[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 241 (Thursday, December 16, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 78729-78730]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-31654]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

[Docket No. FR-5443-N-02]


Notice of Availability of a Draft Environmental Impact Statement 
for the Sunset Area Community Planned Action, 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 
this notice to the public, agencies and Indian Tribes on the 
availability for public review and comment of the Draft Environmental 
Impact Statement (Draft EIS) for the redevelopment of the Sunset 
Terrace public housing community in Renton, WA. HUD gives this notice 
on behalf of the City of Renton acting as the Responsible Entity for 
compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). 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 NEPA (42 U.S.C. 4321) in accordance 
with 24 CFR 58.1 and 58.4, and is the lead agency for compliance with 
the Washington State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA, RCW 43.21C). The 
Draft EIS is a joint NEPA and SEPA document intended to satisfy 
requirements of Federal and State environmental statutes. This notice 
is given in accordance with the Council on Environmental Quality 
regulations at 40 CFR parts 1500-1508.
    Notice is also given that the City of Renton as Responsible Entity 
has decided to combine the National Historic Preservation Act, Section 
106 process with the NEPA Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) in 
accordance with 36 CFR 800.8(c). Comments are also being requested on 
the Section 106 information presented in the Draft EIS as well as on 
the Section 106 process itself.

DATES: Written comments on the Draft EIS must be received January 31, 
2011. Written comments should be addressed to the individual named 
below under the heading For Further Information Contact.
    Public Hearing: A public hearing will be held for the public to 
provide verbal or written comment on the Draft EIS as well as on the 
proposed planned action ordinance. The public hearing will be held on 
January 5, 2011, at 6 p.m. before the Renton Planning Commission. The 
meeting will be held at the Council Chambers, 1055 S. Grady Way, 
Renton, WA 98057.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 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].
    Copies of the Draft EIS are available at the above address for 
reference, and copies may be purchased for the cost of reproduction. 
The Draft EIS is also available on the Internet and can be viewed or 
downloaded at: http://rentonwa.gov/business/default.aspx?id=2060.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposal includes redevelopment of the 
Renton Housing Authority's (RHA's) Sunset Terrace public housing 
community, a 7.3-acre property with 100 existing units contained in 27 
buildings that are 50-year-old, two-story structures, located at the 
intersection of NE. Sunset Boulevard and Harrington Avenue, NE. RHA 
also owns additional vacant land (approximately 3 acres with two 
dwelling units) 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. (which contains about 8 
dwellings); RHA plans to incorporate these additional properties into 
the Sunset Terrace redevelopment for housing and associated services. 
The Sunset Terrace public housing community units, facilities, and 
infrastructure are antiquated and the project is dilapidated.
    Conceptual plans propose redevelopment of Sunset Terrace and 
adjacent properties with mixed-income, mixed-use residential and 
commercial space and public amenities. The redevelopment would include 
a 1-to-1 unit replacement for all 100 existing public housing units. 
All existing public housing units will be replaced either on-site or 
off-site, at locations within the existing Sunset Terrace site, and the 
Planned Action Study Area within the City; no net loss of low income 
housing units would occur. The project will require relocation of all 
existing residents and RHA is developing a relocation plan. It is 
expected that, with the Sunset Terrace property and associated 
properties owned or purchased by RHA, up to 479 additional new units 
could be constructed with a portion of the total units being public, 
affordable, and market rate. Public amenities would be integrated with 
the residential development and could include the following: A 
community gathering space or ``third place;'' civic facilities such as 
a community center, senior center, and/or public library space; a new 
park/open space; retail shopping and commercial space; and green 
infrastructure.
    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 
Draft EIS addresses the primary proposal of the Sunset Terrace area 
redevelopment as well as evaluate secondary proposals such as 
neighborhood redevelopment and

[[Page 78730]]

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 for 
future projects that are consistent with EIS assumptions and mitigation 
measures.
    The proposal is reviewed in terms of three alternatives.
    Alternative 1, No Action. RHA would develop affordable housing on 
two vacant properties, but it would not redevelop the Sunset Terrace 
public housing property. Very limited public investment would be 
implemented (e.g., some community services but no NE Sunset Boulevard 
or drainage improvements), resulting in lesser redevelopment across the 
Planned Action study area. A Planned Action would not be designated. 
The No Action Alternative is required to be studied under NEPA and 
SEPA.
    Alternative 2. This alternative represents a moderate level of 
growth in the Planned Action Study Area based on investment in mixed-
income housing and mixed uses in the Potential Sunset Terrace 
Redevelopment Subarea, targeted infrastructure and public services 
throughout the Planned Action study area, and adoption of a Planned 
Action Ordinance.
    Alternative 3. This alternative represents the highest level of 
growth in the Planned Action study area, based on investment in the 
Potential Sunset Terrace Redevelopment Subarea with a greater number 
dwellings developed in a mixed-income, mixed-use style, major public 
investment in study area infrastructure and services, and adoption of a 
Planned Action Ordinance.
    The lead agency has addressed the following areas in the Draft 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. Mitigation measures are identified in the Draft EIS.
    Questions may be directed to the individual named above under the 
heading of For Further Information Contact.

    Dated: November 23, 2010.
Mercedes M. M[aacute]rquez,
Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and Development.
[FR Doc. 2010-31654 Filed 12-15-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4210-67-P