders
around a project, get their input and develop site designs in response to that input. In the BF AWP context, a community can host
a charrette around key brownfield sites in the community. EPA has additional information on design charrettes atwww.epa.gov/
sustainabilitv/analvtics/design-charrettes.htm
CROSS-PROJECT THEME 1: MANAGE FOR SUCCESSFUL COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
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Community Involvement Basics
Consider public engagement to be an ongoing activity integral to the success of your project, not
limited to a handful of events.
Start early and continue the engagement throughout the project. Early momentum enables the
community to get started with identifying their priorities for brownfields revitalization and can set
the right tone for the overall project.
Be inclusive and transparent. Include the full spectrum of residents, businesses, organizations, and
public agencies at the start of the project and as part of the project advisory committee. Engage
with new stakeholders, and work with existing partners in different settings. Explain how decisions
about the future of the project area will be reached.
Hold project meetings and events within the affected community, and schedule them at times when
the community members are available (e.g., after work hours, on weekends).
Create a project website or use a social media site. Keep it current with all of the latest information,
reports, and progress updates, and make it interactive so that you can solicit and respond to feedback.
Use the Web to complement, but not replace, more direct community engagement activities.
Every opinion counts. Respect all voices and encourage reluctant parties to participate. Provide
opportunities to receive one-on-one or small group feedback from those who are not comfortable
speaking out in a large public meeting.
If building on a related community planning or partnership effort, revisit the BE AWP project starting
point often, and gladly bring everyone up to speed. Do not assume that all stakeholders have been
following previous work on the project.
Specific Lessons Learned from BF AWP Pilot Projects
Make community involvement a top priority by budgeting appropriately: Ensure that the BF AWP
project budget strongly reflects the importance of stakeholder engagement activities and opportunities
to provide feedback throughout the entire project. Balance the outreach and communication activities
that occur with property owners in the project area with those with the general public (e.g., neighborhood
outreach activities). Look for additional resources that can keep the community engaged over the long
term as the project moves from planning to implementation.
Identify project champions in your local leaders: Work with local leaders from all sectors of the
community and encourage them to become champions of the project. Strive for diverse representation of
neighborhoods and community groups. Closely involve these local leaders, incorporate their ideas, and ask
them to involve others throughout the planning phase and all the way through project implementation.
CROSS-PROJECT THEME 1: MANAGE FOR SUCCESSFUL COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
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The support and involvement of local
leaders who become BF AWP project
area champions will build credibility
for and interest in the project. These
champions can also be called upon to
provide media interviews to help get the
word out about the project.
Let the community speak for itself. Have community
leaders engage and lead key elements of the project:
Request that community leaders involved in the BF AWP
process present, or co-present, information about the
project whenever the opportunity arises. Local community
leaders are aware of the concerns of their members, and
in some cases, these leaders may be able to build trust
and commitment for the project better than project staff
or contractors. Encourage the community leaders to lead
tours of brownfield sites in their neighborhoods, and share
histories and insights that will influence the neighborhood
vision for the project area.
Create a project advisory committee: Engage a diverse group of local leadership, subject matter
experts, champions, and businesses who will give advice and input that will help shape the project. Have
this committee meet regularly and frequently.
3 Use an application process to select advisory committee members; this helps to ensure that you
are including the most dedicated stakeholders whose involvement will endure over time. Set
expectations for committee member time commitments and establish clear roles for the committee.
o Encourage the project advisory committee to evolve into a project implementation committee after
the BF AWP process has concluded. Decide who else needs to be included on the implementation
ADVICE COLUMN
Project Challenge: Dealing With Reluctant Property Owners
Grantee tips for engaging property owners who are reluctant to participate in the BF AWP
process include:
Engage property owners regularly throughout the BF AWP process and maintain active
communication.
Keep property owners in the loop and ask for their opinion. It takes time to build trust, so build
relationships slowly.
Take time to listen to the property owner's concerns. You may need to have small group or one-on-
one discussions to flesh out the issues. Property owners are often wary, apprehensive, or unclear
regarding government actions. Make connections back to the project goals that demonstrate how
BF AWP supports their priorities.
Use peer relationships with other property/ business owners who have worked through the process
to help frame the benefits of the BF AWP effort.
Speak in terms of economic benefit and real estate. How is involvement in the BF AWP effort good for
the property owner? Speaking the same language as the property owners can improve relationships.
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team. Assign responsibility for key actions to specific
members on the committee.
o Encourage the members of the advisory committee
to share regular updates with the groups they
represent. This will help spread project information
and support, and maintain a transparent process.
Promote a renewed sense of place throughout the
project area: Help stakeholders and prospective investors
see past the label of a "brownfields area" and work with
the community to renew or establish the project area's
identity. Draw from the area's unique history by reviving an
old mill district or restoring/preserving historic buildings,
or encourage a new look and feel to the area by creating a
"Green Zone" or "Community Arts District." Strengthening
the identity of the area helps attract a cluster of like-
minded and synergistic businesses, which not only
makes the neighborhood unique but also improves
competitiveness with other areas not facing the same
types of challenges from brownfields.
Choose an involvement strategy that fits your
community: The BF AWP pilot grantees successfully used
a range of public engagement strategies, chosen based
on what worked best for each project. For some projects,
well-established approaches, such as press releases, door-
to-door visits, and mailed invitations resulted in robust
community meeting attendance. Other communities found
that different techniques were more effective, such as early
one meetings, direct outreach to community-based groups,
Pilot Project Example
The Jacobs Center for
Neighborhood Innovation
(San Diego, CA) grantee
incorporated a community
planning process called VOCAL
(Voices of the Community
at All Levels), which included
18 representatives from different
cultural backgrounds who helped
ensure that community residents
led the planning process. In
addition to community input
sessions, VOCAL members
participated in a series of six
brownfields-focused workshops
that included the topics of
reuse planning, assessment
and remediation strategies,
remediation and health impacts,
infrastructure support, economic
redevelopment, and a next-steps
resource plan.
engagement with local businesses, one-on-
websites, and social media.
Recognize if your stakeholders are experiencing "meeting fatigue" around local planning issues,
or have a history of disenfranchisement or distrust in the public process, so you can develop more
suitable outreach methods that result in long-term, productive engagement with the community.
Vary your outreach methods and types of activities.
Use both conventional (e.g., newspaper ads, library bulletins, public meetings, webinars) and
unconventional outreach methods (e.g., bike and site tours, social media, electronic polling during
meetings, tactical urbanism approaches) to reach and get involvement from a broader array of
stakeholders.
Try to accommodate diverse schedules by holding a variety of events and include activities that
are suitable for multigenerational participants.
CROSS-PROJECT THEME 1: MANAGE FOR SUCCESSFUL COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
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Develop anticipated project outcomes and common
goals with the community, and ensure that they
are clearly communicated: Set the expectation that
involvement in the BF AWP process is a vehicle for change
not just an exercise on paper. Together with the project
advisory committee and the community, determine the
common goals around which the project will focus and
revisit these at community engagement events so that
stakeholders can see how the process is working to
meet those goals. Avoid using jargon or terms not fully
understood or embraced by the community.
Plan your message with partners and goals in mind:
It is likely that the BF AWP process and goals will overlap
with those of project partners, including other city
departments, regional agencies, or nonprofits in your
community. Help these partners realize how their own
goals can be met with clear messages about the potential
outcomes and shared benefits of the BF AWP process.
Pilot Project Examples
Using other public events, common
facilities, and businesses can help
get the word out about the BF
AWP project. Some examples from
BF AWP grantees include:
Sanford, ME: The city held a BF
AWP public event in conjunction
with the city's holiday tree
lighting ceremony.
Goshen, IN: The city showcased
the project area through a
display at City Hall.
Phoenix, AZ: A local pizzeria
advertised upcoming
community meetings via flyers
placed on pizza boxes, which
both advertised the meeting
and the business's commitment
to the project.
San Francisco Parks Alliance (CA) sponsored coastal cleanups, vegetation planting sessions, and numerous other involvement activities
along the Blue Greenway (including bike, boat, and kayak tours) to help spread the word about the project and provide various
opportunities for community input.
Photo credit: San Francisco Parks Alliance
CROSS-PROJECT THEME 1: MANAGE FOR SUCCESSFUL COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
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Ideas and Lessons Learned for Communities
Think about how to sustain involvement in the project over the long term: Neighborhood
revitalization takes time; achieving it requires a long-term strategy and commitment. Make sustaining
involvement into future years a priority.
Engage youth to bring unique perspectives into the project: Creating special opportunities for
community youth participation will help shape the vision for brownfields in unique ways. Incorporating the
ideas of the younger population means that the plan will reflect the priorities of those who will benefit the
most in the long term. Youth involvement also helps capture the support of public officials, philanthropic
organizations, and interest groups who otherwise might not lend their time and resources to brownfields
cleanup and reuse.
Seek to understand opposition to the project: Address opposition to the BF AWP process directly
and transparently. Having public meetings early on can help to identify project opposition that could pose
obstacles down the road. Take time to learn about the opposing parties' views and concerns; ensure that
they feel recognized in the process. Encourage other stakeholders to address these opposing views in
order to have an honest dialogue among those invested in the process.
ADVICE COLUMN
Project Challenge: Managing Opposition to the Project
Below are some methods that BF AWP grantees have used to help manage opposition to their projects
during community forums:
An electronic voting system can be used to facilitate community participation and ensure that every
attendee at the meeting has a voice. It is also an effective mechanism to demonstrate the overall
feelings of a group, especially when a small number of people loudly dominate the meeting. A vote
can be taken to see how many people share the opinions expressed and the conversation moves
forward quickly if there is no consensus around that point.
Raised-hand questions are not allowed. Instead, attendees must write down their question, name,
and community represented. This process maintains transparency; it also takes some of the emotion
out of the meeting and keeps the discussion on topic.
Breaking out into smaller groups with project staff members facilitating each table discussion allows
quieter people to take time to think through their opinions, provide input, and feel comfortable
talking. This also ensures that their message is directly heard by the project staff.
