There is a conception among federal and state agencies, as well as some local governments themselves, that locals should play a limited role in the design, implementation, and monitoring of land use controls (LUCs). Even larger communities that have knowledge and experience using LUCs question the capacity of local governments. These groups have raised questions about the insufficient awareness of the public regarding LUCs, the inadequate vehicles available to provide notice about LUCs, and the obstacle for local governments to access site-specific environmental information that are stored in far-off state capitals.

Despite these realities, many local governments have been enhancing LUC effectiveness and working with states to realize the role that they may plan in the long-term maintenance of LUCs. In the past, local governments have taken a more peripheral role in the cleanup and redevelopment of severely contaminated sites such as Superfund and federal facilities, but since brownfield redevelopment is a state and, especially, local concern, the role of local government has taken a center stage in all stages of redevelopment, including LUCs. ...

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