[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 208 (Thursday, October 28, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58084-58085]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-28121]
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DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT
[Docket No. FR-4491-N-03]
Draft Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact Statement
(DEIR/EIS); City of Monterey Park, CA; Section 108 Loan Guarantee/
Economic Development Initiative Grant (EDI)
AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and
Development, HUD.
ACTION: Notice of availability of DEIR/DEIS.
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SUMMARY: The Department of Housing and Urban Development gives this
notice to the public that the City of Monterey Park, California has
prepared a joint Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact
Statement (EIR/EIS) for the Monterey Park Towne Plaza Project, which,
among other components includes the development of a 515,382-square
foot retail center including a home improvement store with a garden
center, three restaurants, and various other retail uses, in the City
of Monterey Park, California.
This notice is in accordance with regulations of the Council on
Environmental Quality as described in 40 CFR parts 1500-1508.
Interested individuals, government agencies and private organizations
are invited to comment on the EIR/EIS concerning the project to the
specified person or address listed below. Particularly solicited are
comments on the Draft EIR/EIS and the major issues identified below.
Federal agencies having jurisdiction by law, special expertise, or
other special interest should report their interests and indicate their
readiness to aid in the final EIR/EIS effort.
EFFECTIVE DATES: Effective Date: This notice shall be effective on
October 20, 1999.
Comment Due Date: Written comments must arrive by December 3, 1999
at the address given below. We will consider all comments received in
preparing the Final EIR/EIS.
ADDRESSES: All interested agencies, groups and persons are invited to
submit written comments on the Draft EIR/EIS to: Ray Hamada, City of
Monterey Park, Community Development Department, 320 West Newmark
Avenue, Monterey Park, California, 91754 (626) 307-1463.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Ray Hamada (see address and phone
number above).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A combined Draft EIR/EIS has been completed
and accepted for the proposed action described below. Comments on the
Draft EIR/EIS are
[[Page 58085]]
requested and will be accepted by the contact person until December 3,
1999.
Title of Action: Monterey Park Towne Plaza Section 108 Loan
Guarantee/Economic Development Initiative Grant (EDI) Project.
Description of Proposed Action: The City of Monterey Park, acting
on behalf of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, has
prepared a Draft EIR/EIS to analyze potential impacts of developing a
triangular-shaped, 47.1-acre piece of property, located in the
southeast portion of the City of Monterey Park immediately north of the
Pomona Freeway (State Route 60) and west of Paramount Boulevard. The
proposed project would consist of a 515,382-square foot retail center
including a home improvement store with a garden center, three
restaurants, and various other retail uses. The project site includes a
net 0.1-acre land dedication to Caltrans that results from an
approximately 1-acre land trade. The proposed project would also
include roughly 4.4-acres of Southern California Edison property to the
northwest and east of the site to be used for surface parking and an
access road. The new access road would require realignment of the
intersection of Paramount Boulevard/Neil Armstrong Street. An existing
berm located along the southern boundary of the site would also be
leveled.
Approximately 10 acres of the western portion of the site contain a
historic landfill (``North Parcel Landfill''), that received municipal
solid waste between 1948 and 1975. Due to the past landfill operations,
the project site is currently designated as a Superfund site. A
leachate treatment plant (LTP) is also located on the site and
currently processes collected groundwater (leachate) from a landfill
located just south of the Pomona Freeway (``South Parcel Landfill''),
which stopped accepting waste in 1984. The LTP will continue to operate
on-site in this capacity following the closure of the South Parcel
Landfill in the year 2000. The North Parcel Landfill is currently being
remediated based upon guidance from the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency.
Other businesses that currently occupy the site include Ecology
Auto Wrecking, Aman Brothers Pavement Crushing, Manhole Adjustment
Inc., and Recycled Wood Products. Other than the LTP, all of the
tenants will vacate the project site prior to development of the site.
The Draft EIR/EIS analyzes potential environmental effects of three
alternative projects. The alternative projects described here are
illustrative of varying options for development, enabling an evaluation
of the full range of impacts identified within the EIR/EIS alternative.
The No Action Alternative would not implement the proposed Monterey
Park Towne Plaza Project, and the environmental effects from
implementation of the Proposed Action or the other alternatives would
not occur. The existing on-site tenants would remain on the project
site and the LTP would continue to treat leachate from the South Parcel
Landfill.
Under the Reduced Density Alternative, all land uses associated
with the Proposed Action would be reduced by 25 percent. As such, this
alternative would involve approximately 386,538 square feet of
commercial retail development. The site plan for the Reduced Density
Alternative would be similar to that of the Proposed Action in terms of
location and orientation of buildings, parking lots, and internal
roadways. Buildings would be the same height as the Proposed Action but
the building pads would be slightly smaller. This alternative would
also involve the same site improvements as the Proposed Action,
including: (1) New utility infrastructure; (2) leveling of the freeway
berm; and (3) provision of a new access road from Paramount Boulevard.
The LTP would remain on the project site under this alternative.
Under the Existing Zoning Alternative, Retail Buildings ``G,''
``H,'' ``I,'' and Restaurant 3 associated with the Proposed Action
would be replaced with a 126,000-square foot theatre and a 186,300-
square foot parking structure. Excluding the parking structure, the
Existing Zoning Alternative would involve approximately 656,742 square
feet of commercial retail development. The site plan for the Existing
Zoning Alternative would be similar to that of the Proposed Action and
the Reduced Density Alternative in terms of location and orientation of
buildings, parking lots, and internal roadways. Building heights under
this alternative would also be the same as the Proposed Action but the
building pads for some retail uses (i.e., Retail ``A'' and Pad 2) would
be slightly larger. This alternative would involve the same site
improvements as the Proposed Action, including: (1) New utility
infrastructure; (2) leveling of the freeway berm; and (3) provision of
a new access road from Paramount Boulevard. The LTP would remain on the
project site under this alternative.
Location: City of Monterey Park, Los Angeles County, California.
Potential Environmental Impacts: Transportation/circulation; air
quality; noise; geology/seismicity; human health hazards; hydrology/
water quality; land use; aesthetics/views; light and glare; population,
employment and housing; public services; utilities; and cumulative
effects. Most of these impacts would be reduced to a level of
insignificance following implementation of proposed mitigation
measures.
The Draft Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact
Statement will be published on or about October 14, 1999 and will be on
file at the City of Monterey Park, Community Development Department,
320 West Newmark Avenue, Monterey Park, California, 91754 and available
for public inspection, or copies may be attained at the same address,
upon request to Mr. Ray Hamada, Planning Manager (626) 307-1463.
Dated: October 20, 1999.
Richard H. Broun,
Director, Office of Community Viability.
[FR Doc. 99-28121 Filed 10-27-99; 8:45 am]
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