Brownfield Area Designation Under Consideration By City

New Port Richey has been called “The Gateway to Tropical Florida."

It has also been officially declared “blighted” for a little more than a decade.

Now, New Port Richey officials are proposing adding two new descriptions to most of the city that could be used to encourage redevelopment: brownfield area and New Port Richey Economic Incentive Area.

On Tuesday, the City Council approved the first draft of a resolution to give most of the city the new designations. 

A brownfield area contains real property that is tainted or perceived to be tainted “by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant,” according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

Redevelopment or expansion of land in the brownfield area may be complicated by this real or perceived contamination, according to the agency.

So cleanups and other investments in properties included in the brownfield program can be rewarded with tax credits and other economic incentives.

Because of the stigma associated with being a brownfield area, Development Director Lisa Fierce recommended calling it the New Port Richey Economic Incentive Area.

Under the proposed resolution, New Port Richey's Community Redevelopment Area, which covers almost all of the city, would be designated as the city's brownfield area.

Incentives used to rehabilitate brownfied areas are provided by the state Department of Environmental Protection and the EPA. There are tax credits for the costs of voluntary cleanup of brownfield sites and tax refunds of up to $2,500 per job created by an eligible business rehabilitating a Brownfield site. The state also offers partial loan guarantees and liability protection. 

In 2001, the city council declared New Port Richey “blighted,” which allowed it to apply for new revenue bonds, tax-increment financing and grants. The CRA expanded to encompass the entirety of the city at that time.

“We lived through as a council the word 'blight,” pointed out City Councilwoman Ginny Miller. "Whatever they're called, they're all good tools to have in our chest."

City Manager John Schneiger said in an interview that a broad variety of locations can be considered brownfied sites. They can be old gas stations, dry cleaning facilities and medical facilities. They can be homes with asbestos or methamphetamine labs.   

Pasco County received $1 million in June from the EPA to assess potential brownfield sites. The city could work with the county to use that money to assess individual properties in New Port Richey.

Schneiger said in an interview that the important thing to remember is that assessments are voluntary.

Councilwoman asked if the designation would affect property values.

“It should have no impact on property values or taxes,” Schneiger said.

Deputy Mayor said he didn’t see any disadvantage to being designated as a brownfield. He wrote a response to a commenter's question on Patch a day earlier about what contamination was a concern.

Two examples: Lead paint and asbestos tile siding, both of which are extremely common in the older houses in town. Something as simple as replacing the windows on my house is going to require hazmat precautions because of the age of the house and the potential for disturbing decades old lead paint. I don't dare do anything to the outside of my garage as it is covered with asbestos tiles.

There appears to be no downside to the city designating the city as a brownfield area and there may well be some benefits for property owners who want to fix up their places.

The resolution returns to the council for a vote on adoption Nov. 1.

Information about the brownfeld program can be found at the following links:

• EPA Brownfield Program

• List of Tampa Bay and Florida brownfield areas

• Florida Brownfields Association