DEPARTMENT: Center City Development & Operations Department
DEPARTMENT HEAD: John Jacks
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: City Wide
SUBJECT: Brownfield Redevelopment Policy
SUMMARY:
This is a briefing on the proposed Brownfield Redevelopment Policy to assist with identification, assessment, cleanup, and development of sites with potential environmental contamination. The City's Brownfield Redevelopment Program aims to revitalize inner city communities, achieve economic development goals, improve human and environmental health, and stimulate infill development.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
A brownfield is a property on which expansion, redevelopment, or reuse may be complicated by the possibility of environmental contamination. These sites are usually abandoned, vacant, or underutilized properties. Examples can include abandoned gas stations, dry cleaning facilities, junkyards, old car dealerships, abandoned factories, and other potentially contaminated properties. Brownfield sites present unique development challenges that require a creative and multifaceted approach to address.
The City has been involved in brownfield assessment and redevelopment efforts over the past two decades through various programs and funding sources including grants from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) awarded in 1999 and 2004 to assess potential brownfield sites in San Antonio. More recent activities include the following:
* 2011: City Council allocated funding in the FY2012 Budget to the Center City Development Office (CCDO) for a Senior Planner position and directed staff to create a Brownfields Program for the City of San Antonio.
* 2012: CCDO hired a Senior Planner in March to develop the City's Brownfields Program, to guide assessment and cleanup of brownfield sites for redevelopment, and to secure grant funding.
* 2013-2014: Council allocated $300,000 from the General Fund through the Inner City Incentive Fund for environmental site asse...
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