A GIS-based decision support system for brownfield redevelopment

Rapid growth in regions surrounding large metropolitan areas leads to the phenomenon of urban sprawl. In states like Michigan, land is being converted at a rate seven times greater than formerly used (and potentially contaminated) sites are being redeveloped. City governments now see these unused or abandoned areas as important assets in realizing the goal of urban revitalization. New legislation in Michigan provides economic (e.g. tax recapture) and legal (e.g. suspension of retroactive liability) incentives for local governments and prospective developers who are now seeking these brownfields instead of farmland and open space. To evaluate land use options with respect to brownfields inventory, characterization, and potential for redevelopment, both government and private decision-makers need access to information regarding land capability; development incentives; public goals, interests, and preferences; and environmental concerns such as site contamination and environmental quality. This paper discusses a decision support system that provides access to state, regional, and local geospatial databases, several informational and visualization tools, and assumptions useful in providing a better understanding of issues, options, and alternatives in redeveloping brownfields. The resultant decision support system is augmented by a unique geographic information systems (GIS)-based land use modeling application called Smart Places® as an integrated expert system. The decision support system is being tested in a city- and county-level brownfield identification, screening, and marketing effort in Jackson County, Michigan. This project represents a testbed for decision-makers and policy analysts at all levels of government to establish urban land use policy and development guidelines that may be applicable to related land use issues in a variety of urban and urbanizing settings. While this project was conducted in Michigan, the tools and procedures used are seen as readily adaptable to other locations.