Setting the right tone for the meeting up front is important. One community changed the tone of
their meeting by having a local councilperson speak, then a minister led a prayer about tolerance.
Then they held a small group discussion where everyone was able to participate.
Know who is opposing the action and seek to understand why. Addressing their issue directly and
succinctly can help the meeting stay on track.
CROSS-PROJECT THEME 1: MANAGE FOR SUCCESSFUL COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
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Ideas and Lessons Learned for Communities
Pilot Project Examples
BF AWP grantees in Sanford, ME; Goshen, IN; Monaca, PA; and Communities for a Better Environment,
CA, engaged youth in various ways throughout their projects. One particularly effective way to
get input on community priorities and brownfields site reuse ideas was to hold design charrettes
for school students. Consider presenting the BF AWP project to high school science classes and
university engineering and architecture students, and explain to them how their input can be
incorporated into the project. Enlist their ideas and future help as the project goes forward.
The City of Kalispell, MT conducted extensive outreach to individual stakeholders in the area,
completing over 80 face-to-face meetings with area property owners and providing 10 presentations
to community organizations. Their approach enabled local stakeholders to better understand and
stronger participation in the BF AWP project.
ADVICE COLUMN
Outreach Management
Desarrollo Integral del Sur (DISUR), a BF AWP grantee in Puerto Rico, shared the following ideas for
managing the public outreach process:
Declare transparency early: Your community may be wary and even mistrustful at the start of your
project due to promises not followed through on in the past. It is important to set the stage for
transparency in the project early on and deliver on that transparency.
Create an online project report: To assist in project transparency, post the project goals, key
contacts, team members, and project schedule online. Keep the list of project milestones and
downloadable versions of completed reports available for review on your project's website.
Prepare a public exhibition: DISUR was able to design a public exhibition and then produce a catalog
for outreach during and after the project. This helped spread public awareness during the planning
process and provided them with a public information tool for continued communication.
Communicate frequently: Once you have the phone numbers and email addresses of contacts,
create a database and keep people informed about project developments. Social media can (to an
extent) serve this purpose; it also provides another forum for gathering community feedback about
brownfield plans.
Form media relations: Develop a media list early and start reaching out to the appropriate reporters,
editors, producers, and bloggers at the local newspaper, radio station, television, etc.
CROSS-PROJECT THEME 1: MANAGE FOR SUCCESSFUL COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
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Ideas and Lessons Learned for Communities
DISUR centered their BF AWP project area on an old petrochemical
corridor in southwestern Puerto Rico. Community members participated
in design charrettes to re-imagine improvements and new land uses for
this area, and worked with DISUR to develop a plan for how to clean up
and reuse key brownfield sites in the area. Many infrastructure upgrades
are needed to support local residents and encourage new commercial
industries (such as solar energy generation and ecotourism, among others)
to bring jobs to this area.
Aerial photo credit: Lizzie Herrera forAerofoto Internacional Puerto Rico
Charrette series photo credit: Juan C. Feliciano and Maria M. Rivera Grau
for DISUR, Inc., Puerto Rico
Project community meetings in the Montview
Corridor (Aurora, CO) were discussion based and
designed to be interactive.
Photo credit: City of Aurora, CO
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Ideas and Lessons Learned for Communities
ADVICE COLUMN
Tips for how the design and tone of your brownfields area-wide plan and implementation
strategies should support and reinforce your community engagement effort
Your brownfields area-wide plan should:
o explain the community engagement process;
° provide cleanup and reuse scenarios for specific brownfield sites, and explain how the reuse of
these sites will meet community priorities;
o explain how uncertainty is reduced for cleanup and redevelopment because brownfields
regulation, zoning, and other policy barriers already have been considered and the plan was
developed with community and political support;
o include a strategy for using public resources and/or attracting private and nonprofit investment
to the area; and
o contain a strong implementation section with clear strategies, a list of prioritized actions for the
near, intermediate, and long term, and responsibilities assigned for accomplishing the actions.
Executive summaries should be written carefully and include a concise overview of the project goals
and plan, as well as key next steps, action items, and the project partner(s).
The tone of the planning process, and of the plan itself, is absolutely critical. Your project can easily
lose support if you are not careful with the tone in every part of the process.
o Instead of using planning jargon, start conversations with stakeholders with exploratory
questions, such as What do you like about living in your community? How do we use the assets
we already have, but in a better manner? Which of these assets would you like to build from and
what new assets do we need?
o The final plan should reflect the community's ownership of the project process, priorities
identified, and commitment to implementing the plan. Write from the first person plural
perspective. Do not allow the plan to be primarily a list of recommended actions that the city or
nonprofit should take because this can have a polarizing effect.
Make it easy for the public to comment on the draft version of the plan. Post the draft online and
place hard copies around town for review. Gather public input, address questions, and incorporate
comments in the final version. Determine how the feedback can inform the implementation of
the plan.
Celebrate the completion of plan development with your community. Have a public event that
rolls out the final brownfields area-wide plan and kicks off the implementation phase. Arrange the
event around activities that start plan implementation, such as school, park, or riverfront cleanups;
volunteering at a community-based organization; a ground-breaking event for new development;
fundraising activities; or making an outreach video describing next steps.
CROSS-PROJECT THEME 1: MANAGE FOR SUCCESSFUL COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
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Cross-Project Theme 2I Form and Maintain Strong
and Supportive Partnerships
The strength of the BF AWP process, the ability to create a brownfields revitalization plan that represents
community priorities, and the capacity for implementing the plan directly correlate to the partners that
participate in and provide support for the project. Working around common goals with committed partners
before, during, and after the development of the brownfields plan will provide a strong foundation and guide
the project.
All successes regarding plan development and implementation will occur because of local drivers -
partnerships among government, community-based organizations, businesses, foundations, and other
stakeholders - who provide the enthusiasm, share the responsibility, and bring in the resources needed for
the project. These organizations will provide the input necessary to develop the plan and establish long-term
networks for implementation.
Partnership Basics
Have a clear understanding of the perspectives and sectors represented by your partners, including:
o governmental entities (federal, state, tribal, regional, or local);
o interest groups (public, private, citizen, advocacy, or nonprofit);
o various subject matter experts (housing, environmental, economic development,
transportation, education, public health, social welfare, faith-based, etc.); and
o leadership (elected and appointed officials, executive directors, etc.).
Keep it simple. Make it easy for a supporting organization or stakeholder to be a partner in the
process. Be clear about the role that each partner can play and why they are important.
Create partnerships that strengthen ties and build trust and credibility among multiple levels of
government, community organizations, and private entities.
o Multi-sector partners help leverage the best knowledge, priorities, and resources.
o Utilize partners' abilities and unique contributions to the project, and have them assume
responsibilities that your agency or organization cannot.
o Formalized partnerships help ensure active participation and continued commitment to
the project.
CROSS-PROJECT THEME 2: FORM AND MAINTAIN STRONG AND SUPPORTIVE PARTNERSHIPS
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BROWNFIELDS AREA-WIDE PLANNING PILOTS
Ideas and Lessons Learned for Communities
Specific Lessons Learned from BF AWP Pilot Projects
Bring new and existing partners together: Form new collaborations and renew long-standing
partnerships by integrating existing relationships with new partners. Work on building trust among all
partners that can be fostered through transparency and clear expectations. Determine early on when will
be the most appropriate time to engage new partners, and find specific opportunities for them to add
value to the process.
Clearly articulate shared goals that the project can help achieve: When partners share common goals,
they are better able to work together and alongside the community. This translates into a shared sense
of ownership and commitment for brownfields area-wide plan development and implementation, and
continued involvement for near- and long-term success.
ADVICE COLUMN
What is the range of potential partners to consider for your BF AWP project?
Cultural groups
Grantees shared these examples of various
BF AWP partners that they engaged:
Faith-based groups
Youth and student groups
Local elected officials and members of the
state legislature or U.S. Congress
Educational groups, including school boards,
parent-teacher associations, and local
colleges and universities
Business owners
Chamber of Commerce, Rotary Club
Local and regional water boards, economic
development authorities, and emergency
preparedness groups
Clinics and hospitals
Developers and realtors
Press, local bloggers, and media
Local artists, arts organizations
Local populations whose primary language is
not English
Young families, local parents groups
Property owners, including absentee and
abandoned site owners
Renters
Nonprofit organizations, both community-
based (e.g., local employment center,
Groundwork Trust) and local chapters of
nationwide organizations (e.g., Trust for
Public Land, Urban Land Institute)
Local offices of relevant federal and state
agencies (e.g., EPA, HUD, DOT, USDA, etc,
and state equivalent offices)
Consider the best way to engage each partner
in the BF AWP process. You may need to meet
one-on-one or in small groups to first establish
credibility and interest from the partner before
bringing all of the partners together around the
discussion table.
CROSS-PROJECT THEME 2: FORM AND MAINTAIN STRONG AND SUPPORTIVE PARTNERSHIPS
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BROWNFIELDS AREA-WIDE PLANNING PILOTS
Ideas and Lessons Learned for Communities
Use your partners to broaden influence and build support: Partners with good community standing
and influence can elevate the profile of the BF AWP project. They can leverage political commitment,
strengthen relationships, and build public trust.
o A partner may be in a better position to lead different parts of the revitalization effort than your
organization, due to their position and relationships within your community.
o Partners with community development experience may help bring in contacts and relationships with
sustainable and equitable development-minded developers, nonprofits, and businesses, which can
help generate greener and healthier land uses in the community.
o Partnerships can help build the business and property owner support needed to establish area-wide
plan implementation vehicles like business improvement districts (BIDs), tax increment financing (TIP)
districts, changes needed to local policy and zoning, and so forth.
o Include local elected officials in activities and events (e.g., public gatherings, charrettes, ribbon-cutting
ceremonies) that will help them understand the BF AWP project and gain their commitment to
implementation.
