[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 64 (Monday, April 4, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18573-18574]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-7945]
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DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT
[Docket No. FR-5513-N-01]
Notice of Availability of a Final 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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[[Page 18574]]
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 Final Environmental
Impact Statement (Final 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
EIS is a joint NEPA and SEPA document intended to satisfy requirements
of Federal and State environmental statutes. A NEPA Record of Decision
(ROD) will be issued after the 30-day availability period. This notice
is given in accordance with the Council on Environmental Quality
regulations at 40 CFR parts 1500-1508.
DATES: The NEPA/SEPA Final EIS will be available until May 2, 2011.
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 Final EIS are available at the above address for
reference, and copies may be purchased for the cost of reproduction.
The Final 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
EIS addresses the primary proposal of the Sunset Terrace area
redevelopment as well as evaluate secondary proposals such as
neighborhood redevelopment and 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 Final EIS completes the environmental review process by
revising or clarifying portions of the analysis and responding to
public and agency comments on the Draft EIS. The Final EIS also
introduces and reviews another alternative, called the Preferred
Alternative, which is within the range of alternatives studied in the
Draft EIS. The City analyzed three alternatives (Alternatives 1, 2, and
3) as part of the Draft EIS to determine its Preferred Alternative. The
Preferred Alternative is evaluated in the Final EIS. All four
alternatives are described below.
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.
Preferred Alternative. This alternative represents neighborhood
growth similar to and slightly less than Alternative 3 in the Planned
Action Study Area, based on investment in the Potential Sunset Terrace
Redevelopment Subarea with a moderate number dwellings developed in a
mixed-income, mixed-use style oriented around a larger park space and
loop road, major public investment in study area infrastructure and
services, and adoption of a Planned Action Ordinance.
Questions may be directed to the individual named above under the
heading of FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
Dated: March 30, 2011.
Mercedes M. M[aacute]rquez,
Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and Development.
[FR Doc. 2011-7945 Filed 4-1-11; 8:45 am]
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