[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 27 (Monday, February 10, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6755-6756]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-3229]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

[Docket No. FR-4491-N-09]


Notice of Intent To Prepare Draft Environmental Impact Statement 
for Park Lake Homes, King County, WA

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

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: HUD gives notice to the public that King County Housing 
Authority (KCHA) acting under its State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) 
authority, and the King County Department of Development and 
Environmental Services (DDES), as the Responsible Entity in accordance 
with 24 CFR 58.2, intends to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement 
(EIS) for redevelopment of the Park Lake Homes public housing 
community. This notice is in accordance with regulations of the Council 
on Environmental Quality. 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 effort as a 
``Cooperating Agency.''
    A Draft EIS will be prepared for the proposed action described 
herein. Comments relating to 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 
have an interest in the Draft EIS and particularly in the environmental 
impact issues identified therein. Any person or agency interested in 
receiving a notice and making comment on the Draft EIS should contact 
the person listed below within 30-days after publication of this 
notice.
    Lead Agencies: This EIS will be a joint NEPA and Washington SEPA 
document intended to satisfy requirements of federal and state 
environmental statutes. In accordance with specific statutory authority 
and HUD's regulations at 24 CFR part 58 (Environmental Review 
Procedures for Entities Assuming HUD Environmental Responsibilities), 
HUD has allowed NEPA authority and NEPA lead agency responsibility to 
be assumed by the King County DDES in cooperation with the KCHA, as the 
SEPA lead agency.

ADDRESSES: All interested agencies, groups, and persons are invited to 
submit written comments on the project named in this notice, and the 
Draft EIS to the contact person shown below. The office of the contact 
person should receive comments and all comments so received will be 
considered prior to the preparation and distribution of the Draft EIS. 
Particularly solicited is information on reports or other environmental 
studies planned or completed in the project area, major issues and 
dates that the EIS should consider, and recommended mitigation measures 
and alternatives associated with the proposed project. Federal agencies 
having jurisdiction by law, special expertise or other special interest 
should report their interest and indicate their readiness to aid in the 
EIS effort as a ``Cooperating Agency.''

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Greg Borba, Planning Supervisor, King 
County Department of Development and Environmental Services, 900 
Oaksdale Avenue SW., Renton, WA 98055-1219; Phone: (206) 296-7118; FAX: 
(206) 296-7051; e-mail: [email protected].

A. Background

    KCHA, acting under its SEPA authority, and the King County DDES, 
acting under authority of section 104(g) of the Housing and Community 
Development Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5304(g)) and HUD's regulations at 24 
CFR part 58, in cooperation with other interested agencies, will 
prepare an EIS to analyze potential impacts of redevelopment of the 
Park Lake Homes public housing community. This EIS will be a joint NEPA 
and Washington SEPA document intended to satisfy requirements of 
federal and state environmental statutes.
    Park Lake Homes is KCHA's oldest and largest public housing 
development. Built in 1942 to serve as temporary housing for World War 
II defense workers, structures have been renovated several times. The 
KCHA received a HOPE VI grant award from HUD in November 2001, to 
initiate planning for the revitalization of this public housing 
development.
    The proposed project would involve redevelopment of the existing 
approximately 95-acre Park Lake Homes public housing community located 
in the White Center area of unincorporated King County, Washington. The 
proposed redevelopment is consistent with requirements for a mixed-use, 
mixed-income housing project as described in the HOPE VI grant. The 
project site currently contains 569 residential units, a community 
center, a maintenance shop, a Head Start School, and a secondary 
building containing a food bank and administrative offices. The 
residential units are in primarily single story duplex structures.
    Many or all of the current buildings on the site are to be 
demolished in phases, unless renovation for community services use is 
feasible. The existing Jim Wiley Community Center Building will likely 
be renovated. In addition, much of the existing infrastructure would be 
demolished, abandoned, or replaced, also in phases. The site would be 
redeveloped to provide approximately 900 dwelling units including an 
estimated 500 units of rental housing and 400 units of for-sale 
housing. It is anticipated that the rental housing would include 
approximately 300 units of housing to serve households of very low 
income and approximately 200 units of

[[Page 6756]]

workforce housing (50%-60% of the area median income). Approximately 
34,000 square feet of additional community space would also be 
developed to provide a range of community uses (i.e., social services, 
educational facilities, library, neighborhood services, commercial 
uses).
    All existing low-income housing is planned to be replaced either 
on-site or elsewhere in King County through construction of public 
housing units on-site and project based Section 8 vouchers in existing 
or new housing complexes. Existing residents would be displaced and 
assisted with benefits according to the provisions of the Uniform 
Relocation Act (42 U.S.C. 4601 et seq.). Where possible, displaced 
residents in good standing would be allowed to return to the public 
housing units once redevelopment is completed.

B. Need for the EIS

    The proposed project may constitute an action significantly 
affecting the quality of the human environment and an EIS will be 
prepared on this project by KCHA and the King County DDES in accordance 
with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et 
seq.). Responses to this notice will be used to, (1) determine 
significant environmental issues, (2) identify data that the EIS should 
address, and (3) identify agencies and other parties that will 
participate in the EIS process and the basis for their involvement.

C. Scoping

    A public EIS scoping meeting will be held on February 26, 2003, at 
6 p.m. The EIS scoping meeting will provide an opportunity for the 
public to learn more about the project and provide input to the 
environmental process. At the meeting, the public will be able to view 
graphics illustrating preliminary planning work and talk with King 
County DDES and KCHA staff, and members of the consultant team 
providing technical analysis to the project. Translators will be 
available. Written comments and testimony concerning the scope of the 
EIS will be accepted at this meeting.
    The scoping meeting will be held at the Park Lake Homes Jim Wiley 
Community Center, which is located at 9800 8th Ave. SW., Seattle, WA 
98106.

D. EIS Issues

    The lead agencies have preliminarily identified the following 
environmental elements for discussion in the EIS: earth (geology, 
soils, topography); air quality; water (surface water movement/
quantity, runoff/absorption, flooding, groundwater movement/quantity/
quality); plants and animals; energy use; noise; land use and 
socioeconomic factors (land use patterns, relationship to plans/
policies and regulations; population; housing and displacements); 
environmental justice (disproportionately high and adverse effects on 
minority and low income populations); historic and cultural resources; 
aesthetics, light and glare; parks and recreation; public services and 
utilities (fire, police, parks/recreation, communications, water, 
stormwater, sewer, solid waste); and transportation (transportation 
systems, parking, movement/circulation, traffic hazards).
    Questions may be directed to the individual named in this notice 
under the heading FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

    Dated: February 4, 2003.
Nelson R. Bregon,
Acting General Deputy Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and 
Development.
[FR Doc. 03-3229 Filed 2-7-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4210-29-P