Base Redevelopment Planning for BRAC Sites: Military Base Closure Surplus Property Determination, Outreach to State and Local Government, Non-profits, and Homeless Assistance Providers

This report has been professionally converted for accurate flowing-text e-book format reproduction. A military base closure, while initially a source of significant local economic impacts, also represents the single most important opportunity for a community to make a dramatic, positive change in the local economy, especially in response to the loss of jobs. For some communities, former military property is ideally situated with strong prospects for redevelopment due to a location near, or in the midst of, rapidly growing, prosperous communities. For other communities, the presence of a less robust local economy, an isolated location, or limited redevelopment opportunities and resources makes the planning effort more challenging. The redevelopment plan is the catalyst for a successful local response to base realignment or closure impacts. While no two communities are alike, and the redevelopment planning process is never routine, successful communities typically provide for a broad-based public planning effort to build consensus for redevelopment, and take actions to ensure the uses recommended in the redevelopment plan are formally incorporated into the local government's ongoing planning and economic development initiatives.

Section 1 Overview of Base Redevelopment Planning * Section 2 Base Redevelopment Planning Process * Section 3 Surplus Property Determination * Section 4 Preparation of Base Redevelopment Plan * Section 5 Outreach to State and Local Government, Non-profits, and Homeless Assistance Providers * Section 6 Refinement of Base Redevelopment Plan * Section 7 Beyond Base Redevelopment Planning

OEA has been "helping communities help themselves" for more than 45 years. From this experience an orderly economic adjustment transition process has evolved, along with the realization that meeting this challenge requires energy, vision, and community leadership through an effective local organization. For communities experiencing the possible availability of property as a result of a base closure or realignment, the Local Redevelopment Authority (LRA) serves as the local organization focusing on all economic adjustment activities, including preparation of a base redevelopment plan. How well an affected community organizes itself to solicit broad-based, inclusive public participation in preparing the base redevelopment plan is a major factor in the success of the community's economic transition.