Boards & Commissions Application

DDA News:

The DDA will facilitate a community meeting at 6:00 p.m. on Sept. 14, in the City Community Room (behind the police department) regarding a Brownfield grant.

What is the Brownfields Assessment Program?

The Social Circle Downtown Development Authority’s Brownfields Assessment Program provides funds for eligible brownfield activities within the city limits. Properties will be selected for funding when the intended redevelopment creates a positive economic impact to the community and supports the DDA’s goals and meets EPA funding requirements. The funds can be used for environmental site assessments (Phase I ESA & Phase II ESA) and cleanup planning when necessary. As a part of this program, the City is entitled to directly fund assessments that support redevelopment efforts. 

Benefits of the Brownfields Assessment Program:

Currently the US EPA offers five different grants which support revitalization efforts by funding environmental assessment, cleanup and job training activities.

 Social Circle DDA Grant - $400,000 Brownfield Assessment Grant

• Brownfields Assessment Grants provide funding for Brownfields site inventories, planning, environmental assessments, and community outreach.
• This is a Voluntary Program open to any landowner that owns property within the city limits of Social Circle.
• Sites will be added to the inventory and will be assessed based on a priority ranking system that is in line with the City & DDA’s already established redevelopment plans.
• Brownfield assessment and/or remediation can address and in some cases, remove a perceived environmental stigma enabling site redevelopment.
  • Completing the assessments provides the developer/property owner with information to determine if (1) the site is impacted by historical use, (2) if impacted, what options are necessary to move enable development and how much will it cost?

Other Benefits of the EPA Brownfield Program

• Can lead to a reduction of crime rates in brownfield revitalization areas when dilapidated structures where illicit activities have historically taken place are redeveloped.
• Improves tax base, job numbers, property values, and reduce additional environmental concerns.Allows developers interested in a property to acquire vital information to determine if they want to pursue redevelopment of a property.
• Provides funding to support your local redevelopment planning efforts.
• Brings communities together.
• Promotes developer interest in properties that have been cleared of the environmental stigma.
• The Federal Program typically leverages with State Brownfield Programs that help with cleanups when necessary.
• The brownfields program does not create contamination but provides a means to deal with it.

Property owners interested in having their property assessed as part of the Brownfields Program can request consideration by completing and submitting this form to the Social Circle DDA.

What does the DDA do?

The Downtown Development Authority is created for the purpose of revitalizing and redeveloping the central business district. The Authority meets the second Thursday of even numbered months at 9:00 a.m. in the Community Room, 138 E Hightower Trail.

Authority Members:                        

Mike Owens, Chairman

Debbie Smith, Vice Chairman

Taylor Morris

Lurrie Maddox

Steve Williams

Tim Hutcheson

Kathlene Miller

DDA Bylaws

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