Brownfield Redevelopment

Prepared by:
The City of Ferndale Brownfield Redevelopment Authority
300 East Nine Mile Road
Ferndale, MI 48220
(248)546-2366

What is a "Brownfield?"

According to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, "brownfields" are idle, abandoned, or under-used properties where expansion or redevelopment is hindered by real or perceived structural conditions. Until recently, the redevelopment of such properties was particularly hindered by strict environmental laws.

How do I know if a property is a brownfield?

A prospective purchaser should contact the City's Community Development Services office to see if information available regarding a particular site. Information may also be available through the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ). Please visit their website at www.michigan.gov/deq. Site assessment activities, to determine whether a site is or may be a brownfield, may be funded through the city's Brownfield Redevelopment Authority (BRA).

What is a Brownfield Redevelopment Authority, how can one help me?

The Brownfield Redevelopment Financing Act (1996 PA 381, as amended by 2000 PA 145) allows local units of government to create one or more Brownfield Redevelopment Authorities (BRAs) to identify and plan for reuse of brownfield properties. BRAs develop and implement brownfield redevelopment financing plans, which identify eligible environmental activities that will be conducted at the site, and determine if Tax Increment Financing will be used to capture state and local property taxes, and/or if the owner of the property will be applying for a Single Business Tax Credit.

Tax increment financing allows BRAs to capture property taxes from the increased value as a result of development to pay for the environmental activities needed for the development, and to establish their own site remediation fund the original bill is paid.

What kind of activities are "eligible activities"?

Eighty-eight cities within the State of Michigan are designated as "Qualified Governmental Units" or "Core Communities." Ferndale was included in that list. In Core Communities, a developer can be reimbursed for activities in addition to those pertaining to environmental assessment. Eligible activities in a Core Community may include:

Environmental Site Assessments
Due Care Activities
Demolition
Asbestos and Lead Abatement, and
Site Improvements

Please contact the City to determine the eligibility of your planned activities.

What is the Brownfield Redevelopment process?

The process begins with an application from a prospective developer. The Ferndale BRA reviews the application, and contacts the developer. The developer then creates a Brownfield Plan which describes the project in detail and includes the information on the eligible activities to be performed at the site. The Brownfield Plan describes the taxes that are to be captured at each property, and indicates how the eligible activities will be initially funded. Act 381 sets forth the legal requirements for a Brownfield Plan.

Once a Brownfield Plan is complete, the BRA votes on whether to recommend it to the Ferndale City Council. The City Council then has the final vote on whether or not to approve the plan. If school taxes are to be captured, a work plan must also be prepared, and submitted to the appropriate agency, as defined by Act 381. The Ferndale BRA will work with the developer through every step of the process to help ensure the project is a success!

Where can I learn more about Brownfield Redevelopment?

The following links provide information about Brownfield Redevelopment in Michigan:

I'm ready, how do I get started?

To request an application, or for more information, call the Community Development Services office at (248)546-2366.

The City of Ferndale BRA meets the first Thursday of every month at 7:00pm in City Hall.

The City of Ferndale, Michigan
300 East Nine Mile Road
Ferndale, Michigan 48220
(248) 546-2525

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