Project partners tour the West End brownfields planning area in Chicopee, MA. Photo credit: Frank Gardner, US EPA Region I
CROSS-PROJECT THEME 2: FORM AND MAINTAIN STRONG AND SUPPORTIVE PARTNERSHIPS
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BROWNFIELDS AREA-WIDE PLANNING PILOTS
Ideas and Lessons Learned for Communities
o Share responsibility for implementation across
multiple partners who have various authorities to
direct resources to the project as available.
o Think about the best way to include other
municipalities from your region as partners in
your local brownfields revitalization effort. Nearby
communities are likely to share similar goals with your
BF AWP community, and your joint efforts can be
complementary.
Formalize partnerships to help ensure long-term
involvement: As the project evolves, so will the
partnerships. Where using informal, ad hoc partnerships
to solicit input may have been appropriate early in the BF
AWP process, more formal agreements can better serve
the purpose of defining roles, allocating responsibility,
increasing accountability, and encouraging transparency
among partners over the long term.
Be prepared to put in the needed effort to develop
and maintain partnerships over the long term: The
readiness of a community and its partners to undertake a
BF AWP process and carry it through to plan completion
and implementation should be discussed and assessed
up front. Regular, repeated coordination with all project
partners is necessary. Sometimes, extensive one-on-
one meetings are needed to build partnerships. The
organization leading the BF AWP project will need to work
hard to attract the right partners and keep them engaged
throughout the process.
Strengthen internal partnerships and keep everyone in
the loop: Use the interdisciplinary nature of the BF AWP
process to involve other members of your organization,
and encourage them to have a specific role in its success.
Several city staff members who worked on BF AWP pilot
projects shared that it was immensely valuable, albeit
difficult, to coordinate elements of the BF AWP process
across departments within their city. Looping in these other
offices and connecting the project to overall organizational
goals helped them make stronger project allies.
Examples of formalized partnerships
include intergovernmental agreements,
memoranda of understanding, project
charters, written mandates from
mayor/city or county council/other
leadership, public-private agreements,
community benefit agreements,
advisory committee ground rules, and
financial or in-kind contributions from
partners. Documenting the partnership
will establish and manage expectations
for the project and clearly define
partner roles.
ADVICE COLUMN
Involving Federal Agencies in
Your BF AWP Project
Determining the most appropriate
time to engage with federal
agencies is an important discussion
to have with your BF AWP project
team early on. The involvement
of federal agency representatives
will depend on what they can
offer to the project in terms of
assistance. Several of the BF AWP
grantees felt ready to include
agency representatives from the
start of the project, and even
included these representatives on
the project advisory committee.
Other communities, however, were
not comfortable engaging federal
agency representatives until their
project was further along, and
they had a better understanding of
their resource needs and specific
implementation challenges.
CROSS-PROJECT THEME 2: FORM AND MAINTAIN STRONG AND SUPPORTIVE PARTNERSHIPS
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BROWNFIELDS AREA-WIDE PLANNING PILOTS
Ideas and Lessons Learned for Communities
Determine which partners are needed but are currently missing: Reach out to various public
and private organizations and let them know about your BF AWP project. Invite the participation of
representatives from state departments of environmental protection and economic and community
development; federal, tribal, or regional agencies; and foundations and local educational institutions. Ask
these representatives to share their subject matter expertise when exploring implementation options,
such as financing authorities, grants/loans, and anticipated funding amounts; navigating programs; sharing
government or foundation funding priorities; and identifying examples/case studies relevant to your
project. Working with EPA's Brownfields and Land Revitalization Program or HUD-DOT-EPA Partnership
for Sustainable Communities points of contact can help you make connections with other federal and
state agencies.
Pilot Project Example
One outcome of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation's BF AWP pilot project was that they
were able to strengthen their internal tribal partnership. Colville Tribes used the process to evaluate and
improve their intra-tribal environmental management paradigm. The brownfields cleanup and reuse vision
for a new solid waste transfer station was planned to help make the site reuse sustainable over the long
term. Now, the tribal council has approved the next steps needed to implement the area-wide plan for the
brownfield sites, and has clearly delineated internal roles and responsibilities within their partnership to
make it happen.
ADVICE COLUMN
Interested in working with partners to develop a Business Improvement District (BID) for the BF
AWP project area?
Some ideas from BF AWP grantees on how to create a BID to help energize local businesses and
residents for action:
Investigate whether your state requires legislation for special districts.
Work with businesses to identify the benefits of a BID and who will lead the effort to develop the
district. This facilitates the petitioning process. Often it is better that a BID petition comes from the
private sector than from local government.
A BID model could be used to attract developer interest to the area. Common area appearance
improvements can go a long way.
A BID may be one way to get existing property owners engaged to work toward betterment of the
area. A BID can also put pressure on a recalcitrant property owner to better maintain and clean up
their property.
CROSS-PROJECT THEME 2: FORM AND MAINTAIN STRONG AND SUPPORTIVE PARTNERSHIPS
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BROWNFIELDS AREA-WIDE PLANNING PILOTS
Ideas and Lessons Learned for Communities
Area-Wide Approach
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The Borough of Monaca, PA and three neighboring communities, the Borough of Midland, the City of Aliquippa, and the Borough of
Coraopolis, partnered together to develop a cleanup and reuse strategy for key brownfield sites along the 4o-mile Ohio River corridor.
Graphic credit: Stromberg/Garrigan & Associates
CROSS-PROJECT THEME 2: FORM AND MAINTAIN STRONG AND SUPPORTIVE PARTNERSHIPS
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BROWNFIELDS AREA-WIDE PLANNING PILOTS
Ideas and Lessons Learned for Communities
Cross-Project Theme 3: Identify What Is Feasible
Market studies, infrastructure assessments, and environmental conditions provide important
parameters for Brownfields reuse.
Brownfield revitalization plans must consider community priorities alongside realistic expectations regarding
the market, availability of infrastructure, and existing environmental conditions. Conducting market-based
studies, developing an economic analysis, reviewing environmental data, and assessing the state of area
infrastructure will help to ensure that the cleanup and redevelopment proposed through the BF AWP process
strikes a balance between the aspirational vision of the community and the reality of the amount of resources
needed to build that vision.
Evaluate the feasibility of the project by understanding how the existing conditions and expected market
demand in the brownfields area influences the BF AWP process. This information will lead to more specific
strategies for plan implementation, which will increase the likelihood that the cleanup and redevelopment can
be completed.
Feasibility Basics
Projects requiring private market investment and development can use an economic analysis or
market study of the brownfields area to identify what reuses the local market can support. This
analysis can provide information on:
o the timing of market demand (near term versus long term);
o types and amount of redevelopment that can be supported by the market demand:
o intensity of proposed land uses;
o estimated purchase prices or rental rates; and
o market absorption rates.
Additional feasibility evaluations can identify the extent to which a project is dependent on other
investment or cleanup actions. For example:
o What is the condition of the infrastructure in the area?
o Can the infrastructure support and maintain the planned redevelopment for the brownfield
area or is investment in infrastructure needed?
o What is the environmental condition of the area and of the specific brownfield sites?
o Will the project require a public subsidy?
CROSS-PROJECT THEME 3: IDENTIFY WHAT IS FEASIBLE
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BROWNFIELDS AREA-WIDE PLANNING PILOTS
Ideas and Lessons Learned for Communities
Specific Lessons Learned from BF AWP Pilot Projects
Use existing condition and market studies to guide
brownfield cleanup and redevelopment goals: Ensure
that the vision for brownfields area is grounded in
practicality and attainability. This approach contributes
to the transparency within the BF AWP process and
reinforces trust in the process.
Shape a plan for brownfields redevelopment that is
guided by market studies, infrastructure analysis,
and the ability to remediate known environmental
conditions within the project area, alongside the
community's revitalization goals.
Manage stakeholder expectations if market and other
feasibility studies for the project area will be done
after the community creates a vision. Prepare the
community for conversations about the tradeoffs
needed if the study does not fully support the vision.
Interim Reuses for Sites
Interim reuses are generally less intensive
land uses that provide immediate local
benefits and prevent contaminant
exposure. Taking interim steps toward
completing the BF AWP vision can
provide additional time for collaborating
with partners or researching and
pursuing planned infrastructure
investments, while maintaining a focus
on brownfields area improvement and
demonstrating to the community that
their priorities are being addressed.
Transportation infrastructure and site access issues are challenges that exist in (clockwise from top) Goshen, IN, along the Ohio River
brownfields area in PA, and Chicopee, MA.
Photo credits: Goshen, IN: Jon Grosshans, EPA Region V
Ohio River: Stromberg/Garrigan & Associates
Chicopee, MA: Frank Gardner, EPA Region I
CROSS-PROJECT THEME 3: IDENTIFY WHAT IS FEASIBLE
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BROWNFIELDS AREA-WIDE PLANNING PILOTS
Ideas and Lessons Learned for Communities
3 Longer-term implementation strategies might need to include short-term solutions that will help
bridge any feasibility gaps in the redevelopment plan.
3 In cases where the market, infrastructure, environmental conditions (e.g., prohibitive cost of cleanup),
or local policy does not coincide with the community's vision, consider whether there are interim
actions (e.g., improved maintenance of properties, limited cleanup measures) or reuses for key
properties that can provide some more immediate community benefits and investment.
Check cleanup and reuse compatibility with other sites, plans, and zoning: A core concept of the
BF AWP process is that the reuse of a brownfield property will be influenced by the conditions and uses of
the properties around it. Consider the following:
3 Investment in one property often begets new investment in an adjacent or nearby property. Develop
a cleanup and redevelopment strategy that systematically takes into account recent investment.
ADVICE COLUMN
Interested in engaging with greener-minded developers?
Some ideas from BF AWP grantees on how to bring more green, sustainable and equitable development
approaches to your BF AWP process:
Ensure that your community vision includes goals that reflect sustainable and equitable
development approaches, and emphasize these goals in all of your communications about the
project area. This will get the word out that greener redevelopment practices are desired and
expected in the project area.
Brand the project area as a green and healthy district. This can help lure greener businesses and
industries that want to be in that district because it helps build their own credentials. It can also
make the project area more competitive with other locations.
