Vita Nuova provided significant support to EPA’s Land Revitalization program in developing its Revitalization-Ready Guide, which describes the process communities will go through to redevelop contaminated, idle, and underused properties (brownfield sites). Designed for local and county governments, tribes, quasi-governmental organizations, and non-governmental organizations, the guide outlines a five-step process to help communities identify revitalization opportunities and bring those opportunities to life.
Redeveloping a former industrial site comes with various risks and challenges. Revitalization-Ready explains how communities can initiate the process by first understanding their specific needs, including economic and public health concerns. The guide then walks communities through performing a reuse assessment and creating a reuse plan and implementation strategy. The reuse assessment is crucial because it evaluates land conditions, zoning laws, infrastructure needs, and other information, ultimately determining potential future property uses. This review informs both the reuse plan and the strategy for implementing the project.
There are many things communities must be aware of when implementing their reuse projects. Revitalization-Ready contains numerous resources to assist communities ready to move forward. The guide contains information on tools and approaches to mitigate or minimize risks and liabilities, attracting investment and securing funding, receiving local government approval, property transaction considerations, and integrating environmental cleanup with the redevelopment.
Details: https://www.epa.gov/land-revitalization/revitalization-ready-guide