[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 180 (Friday, September 17, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57051-57052]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-23181]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

[Docket No. FR-5443-N-01]


Notice of Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement for the Sunset Area Community, City of Renton, WA

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

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) gives 
notice to the public, agencies, and Indian tribes that the City of 
Renton, WA, intends to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) 
for the redevelopment of the Sunset Terrace public housing community 
and associated neighborhood revitalization. Pursuant to the authority 
granted by section 26 of the U.S. Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437x) 
in connection with projects assisted under section 9 of that Act (42 
U.S.C. 1437g), the City of Renton has assumed responsibility for 
compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) (42 U.S.C. 
4321) in accordance with 24 CFR 58.1 and 58.4, and as the lead agency 
for compliance with the Washington State Environmental Policy Act 
(SEPA, RCW 43.21C), will perform the joint environmental review. This 
notice is in accordance with regulations of the Council on 
Environmental Quality at 40 CFR parts 1500-1508. All interested 
Federal, State, and local agencies, Indian tribes, groups, and the 
public are invited to comment on the scope of the EIS. If you are an 
agency with jurisdiction by law over natural or other public resources 
affected by the project, the City of Renton needs to know what 
environmental information germane to your statutory responsibilities 
should be included in the EIS.

ADDRESSES: Comments relating to the scope of the EIS are requested and 
will be accepted by the contact person listed below until October 18, 
2010. Any person or agency interested in receiving a notice and wishing 
to make comment on the Draft EIS should contact the persons listed 
below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The primary contact is Erika Conkling, 
AICP, Senior Planner, City of Renton Department of Community and 
Economic Development, 1055 S. Grady Way, Renton, WA 98057, 425-430-6578 
(voice) 425-430-7300 (fax), or e-mail: [email protected]. An 
alternative contact is Mark Santos-Johnson, Senior Economic Development 
Specialist, City of Renton Department of Community & Economic 
Development, 425-430-6584 (voice), [email protected], 
available at the same address and fax number listed above.
    Public Participation: The public will be invited to participate in 
the review of the Draft EIS. Release of the Draft EIS will be announced 
through public mailings as well as the local news media.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Project Name and Description

    The primary proposal is redevelopment of the Sunset Terrace public 
housing community, a Renton Housing Authority property of approximately 
100 existing units in 50-year old, two story structures, located at the 
intersection of Sunset Boulevard and Harrington Avenue on approximately 
eight acres. The Renton Housing Authority also owns another 
approximately 3 acres of vacant land along Edmonds Avenue, NE., 
Glenwood Avenue, NE., and Sunset Lane, NE., and intends to purchase 
additional property adjacent to Sunset Terrace along Harrington Avenue 
NE. for housing and associated services. Sunset Terrace was developed 
in approximately 1960 though the rest of the neighborhood largely 
developed between the 1940s and 1970s. Conceptual plans propose 
redevelopment of Sunset Terrace and adjacent properties with mixed-
income, mixed-use residential and commercial space and public 
amenities. It is expected that with the Sunset Terrace property and 
associated properties owned or purchased by Renton Housing Authority, 
that up to 200 additional new affordable housing units and potentially 
300 new moderate income to market rate housing units could be created. 
There would be a 1-to-1 unit replacement for all 100 existing public 
housing units. Public amenities would be integrated with the 
residential development and may include the following: a community 
gathering space or ``Third Place''; a new recreation/community center; 
a new library; a new park/open space; retail shopping and commercial 
space; and/or green infrastructure.
    As a result of the Sunset Terrace redevelopment, it is expected 
that private redevelopment in the neighborhood will be catalyzed. 
Supporting both Sunset Terrace and neighborhood redevelopment will be 
civic investments including: planned or anticipated upgrades to Sunset 
Boulevard (SR 900) and other local streets, stormwater drainage 
systems, parks and recreation facilities,

[[Page 57052]]

education facilities, and a new public library. The Sunset Area 
contains many public amenities and publicly-owned parcels creating 
significant opportunities for partnership and integration of civil 
infrastructure improvements. The City of Renton has already undertaken 
significant effort to prioritize strategies for public investment in 
the Sunset Area through the work of the recently approved Sunset Area 
Community Investment Strategy.
    Sunset Terrace's redevelopment provides the opportunity to evaluate 
the neighborhood as a whole and determine what future land use 
redevelopment is possible and what public service and infrastructure 
improvements should be made in order to make this a more vibrant and 
attractive community for residents, businesses and property owners. The 
EIS will address the primary proposal of the Sunset Terrace area 
redevelopment as well as evaluate secondary proposals such as 
neighborhood redevelopment and supporting services and infrastructure 
improvements.
    The City of Renton is also proposing to adopt a Planned Action 
Ordinance pursuant to SEPA. A Planned Action Ordinance, if adopted, 
would not require future SEPA threshold determinations or EISs when 
future projects are consistent with EIS assumptions and mitigation 
measures.
    Alternatives to the Proposed Action: The alternatives to be 
considered by the lead agency will include the proposed action, a no 
action alternative, and a redevelopment alternative to the proposed 
action. The redevelopment alternative will be finalized after 
conclusion of the scoping comment period. It may address alternative 
land use mixes, infrastructure options, or other features.

Probable Environmental Effects

    The lead agency has preliminarily identified the following areas 
for discussion in the EIS: aesthetics; air quality, including 
greenhouse gas emissions; earth; energy; environmental health; 
environmental justice; historic/cultural resources; housing; land use; 
noise; parks and recreation; plants and animals; public services, 
including public education, safety, health, and social services; 
socioeconomics, including demographic, employment, and displacement; 
transportation; utilities, including wastewater, stormwater, water 
supply, telecommunication, natural gas, power, electrical; and water 
resources, including groundwater and surface water.

Lead Agency

    This EIS will be a joint National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) 
and Washington State Environmental Policy Act (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, the City of Renton is authorized to assume 
responsibility for environmental review, decision-making, and action 
that would otherwise to apply HUD under NEPA, which includes NEPA lead 
agency responsibility.
    Questions may be directed to the individuals named in this notice 
under the heading ``For Further Information Contact.''

    Dated: August 23, 2010.
Mercedes M[aacute]rquez,
Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and Development.
[FR Doc. 2010-23181 Filed 9-16-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4210-67-P