Talk early with potential developers about including green and healthy building design elements
and how to design leases that advance the goals of your community. Follow a green building
rating system (e.g., LEED, Green Globes) or EPA green building programs if this is helpful for
communicating your sustainable redevelopment goals, and consider how a community benefit
agreement could help support equitable development.
Include a developer on a project advisory group. For example, in the BF AWP pilot project in
Phoenix, AZ, a developer was included and was able to use connections to bring additional
stakeholders into the planning process. It also resulted in a pool of developers interested in the
project area.
Use zoning for the brownfields area as a tool to require greener development, such as providing
credits (e.g., height variances) to developers that use greener development methods and creating
overlay districts in certain areas to encourage specific types of development.
Offer a more expedient review process for greener development projects. Often, time can be as
important as money for developers.
CROSS-PROJECT THEME 3: IDENTIFY WHAT IS FEASIBLE
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BROWNFIELDS AREA-WIDE PLANNING PILOTS
Ideas and Lessons Learned for Communities
o Know what other community plans apply to this
project area and determine how the BF AWP process
can be consistent with and integrate those plans.
These are important elements of overall project
feasibility.
o Identify early on whether the zoning for the project
area is compatible with the planned brownfields
revitalization or if changes will be necessary.
Engage with potential end owners and users to get
their input on the site reuse options that seem most
feasible: Check in with experts and ask those who may
be interested in operating the site once it is cleaned up
and redeveloped (e.g., for running a business or nonprofit,
developing housing, building a park or other recreation
area). In their opinions, what types of land reuses seem
feasible and cost effective?
Assess the state of the infrastructure to determine
whether improvements will be needed: Successful
reuse of brownfield sites will depend on the availability
of infrastructure. Assessing the condition of existing
infrastructure and its ability to support the planned reuse
is critical. Evaluate transportation (roads, sidewalks, transit)
and utilities (drinking water, stormwater, sewer, power,
telecommunication, waste management, etc.) for the
capacity to accommodate site reuse scenarios over the
long term. In addition, you may need to identify how to
improve access and circulation for traffic and pedestrians
in the area. The feasibility of your BF AWP project will be
influenced by the following infrastructure considerations:
o The density and type of reuse on the brownfields that
the infrastructure can support;
o Any area infrastructure improvements needed; and
o How long it will take to make the infrastructure
improvements, as well as the amount of public or
private funding needed.
Pilot Project Examples
The City of Denver, CO,
completed corridor-wide
mapping of existing conditions
in the 11-mile South Platte River
brownfields area, including
brownfields sites, infrastructure
(highways, railroads), ownership,
impermeable surfaces, and
stormwater infrastructure.
These maps helped the city
make decisions about which
brownfields cleanup and
reuse projects could include
stormwater management
and green infrastructure
components. This work
complemented river and
greenway improvements taking
place under the River Vision
Implementation Plan.
In addition to several
community meetings, the BF
AWP grantee in Ogdensburg,
NY, held a meeting specifically
with developers to get their
input on potential cleanup and
reuses for the key brownfields
along the waterfront of the St.
Lawrence and Oswegatchie
rivers. This meeting provided
valuable insight and expertise
to the community's BF AWP
process and brought developers
up to speed on the community's
goals for the project.
CROSS-PROJECT THEME 3: IDENTIFY WHAT IS FEASIBLE
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BROWNFIELDS AREA-WIDE PLANNING PILOTS
Ideas and Lessons Learned for Communities
Pilot Project Examples
In Cleveland, OH, the city
was able to share data with
the Northeast Ohio Regional
Sewer District (NEORSD) and
the Cleveland Opportunity
Corridor project. A large portion
the city's research into the
environmental conditions of
key brownfield sites that could
be cleaned up and considered
for green infrastructure reuse
was useful to NEORSD. Data
from the BF AWP project were
also instrumental in helping
to influence the Cleveland
Opportunity Corridor roadway
alignment, and save the
expansion opportunities of
the two existing businesses
(Miecelli's Dairy and Orlando's
Bakery).
Jacobs Center for Neighborhood
Innovation (San Diego, CA) and
the City of Atlanta, GA, each
coordinated their BF AWP pilot
projects with ongoing health
impact assessment (HIA) efforts
in their communities. With HIA
data in hand, these communities
were able to incorporate specific
concerns from area residents,
and opportunities to improve
multiple aspects of public health,
through the cleanup and reuse of
brownfields in the project area.
Identify existing environmental conditions:
Incorporating information from existing condition
reports, local public health advisories, and environmental
injustices will inform and influence the BF AWP. This
includes using quality, pre-existing site assessment data
to inform your project and comparing the data against
how much environmental cleanup is needed to achieve
the community's vision for the area. Having and sharing
this information at the start of the public process means
that these issues and concerns can be raised early on, and
decisions on how they should be addressed will be based
in reality.
Obtain, update, and share data: The data on which your
BF AWP project and implementation strategies are based
need to be clear, transparent, accessible, and current.
Compile and share the necessary information about the
project area, including data on environmental, economic,
and public health conditions; population, transportation,
and housing trends; and area cultural history.
Demonstrate project viability with an economic
development strategy: An economic development
strategy done in tandem with brownfields area reuse
planning will demonstrate how the plan is economically
viable, and will provide information on thejobs, housing,
and other community improvements anticipated. This
information helps to build support for the plan. Create an
example cost analysis of each cleanup and redevelopment
project (e.g., a pro forma worksheet) and use it to help
determine public costs versus private costs. This will give
the community, partners, and private sector developers a
better idea of the type of redevelopment you are looking
for and an estimate of the costs.
CROSS-PROJECT THEME 3: IDENTIFY WHAT IS FEASIBLE
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BROWNFIELDS AREA-WIDE PLANNING PILOTS
Ideas and Lessons Learned for Communities
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Much of the New Bern, NC, Five Points neighborhood lies in a flood plain, making it more susceptible to severe weather events and
changing climate conditions. When creating the brownfields plan for this area, the city considered potential flooding issues and how the
brownfield sites could be affected. In coordination with their BF AWP efforts, the city also did resiliency planning for coastal areas, using
technical assistance provided by EPA's Office of Sustainable Communities.
Graphic credit Goody Clancy
CROSS-PROJECT THEME 3: IDENTIFY WHAT IS FEASIBLE
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BROWNFIELDS AREA-WIDE PLANNING PILOTS
Ideas and Lessons Learned for Communities
Cross-Project Theme 4:
Prioritize Sites and Projects
Resources for brownfields cleanup and neighborhood revitalization are limited in every community, so
it is essential that you prioritize redevelopment sites and projects within the BF AWP project area. The
prioritization process should set the stage for step-by-step implementation of the plan.
Prioritization Basics
When prioritizing the sites and
projects on which to focus for the
brownfields area-wide plan, many
BF AWP grantees considered
characteristics such as:
Proximity of the site or project
area to sensitive populations
Presence of human health or
environmental threats
Size of the property
Likelihood of cleanup and
redevelopment, and the
availability of a known,
interested end user
Availability of other resources
to contribute to the project
Potential of site cleanup
and redevelopment to spur
additional improvements in
the project area
Whether the site is publicly
owned, or the property owner
is willingly committed to the
BF AWP revitalization process
Specific Lessons Learned from BF AWP
Pilot Projects
Make the project manageable by keeping to
a reasonable project area size and number of
brownfields: Determine a reasonable number of
brownfield sites around which the project will focus. When
developing project area goals, be as specific as possible. Do
not try to create a brownfields area-wide plan for too many
sites or too large of a project area. Consider what can be
realistically implemented overtime.
Consider how site control and accessibility may
affect the project: Site control, the availability of public
infrastructure to support site reuse, funding for site
assessment and cleanup, and the ability to leverage
additional investment are factors that reflect a readiness
to move forward with a project, and each should be taken
into account. Properties may be more ready to move
forward if they:
o are owned by a person or organization closely
involved in the BF AWP process;
o are adjacent to public or private investment; and/or
3 have specific interest from prospective property
purchasers, developers, or property owners.
Predetermine whether key properties are eligible for
resources: Screening properties in the project area for
public incentives (e.g., tax incentives for private investment),
federal or state grants, or loan eligibility can help with
organizing the list of properties into project priorities. A
prioritized list helps keep the project focused on key next
steps, and resources can be directed more quickly toward
these projects if their eligibility is predetermined.
CROSS-PROJECT THEME 4: PRIORITIZE SITES AND PROJECTS
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BROWNFIELDS AREA-WIDE PLANNING PILOTS
Ideas and Lessons Learned for Communities
Develop site selection criteria and discuss with property owners and the public: BF AWP grantees
developed and applied various rationale and criteria for selecting sites for reuse and implementation
planning. Discuss possible sites with current property owners before offering the sites for prioritization in
a publicforum.
Look for opportunities to achieve project efficiencies and economies of scale: Identify where site
cleanup and reuse activities will be coordinated around multiple properties in order to achieve some
economies of scale. Also look for an opportunity to focus on properties adjacent to recent investment and
with compatible existing uses.
o Consider how the sites and projects tie together. Can an issue that is a problem for one site end up
being helpful to another site in some way?
o Have a strong sense of the state of infrastructure; try to identify what efficiencies you can achieve by
cleaning up and reusing brownfields while making infrastructure improvements.
Pilot Project Example
In Roanoke, VA, the BF AWP
grantee used a reverse site selection
model. The city first conducted
a market analysis to determine
what businesses or investors were
interested in redeveloping properties
of the size the city had in the area
and for what end use. The city used
this analysis to make decisions
about how to develop, prioritize, and
implement their plan, including which
brownfield sites to clean up first.
Photo credit: City of Roanoke, VA
CROSS-PROJECT THEME 4: PRIORITIZE SITES AND PROJECTS
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BROWNFIELDS AREA-WIDE PLANNING PILOTS
Ideas and Lessons Learned for Communities
Recognize which sites have the potential for being catalysts in the project area: Which possible
brownfield redevelopment projects are potential "game-changing opportunities," and are likely to have
a catalytic effect across the area? Small or large, a brownfields site cleanup and reuse project that is
completed can often kick-start revitalization in other parts of the project area. Ensure that an outcome
of your BF AWP process is that the key/catalyst brownfield sites have detailed site preparation and reuse
plans ready-to-go so that once implemented, these projects can spur additional area improvements.
