Planning Building and Development
Brownfields
Corridor Plan Adopted
On September 15, 2008, City Council adopted "Inviting Roanoke Back to its River" the Mountain View Norwich Corridor Plan.
Brownfield News
EPA Awards City additional grants in 2008:
$200,000 for Hazardous Substance
EPA has selected the City of Roanoke for a brownfields assessment grant. Hazardous sub-stances grant funds will be used to develop an inventory of sites, conduct environmental site assessments, and support community outreach activities.
$200,000 for Hazardous Substances
EPA has selected the City of Roanoke for a brownfields cleanup grant. Hazardous substances grant funds will be used to clean up the Virginia Scrap site at 1620 Jefferson Street, SE. The site, located along the Roanoke River, was once used as a scrap metal operation and is now contaminated with heavy metals. Grant funds also will be used for cleanup oversight and community outreach.
Brownfields 2008 Grant Fact Sheet - Roanoke, Virginia
City-Wide Brownfield Redevelopment Plan
The City-Wide Brownfield Redevelopment Plan was adopted by City Council at a public hearing on January 22, 2008 for adoption as part of the City's Comprehensive Plan.
Key elements of the plan are as follows:
- Vision for the City's brownfield program.
- Typical brownfield redevelopment challenges.
- Identification of brownfield corridors in the City (typically areas of primarily industrial zoning where brownfields are likely to be found) along with redevelopment opportunities as identified in the existing neighborhood plans.
- Policy measures the City will investigate and develop to facilitate reuse of brownfields.
Citywide Brownfield Redevelopment Plan
The plan is approximately 7 MB.
Please forward comments to the City of Roanoke by contacting Ian Shaw, Senior City Planner, City of Roanoke via U.S. mail at 215 Church Avenue, SW, Room 166, Roanoke, VA 24011, via telephone at (540) 853-5808.
Roanoke Brownfield Redevelopment Program Brochure
A draft of the Mountain View/Norwich Brownfield Corridor Plan will be available in the Spring of 2008.
Request a Site Evaluation
Request a site evaluation online! If you own inactive or under-used commercial or industrial properties with real or perceived environmental issues, you may be eligible for participation in the City of Roanoke's Brownfields Program. Click on "Request Site Evaluation" on the left hand side of the screen.
City of Roanoke receives $1,000,000 EPA Revolving Loan Fund Grant.
The RLF Grant provides funding to provide low- or no-interest loans to carry out cleanup activities at brownfield sites throughout the region. You can find more information on this grant below.
General Information
What is a Brownfield?
The Environmental Protection Agency defines brownfields as "real property, the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant. Cleaning up and reinvesting in these properties takes development pressures off of undeveloped, open land, and both improves and protects the environment." The picture above is the former Roanoke Railway & Electric Company power station along Walnut Avenue at the river. The plant was demolished in the 1950s and the current site is a prime example of a brownfield.
Why is this important to Roanoke?
Brownfields offer a unique opportunity for reclaimation and redevelopment. Like many older cities, Roanoke is almost completely built-out; however, brownfields offer the possibility of redeveloping within the core of the city. Brownfields can be transformed into everything from parks and green-space to mixed-use developments with housing, office and retail. Reusing brownfields allows the city to reclaim the Roanoke River and better utilize abandoned properties, while removing blight, improving the environment, increasing the tax base and improving the community's image.
How is the City involved in Brownfields Redevelopment and Reuse?
Job Training Grant: The City of Roanoke has been awarded an EPA Brownfield Job Training Grant. This job training grant will provide workers with the skills required for entry level environmental positions. There is a current demand for environmental technicians that will continue to increase as redevelopment progresses. A fact sheet has been prepared that provides background on the grant process and the benefits for the community. Brownfields Job Training Overview (Acrobat PDF).. In addition you can view the U.S. EPA's Job Training Grant Fact Sheet.
Assessment Grants: EPA has also selected the City of Roanoke for two brownfields assessment grants. Hazardous substance grant funds will be used to conduct community outreach activities, perform Phase I and Phase II environmental site assessments, and develop cleanup plans for brownfield sites. The petroleum grant funds will be used to perform the same tasks at sites with potential petroleum contamination. Assessment Grant Fact Sheet
Revolving Loan Fund Grant: In May 2007 the City of Roanoke was awarded the U.S. EPA Revolving Loan Fund grant of $1,000,000. This grant requires $200,000 in matching funds for a total of $1.2 million for brownfields redevelopment. The RLF Grant provides funding to provide low- or no-interest loans to carry out cleanup activities at brownfield sites throughout the region. Revolving Loan Fund Fact Sheet.
Sites for RLF loans and subgrants will be based on the following criteria:
· Impact on the environment, wildlife habitats and public health;
· Furthering the objectives of revitalizing the SJRA or Inviting Roanoke Back to its River;
· Readiness of the site for redevelopment;
· Ability to facilitate the use or reuse of existing infrastructure;
· Financial viability of the project and borrower/subgrantee (underwriting);
· Incentive needs of the site for redevelopment;
· Input from community outreach, engagement, and planning; and
· Environmental justice potential of the site
What areas of the City will be affected?
Many possible brownfield sites can be found along the Roanoke River, thus the City has initially chosen two areas along the river as focus areas for the US EPA Assessment grants. The citywide brownfield plan expands on this intiative.
Mountain View/Norwich - Transforming riverfront brownfield properties in low-income neighborhoods into greenspaces and greenways incorporating trails and recreational facilities.
South Jefferson Redevelopment Area - Redeveloping brownfields along an industrial rail corridor as critical components of a world-class bio-medical technology park and mixed-use urban district.
City of Roanoke Brownfield Redevelopment Team
Department of Planning Building and Development
Ian Shaw - Senior City Planner - Planning Division
B.T. Fitzpatrick III - City Planner II - Planning Division
Angie Williamson - Housing Development Specialist
Department of Economic Development
Brian Brown - Economic Development Administrator
Department of Public Works
Christopher Blakeman - Environmental Administrator, Environmental Management
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