THE GREENING OF BROWNFIELDS

THE GREENING OF BROWNFIELDS

Landscape architects have a key role in site restoration

By ELIZABETH RIVERS
Marty A. Lyon Landscape Architects

For too long, industrial land all over the region has lain unused simply because it was once misused.

There may be no aspect of land use that is changing as rapidly as the restoration of "brownfields." These sites are characterized by real or perceived contamination with hazardous materials. They may be located in urban areas or other places where surrounding uses have changed over time, and may be undeveloped, ^underused or abandoned by former users.

Until recently, the potential liability associated with acquisition of these sites made their redevelopment unlikely. Although the cost of ^remediation is still high, there is much greater understanding of -- and willingness to accept -- the risk inherent in their redevelopment.

Land that was once considered to be worth less clean-up cost now pencils out, due to:

Market factors. There is less well-located land available for industrial uses.
Changing clean-up standards. A clean-up to meet residential standards may not be required for land that will clearly remain industrial throughout the life of its use.
A maturing economic and legal environment for cleanup. It is possible to estimate the cost of ^clean-up and factor it into the purchase price, or obtain the rights, when acquiring property, to seek recovery of damages from previous owners responsible for contamination.

Along with more brownfield redevelopment opportunities, there is an increasing role for landscape architects to play in the reclamation process.

Brownfields are often clustered together on the map so that area-wide redevelopment may be desirable. The landscape architect should be leader of a team that initiates area-wide, or community-based, remediation.

The starting point for this effort is a plan that looks far into the future.

The purpose of the plan is to set long-range goals while providing flexibility for changing circumstances and meeting diverse needs. The landscape architect can describe how the sites fit into the larger context of the area or region, how the redeveloped area will work within a larger system of natural factors, and influence how the plan will look and function.

The cumulative effects of brownfield remediation are making industrial areas more desirable for recreational use. Industrial areas are often very interesting and highly suitable for bicycle trails. As shorelines are rehabilitated, public access to the water becomes more desirable. The landscape architect can identify these and other potential recreational opportunities and incorporate planning for them into the overall goals of the redevelopment plan.

As individual properties are redeveloped, the landscape architect plays a key role in ensuring that the siting of buildings and the master plan achieve the goals of the property owner, developer, user and the community. The participation of the landscape architect can overcome the unfortunate but historically wide-spread effect of low landscape standards for industrial areas.

Finally, no member of the redevelopment team is better equipped than the landscape architect to ease a redeveloped property past the social stigma attached to brownfields.

If the perception of contamination lingers, the value of the property may be adversely affected. A truly successful brownfields redevelopment results in a project that is environmentally clean and looks vital and healthy.

Elizabeth Rivers is a landscape architect with Marty A. Lyon, Landscape Architects.

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