Mon, Jul 06, 2009
 This is yet another eyesore near Highway Drive. A federal grant will help with the assessment of old industrial properties for potential toxic contamination. More Photos (2):
 
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County incentive for Flowing Wells: from blight to bright economy, jobsArizona Daily Star
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 12.01.2008
The abandoned service stations, the old junkyards and the idled factories that dot the Flowing Wells area could someday hum with new industry and new jobs for area residents.
To help bring that day a little closer, Pima County, in cooperation with an active neighborhood association, is laying the groundwork for a business infill incentive district that will make it easier for property owners to redevelop sites in the North Side area to the east of Interstate 10.
It likely will be the first such incentive area in an unincorporated portion of the state, according to county officials.
"We're really hoping we can get some of those good-paying manufacturing jobs," said Ellie Towne, president of the Flowing Wells Neighborhood Association. "We're trying to have everything in place for when the economy improves."
Flowing Wells is a community that straddles the northwestern section of the city of Tucson and unincorporated Pima County. Much of the housing consists of older mobile homes.
Flowing Wells has fought back against methamphetamine dealers and has worked with county officials to channel more than $18 million into parks, neighborhood centers, clinics and other infrastructure.
But the community's industrial areas along North Highway Drive have languished under a number of barriers to redevelopment.
There are roughly 860 acres of vacant land in the area. Many of the lots are brownfields — sites that may be contaminated because of previous uses. Some lots also are small or oddly shaped, meaning it may be difficult for an owner to bring land into compliance with modern code requirements.
The county is taking a multipronged approach to overcoming these hurdles.
Last month, the county received a federal grant that will help with environmental assessment of old industrial properties.
Later this month, the Board of Supervisors will vote on a comprehensive plan amendment that would designate much of the area along North Highway Drive for industrial uses and discourage residential development in the area, which would be allowed under the current plan designation.
County officials hope to create the infill incentive district sometime next year. While the details still need to be worked out, property owners in the district may be able to get expedited processing of permits and waivers from development requirements.
County officials and neighborhood activists hope getting a break on many of those requirements may entice developers. And perhaps more important, property owners now can get some help from the county on determining whether their land is contaminated.
The county has a $200,000 grant from the federal Environmental Protection Agency to do brownfield assessments in the Flowing Wells area.
Many potential buyers are scared off by brownfields because they fear the cost of cleaning up such sites.
The grant money can be used to ease some of the uncertainty. It's enough to pay for 25 Phase 1 assessments, which essentially are expanded title searches that investigate past uses, and another five Phase 2 assessments, which involve actually testing for contamination.
County Planner Daniel Tylutki said that even if a property ends up needing remediation, it might be something relatively simple — such as replacing the top foot of soil — that a potential buyer would be willing to take on.
The program would be completely voluntary, and Tylutki is doing outreach to property owners to make them aware of the opportunity.
"It would really be a positive thing for encouraging redevelopment," said Sue Morman, a senior planner working on the project. "The area has great access to the freeway, and it's ideal for industrial uses. But it's an area that has been ruined by previous industrial uses, so any kind of selling of the land can require an environmental assessment."
Morman said the area has other advantages, such as easy access from the bike paths along the Rillito River for future employees who don't have cars. And by developing employment in an urban area, the county is combating sprawl.
If the initiative is successful, the county may look to replicate it in other low-income or underdeveloped areas of the county.
● Contact reporter Erica Meltzer at 807-7790 or emeltzer@azstarnet.com.
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