Wilson Today: Brownfields from City of Wilson, NC on Vimeo.

This video covers the City of Wilson's programs to eliminate brownfields, which are sites either contaminated or believed to have been contaminated by past industrial, agricultural or commercial use

The city has programs to help developers interested in redeveloping brownfields. By addressing the blight associated with brownfields, our goal is to return these sites to an active use that creates jobs, increases tax revenue, and improves quality of life.

Examples of brownfields include abandoned gas stations, old textile mills, industrial plants, former dry cleaners, and other abandoned industrial or commercial properties. These properties may be unsightly, but they have existing infrastructure that undeveloped sites lack.

The Benefits of Redeveloping Brownfields

• Increased marketability of the property
• Environmental and public health benefits of a clean site
• Redevelopment of under-utilized property
• Reduced site development costs due to use of existing infrastructure
• Creation of new jobs
• Increased tax base for the community
• Improved quality of life in the surrounding neighborhoods
• Federal and state redevelopment incentives (tax credits)

US EPA Brownfields Assessment Grant Program

Funding is not currently available for environmental site assessments (ESA's). The City of Wilson has submitted an application for funding to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). If funding becomes available  information will be posted on our website.  ESA's  are the first step towards redevelopment., and the program can also help apply for EPA cleanup grants. Developers can also often leverage other federal and local tax credits, loans, and grants for these sites.  

Revolving Loan Fund

The City of Wilson has funding to financially assist property owners with environmental cleanup of their property by making low interest loans. The loans assist where bank financing may be difficult and are used to aid in paying for cleanup activities of petroleum products and/or hazardous substances.  The goal of the program is to help facilitate redevelopment.