Ottawa County Brownfield Redevelopment
Brownfields are idle, underutilized, or vacant industrial or commercial properties where redevelopment is hindered by real or perceived environmental contamination, blight, or functional obsolescence. Many brownfield sites sit unused for decades because the cost of clean-up for these sites can be high and uncertain.
Brownfield Redevelopment Resources
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United States Environmental Protection Agency Grant Funding
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) offers numerous grant opportunities to support local brownfield redevelopment authorities. While these grant opportunities are very competitive, the Ottawa County Brownfield Redevelopment Authority (OCBRA) has had the good fortune to have secured two grant awards in the past, totaling $700,000 that were used to assess contamination on brownfield sites and prepare cleanup plans for responsible reuse and redevelopment. To see the outcomes of these grants and the projects the funded supported, click here for the 2013 grant and here for the 2020 grant, which just concluded on September 30, 2023. The OCBRA continues to apply for additional US EPA funding. When more funding is awarded, this section will be updated. Until then, please review the other dropdowns in this section to learn about other ways OCBRA can potentially support brownfield redevelopment projects.
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Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy Grants
and Loans
Grant and loan programs for brownfield redevelopment projects using state tax dollars are provided by Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (MDEGLE). The OCBRA has helped developers access both grants and loans from MDEGLE to help finance their brownfield projects. To apply to have your project considered for an EGLE grant or loan, click here. Learn More »
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Tax Increment Financing—Brownfield Redevelopment Act
Tax increment financing, or TIF, is a common economic development tool that is enabled by a number of statutes under Michigan Law. Brownfield TIF is guided by Act 381. TIF allows for the capture of tax revenue generated by the increase in taxable value of a brownfield property that has been redeveloped. That revenue is then used to reimburse the property developer for the costs of certain eligible brownfield redevelopment activities. In order to utilize TIF, a Brownfield Plan Amendment for the subject property must be approved by one or more of the following governmental units: the local municipality, the County, and/or the State. To apply to have your project considered for a Brownfield Plan Amendment, please click here. More information about using Tax Increment Financing in Michigan can be found here: Learn More »
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Local Brownfield Revolving Fund
The OCBRA has a long term goal of establishing a Local Brownfield Revolving Fund (LBRF). LBRFs can be created under Act 381 by using a portion of tax revenue generated by TIF, as set forth in an approved Brownfield Plan Amendment. Currently the County has three TIF plans that are designated to deposit tax revenue into this fund. Once adequate funds are accumulated, those funds can then be used to provide small, low-interest loans to developers in order to assist with the assessment of brownfield properties and other eligible activities. This LBRF will give the County a much greater ability to attract developers to consider brownfield properties as potential project sites that might otherwise be passed over.
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Brownfield Incentive Program
Grant funding from the EPA can be difficult to secure year to year, and the LBRF will not have funds available for a number of years still. So in 2018, the OCBRA identified some local funds that can be used to incentivize assessments on suspected or confirmed brownfield sites. The Brownfield Incentive Program, or BIP, can be used on eligible projects in Ottawa County. After interested parties apply for funding, each is scored by the OCBRA, which will determine the level of funding, if any, for each selected project. For additional information, email plan@miottawa.org.
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Housing Projects supported by the Brownfield Redevelopment Act
In 2023, the Michigan legislature approved changes to the Brownfield Redevelopment Act (Act 381) that allow tax increment financing (TIF) to be used to support eligible activities on residential projects that meet income qualifications. The process is very similar to regular brownfield TIF plans. Click here to learn more about how Housing TIF works.
Ottawa County Brownfield Redevelopment Authority
The first step to accessing brownfield redevelopment financing tools is to connect with your local Brownfield Redevelopment Authority. Under the Brownfield Redevelopment Act (PA 381 of 1996, as amended), a municipality may create a Brownfield Redevelopment Authority (BRA) to develop and implement brownfield projects. Any city, village, township, or county may create a BRA. In Ottawa County there are eight local BRAs and the County also has a county-wide BRA with an established Brownfield Plan for redevelopment. The Ottawa County Brownfield Redevelopment Authority information is listed below.