[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 241 (Thursday, December 16, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 78729-78730]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-31654]
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DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT
[Docket No. FR-5443-N-02]
Notice of Availability of a Draft Environmental Impact Statement
for the Sunset Area Community Planned Action, City of Renton, WA
AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and
Development, HUD.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) gives
this notice to the public, agencies and Indian Tribes on the
availability for public review and comment of the Draft Environmental
Impact Statement (Draft EIS) for the redevelopment of the Sunset
Terrace public housing community in Renton, WA. HUD gives this notice
on behalf of the City of Renton acting as the Responsible Entity for
compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Pursuant
to the authority granted by section 26 of the U.S. Housing Act of 1937
(42 U.S.C. 1437x) in connection with projects assisted under section 9
of that Act (42 U.S.C. 1437g), the City of Renton has assumed
responsibility for compliance with NEPA (42 U.S.C. 4321) in accordance
with 24 CFR 58.1 and 58.4, and is the lead agency for compliance with
the Washington State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA, RCW 43.21C). The
Draft EIS is a joint NEPA and SEPA document intended to satisfy
requirements of Federal and State environmental statutes. This notice
is given in accordance with the Council on Environmental Quality
regulations at 40 CFR parts 1500-1508.
Notice is also given that the City of Renton as Responsible Entity
has decided to combine the National Historic Preservation Act, Section
106 process with the NEPA Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) in
accordance with 36 CFR 800.8(c). Comments are also being requested on
the Section 106 information presented in the Draft EIS as well as on
the Section 106 process itself.
DATES: Written comments on the Draft EIS must be received January 31,
2011. Written comments should be addressed to the individual named
below under the heading For Further Information Contact.
Public Hearing: A public hearing will be held for the public to
provide verbal or written comment on the Draft EIS as well as on the
proposed planned action ordinance. The public hearing will be held on
January 5, 2011, at 6 p.m. before the Renton Planning Commission. The
meeting will be held at the Council Chambers, 1055 S. Grady Way,
Renton, WA 98057.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Erika Conkling, AICP, Senior Planner,
City of Renton Department of Community and Economic Development, 1055
S. Grady Way, Renton, WA 98057, 425-430-6578 (voice) 425-430-7300
(fax), or e-mail: [email protected].
Copies of the Draft EIS are available at the above address for
reference, and copies may be purchased for the cost of reproduction.
The Draft EIS is also available on the Internet and can be viewed or
downloaded at: http://rentonwa.gov/business/default.aspx?id=2060.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposal includes redevelopment of the
Renton Housing Authority's (RHA's) Sunset Terrace public housing
community, a 7.3-acre property with 100 existing units contained in 27
buildings that are 50-year-old, two-story structures, located at the
intersection of NE. Sunset Boulevard and Harrington Avenue, NE. RHA
also owns additional vacant land (approximately 3 acres with two
dwelling units) along Edmonds Avenue, NE., Glenwood Avenue, NE., and
Sunset Lane, NE., and intends to purchase additional property adjacent
to Sunset Terrace, along Harrington Avenue, NE. (which contains about 8
dwellings); RHA plans to incorporate these additional properties into
the Sunset Terrace redevelopment for housing and associated services.
The Sunset Terrace public housing community units, facilities, and
infrastructure are antiquated and the project is dilapidated.
Conceptual plans propose redevelopment of Sunset Terrace and
adjacent properties with mixed-income, mixed-use residential and
commercial space and public amenities. The redevelopment would include
a 1-to-1 unit replacement for all 100 existing public housing units.
All existing public housing units will be replaced either on-site or
off-site, at locations within the existing Sunset Terrace site, and the
Planned Action Study Area within the City; no net loss of low income
housing units would occur. The project will require relocation of all
existing residents and RHA is developing a relocation plan. It is
expected that, with the Sunset Terrace property and associated
properties owned or purchased by RHA, up to 479 additional new units
could be constructed with a portion of the total units being public,
affordable, and market rate. Public amenities would be integrated with
the residential development and could include the following: A
community gathering space or ``third place;'' civic facilities such as
a community center, senior center, and/or public library space; a new
park/open space; retail shopping and commercial space; and green
infrastructure.
Sunset Terrace's redevelopment provides the opportunity to evaluate
the neighborhood as a whole and determine what future land use
redevelopment is possible and what public service and infrastructure
improvements should be made in order to make this a more vibrant and
attractive community for residents, businesses and property owners. The
Draft EIS addresses the primary proposal of the Sunset Terrace area
redevelopment as well as evaluate secondary proposals such as
neighborhood redevelopment and
[[Page 78730]]
supporting services and infrastructure improvements.
The City of Renton is also proposing to adopt a Planned Action
Ordinance pursuant to SEPA. A Planned Action Ordinance, if adopted,
would not require future SEPA threshold determinations or EISs for
future projects that are consistent with EIS assumptions and mitigation
measures.
The proposal is reviewed in terms of three alternatives.
Alternative 1, No Action. RHA would develop affordable housing on
two vacant properties, but it would not redevelop the Sunset Terrace
public housing property. Very limited public investment would be
implemented (e.g., some community services but no NE Sunset Boulevard
or drainage improvements), resulting in lesser redevelopment across the
Planned Action study area. A Planned Action would not be designated.
The No Action Alternative is required to be studied under NEPA and
SEPA.
Alternative 2. This alternative represents a moderate level of
growth in the Planned Action Study Area based on investment in mixed-
income housing and mixed uses in the Potential Sunset Terrace
Redevelopment Subarea, targeted infrastructure and public services
throughout the Planned Action study area, and adoption of a Planned
Action Ordinance.
Alternative 3. This alternative represents the highest level of
growth in the Planned Action study area, based on investment in the
Potential Sunset Terrace Redevelopment Subarea with a greater number
dwellings developed in a mixed-income, mixed-use style, major public
investment in study area infrastructure and services, and adoption of a
Planned Action Ordinance.
The lead agency has addressed the following areas in the Draft EIS:
Aesthetics; air quality, including greenhouse gas emissions; earth;
energy; environmental health; environmental justice; historic/cultural
resources; housing; land use; noise; parks and recreation; plants and
animals; public services, including public education, safety, health,
and social services; socioeconomics, including demographic, employment,
and displacement; transportation; utilities, including wastewater,
stormwater, water supply, telecommunication, natural gas, power,
electrical; and water resources, including groundwater and surface
water. Mitigation measures are identified in the Draft EIS.
Questions may be directed to the individual named above under the
heading of For Further Information Contact.
Dated: November 23, 2010.
Mercedes M. M[aacute]rquez,
Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and Development.
[FR Doc. 2010-31654 Filed 12-15-10; 8:45 am]
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