URA transfers property ownership to City of Parkersburg
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PARKERSBURG - The Urban Renewal Authority met Tuesday and approved the transfer of ownership of a URA-owned property to the City of Parkersburg in support of an EPA brownfield grant application through a donation. The URA also moved the review of proposed updates to the URA administrative policy and procedure till next meeting for further review.
The URA acquired the property, at 714 Market St., through a donation and later commissioned Pickerington Associates to complete a facilities condition and needs assessment for the repairs and improvements needed before the building could be occupied, according to Calaya Rake, Parkersburg city planner. The assessment recommended completing a phase one Environmental Site Assessment to identify potential concerns and better understand the overall cost of preparing the property for reuse.
Existing reports document asbestos, lead-based paint, mold and other building conditions at the property and according to Rake, EPA anticipates offering FY2027 Brownfields Cleanup Grants of up to $500,000 for a four-year project to mitigate environmental hazards.
Rake said the transfer of ownership is necessary as "the owner at the time of applying (for the EPA grant) cannot have been the owner (during) the time the environmental study was performed." Rake said this is due to the liability requirements of the grant and to ensure the owner at the time did not cause the environmental hazards occurring at the location.
Rake said that the local representative from the EPA said this is a normal process and if the grant is awarded the city would hold ownership of the property with a clause to reverse ownership to the URA after the completion of the environmental cleanup funded by the grant.
Councilwoman Wendy Tuck asked what the benefit of transferring ownership to the city rather than the municipal building commission.
Rob Tebay, assistant city attorney, said while the building could be transferred to the municipal building commission, it would be a separate entity that would have control over the property.
Rake said the owner of the building has to submit the grant and would put control of the grant application with a separate entity, whereas transferring to the city would keep the responsibility with it's development department.
The vote passed in a 8-0 vote, with Councilman Mike Reynolds absent.
The URA also voted to table the review of the proposed updates to the URA's administrative policy and procedures, that were last updated in 2018, to the next meeting for further review in a 7-1 vote, with Councilman Andrew Borkowski opposed.