Seize opportunities to start implementing part of the project: When an opportunity comes along
to implement a component of the plan, take advantage and move forward as soon as possible. Small
successes can have a catalytic influence, leading to greater successes and momentum. Do not wait until
the entire BF AWP process is concluded to take action if a key project can get underway sooner.
Pilot Project Example
The BF AWP grantee in
Tulsa, OK, was innovative in engaging
the community around selecting and
prioritizing sites for their project. The
city and project consultants made up a
community game and used Monopoly-
type cards to get participants to
choose priorities around site selection
criteria such as property ownership,
visibility, development potential, and
community benefits.
Photo credit: City of Tulsa, OK
CROSS-PROJECT THEME 4: PRIORITIZE SITES AND PROJECTS
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BROWNFIELDS AREA-WIDE PLANNING PILOTS
Ideas and Lessons Learned for Communities
BALLANTINE
Site renderings and conceptual
drawings that depict the cleaned
up and reused brownfields are powerful
tools that not only help interpret the
community vision, but are also useful
when deciding how to prioritize the
project. Two- or three-dimensional
images of the proposed site designs
help all project stakeholders, including
potential developers, better understand
the "big picture" community goals,
and generate ideas for sequencing key
project elements.
Ironbound Community Corporation in Newark, NJ, worked within the community priorities of recreation, greening and growing, and
flexible markets to develop a brownfields area-wide plan that keeps the project spaces adaptable for several different types of uses.
Graphics credits: Jonathan Rose Company
CROSS-PROJECT THEME 4: PRIORITIZE SITES AND PROJECTS
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BROWNFIELDS AREA-WIDE PLANNING PILOTS
Ideas and Lessons Learned for Communities
Cross-Project Theme 5: Develop Strategies for
Plan Implementation Throughout the BF AWP Process
One goal of the BF AWP process is to enable a brownfields community to make a quick and smooth transition
from planning activities to project implementation. It is important to identify early on which near- and
long-term actions will lead to incremental, on-the-ground progress that is consistent with the goals of the
community. Once these are identified, ensure that they are clearly articulated in the brownfields area-wide
plan. The community vision for brownfields revitalization can only be achieved when the right resources
are secured and leveraged at the right time and the full and continued commitments of key partners, local
leadership, and project stakeholders are in place.
If you strive to make the entire BF AWP process an implementation-oriented program in your community, you
will set the tone for having practical, matter-of-fact conversations with project area stakeholders around how
to implement the plan. Working with them to create specific implementation strategies should occur alongside
development of the plan.
Implementation Strategy Basics
Begin the BF AWP process with the goal of being able to implement the final plan. Project area goals
should be ambitious yet realistic. Set the expectation at the project kickoff that there will be much
implementation work to do even after the plan has been finalized.
Work under the principle that successful implementation will happen because of good planning, local
drivers, partners, leveraging, and determination. Do not rely primarily on federal or state resources
to implement the plan.
Ensure that the BF AWP process is focused on identifying:
° funding resources needed and a timeline for obtaining them;
o leveraging opportunities;
o key partners and which aspects of the plan they are responsible for; and
o how to break down the plan into near-term and long-term actions.
Do not wait until the plan is fully developed to start on implementation. Start on implementation as
soon as the opportunity is presented.
Prepare the community for the often long effort between starting the BF AWP process and full-
scale implementation. Advertise and celebrate incremental progress to maintain momentum.
CROSS-PROJECT THEME 5: DEVELOP STRATEGIES FOR PLAN IMPLEMENTATION THROUGHOUT THE BF AWP PROCESS
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BROWNFIELDS AREA-WIDE PLANNING PILOTS
Ideas and Lessons Learned for Communities
Specific Lessons Learned from BF AWP Pilot Projects
Bring together an implementation task force: Identify
and rely on the creative thinkers and those who know
how to get things done in your community. Develop
implementation strategies around who is in the best
position to implement each component of the plan and
how progress can be tracked and evaluated.
Understand that moving from planning to
implementation does not have to be a linear process:
Implementation activities can occur alongside plan
development; they do not have to happen only after the
plan is fully developed. Be flexible enough with the process
so that if an opportunity comes up to start an activity that
aligns with the community's vision for the project area, you
can take advantage of it.
Get started on implementation now: Brownfields site
assessment, site cleanup, and project infrastructure
improvements (e.g., repaved roads, better transit
service, streetscape and ighting upgrades, enhanced
telecommunications and electricity, water quality and
sewer upgrades) in the project area are all implementation
activities. Another important implementation activity is
Pilot Project Example
The BF AWP grantee from
Aurora, CO, developed a steering
committee from the various
stakeholder groups. The city
shared each new deliverable
produced under the EPA grant
with the steering committee,
so the members were aware of
incremental progress being made.
Steering committee members
took that message back to their
constituent groups, which helped
keep everyone informed and
momentum behind the project.
Periodically, the city convened
larger stakeholder meetings to
give a full update and report out
on the project.
ADVICE COLUMN
What are some early preparations a community can take at the start of their BF AWP project to
help them become ready to implement their plan?
Discuss plan implementation early and throughout the process, especially the specific resources and
actions needed to accomplish the plan.
Identify financing opportunities up front to help ground your plan in a feasible, market-based approach.
Steer clear of creating a project area plan that needs to be overly subsidized with federal or state
funds. The local market will need to support your plan.
Useful and resourceful partners are needed at the project start. Get commitments from project
partners that they will work with you throughout the project and see it through to completion.
Use available federal and state funds as seed money for your project, but look for local resources
and investment to carry the project through to completion. Do not rely on the possibility of securing
federal and state resources to implement the plan because many of these programs can be highly
competitive and are often oversubscribed.
CROSS-PROJECT THEME 5: DEVELOP STRATEGIES FOR PLAN IMPLEMENTATION THROUGHOUT THE BF AWP PROCESS
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BROWNFIELDS AREA-WIDE PLANNING PILOTS
Ideas and Lessons Learned for Communities
Early actions can get the ball rolling on
implementation. Look for "cheap and
easy" changes that can signal a start
to implementation and build some
momentum. For example, the BF AWP
grantee in Atlanta, GA made stoplight
signalization in the project area better
and this helped to make the area
more inviting.
tying the public policy you develop through the BF AWP
to local planning tools. Adopting the plan and addressing
public policy barriers, changing project area zoning as
needed, establishing TIF for the area, piloting innovative
stormwater management techniques, and creating a BID
for the project area can all be important implementation
steps. Educate the community about the benefits of
these activities and explain how they fit into the BF AWP
implementation process.
Identify resources that align with your project: Begin
the BF AWP process by brainstorming with project
partners about what resources are or will be available for
implementation.
o Identify attainable resources at the federal, state, regional, and local levels that can be used to
remediate targeted brownfield sites. Include technical assistance, discretionary grants, formula
grants, and low-interest loan opportunities.
o Where possible, align the existing resources of project partners and use them to help advance the BF
AWP process and goals.
o Link the plan outcomes to opportunities to secure private funding. Determine which private investors
may be interested in investing in the project area revitalization and include them appropriately.
Pilot Project Example
Encourage investment in the BF AWP project area that responds to private sector needs where
appropriate:
The BF AWP grantee in Phoenix, AZ, responded to developer interest in the project area by
upgrading street infrastructure and making site improvements. These helped to make a
redevelopment deal work.
The BF AWP grantee in Lowell, MA, worked with area businesses to determine how site design,
streetscape, and traffic flow could be improved to better meet the needs of the community. The city
was then able to set up ownership arrangements with key businesses to implement some of these
improvements.
CROSS-PROJECT THEME 5: DEVELOP STRATEGIES FOR PLAN IMPLEMENTATION THROUGHOUT THE BF AWP PROCESS
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BROWNFIELDS AREA-WIDE PLANNING PILOTS
Ideas and Lessons Learned for Communities
Break down the project into specific implementation actions: Fully achieving the community's goals
and vision for the brownfields project area will be complex. It is essential that the implementation strategies
become action items that are broken down into manageable steps. Take a "what if?" approach, as in
"what if this actually happens?," to help everyone think through specific strategies and partners. Hosting
an implementation workshop is a good way to engage key stakeholders in prioritizing these actions into
immediate and longer-term steps. During the workshop, consider how to answer the following questions:
o What is the array of projects that we want to accomplish?
o Can we break down the overall project plan into smaller pieces?
o How can we make progress on the small items first?
o Can we capitalize on ongoing projects/investments that are ready to go?
o Which resources do we need to seek, and when?
EXISTING 2-STORY
BUILDING
SIDEWALK PARKING TRAVEL LANE TRAVEL LANE ROW RESERVE
EXISTING PARKING LOT
EXISTING 1-STORY
BUILDING
Examples of short-term implementation projects for the City of Lowell, MA, include streetscape improvements and redesign of Tanner
Street to make the BF AWP project area more accessible and attractive. Graphics credits: City of Lowell, MA
CROSS-PROJECT THEME 5: DEVELOP STRATEGIES FOR PLAN IMPLEMENTATION THROUGHOUT THE BF AWP PROCESS
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BROWNFIELDS AREA-WIDE PLANNING PILOTS
Ideas and Lessons Learned for Communities
ADVICE COLUMN
Some specific implementation
challenges that nonprofits may
encounter:
Brownfields site ownership
or control: Nonprofits may
not have interest or ability to
hold title to property, which
may be necessary for doing
in-depth brownfields site
investigations, cleanup, or
redevelopment.
Funding availability:
Nonprofits may not be eligible
to receive all sources of public
funding (e.g., EPA Brownfields
Assessment grants) so
partnering with including
local government and other
organizations is important.
Local government needs to
adopt the plan: Nonprofits will
need to actively engage city
leadership to ensure that the
final area-wide plan for the
brownfields project area can
be formally adopted by the
city, and become a specific
neighborhood plan or part of
the city's comprehensive plan.
