 |
 SRP
Brownfields Brownfields
Development Area Initiative BDA
Application Guidelines
Guidelines by Section (posted 23 January 2008)
 2008
BDA Application Guidance
Applicants are reminded to provide information in response to all components
of this application. Applicants may add information that while not specifically
requested may be important in presenting the overall picture of the proposed
BDA project.
Section I: Applicant Information.
The applicant can be a community organization, a municipality or a county,
as appropriate to the area being proposed for BDA designation. List the
name of the organization, the complete mailing address, a phone number
and a contact person. In the case of co-applications, provide information
for each co-applicant.
Section II: Project Information.
- Project Boundaries. Clearly state the physical boundaries of the
proposed BDA and why these boundaries were selected. This should be
as brief as possible while accurately describing the area. (Example:
“A neighborhood bounded by River W, highway X, Y Street and the
Z railway line currently containing residential, commercial and light
industrial uses. The proposed BDA includes six brownfield sites, which
the Steering Committee proposes should be remediated and reused consistent
with an overall community vision for the area. The area was selected
because….”). The boundaries may be geographic features,
including rivers or other bodies of water, railroads or highways. When
boundaries are streets, street names should be listed.
- List of Brownfield Sites within the Proposed BDA. The brownfield
sites proposed for remediation and reuse must fit the description of
a brownfield: “any former or current commercial or industrial
site that is currently vacant or underutilized and on which there has
been or there is suspected to have been a discharge of a contaminant.”
Brownfields may be vacant or improved land. List each site and the corresponding
street address or Tax Block (s) and Lot(s). Sites may consist of individual
parcels or multiple parcels that function as a single unit (e.g., a
large commercial facility covering several lots) and should be identified
by their current, rather than anticipated, name or use.
- Scaled map or photo. Provide a single scaled map or aerial photo
depicting the boundaries of the entire proposed BDA as well as the individual
site boundaries for each brownfield site listed in Section II.B. Clearly
identify on the map or photo each brownfield site with the site name
as it appears in Section II.B. Identify prominent physical features
such as streets, railroads, water bodies, etc.
Section III: Baseline Information for Brownfield Sites within the BDA.
For each of the brownfield sites listed in Section II.B., complete a
separate Baseline Property Datasheet. The information required to complete
the Datasheets is readily available from the municipal tax office or,
in the case of environmental information, the local or county health department
or the DEP. Include the site name and address, all blocks and lots, property
size and zoning, the name and address of the property owner, a physical
description of the property and the current use and any known past uses.
Extensive additional site investigation is not required for this
application; however, any existing information concerning past or current
owners, site operations and remediation activities must be included.
Information pertaining to site remediation activities can be obtained
from the DEP Data Miner Database at http://www.nj.gov/dep/opra/online.html.
Section IV: Steering Committee.
The Steering Committee will lead the project throughout the process and
must demonstrate dedication to seeing the project through to completion.
BDA applications will be judged, in part, by the extent to which the proposed
Steering Committee reflects broad community representation and commitment
to completion of the BDA project. Leaders of neighborhood organizations,
stakeholders from municipal or county government, property owners (including
owners of the brownfield sites), environmental groups and commissions,
developers, local business and resident leaders, and other stakeholders
may all be part of the Steering Committee. These and other potentially
affected stakeholders should be informed of the BDA application process,
and invited to participate or to submit a statement of their support.
In this Section, list each of the Steering Committee members, their affiliation,
contact information and the stakeholder sector represented by the Steering
Committee member, starting with the Steering Committee Coordinator. The
application must include a separate letter of interest from each prospective
Steering Committee candidate, affirming their commitment to the project
and the BDA process.
Section V: Steering Committee History and Support.
Demonstrate that the Steering Committee is representative of the community
and has the support of the community and the municipality. Provide a brief
description of the method by which the Steering Committee was selected
or appointed. An ordinance or a resolution of support from the
municipal governing body for the BDA project, and another ordinance or
resolution indicating the municipality’s willingness to enter into
an MOU with the DEP and the Steering Committee, are required.
