Record of Decision; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Clifton Road Campus Expansion, Atlanta, GA

[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 35 (Friday, February 21, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8018-8021]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-4026]


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GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION


Record of Decision; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 
Clifton Road Campus Expansion, Atlanta, GA

Action

    This is the Record of Decision (ROD) for the Clifton Road Campus 
Expansion for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 
Atlanta, Georgia. The Proposed Action includes demolition, new 
construction, and renovation of buildings on CDC's existing Clifton 
Road Campus, as well as acquisition and development of a 17.6 acre site 
adjacent to the existing campus.
    Over a 20-year planning period (1995-2015), the General Services 
Administration (GSA) and CDC anticipate the Proposed Action will meet 
the following long-range CDC housing requirements:
    •  Increase existing workstations from 2,095 to approximately 
3,300;
    •  Increase existing parking spaces from 1,781 to 
approximately 3,300, including visitor;
    •  Increase existing gross building area from 1,006,000 
square feet to 1,702,000 square feet;
    •  Reduce the number of antiquated and non-functional Clifton 
Road facilities; and,
    •  Increase the physical security of the Clifton Road Campus, 
which is CDC's World Headquarters and primary infectious disease 
research facility.
    CDC and GSA plan for the expansion to occur in two general 10-year 
phases. From 1995-2005, the Government will renovate and/or replace 
existing facilities, and will construct replacement parking facilities 
and minor support buildings. During the second period, 2006-2015, CDC 
expects to house additional programmatic growth in new construction. 
CDC intends for the Clifton Road Campus to continue to serve as its 
World Headquarters, and as its primary infectious disease research 
facility. Other CDC functions, such as environmental health, and 
general office space, will be housed at the CDC Chamblee Campus, or in 
leased office space located away from the Clifton Road Corridor. If the 
Proposed Action is implemented, additional land acquisition to house 
the long-range program will increase the site area of the existing 
Clifton Road Campus from 27.6 acres to 45.2 acres;
    The purpose and need for the Proposed Action is to provide an 
efficient, cost-effective means to accommodate CDC's current and future 
space needs in its Clifton Road location through the year 2015. The 
Proposed Action is needed to adequately address CDC's current program 
needs at Clifton Road through renovation and reconfiguration of 
existing antiquated space, as well as to provide new space to 
accommodate anticipated future research and operational activities.
    Pursuant to Section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental Policy 
Act (NEPA) of 1969, the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations 
(40 CFR Part 1500-1508), and GSA Order PBS P 1095.4B, GSA prepared an 
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Proposed Action. The 
purpose of the EIS is to:
    •  Identify and analyze reasonable alternatives to the 
Proposed Action;
    •  Identify the potential impacts resulting from the Proposed 
Action and reasonable alternatives;
    •  Identify measures to mitigate adverse impacts resulting 
from the Proposed Action and reasonable alternatives, and;
    •  Actively solicit and incorporate public comments into the 
CDC/GSA decision making process.
    The purpose of the ROD is to clearly communicate the Government's 
decision on implementing the Proposed Action or a reasonable 
alternative to the Proposed Action, and the basis for that decision, 
and to identify any mitigation measures to be implemented as part of 
the decision. The Draft and Final EIS documents are incorporated into 
this ROD by reference, and are available upon request from GSA.
    GSA released the Draft EIS for a 45-day public comment period on 
August 16, 1996. The Final EIS was released for a 30-day public comment 
period that closed on January 6, 1997. GSA provided written notices of 
availability for these documents in the Federal Register, the Atlanta 
Journal-Constitution, and through direct mailings to interested 
parties. GSA distributed approximately 80 copies of the Draft and Final 
EIS to Federal, state and local governments, elected officials, 
neighborhood associations, and other interested parties identified 
during the 19 month NEPA review process.
    GSA and CDC involved the public in the decision making process 
through a combination of newspaper notices, direct mailings, written 
correspondence, a public scoping meeting (August 1, 1995), a public 
hearing on the Draft EIS (September 25, 1996), and several meetings 
with Civic Associations and not-for-profit organizations who own 
property on the 17.6 acres to be acquired as part of the Proposed 
Action. CDC and GSA elected to add one major alternative with two sub-
alternatives (discussed below) to the Draft EIS as a result of these 
meetings.

Alternatives Considered

    In 1992, CDC and GSA began looking at alternative strategies to 
house CDC's current and long-term space requirements through a master 
planning approach. CDC and GSA considered many factors in developing 
the master plan, including: site acquisition and development costs and 
suitability; expandability of sites for future growth; traffic and 
environmental considerations; current land use of potential sites; and, 
proximity to existing Government-owned CDC campuses (Clifton Road and 
Chamblee).
    In the initial master planning stages, CDC and GSA considered total 
and partial relocation of the Clifton Road Campus (Environmental 
Assessment, GSA, July 20, 1993). GSA and CDC examined several 
alternative sites near the Clifton Road Campus, including a site near 
the Veterans Administration

[[Page 8019]]

