[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]
BILLING CODE 3720-58-P