[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 80 (Wednesday, April 25, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20826-20827]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-10254]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

[Docket No. FR-4491-N-06]


Notice Draft Environmental Impact Statement; City of West 
Hollywood, CA; Section 108 Loan Guarantee/ Brownfield Economic 
Development Initiative Grant

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

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the provisions of the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969, 40 CFR parts 1500-1508, and 24 CFR part 58, this 
announcement gives notice to the public that the Community Development 
Commission of the County of Los Angeles (Commission), in its capacity 
as a Responsible Entity, intends to prepare an Environmental Impact 
Statement (EIS) for the West Hollywood Gateway Project. The proposed 
project involves acquisition, clearance and development of a 7.75-acre 
site on the southwest corner of La Brea Avenue and Santa Monica 
Boulevard in the City of West Hollywood, California, with new multi-
story office, retail, restaurant and entertainment uses, and above 
ground and subterranean parking. The City of West Hollywood has 
submitted an application to the Commission requesting $8,000,000 in 
Section 108 Loan Guarantee funds and $2,000,000 in Brownfield Economic 
Development Initiative funds, which will assist with land acquisition. 
Upon completion of the environmental clearance process, it is 
anticipated that the Commission will request the U.S. Department of 
Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to release Federal funds under 
Title I of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 (Pub. L. 
93-383) for this project.
    This notice is provided in accordance with regulations of the 
Council on Environmental Quality as described in 40 CFR parts 1500-
1508. Federal agencies having jurisdiction by law, special expertise, 
or other special interest should report their interests and indicate 
their readiness to aid in the EIS efforts as a ``Cooperating Agency.'' 
In particular, information is solicited concerning reports or other 
environmental studies planned or completed in the project area; other 
projects to be undertaken within the project area or major issues which 
the EIS should consider; and recommended mitigation measures and 
alternatives associated with the proposed project.
    A draft EIS will be completed for the proposed action described 
herein. Comments relating to preparation of the draft EIS are requested 
and will be accepted by the contact person listed below. When the draft 
EIS is completed, a notice will be sent to individuals and groups known 
to be interested in the proposed action. Any person or agency 
interested in receiving a notice and making comment on the draft EIS 
should contact the person listed below.

DATES: Comments pertaining to the proposed project should be received 
by the person and office named below, on or before May 25, 2001 in 
order for all comments to be considered in the preparation of the draft 
EIS.

ADDRESSES: All interested agencies, groups and persons are invited to 
submit written comments on the proposed project to: DeAnn Johnson, 
Environmental Officer, Community Development Commission of the County 
of Los Angeles, 2 Coral Circle Monterey Park, California 91755-7425, 
(323) 890-7186.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

A. Background

    The West Hollywood Gateway Project is proposed to be developed in 
two phases. Phase I development will be constructed on a 4.82 acre 
parcel and under the preferred alternative, will include 337,232 gross 
square feet of retail, office, and restaurant uses, and a three-level, 
subterranean parking structure with 1,410 parking spaces. A ``media 
wall'' consisting of a steel frame and a 2,000 square-foot screen 
standing approximately 80 feet above the plaza for electronic media 
will also be constructed. Phase II development will be constructed on a 
2.93 acre parcel currently owned by Southern California Gas Company, 
and will include approximately 70,000 gross square feet of sound 
stages/movie studio space. Approximately 164 parking spaces will be 
provided in a four-level above ground parking structure. Construction 
of Phase II will necessitate relocation of the existing Southern 
California Gas Company facilities currently located on the site.
    Pursuant to the provisions of the California Environmental Quality 
Act (CEQA), a draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) was prepared for 
this project by the City of West Hollywood. The Draft EIR was 
circulated for a 45-day public review and comment period commencing 
April 18, 2000 and closing June 1, 2000. A Final EIR was prepared and 
published in September 2000 addressing comments received during the 
review period. The EIR was certified as complete by the West Hollywood 
City Council on October 16, 2000. The EIR will be independently 
reviewed by the Commission, and may provide significant source 
documentation for the Commission's draft EIS.

Project Alternatives

    The draft EIS will address the following project alternatives: (1) 
Preferred Alternative (407,232 gross square feet of office, retail, 
restaurant, and entertainment uses); (2) Original Proposal (418,015 
gross square feet of office, retail, restaurant, and entertainment 
uses); (3) Reduced Density Alternative (320,715 gross square feet of 
office, retail, restaurant, and entertainment uses); (4) Reduced 
Intensity Alternative (365,115 gross square feet of office, retail, 
restaurant, and entertainment uses); and (5) No Project Alternative.

[[Page 20827]]

B. Need for the EIS

    It has been determined that this request for release of funds may 
constitute an action significantly affecting the quality of the human 
environment in the areas of traffic, air quality, and historic 
resources. Therefore, an EIS will be prepared by the Commission in 
accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (Pub. L. 
91-190). Responses to this notice will be used to:
    1. Determine significant environmental issues;
    2. Identify issues which the EIS should address; and
    3. Identify agencies and other parties which will participate in 
the EIS process and the basis for their involvement.
    The draft EIS will be published and distributed on or about June 1, 
2001, and a copy will be available for public inspection at the 
Community Development Commission, 2 Coral Circle, Monterey Park, 
California 91755; at the West Hollywood City Hall, 8300 Santa Monica 
Boulevard, West Hollywood, California 90069; and at the West Hollywood 
County Library, 715 North San Vincente Boulevard, West Hollywood, 
California 90069. Copies of the draft EIS may be purchased upon request 
to DeAnn Johnson at (323) 890-7186, for a price sufficient to cover 
reproduction costs.

C. Scoping:

    This notice is part of the process used for scoping the EIS. 
Responses will help determine the significant environmental issues, 
identify issues which the EIS should address, and help identify 
Cooperating Agencies.
    This notice shall be in effect for one year. If one year after the 
publication of the notice in the Federal Register a draft EIS has not 
been published for the project, then the Notice for the project shall 
be canceled. If the draft EIS is expected to be published more than one 
year after the publication of this Notice, a new and updated Notice 
shall be published.

    Dated: April 19, 2001.
Donna M. Abbenante,
Acting General Deputy Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and 
Development.
[FR Doc. 01-10254 Filed 4-24-01; 8:45 am]
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