Site Selection Tool

 

Responding to a local government’s request for a rational tool for selecting brownfields to remediate and develop, the WPBC is currently developing a “multi-attribute decision method” tool which allows governments and other stakeholders to prioritize their site selection process by weighting criteria of local and immediate interest (such as environmental and health, ease of development, social and economic considerations, and quality of life indicators) as they determine where to allocate funds. The tool is to be used for guidance as not all intangibles can be captured in model and the structure is flexible to allow for adaptation by different communities and stakeholders.  

An early version of the tool was beta tested with the Redevelopment Authority of the County of Washington (in southwestern Pennsylvania).  Almost 130 brownfield properties were 'ranked' as a result of this effort and the 'ranking' has been comparable to the intuitions of the local decision-makers.  The tool is currently receiving additional testing with the Main and Elm Street Managers who are part of the Pennsylvania Downtown Center, located in Harrisburg, PA.