Identify "stopper" issues: Certain issues may have
stopped brownfields site redevelopment in the past, such
as legal or enforcement matters or reluctant property
owners. Address these issues early on so that the
brownfields site is not prevented from being cleaned up
and redeveloped.
Introduce new activities and programming into the
area: Using properties in new ways can generate, or renew,
community interest in the BF AWP project area. Host
activities that bring a variety of people to the area, and
allow them to enjoy themselves and experience the area's
potential. Brand the arrival of new or interim uses, such as
a farmers' market, festivals, food trucks, or popup retail or
restaurant, as part of the BF AWP community process.
Build on small successes: Use a first success as a building
block; for example, advertise the incremental progress as
a tangible, on-the-ground result. Once you are successful
with one project, it is often easier to do the next project.
Connect to job training opportunities: Engage your local
workforce development center to discuss the skills that are
needed to advance your plan and how to develop those
skills within the project area. Job training opportunities
that ready the local workforce can help attract new
businesses. Support local hiring throughout all stages of
the cleanup and redevelopment.
Celebrate interim milestones: Set short-, mid-, and
long-term goals, and structure actions to achieve interim
development successes. Widely advertise and publicly
celebrate when BF AWP milestones are met.
Keep up the momentum to maintain interest: Be
mindful that investment can be slow to follow and
resources hard to get. Develop a specific strategy for
keeping momentum and stakeholder interest in the BF
AWP project, particularly after the plan has been created
but the hard work of implementation continues. Find every
opportunity to champion the community's vision for this
project area and make incremental progress on the key
properties that are needed to advance the plan.
CROSS-PROJECT THEME 5: DEVELOP STRATEGIES FOR PLAN IMPLEMENTATION THROUGHOUT THE BF AWP PROCESS
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BROWNFIELDS AREA-WIDE PLANNING PILOTS
Ideas and Lessons Learned for Communities
Consider how your project plans support the priorities of the funders whose resources you are
seeking: One strategy that a community may consider is how their BF AWP project plans align with the
specific goals and priorities of available resources. This strategy usually requires developing a detailed
timeline and project funding matrix to link potential funding sources with the brownfields cleanup and
other catalyst projects.
Share your project area story over and over again: Be thoughtful about the best way to spotlight your
BF AWP project and get the attention you need from elected leaders and local, regional, state, and federal
officials. Find opportunities to share the story about this project and show how this type of investment is
helping your community develop the right tools and strategies to solve local problems.
Community input helped to shape these design concepts for the Core Revitalization Area downtown district in Kalispell, MT.
Graphic/photo credit: City of Kalispell, MT
CROSS-PROJECT THEME 5: DEVELOP STRATEGIES FOR PLAN IMPLEMENTATION THROUGHOUT THE BF AWP PROCESS
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BROWNFIELDS AREA-WIDE PLANNING PILOTS
Ideas and Lessons Learned for Communities
Cross-Project Theme 6: Maximize Resources Through
Targeted Project Area Investments and Leveraging
Various resources are needed to manage the multiple logistical, technical, informational, and financial needs
of developing and implementing a brownfields area-wide plan. Having the right partners from public agencies,
community or interest groups, property owners, foundations, and private businesses is crucial for expanding
the capability of the organization leading the BF AWP process and supporting different aspects of the project.
Targeted Project Area Investments and Leveraging Basics
Engage agencies with recent or planned capital investments in the project area, such as
infrastructure improvement projects or new development. Understand how the timing of these
investments influences your project. Use this engagement to identify opportunities in which those
agencies' goals and the BF AWP goals are complementary.
Build relationships with appropriate federal, state, tribal, and regional agencies; share the local
importance of the project with how it aligns to the priorities of these organizations.
Use the BF AWP process to demonstrate community consensus points, support, and readiness to be
able to quickly use implementation resources once received.
Showcase partnerships that have a history of successfully leveraging resources; use these to
demonstrate the capacity for managing and using other competitive resources.
Specific Lessons Learned from BF AWP Pilot Projects
Look for opportunities to leverage your organization's resources alongside your partners'
resources: Recognize from the beginning that completing the large BF AWP project will involve the
collective work of multiple partners acting in different capacities. Coordinate and strategize with
other local government departments and community-based organizations, and share implementation
approaches with regional, state, federal, and tribal agencies. Use these opportunities to build knowledge
and support for your project, discuss leveraging possibilities, and improve your understanding of available
technical assistance and funding.
o Work together with project partners and across city departments to determine how resources can be
combined or acquired to start cleanup and redevelopment on the priority brownfield sites.
o Become knowledgeable on how to leverage local funding resources to meet federal or state grant
funding match requirements.
o The targeted layering of investments in the project area will not only bolster the overall revitalization
effort, but also will provide evidence of a municipality's commitment to supporting private investment
with complementary public investment.
CROSS-PROJECT THEME 6: MAXIMIZE RESOURCES THROUGH TARGETED PROJECT AREA INVESTMENTS AND LEVERAGING
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BROWNFIELDS AREA-WIDE PLANNING PILOTS
Ideas and Lessons Learned for Communities
Use initial grants as seed money; concentrate early
funding received into the project area and use it to
attract additional resources: Brownfields resources
from EPA or the state often provide the initial public
investment and seed funds to revitalization projects, which
help to open the door to additional private investment
in the area. For example, the BF AWP grantees who
have other EPA brownfield resources are using them to
begin implementing their plans, including targeting their
assessment grants, cleanup grants, revolving loan funds,
and state and tribal assistance grants to the project area.
These communities are also working with EPA regional
offices to secure targeted brownfield assessments for key
properties as resources allow.
Examples of project area investments and leveraging
in the BF AWP pilot projects: The BF AWP pilot project
recipients have targeted local implementation resources
and have attracted significant leveraging to the project area,
resulting in many community improvements and continued
project momentum. On the following pages are four examples
variety of existing resources and secured new leveraging from
Pilot Project Example
The City of New Bern, NC,
leveraged other EPA Brownfields
grants alongside their BF
AWP grant. The city initiated
Phase I and Phase II brownfield
site assessments using two
community-wide assessment
grants, then used the
environmental information to
help determine potential reuse
options and costs, and create
a brownfields area-wide plan
that included three priority
brownfield sites in the Five Points
neighborhood.
from BF AWP grantees that have used a wide
multiple public and/or private sources.
In each example, some of the resources were secured and used prior to the grant recipient receiving
the EPA BF AWP funds; this demonstrates how the BF AWP process can be used to both build on prior
investments in and attract new investment to the project area.
CROSS-PROJECT THEME 6: MAXIMIZE RESOURCES THROUGH TARGETED PROJECT AREA INVESTMENTS AND LEVERAGING
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BROWNFIELDS AREA-WIDE PLANNING PILOTS
Ideas and Lessons Learned for Communities
Examples of Project Area Investments and Leveraging That Helps Further Implementation of
BF AWP Pilot Projects
Grantee
Sanford, ME
Source of investment for
implementation funds/
assistance
U.S. HUD Community
Development Block
Grant (CDBG) and match
from the city
U.S. HUD Neighborhood
Stabilization Program
EPA Brownfields
Southern Maine Regional
Planning Council
Brownfields Revolving
Loan Fund (RLF)
Southern Maine Regional
Planning Council
Brownfields RLF
EPA Water (Green
Infrastructure)
New York University -
Urban Planning Program
What assistance/funds have or will
accomplish in the project area
Downtown neighborhood revitalization
grant; city matched funds with the purchase
of property that will be used as a waterfront
park/public gathering space adjacent to
Sanford Mill
Sanford Mill project; help with housing and
ensuring that some residential units are
subject to income eligibility limitations
Assessment and cleanup grants for Millyard
properties; one Targeted Brownfields
Assessment (TBA)
RLF subgrants for two of the properties
within Millyard that received EPAs
cleanup grant
RLF loans for two of the properties within
Millyard that received EPAs cleanup grant
Technical assistance to help redesign the
former mill complex that drains to the
Mousam River in order to revitalize the
river as a recreational, ecological, and
economic asset
Midtown Mall Re-Use Planning Study
Estimated
amount or
value
$625K
$35M
$2.1 M
$400K
$1.1 M
$40K
$50K
CROSS-PROJECT THEME 6: MAXIMIZE RESOURCES THROUGH TARGETED PROJECT AREA INVESTMENTS AND LEVERAGING
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BROWNFIELDS AREA-WIDE PLANNING PILOTS
Ideas and Lessons Learned for Communities
Examples of Project Area Investments and Leveraging That Helps Further Implementation of
BF AWP Pilot Projects
Grantee
Ranson, WV
Source of investment for
implementation funds/
assistance
DOT TIGER II/U.S. HUD
Community Challenge
(with 30% local match)
U.S. HUDBrownfields
Economic Development
Initiative (BEDI)
EPA Brownfields
EPA Brownfields
EPA Brownfields
WV Department of
Transportation/Division
of Highways
WV Department of
Transportation/Division
of Highways
WV Department of
Transportation (with
20% local match)
WV Division of Forestry
State of West Virginia
DOT TIGER IV
City of Ranson
What assistance/funds have or will
accomplish in the project area
2010 grant to connect Green Corridor to BF
AWP commercial corridor; develop form-
based Smart Code for the area and assist
with engineering design for Fairfax Blvd.
2011 grant and low-interest loan for
demolition, cleanup, infrastructure, and
development preparation of former Kidde
Foundry brownfield site (to become
Powhatan Place)
Multiple brownfield sites assessed under
three different assessment grants
Cleanup grant for Kidde Foundry site (to
become Powhatan Place)
Technical assistance for green infrastructure
on brownfields in the project area
2009 Transportation Enhancement grant for
Third Ave. streetscape improvements
Safe Routes to School grant for Ranson
Elementary - Phases I, II, and III
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
funds for sth Ave. streetscape and road
improvements between Charles Town and
Ranson
Jefferson County-Ranson-Charles Town
Urban Tree Canopy study and tree planting
events
Administration and constructions funds for
Fairfax Blvd.
