[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 64 (Monday, April 4, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18573-18574]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-7945]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

[Docket No. FR-5513-N-01]


Notice of Availability of a Final 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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[[Page 18574]]

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 Final Environmental 
Impact Statement (Final 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 
EIS is a joint NEPA and SEPA document intended to satisfy requirements 
of Federal and State environmental statutes. A NEPA Record of Decision 
(ROD) will be issued after the 30-day availability period. This notice 
is given in accordance with the Council on Environmental Quality 
regulations at 40 CFR parts 1500-1508.

DATES: The NEPA/SEPA Final EIS will be available until May 2, 2011.

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 Final EIS are available at the above address for 
reference, and copies may be purchased for the cost of reproduction. 
The Final 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 
EIS addresses 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 for 
future projects that are consistent with EIS assumptions and mitigation 
measures.
    The Final EIS completes the environmental review process by 
revising or clarifying portions of the analysis and responding to 
public and agency comments on the Draft EIS. The Final EIS also 
introduces and reviews another alternative, called the Preferred 
Alternative, which is within the range of alternatives studied in the 
Draft EIS. The City analyzed three alternatives (Alternatives 1, 2, and 
3) as part of the Draft EIS to determine its Preferred Alternative. The 
Preferred Alternative is evaluated in the Final EIS. All four 
alternatives are described below.
    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.
    Preferred Alternative. This alternative represents neighborhood 
growth similar to and slightly less than Alternative 3 in the Planned 
Action Study Area, based on investment in the Potential Sunset Terrace 
Redevelopment Subarea with a moderate number dwellings developed in a 
mixed-income, mixed-use style oriented around a larger park space and 
loop road, major public investment in study area infrastructure and 
services, and adoption of a Planned Action Ordinance.
    Questions may be directed to the individual named above under the 
heading of FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

    Dated: March 30, 2011.
Mercedes M. M[aacute]rquez,
Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and Development.
[FR Doc. 2011-7945 Filed 4-1-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4210-67-P