Escambia County commissioners and staff on Thursday discussed options to reuse more than 100 acres surrounding the former Escambia Treating Company Superfund site, focusing on targeted soil testing, long-term leases for economic development, and a possible animal shelter and fire training facility.

Debbie (presenter) told the committee the site — where the Escambia Treating Company operated from 1942 to 1982 — left creosote and PCP contamination and that EPA work and deed transfers carry restrictive covenants that prevent many uses. "It cannot be used for commercial, industrial, manufacturing ... residential, daycare, schools, playgrounds," she said, summarizing deed limits on EPA-donated parcels.

Why it matters: Commissioners said the property is both an environmental legacy and a long-standing community commitment. Commissioner May pressed staff to preserve the promise made to a local church: "the 3 acres that are contiguous to the church ... was promised to the church," he said, and asked that parcels adjacent to the church be prioritized for testing that could allow residential or community uses if results support lifting restrictions.

What was decided and what comes next: Staff and Florida West agreed to update appraisals and advance a light master plan for the northern, uncapped industrial parcels while prioritizing Phase II soil testing on southern parcels contiguous to the church. The board asked staff for parcel-by-parcel cost estimates for soil and groundwater testing and requested those estimates be available for discussion at the Jan. 22 meeting.

Details from the meeting:
- Site history and restrictions: Presenters said EPA completed an early soil removal and later deeded parcels to the county with restrictive covenants in 2018; staff advised that targeted, contemporary soil testing is the usual path to demonstrate that specific parcels no longer require the same restrictions. Staff distinguished historical Phase I research (records review) from Phase II sampling (soil/groundwater analysis) required by regulators.
- County facilities under consideration: Staff showed roughly 7.7 acres in the south parcels identified for a fire training facility and noted about 5 acres that could be used for an animal shelter; commissioners discussed tradeoffs between siting county facilities and maximizing tax base and private investment in the CRA-adjacent neighborhood.
- Public-safety and funding: Fire Chief Harrison said the proposed training campus would be "much more enhanced" than the city's existing site and could host special-operations and HAZMAT training; staff said roughly $3 million has been set aside for training development and that a $1 million state allocation from Representative Michelle Salzman is available to help advance the project.
- Land disposition options: Staff said a straight sale of EPA-donated parcels typically returns 90% to EPA and 10% to the state (after allowable expenses), making sale proceeds unlikely to produce local cash; long-term ground leases, option agreements, and structured incentives were discussed as alternatives to attract private investment without immediate net sales income.

Community context: Commissioner May and others emphasized the site's history of displacement and long-standing promises to neighborhood residents, urging that redevelopment plans (master plan, CRA integration and naming rights) preserve legacy commitments and deliver jobs and infrastructure for adjacent neighborhoods.

Next steps: Florida West will advance parcel layouts and a light master plan for the northern, marketable parcels; staff will pull existing appraisals, perform updated appraisals as needed, and deliver parcel testing cost estimates for board consideration at the Jan. 22 meeting. Staff and counsel will also research applicable Brownfields incentives and other redevelopment funding options and return with options for lease structures and incentives.

The board did not take a formal vote to adopt a plan; it directed staff and partners to return with testing estimates, appraisal updates and a draft master plan for further review.