New program breathes life into old sites

Vermont Business Magazine, Jul 01, 2004 by Sinclair, Susan

The Central Vermont Regional Planning Commission has embarked on a new program: The Central Vermont Brownfields Inventory and Assessment Initiative (CVBIAI). Funded by an EPA Brownfields grant, this two-year program provides the opportunity to begin the process of locating and evaluating the breadth and depth of Central Vermont's underutilized properties. The funds will be used to identify and perform tests on sites throughout the Central Vermont region that have perceived or real contamination issues.

Often times, these contamination issues prevent the sale and redevelopment of sites. The ultimate goal is to bring these sites back into full use so they can once again provide goods and services and contribute to the local tax base.

"Brownfields are abandoned, idled or underused industrial and commercial facilities where expansion or redevelopment is complicated from real or perceived environmental contamination" (US Environmental Protection Agency). In other words, it is a site that under normal circumstances would be redeveloped, but because of its prior use any potential new owner may disregard it out of fear of inheriting a potentially costly environmental problem. Though some brownfields are old industrial sites, others are commercial buildings with little or no environmental contamination. Brownfields could be former service stations, factories, warehouses, parking lots, abandoned railroads, former railroad switching yards, bus facilities, and many more. Many of these brownfields could be turned from possible liabilities into successful developments.

The first phase of the CVBIAI has begun. An Advisory Committee, representing a diversity of interests, has been established to guide the process. Included on the committee are local leaders, a banker, an attorney, a small business owner, and real estate developer. The committee meets on a monthly basis and assists with the determination of site selection criteria, helps identify candidate sites, and helps recruit and hire qualified consultants to perform site assessments.

Selection of sites will be based on a variety of factors, but one important prerequisite is that the landowner is willing to give site access and permission for the assessment and testing. Other site selection criteria include; 1) the site has redevelopment potential, 2) assessing the site will result in addressing public health, environmental, and land use issues, 3) the site assessment and redevelopment has community and/or municipal support, 4) redeveloping the site offers a public benefit, and finally 5) that the owner or developer is willing and can provide financial support or inkind assistance for clean-up, if needed.

CVRPC is still accepting nominations of property to the Central Vermont Brownfield Inventory and Assessment Initiative. For a site nomination form or other questions please contact the Central Vermont Regional Planning Commission at 29 Main Street, Suite 4, Montpelier, VT 05602 or email cvrpc@region.com or phone (802) 229-0389.