Optional Web Site Design

Section 3.0: Optional Web Site Design

To assist others in developing their web sites, EPA prepared an optional web site design based upon the review of current web sites and web sites being planned. The structure and data elements of the optional design are built upon components found frequently in other web sites and appear to be widely accepted. The optional design includes approximately 60 data elements, selected on the basis of the review of the other web sites, as well as discussions with potential users. A key factor was an effort to strike a balance between the traditional items that purchasers of commercial properties request to support evaluation of properties and the information that describes the extent to which a purchaser must resolve potential cleanup and liability issues associated with brownfields properties. Although many potential buyers of properties suggested other items in addition to those included in the optional design, it encompasses the majority of the information items found in current web sites or those are being considered for web sites under design.

The optional design is available at on this website. Appendix D reports information about the optional design. The optional design includes a search function using combinations of parameters and links to other web sites to provide more detailed information about the properties listed and the capability to provide printed reports.

The optional design suggests a minimum set of data elements that should be present if the property is to be listed on the web site. The 13 elements are:

• Street name
• City
• County
• State
• Zip code
• Size
• Public or private ownership

• Proposed zoning
• Status of site investigation
• Status of remediation
• Redevelopment incentives
• Contact name
• Contact phone number

The items were selected because: (1) they are likely to be the minimum elements that a prospective purchaser of the property requires to determine whether the property is of interest and (2) it is reasonable to assume that the items will be available for a large number of brownfields properties. Providing information about the city, county, state, or Zip code allows users of the system to search the properties at a variety of levels. Operators of individual web sites can modify the minimum data elements to meet the needs of the potential users of their system.

To maximize the use of information available in local, state, or other web sites across the United States, it may be possible to design a national web site to serve as a central link for all. One option could be to use the minimum required data elements as a basis for the links. If the operators of the web sites agree to use the minimum data points for their systems, a national web site could function as a search engine for those systems.