[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 38 (Friday, February 27, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8917-8918]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-4201]
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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers
Notice of Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact
Statement for the Proposed Hawthorne Mill Project, Fairfield, Solano
County, CA
AGENCY: Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), San Francisco
District, has received applications for Department of the Army
authorizations from Edenbridge, Incorporated (EI) to construct two
projects in the City of Fairfield, Solano County, CA. One project,
Hawthorne Mill East, is a mixed-residential development project and the
second, Hawthorne Mill West, is a residential development project.
Development of Hawthorne Mill East will require permanent placement of
fill in 37.8 acres of waters of the U.S. Hawthorne Mill West would
result in permanent impacts to 0.5 acres of waters of the U.S. In
accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969
(42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), the USACE has determined that the proposed
actions may have a significant impact on the quality of the human
environment and therefore requires the preparation of an Environmental
Impact Statement (EIS). Although the two projects are separate projects
with independent utility, the USACE and the City have elected to
consider these two related projects in a single document to allow for
concurrent processing of requested entitlements. A combined
Environmental Impact Report (EIR)/EIS will be prepared with the USACE
as the Federal lead agency and the City of Fairfield (City) as the
local lead agency (under the California Environmental Quality Act, or
CEQA).
The Hawthorne Mill East project is intended to become an integral
part of the City's proposed train station by contributing to the
creation of a populated, mixed-use transit hub and complementing the
urban development principles as contemplated by the City. The proposed
action is intended to: (1) Maximize long-term land use opportunities
presented by the rail station by including a mix of land uses within
walking distance of the station; (2) maximize pedestrian and bicycle
access between residential and commercial development and the train
station; (3) meet the City's regional housing needs requirements in a
manner that minimizes pressure on regional highway facilities; (4)
contribute to the clear identity of the train station as a comfortable,
attractive, and vibrant public realm; and (5) provide appropriate
protection of sensitive natural resources. The purpose of the Hawthorne
Mill West project is to provide residential housing to fulfill the
unmet needs of the City of Fairfield and to contribute to regional
growth management by locating residential development on an infill site
that is contiguous with existing development.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Bryan Matsumoto, 415-503-6786, or
electronic mail: [email protected]; or Mr. David
Feinstein, 707-428-7448, or electronic mail:
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
1. Description of Proposed actions: The Hawthorne Mill project
sites are located within the City of Fairfield, CA, north of Airbase
Parkway, south of Cement Hill Road, and west of Peabody Road. The
project sites are comprised of eleven Fairfield Assessor's parcels,
which encompass 453.8 acres located at the southwest corner of Cement
Hill Road and Peabody Road, on the north side of the adjacent Union
Pacific Railroad right-of-way. The following specific project
components are being proposed:
a. Hawthorne Mill East: This portion of the project site will have
two components: A transit oriented mixed-use development and a
conservation area. The development area includes approximately 110
acres. The majority of the development would occur on the north side of
McCoy Creek. As proposed, 59.3 acres will be devoted to development of
approximately 501 residential units, while 6.5 acres will be devoted to
high density residential units. Commercial uses, including two
restaurants, are planned on 1.6 acres at the Peabody-Cement Hill Road
intersection. Mixed use retail is planned for 2.4 acres along Cement
Hill Road. Other land uses include: Parks and open space encompassing
5.3 acres; rights of way encompassing 26.9 acres; storm water and water
quality features on 5.2 acres; and a community recreation center with
clubhouse and pool on 1.7 acres. Access to the project site will be
from three locations along Cement Hill Road. A single, clear span
bridge over McCoy Creek will be provided between the high density and
retail uses in the northwestern corner of the project site. The
internal road system will be designed to promote pedestrian and bicycle
traffic and direct connections provided to the planned train station.
The conservation area includes approximately 273 acres which support
63.04 acres of wetlands, 2.155 acres of McCoy Creek, as well as 4.657
acres of aquatic areas associated with the McCoy Basin. The
conservation area also supports a large population of the federally
listed Contra Costa goldfields (Lasthenia conjugens). The conservation
area would be preserved in perpetuity and would be managed for the
benefit of the natural resources located on the site.
b. Hawthorne Mill West: This portion of the project site
encompasses approximately 30 acres and will include 172 residential
units occupying 18.3 acres. The development will also include 9.3 acres
of rights of way, 0.5 acres of park/open space, and 1.4 acres for storm
water and water quality features. Site access will be provided by an
extended Portland Drive and will connect directly to adjacent
residential developments to the west.
2. Reasonable Alternatives: In accordance with the requirements of
Section 15124 of the State CEQA Guidelines and 40 CFR 1502.14,
reasonable alternatives to the proposed action will be evaluated in the
Draft EIR/EIS. The following alternatives have been preliminarily
identified for consideration in the Draft EIR/EIS: (1)
[[Page 8918]]
No Federal Action Alternative; (2) Proposed Projects; (3) Reduced
Aquatic Impacts Alternative; (4) Previously Proposed Project; and (5)
No Build Alternative. The Draft EIR/EIS will also consider any other
reasonable alternative(s) identified during the scoping or the
preparation of the document.
3. Scoping Process: Pursuant to CEQA and NEPA, the City and USACE
must include a ``scoping'' process for the Draft EIR/EIS. Scoping
primarily involves determining the scope of issues to be addressed in
the Draft EIR/EIS and identifying the anticipated significant issues
for in-depth analysis. The scoping process includes public
participation to integrate public needs and concerns regarding the
proposed action into the process.
a. Public Involvement Program: Vehicles for public comment on the
proposed action will include: a public hearing to be conducted jointly
by the City and USACE, the preparation of the Draft EIR/EIS, and
receipt of public comment in response to the Draft EIR/EIS. In
addition, affected Federal, state and local agencies, affected Native
American tribes, and other interested private organizations and parties
are encouraged to participate in the program.
b. Significant Issues to be Analyzed in Depth in the Draft EIR/EIS:
The following significant environmental issues have already been
identified and will be analyzed in depth in the Draft EIR/EIS: (1)
Aesthetics; (2) Agriculture; (3) Air Quality; (4) Biological Resources;
(5) Cultural Resources; (6) Geology/Soils; (7) Hazards/Hazardous
Materials; (8) Hydrology/Water Quality; (9) Land Use/Planning; (10)
Noise; (11) Population and Housing; (12) Public Services; (13)
Recreation; (14) Traffic and Circulation; and (15) Utilities/Service
Systems.
c. Environmental Review/Consultation Requirements:
National Environmental Policy Act.
Section 404 of the Clean Water Act.
Endangered Species Act.
Clean Air Act.
National Historic Preservation Act.
California Environmental Quality Act.
Section 401 of the Clean Water Act.
4. Scoping Meeting: The City and the USACE will hold a scoping
meeting at the Fairfield City Council Chambers, 1000 Webster Street,
Fairfield, CA 94533-4883, to provide information on the project and
receive oral comments on the scope of the document on March 16, 2009,
at 7 p.m. Mail comments within 30 days of publication to: Mr. Bryan
Matsumoto, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 1455 Market Street, CESPN-R-N,
San Francisco, CA 94103-1398, or; Mr. David Feinstein, Senior Planner,
Department of Community Development, City of Fairfield, 1000 Webster
Street, Fairfield, California 94533-4883.
5. Availability of Draft EIR/EIS: The Draft EIR/EIS is expected to
be available for public review August 2009.
(Authority: 40 CFR part 1501.7)
Dated: February 13, 2009.
Laurence M. Farrell,
Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army, Commanding.
[FR Doc. E9-4201 Filed 2-26-09; 8:45 am]
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