The City of Columbus will hold a Public Meeting on Saturday at 9 a.m. at Columbus Municipal Airport in the basement of Hangar 5 Restaurant. Robin Hilber, with the city’s office of community development, says this meeting will take place during the meeting of the Landlords’ Association to discuss the Brownfield Assessment Grant.

The grant was awarded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to fund the assessment of properties in Columbus that are potentially contaminated by hazardous substances and petroleum products. These sites are defined as underutilized or abandoned property in which future development is complicated by the perception or presence of environmental contaminants. The city explains that brownfield sites can include land or buildings containing asbestos, mold or other pollutants; former industrial and commercial sites such as gas stations, dry cleaning facilities, grain elevators, and landfills. Hilber says that the general advantage of an assessment is:

– Increased property value
– To make property more marketable
– Clarify environmental conditions (a value to potential developers or buyers)
– Potentially eliminate stigma attached to property
– No cost to the landowner for the assessment
– Most lending institutions, loan servicing companies, purchasers require it prior to lending

If you are a property owner, a land developer, or a commercial realtor, the city is encouraging you to attend Saturday morning’s meeting to learn more about how this grant can benefit you.