Engineering and construction of Fairfax
Blvd. (to include innovative stormwater
management techniques)
Engineering and construction of Fairfax
Blvd. (to include innovative stormwater
management techniques)
Estimated
amount or
value
$1.4M
$45M
$595K
$200K
$35K
$300K
$268K
$625K
$45K
$2.2M
$5M
$2.5M
CROSS-PROJECT THEME 6: MAXIMIZE RESOURCES THROUGH TARGETED PROJECT AREA INVESTMENTS AND LEVERAGING
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BROWNFIELDS AREA-WIDE PLANNING PILOTS
Ideas and Lessons Learned for Communities
Examples of Project Area Investments and Leveraging That Helps Further Implementation of
BF AWP Pilot Projects
Grantee
Source of investment for
implementation funds/
assistance
What assistance/funds have or w
accomplish in the project area
Estimated
amount or
value
Ranson, WV
(continued)
EPA Office of
Sustainable
Communities
2011 Building Blocks technical assistance to
study preferred growth area
EPA and National Fish
and Wildlife Foundation
Northern WV
Brownfields Assistance
Center
2012 grant to Charles Town and Ranson
to do green infrastructure design at Evitts
Run Park
FOCUS West Virginia grant for Powhatan
Place redevelopment study
$15K
$100K
$5K
In Ranson, WV, the city was able to leverage the EPA grant for their BF AWP project alongside grant funding they received through
the 2010 joint U.S. DOT TIGER II/U.S. HUD Community Challenge Grant. The city wants to incorporate a variety of green infrastructure
stormwater management approaches throughout the public rights of way and on brownfield properties.
Graphics credit: Stromberg/Garrigan & Associates
CROSS-PROJECT THEME 6: MAXIMIZE RESOURCES THROUGH TARGETED PROJECT AREA INVESTMENTS AND LEVERAGING
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BROWNFIELDS AREA-WIDE PLANNING PILOTS
Ideas and Lessons Learned for Communities
Examples of Project Area Investments and Leveraging That Helps Further Implementation of
BF AWP Pilot Projects
Grantee
Atlanta, GA
Source of investment for
implementation funds/
assistance
DOT TIGER V
U.S. HUD Neighborhood
Stabilization Program
and match from
the Annie E. Casey
Foundation
U.S. HUD Lead Hazard
Control Program
U.S. HUD Green and
Healthy Homes
Invest Atlanta
EPA Brownfields
EPA Brownfields
EPA Brownfields
EPA Brownfields
What assistance/funds have or will
accomplish in the project area
Grant awarded for portions of the
Southwest Trail
Enabled city to purchase blighted/
abandoned homes within the project area
Funds to Atlanta to evaluate and eliminate
lead hazards in homes and provide job
training
Funds to the Center for Working Families
to help evaluate lead hazards in homes and
provide job training
Funds to make facade improvements around
the BeltLine Trail
Use of RLF for cleaning up brownfields
around the BeltLine Trail
Environmental Workforce Development
and Job Training grant to the Center for
Working Families
TBAs for three properties within the
project area: Create economic development
site for the Pittsburgh community and
community garden along Atlanta BeltLine;
use supplemental TBA for the Boulevard
Crossing site to expand soccer fields
Technical assistance for manufacturing
business needs-focused workshop in project
area (part of the Investing in Manufacturing
Communities Partnership)
Estimated
amount or
value
$18M
$4M
$2.1 M
$8ooK
$5M
$8soK
$3
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BROWNFIELDS AREA-WIDE PLANNING PILOTS
Ideas and Lessons Learned for Communities
Examples of Project Area Investments and Leveraging That Helps Further Implementation of
BF AWP Pilot Projects
Grantee
Kansas City, MO
Source of investment for
implementation funds/
assistance
U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers (USAGE)
EPA Re-Powering
America
EPA Brownfields
EPA Brownfields
U.S. Department of
Defense
Kansas City Community
Gardens
City of Kansas City, MO
(KCMO)
KCMO
KCMO
KCMO
What assistance/funds have or will
accomplish in the project area
Blue River Confluence Study of the Brush
Creek/Blue River Confluence area, which
runs along the western side of the BF AWP
area and impacts several wetlands and
riparian areas within the Municipal Farm
Technical assistance feasibility study done by
the National Renewable Energy Laboratory
to determine the applicability of using
biomass on several sites in the project area
TBAs for sites in project areas 1, 2, 4, 7, 12,
13, and 19
Technical assistance for a federal/state/
regional/local partners implementation
workshop in conjunction with the BF AWP
plan development
National Guard Armory expansion
Eastwood Hills Community Gardens:
Oversight and development of the 1-acre
community garden area (106 plots available
to residents)
Eastwood Hills Community Garden: Funding
to KC Community Gardens for portions of
the Eastwood Hills Community Gardens
Public improvements (site clearing, water
line, etc.) to Area 7 for BoysGrow farm site
Abatement and demolition of the former
Municipal Correctional Institute
Potter's Field cemetery delineation -
geophysical survey
Estimated
amount or
value
$50K
$35K
$233K
$20K
Approx.
$2M
$3K
$6gK
$22K
$28sK
$25K
CROSS-PROJECT THEME 6: MAXIMIZE RESOURCES THROUGH TARGETED PROJECT AREA INVESTMENTS AND LEVERAGING
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BROWNFIELDS AREA-WIDE PLANNING PILOTS
Ideas and Lessons Learned for Communities
Two other examples are the Chicopee, MA, West End BF AWP project (led by the Pioneer Valley Planning
Commission) and the Blue Greenway project from the San Francisco Parks Alliance, CA.
A wide variety of resources have been invested to help make elements of the West End Brownfields plan
for Chicopee, MA, a reality:
o Federal resources from HUD programs supporting project improvements in the area total more than
$2.yM as a result of the city directing HOME Investments Partnership, Community Development
Block Grant, and Sustainable Communities funding to the area. EPA brownfield resources of $32sK
and U.S. Department of Energy block grant funds of $128K also contributed to area improvements.
o At the state level, Massachusetts Department of Transportation investments in the project area total
more than $ioM, and Mass Development investments include more than $2ioK.
o Locally, the City of Chicopee has invested nearly $8ooK for area demolition and LED streetlight
improvements.
o Private funding from various organizations, such as the downtown business association, developer,
Urban Land Institute, Chicopee Neighborhood Development Corporation, affordable housing trust,
and low-income housing tax credits total $6.yM.
San Francisco Parks Alliance (SFPA) is using several sources and partnerships to bring significant
investment to the Blue Greenway:
o A local bond measure that passed in 2012 (Proposition B, the Clean and Safe Neighborhood Parks
bond) included $345M for waterfront open spaces. Of that amount, $16M is going to the Blue
Greenway for creating part of the bike/pedestrian path and some green space along the way. SFPAs
work in developing the brownfields area-wide plan was the basis for this $16M investment.
o By working closely with the City of San Francisco Department of the Environment, SFPA has
also been able to leverage EPA brownfield cleanup funds and targeted brownfield assessments
for key properties along the Blue Greenway. These brownfield investments are estimated to be
approximately $475K.
o Using the results of EPA site assessments, the City of San Francisco, the Trust for Public Land, and
private partners are in the process of considering which brownfield sites (or portions of sites) along
the Blue Greenway should be secured for parks, open space, and residential development.
o By working with the City of San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department and the Trust for Public
Land, SFPA submitted a competitive grant application to the California Strategic Growth Council for
the development of detailed designs for one of the key trail and recreational properties along the
Blue Greenway.
CROSS-PROJECT THEME 6: MAXIMIZE RESOURCES THROUGH TARGETED PROJECT AREA INVESTMENTS AND LEVERAGING
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BROWNFIELDS AREA-WIDE PLANNING PILOTS
Ideas and Lessons Learned for Communities
Cross-Project Theme 7= Maintain Strong Project
Management Throughout the Project
With all of the activities underway during a BF AWP process, the entire BF AWP project requires strong,
committed project management and attention to detail.
Getting organized early on and staying organized throughout will help you manage all of the elements of the
project, including maximizing community participation; keeping up with regular project advisory and project
partner meetings; completing existing conditions research on the environment, market, and infrastructure;
developing project priorities; and working with partners to create implementation strategies.
Project Management Basics
Set up a recurring schedule and hold regular (e.g., biweekly) project meetings or conference calls with
the members of the project team. Frequent meetings with the project team, including any contractors
that are helping with the effort, is important to get and keep momentum behind the project.
Use pictures of the project area to tell the story of the community history and current challenges.
Include renderings that illustrate the community's vision for revitalization.
If the BF AWP project overlaps with other brownfield grants or a related effort in the project area,
closely coordinate on both efforts to determine how they can complement each other.
Closely follow federal and local procurement rules if selecting contractors to assist with the BF AWP
project. Ensure that the procurement actions are documented in the project files.
Document the entire BF AWP process. Documentation will help you communicate the project goals
and achievements. For example:
o Video: Documenting the community brownfields charrette process with a video can serve two
purposes: (1) it can help you document the charrette process itself, and (2) it can provide an
excellent way for others to visualize the project.
o Photos: Document the public meetings with photos that can later be used to illustrate the
community engagement process and serve as photos for newspaper articles.
o Record Interviews: Recorded radio interviews can be posted to social media sites.
CROSS-PROJECT THEME 7: MAINTAIN STRONG PROJECT MANAGEMENT THROUGHOUT THE PROJECT
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BROWNFIELDS AREA-WIDE PLANNING PILOTS
Ideas and Lessons Learned for Communities
Specific Lessons Learned from BF AWP Pilot Projects
Keep the project on track: The BF AWP process should maintain a focus on creating an area-wide plan
for reusing key brownfield sites and developing implementation strategies for the area-wide plan. Do not
try to have the project encompass too many other items. Regularly revisit the project focus to remind all
members of the project team to keep the focus on brownfields cleanup and reuse.
Advertise available project positions to, and recruit involvement from, the affected community:
Any advertisements for open positions (paid or volunteer) for the project team should reach possible
candidates from the community being served, as well as wider professional circles.
