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1. Is there a timeframe to opt out of the designation?

Pursuant to Section 376.80(1)(C)3., Florida Statutes, if a property owner within the area proposed for designation requests in writing to have their property removed from the proposed area, the City shall grant the request. The City must receive a request for removal prior the City Commission’s approval of the enacting Resolution.  

2. Can I decide later to opt in? If so, how?

Yes, the City Commission may expand the designated area in the future, or a new brownfield area designation may be requested.  A request to be included in the designated area, or a request for a new designation, should be submitted to the Planning and Urban Design. 

3. How will the value of my property be impacted if it is within a designated Brownfield?

A Brownfield designation itself should not negatively impact the value of a property. In Florida, a brownfield area designation does not indicate a property is contaminated. Section 376.79(5) defines the term “brownfield area” as “a contiguous area of one or more brownfield sites, some of which may not be contaminated, and which has been designated by a local government by resolution.”  If your property is located near a documented contaminated site that could undergo site rehabilitation under Florida’s Brownfields Redevelopment Program, property values may increase because of the cleanup and associated redevelopment. Studies have shown that brownfields cleanup and redevelopment projects often result in an increase in the value of nearby properties.

4. How will the value of my property be impacted if the property next to or around me is designated and mine is not?

The designation itself should not negatively impact the value of your property whether it is located within the designated area or not.  Cleanup and redevelopment at surrounding properties may result in an increase in property values; however, impacts to property values are site-specific and can be influenced by many factors including, but not limited to, environmental conditions, current property use, and redevelopment plans.

5. Will this designation be reflected with the Broward County Property Appraiser?

No, this designation will only be reflected on the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s Brownfield Geo Viewer map found here.

6. As a home owner how will this benefit me?

A comprehensive list of Florida Brownfields Redevelopment Program incentives is available here.  These incentives, which are largely tied to the discovery of environmental contamination and execution of a Brownfield Site Rehabilitation Agreement (“BSRA”) with Broward County, include access to the Voluntary Cleanup Tax Credit Program, cleanup liability protections for the property owner and project lenders, a streamlined regulatory process, job creation tax refunds, and refunds on sales taxes paid for construction of qualified affordable housing.  Although these incentives are typically used by business owners and at multifamily developments, they are equally available to residential home owners interested in redevelopment.  If a property owner within a designated brownfield area identifies environmental contamination that they did not cause, they may be eligible to enter into a BSRA and access these incentives without needing to first request approval from the City Commission. Additionally, any neighboring property owner who is conducting site rehabilitation of contamination must also address environmental impacts that have extended offsite.  By providing immediate access to a BSRA, neighbors may address environmental impacts more efficiently than they otherwise could. Local governments may also establish their own incentives for properties located within a designated brownfield area.  

Please contact the Office of Economic Development for more information.

7. As a business owner how will this benefit me? For example: property taxes, business taxes, loans, etc.

A comprehensive list of Florida Brownfields Redevelopment Program incentives is available here. These incentives, which are largely tied to the discovery of environmental contamination and execution of a Brownfield Site Rehabilitation Agreement (BSRA) with Broward County, include access to the Voluntary Cleanup Tax Credit Program, cleanup liability protections for the property owner and lenders, a streamlined regulatory process, job creation tax refunds, and refunds on sales taxes paid for construction of qualified affordable housing. Due to the varied uses a commercial or industrial property may have experienced throughout history, business owners, developers, and lenders can find comfort in the availability of Florida’s Brownfields Program incentives when siting a business or addressing environmental impacts caused by others. If a business owner within a designated brownfield area identifies environmental contamination that they did not cause, they can enter into a BSRA and access these incentives without first requesting the City Commission designate the property a brownfield area. Local governments may also establish their own incentives for properties located within a designated brownfield area. Please contact the Office of Economic Development for more information.