[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 208 (Thursday, October 28, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58084-58085]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-28121]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

[Docket No. FR-4491-N-03]


Draft Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact Statement 
(DEIR/EIS); City of Monterey Park, CA; Section 108 Loan Guarantee/
Economic Development Initiative Grant (EDI)

AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and 
Development, HUD.

ACTION: Notice of availability of DEIR/DEIS.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Housing and Urban Development gives this 
notice to the public that the City of Monterey Park, California has 
prepared a joint Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact 
Statement (EIR/EIS) for the Monterey Park Towne Plaza Project, which, 
among other components includes the development of a 515,382-square 
foot retail center including a home improvement store with a garden 
center, three restaurants, and various other retail uses, in the City 
of Monterey Park, California.
    This notice is in accordance with regulations of the Council on 
Environmental Quality as described in 40 CFR parts 1500-1508. 
Interested individuals, government agencies and private organizations 
are invited to comment on the EIR/EIS concerning the project to the 
specified person or address listed below. Particularly solicited are 
comments on the Draft EIR/EIS and the major issues identified below.
    Federal agencies having jurisdiction by law, special expertise, or 
other special interest should report their interests and indicate their 
readiness to aid in the final EIR/EIS effort.

EFFECTIVE DATES: Effective Date: This notice shall be effective on 
October 20, 1999.
    Comment Due Date: Written comments must arrive by December 3, 1999 
at the address given below. We will consider all comments received in 
preparing the Final EIR/EIS.

ADDRESSES: All interested agencies, groups and persons are invited to 
submit written comments on the Draft EIR/EIS to: Ray Hamada, City of 
Monterey Park, Community Development Department, 320 West Newmark 
Avenue, Monterey Park, California, 91754 (626) 307-1463.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Ray Hamada (see address and phone 
number above).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A combined Draft EIR/EIS has been completed 
and accepted for the proposed action described below. Comments on the 
Draft EIR/EIS are

[[Page 58085]]

requested and will be accepted by the contact person until December 3, 
1999.
    Title of Action: Monterey Park Towne Plaza Section 108 Loan 
Guarantee/Economic Development Initiative Grant (EDI) Project.
    Description of Proposed Action: The City of Monterey Park, acting 
on behalf of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, has 
prepared a Draft EIR/EIS to analyze potential impacts of developing a 
triangular-shaped, 47.1-acre piece of property, located in the 
southeast portion of the City of Monterey Park immediately north of the 
Pomona Freeway (State Route 60) and west of Paramount Boulevard. The 
proposed project would consist of a 515,382-square foot retail center 
including a home improvement store with a garden center, three 
restaurants, and various other retail uses. The project site includes a 
net 0.1-acre land dedication to Caltrans that results from an 
approximately 1-acre land trade. The proposed project would also 
include roughly 4.4-acres of Southern California Edison property to the 
northwest and east of the site to be used for surface parking and an 
access road. The new access road would require realignment of the 
intersection of Paramount Boulevard/Neil Armstrong Street. An existing 
berm located along the southern boundary of the site would also be 
leveled.
    Approximately 10 acres of the western portion of the site contain a 
historic landfill (``North Parcel Landfill''), that received municipal 
solid waste between 1948 and 1975. Due to the past landfill operations, 
the project site is currently designated as a Superfund site. A 
leachate treatment plant (LTP) is also located on the site and 
currently processes collected groundwater (leachate) from a landfill 
located just south of the Pomona Freeway (``South Parcel Landfill''), 
which stopped accepting waste in 1984. The LTP will continue to operate 
on-site in this capacity following the closure of the South Parcel 
Landfill in the year 2000. The North Parcel Landfill is currently being 
remediated based upon guidance from the U.S. Environmental Protection 
Agency.
    Other businesses that currently occupy the site include Ecology 
Auto Wrecking, Aman Brothers Pavement Crushing, Manhole Adjustment 
Inc., and Recycled Wood Products. Other than the LTP, all of the 
tenants will vacate the project site prior to development of the site.
    The Draft EIR/EIS analyzes potential environmental effects of three 
alternative projects. The alternative projects described here are 
illustrative of varying options for development, enabling an evaluation 
of the full range of impacts identified within the EIR/EIS alternative.
    The No Action Alternative would not implement the proposed Monterey 
Park Towne Plaza Project, and the environmental effects from 
implementation of the Proposed Action or the other alternatives would 
not occur. The existing on-site tenants would remain on the project 
site and the LTP would continue to treat leachate from the South Parcel 
Landfill.
    Under the Reduced Density Alternative, all land uses associated 
with the Proposed Action would be reduced by 25 percent. As such, this 
alternative would involve approximately 386,538 square feet of 
commercial retail development. The site plan for the Reduced Density 
Alternative would be similar to that of the Proposed Action in terms of 
location and orientation of buildings, parking lots, and internal 
roadways. Buildings would be the same height as the Proposed Action but 
the building pads would be slightly smaller. This alternative would 
also involve the same site improvements as the Proposed Action, 
including: (1) New utility infrastructure; (2) leveling of the freeway 
berm; and (3) provision of a new access road from Paramount Boulevard. 
The LTP would remain on the project site under this alternative.
    Under the Existing Zoning Alternative, Retail Buildings ``G,'' 
``H,'' ``I,'' and Restaurant 3 associated with the Proposed Action 
would be replaced with a 126,000-square foot theatre and a 186,300-
square foot parking structure. Excluding the parking structure, the 
Existing Zoning Alternative would involve approximately 656,742 square 
feet of commercial retail development. The site plan for the Existing 
Zoning Alternative would be similar to that of the Proposed Action and 
the Reduced Density Alternative in terms of location and orientation of 
buildings, parking lots, and internal roadways. Building heights under 
this alternative would also be the same as the Proposed Action but the 
building pads for some retail uses (i.e., Retail ``A'' and Pad 2) would 
be slightly larger. This alternative would involve the same site 
improvements as the Proposed Action, including: (1) New utility 
infrastructure; (2) leveling of the freeway berm; and (3) provision of 
a new access road from Paramount Boulevard. The LTP would remain on the 
project site under this alternative.
    Location: City of Monterey Park, Los Angeles County, California.
    Potential Environmental Impacts: Transportation/circulation; air 
quality; noise; geology/seismicity; human health hazards; hydrology/
water quality; land use; aesthetics/views; light and glare; population, 
employment and housing; public services; utilities; and cumulative 
effects. Most of these impacts would be reduced to a level of 
insignificance following implementation of proposed mitigation 
measures.
    The Draft Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact 
Statement will be published on or about October 14, 1999 and will be on 
file at the City of Monterey Park, Community Development Department, 
320 West Newmark Avenue, Monterey Park, California, 91754 and available 
for public inspection, or copies may be attained at the same address, 
upon request to Mr. Ray Hamada, Planning Manager (626) 307-1463.

    Dated: October 20, 1999.
Richard H. Broun,
Director, Office of Community Viability.
[FR Doc. 99-28121 Filed 10-27-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4210-29-P