Letters of support from local government stakeholders will give added
weight to the application. Any funding currently allocated for the project
from municipal or other sources should be listed. Additional letters of
support for the application from other area or community organizations
should be included as part of this section. These letters are encouraged
to be as unique and explicit as possible as to the degree and level of
support for the proposed project and the Steering Committee. Letters of
support from brownfield site property owners and environmental commissions
or organizations are also encouraged.
Section VI: Community Overview.
Provide a narrative description under the following headings for the
proposed BDA:
- Justification for the BDA Boundaries. Provide the rationale for the
selection of the BDA boundaries based on neighborhood factors or other
designations (examples would include a school sending area, active industrial
or commercial area, or other recognized or logical grouping of the sites).
Detailed information on current uses within the proposed BDA must be
provided.
- Area Population and General Demographics. Provide an estimate of
the resident population by major census categories. Provide general
information describing income, educational attainment, dominant employment
sectors, unemployment figures, etc.
- Housing, Economic Activity and Public Assets. Describe residential
dwellings and existing commercial or industrial entities in the project
area. Describe schools and other public assets as necessary to aid in
characterizing the proposed BDA.
- Local Planning Designations. Identify local planning designations
applicable in the BDA project area, including zoning, historic districts,
redevelopment areas, etc. Provide an overview of the municipality’s
master plan goals and a current municipal zoning map for the proposed
BDA and immediate vicinity.
- Economic Development Designations. Identify all economic development
designations, such as a special improvement district, Environmental
Opportunity Zone, Urban Enterprise Zone and any other relevant local
designation that may impact the plan or the resources available for
the BDA project.
- Transportation Issues. Discuss transportation issues in the BDA project
area including the availability of and access to public transportation,
public parking, etc. Does the Proposed BDA project area include a designated
Transit Village?
- Recreation and Open Space Inventory. Identify existing parks, playgrounds,
public spaces (gardens, boulevards, public fountains, etc.) and water
bodies within the BDA. Include a description of all existing properties
used for public recreation and open space. A general description of
street landscaping should also be included.
- Obstacles to Redevelopment. Identify features that may represent
obstacles or challenges to redevelopment including the presence of wetlands,
floodplains, tidelands, threatened and endangered species, etc.
Section VII: Community Vision.
Clearly detail the anticipated benefits to the community and the environment
as a result of the proposed BDA project. Provide a statement of purpose
describing any proposed end uses and demonstrating that the objectives
of the project are consistent with Smart Growth principles (see http://www.njsmartgrowth.
com). Describe all formal or informal planning efforts to develop
the community vision to date. Municipal adoption of a formal redevelopment
plan for the project area is a required component of the application.
In addition, provide a narrative description of the anticipated benefits
to the community from the improvements associated with the remediation
of the brownfields and the aspirations of the community for this effort
under the following headings:
- Direct and Indirect Environmental Benefits. List potential benefits
to air, surface water, ground water and soil quality from this project.
Be as specific as possible. Specifically identify any “green building”
elements of the proposed redevelopment. (Refer to http://www.usgbc.org
for additional information on building “green”.)
- Aesthetic Benefits. Describe the potential benefits to the landscape
of the neighborhood including improvements to existing street infrastructure
and property.
- Community Quality of Life Benefits. Describe the potential benefits
from the BDA project that could improve the lives of people living and
working in the neighborhood. Specifically identify any “brownfield-to-greenfield”
components of the proposed redevelopment.
- Public Health and Welfare Benefits. List ways in which the BDA project
will improve health and the overall welfare of residents in and around
the BDA.
- Economic Benefits. List specific economic benefits, and to the degree
possible, quantify in terms of work, income and other commercial benefits.
- Provide a description of the planned end use within the boundaries
of the BDA, including:
- Number of residential units (specify number or percentage of
market rate vs affordable),
- Area of retail space in square feet or acres,
- Area of commercial or office space in square feet or acres,
- Area of conservation, recreation or open space in square feet
or acres
- Area of other proposed use in square feet or acres.
|
|