Carefully select the contracted members of the
project team and consider how to involve community
members in that process: One or more professional
contractors may be needed on the project team, especially
if they bring the skills necessary to perform any technical
work and develop site renderings/schematics. When
reviewing qualifications and proposals submitted by
interested contractors, consider setting up a proposal
review committee who can rank the project proposals
based on a list of criteria that your organization sets.
Include documentation to ensure that there is no conflict
of interest among the review panel and the proposals
being reviewed. Involving savvy and respected community
members in the selection of the project contractors will
add to project transparency and provide an additional
opportunity for meaningful involvement.
Pilot Project Example
In Tulsa, OK, the BF AWP project
team members included a small
group of contractors - one was
a local expert, another was a
national expert, and one was a
design expert. The grantee felt
that this combination was very
useful because together, the
contractors brought a broad set of
skills to their project.
Manage expectations by preparing and sharing an outline of the draft brownfields planning and
implementation strategy document early on: About halfway into the project, the project team should
prepare a strong outline that describes all of the project elements that will be included in the document
that contains the brownfields area-wide plan and implementation strategies. Share the document with key
partners early on for their input, and include it in the outreach materials to the community so they know
what to expect in the final plan. Use the outline as a guide for prioritizing and completing the activities that
need to be done to finalize the document.
CROSS-PROJECT THEME 7: MAINTAIN STRONG PROJECT MANAGEMENT THROUGHOUT THE PROJECT
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BROWNFIELDS AREA-WIDE PLANNING PILOTS
Ideas and Lessons Learned for Communities
Use templates for repeated project management tasks to help manage and document activities:
Developing templates for repeated project management tasks can help you be more efficient and serve as
a reference for the project team. Examples of templates that could be useful to develop early on are:
o Meeting minutes: Meeting minutes will be an invaluable reference over and over again because they
document what occurred in a meeting and identify next steps and responsibilities.
o Meeting attendance sheets: Attendance sheets help to segment communications lists of project
stakeholders so that you can maintain frequent contact via emai.
o Volunteer form: For any volunteers who are interested in helping with the project, a volunteer form
can document their interests, contact information, and provide an understanding of how they will
participate in the project.
Members of the project team document the ideas and input generated by stakeholders in Phoenix, AZ (at left), and Communities for a
Better Environment (Huntington Park, CA).
Photo credits: Left: City of Phoenix, AZ, Right: CBE
CROSS-PROJECT THEME 7: MAINTAIN STRONG PROJECT MANAGEMENT THROUGHOUT THE PROJECT
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BROWNFIELDS AREA-WIDE PLANNING PILOTS
Ideas and Lessons Learned for Communities
Conclusion
Communities with brownfield sites already know that cleaning up and revitalizing these properties takes
creativity, dedication, and a lot of hard work.
Because resources for remediating and redeveloping brownfield sites are typically delivered site by site, the
affected community is not always given an opportunity to consider the collective burden of multiple sites when
they are concentrated within a neighborhood, downtown, or local commercial or industrial corridor. An area-
wide planning process will help the community approach the multiple challenges presented by a concentration
of brownfields in a more organized and targeted manner. Working with community members and the range of
local partners to envision how these brownfields should be reused, as well as doing research around the area's
existing conditions, will result in a community plan and implementation strategy for brownfields cleanup and
area revitalization. Using a BF AWP process is a valuable opportunity to build local ownership and commitment
around a shared vision for the area's cleanup and redevelopment.
The 23 BF AWP grantees shared these key lessons learned and project advice, which may be helpful to other
communities facing similar brownfields challenges. The pilot communities were able to demonstrate the value
of engaging key partners and local stakeholders over the long term, and they increased their local capacity to
leverage additional investment and attention into the brownfields project area. The grantees are now focused
on keeping momentum around the BF AWP project by maintaining involvement with the community and
attracting the necessary investment and project resources to implement their plans.
As each area-wide plan reflects the long-term brownfields revitalization goals of the community, full
implementation of the plan will take will many years. All 23 pilot communities will need to continue to leverage
the BF AWP process by seeking and coordinating resources to improve the brownfields project area. The
continuing nature of these projects reinforces that the community needs to make incremental progress on
implementation over the long term.
CONCLUSION
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BROWNFIELDS AREA-WIDE PLANNING PILOTS
Ideas and Lessons Learned for Communities
Appendix: Brief Descriptions of the Project Areas for the
23 Brownfields Area-Wide Planning Pilots
BF AWP Pilot Project Area Description
Atlanta, GA
Aurora, CO
Cleveland, OH
Communities for a Better
Environment
Huntington Park, CA
Confederated Tribes of the
Colville Reservation, WA
Denver, CO
Desarrollo Integral del Sur,
Inc. (DISUR)
Penuelas and Guayanilla, PR
Goshen, IN
Numerous brownfields in five redevelopment locations (tax allocation
districts) in southwest Atlanta, connected by commercial and
industrial corridors.
Website: www.atlantabrownfieldprograms.com
Brownfields reuse in the western half of the Montview corridor in
northwest Aurora in an area known as Westerly Creek Village.
Website: https://www.auroragov.org/DoingBusiness/CityPlanning/
PlansandStudies/WesterlyCreekVillage/index.htm
Kinsman and Lower Buckeye neighborhoods located in the Cleveland
Opportunity Corridor. Historic industrial uses have resulted in the area's
many brownfield sites.
Huntington Park Brown-to-Green project area, which was home to
heavy manufacturing operations until the 19605.
Document: www.cbecal.org/wp-content/uploads/2oiV2/CBE-
Huntington-Park-Brown-to-Green-Reporti.pdf
Two brownfield sites within approximately 1 mile of each other in the
Nespelem District of the Colville Indian Reservation.
South Platte River Brownfields Area, a quarter-mile buffer along the
11-mile riverfront.
Website: www.denvergov.org/southplatte
A 3,5
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BROWNFIELDS AREA-WIDE PLANNING PILOTS
Ideas and Lessons Learned for Communities
BF AWP Pilot
Ironbound Community
Corporation
Newark, NJ
Project Area Description
The Ironbound community, in the East Ward of Newark, which includes
residential and recreational areas. Many manufacturing operations have
closed, leaving behind brownfields and deteriorating infrastructure.
Website: httD://eastferrvrevitalization.wordDress.com
Jacobs Center for
Neighborhood Innovation
San Diego, CA
The Village at Market Creek, an area with multiple brownfield sites in the
center of the Diamond Neighborhoods of southeastern San Diego.
Document: www.iacobscenter.org/ pdf/BF AWP.odf
Kalispell, MT
The Core Revitalization Area (CRA), located in downtown Kalispell.
The CRA generally follows historic railroad tracks and contains
multiple brownfields.
Website: httD://kalisDell.com/communitv economic development
Kansas City, MO
The Municipal Farm property in the Eastwood Hills neighborhood. The
property encompasses several municipal institutional sites that have
either known or perceived environmental risks.
Document: www.kcmo.org/idc/groups/cco/documents/
citvcommunicationsoffice/sustainablereuseplan.pdf
Lowell, MA
The Tanner Street Corridor, which is mostly heavy and light industrial,
with some commercial and residential areas on the periphery.
Monaca, PA
Four brownfields areas in the communities of Midland, Monaca,
Aliquippa, and Coraopolis that lie along the 45-mile Ohio River Corridor.
The four areas include many brownfield sites, which are primarily former
steel mill-related and small-scale industrial lands.
Website: www.ohioriverbrownfields.com
New Bern, NC
The Five Points neighborhood, an area adjacent to the city's downtown
historic district. The neighborhood contains multiple brownfields,
including abandoned gas stations, former dry cleaners, and many
underutilized buildings.
Website: www.newbernrenaissance.com
Ogdensburg, NY
Waterfront properties along the St. Lawrence and Oswegatchie rivers.
The majority of the city's brownfields and vacant lands lie on this
waterfront.
APPENDIX: BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE PROJECT AREAS FOR THE 23 BROWNFIELDS AREA-WIDE PLANNING PILOTS
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BROWNFIELDS AREA-WIDE PLANNING PILOTS
Ideas and Lessons Learned for Communities
BF AWP Pilot
Phoenix, AZ
Pioneer Valley Planning
Commission, MA
Ranson, WV
Roanoke, VA
Sanford, ME
San Francisco Parks
Alliance
San Francisco, CA
Tulsa, OK
Project Area Description
The Del Rio Area located in the center of Phoenix along Rio Salado.
Within the project area lays the i6o-acre Del Rio Landfill site, a high-
priority brownfields site for the city.
Website: https://www.phoenix.gov/oep/environment/land/
brownfields/delrio
Downtown Chicopee's West End neighborhood, once home to major
manufacturers of textiles, munitions, and shoes. These former uses have
left many brownfield sites in the area.
Website: https://www.chicopeema.gov/page.php?id=2OQQ':?
The 1.5-mile Commerce Corridor along the Ranson-Charles Town
border. The corridor contains numerous brownfield sites.
Website: http://ransonrenewed.com
The Rai Corridor Planning Area, which includes portions of four
neighborhoods. Economic shifts and changes in transportation have left
many brownfields and other underused, vacant, or abandoned properties,
many of which are located near densely populated residential areas.
Website: www.roanokeva.gov/8R2R6A8Doo62AF-37/vwContentBvKev/
N28DWLVZ122BTFKEN
The Mill Yard located in downtown Sanford. This area was once the
economic heart of the town and has a history of extensive industrial use
that left behind brownfield sites.
The Blue Greenway, a 13-mile corridor along the city's southeastern
waterfront, where open spaces will be linked together for new
recreational opportunities. The area includes brownfields from heavy
industrial uses, sewer treatment plants, and power-generation facilities.
Website: http://bluegreenway.org
The Evans/Fintube property and surrounding communities in northern
Tulsa. This area includes many brownfields in the form of abandoned
structures, vacant lots, and active industrial facilities that are adjacent to
residential and recreational areas.
Website: www.citvoftulsa.org/our-citv/economic-development/
brownfields. aspx
APPENDIX: BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE PROJECT AREAS FOR THE 23 BROWNFIELDS AREA-WIDE PLANNING PILOTS
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United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Brownfields and Land Revitalization
www.epa.gov
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