Hospital Complex on Clairemont Road near Emory University, and a site 
near Mercer University-Atlanta Campus at University Drive and Flowers 
Road. Neither of these sites met the CDC/GSA criteria for partial 
relocation of the Clifton Road Campus. Based on the conclusions of the 
Environmental Assessment, CDC and GSA concentrated on meetings CDC's 
housing needs closer to the existing CDC World Headquarters, the 
Clifton Road Campus.
    Through the environmental review process, GSA and CDC identified a 
technically preferred alternative and several feasible alternatives, 
defined below, as well as the ``No Action'' alternative required under 
NEPA.
    Technically Preferred Alternative (i.e., the Proposed Action): The 
Government would acquire 17.6 acres of existing residential, commercial 
and institutional property immediately to the west of the existing CDC 
Clifton Road Campus. The site is generally bounded by Clifton Road, 
Clifton Way and Michael Streets. The Government would acquire and 
demolish up to 43 existing structures on site, and would modify 
portions of Clifton Way and Michael Street to improve traffic ingress/
egress, and improve physical security on the site. Existing 
residential, commercial and institutional occupants would be 
compensated and relocated from the 17.6 acre site under the provisions 
of the Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition for 
Federal and Federally Assisted Programs relations (40 CFR Part 24). 
This alternative maximizes design options and development potential for 
both the existing and proposed CDC campuses, and would also greatly 
enhance the security of the CDC World Headquarters Complex.
    Limited Expansion Alternatives: Under these alternatives, the 
Government would acquire less than the full 17.6 acres adjacent to the 
existing Clifton Road Campus in order to minimize adverse impacts to 
several institutional uses located immediately adjacent to Clifton 
Road, namely a Dekalb County Fire Station, the Emory University 
Research Committee Graduate School Annex (Emory Annex), located in a 
single-family detached home, office of the Georgia Association for 
Pastoral Care (GAPC), and the offices of Global Health Action (GHA), 
formally the International Service Association for Health. The bulk of 
the 20-year CDC program would be constructed on a site approximately 
one to three acres smaller than the proposed action site, and would 
exclude all or a combination of the above mentioned properties from 
Government acquisition.
    On-Site Consolidation: Under this alternative, CDC and GSA would 
implement the construction and modernization program discussed under 
the Proposed Action on the existing Clifton Road Campus: that is, the 
Government would not acquire any additional land proximate to the 
existing Clifton Road Campus.
    No Action Alternative: Under this alternative, CDC and GSA would 
not implement the construction program and the land acquisition 
described under the Proposed Action. This means that CDC would adopt a 
status quo approach to its long-term housing needs, staying in over-
crowded, antiquated buildings on campus, and housing any overflow needs 
in leased space off-campus. For purposes of this EIS, the No Action 
alternative serves as a baseline for measuring future conditions in the 
vicinity of the proposed action in key impact areas such as traffic, 
air and water quality, and development type and density, against the 
projected impacts of the proposed Action and feasible alternatives.

Environmental Consequences of the Proposed Action and Feasible 
Alternatives

    The Proposed Action (Technically Preferred Alternative): Based on 
the research and analyses conducted in the preparation of the Draft and 
Final EIS, the Proposed Action is expected to have minor adverse 
impacts on ambient air quality, housing, and transportation & parking, 
minor positive impacts on comprehensive planning and zoning, and a 
major adverse impact on vegetation & wildlife.
    Short-term and highly localized air quality impacts would occur 
primarily during the construction periods for new facilities, and 
during highly congested AM and PM peak traffic hours. Air quality 
impacts will be partially mitigated through CDC's continued use of 
Transportation Demand Management (TDM) strategies designed to increase 
use of alternatives to single-occupant vehicle commuting. CDC will 
continue to work closely with MARTA, with other large employers in the 
Clifton Road Corridor, and with concerned citizens to improve TDM 
measures.
    Minor housing impacts will occur through the demolition of 35 
single family residences, and one small multi-family apartment complex. 
Within the census tract containing the proposed site, this reduction 
constitutes approximately four percent of existing housing stock, and 
only one percent of housing stock in the Druid Hills census designated 
place (CDP). Adverse impacts to displaced owners will be mitigated 
under the provisions of the Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real 
Property Acquisition for Federal and Federal Assisted Programs 
regulations (40 CFR Part 24).
    The Proposed Action will result in adverse traffic impacts to 
several important intersections in the form of increased delay time, 
expressed as Level of Service (LOS) degradation. Intersections where at 
least one future year LOS component will be worse under the Proposed 
Action versus the No Action Alternative are: Clifton Road and 
Briarcliff Road (2005); Clifton Road and Houston Mill Road (year 2015); 
Clifton Road and North Decatur Road (2015); Briarcliff Road and La 
Vista Road (2015); Shepherds Lane and La Vista Road (2005); and Clifton 
Road and Clifton Way (2005). CDC will partially mitigate the Clifton 
Road/Clifton Way intersection LOS degradation through redesign and 
possible resignalization of the intersection, in consultation with 
Dekalb County. Neither GSA nor CDC is authorized to spend Government 
funds for off-site road improvements, but will attempt to partially 
mitigate LOS degradation at other key intersections through the use of 
TDM measures.
    The Proposed Action is expected to have minor positive impacts to 
planning and zoning because it is more consistent with future intended 
land use patterns than current uses.
    Vegetation and wildlife will be adversely affected by the Proposed 
Action due primarily to habitat destruction when the site is graded. 
CDC will implement a comprehensive tree identification and retention 
element as part of a master landscaping plan for the entire 17.6 acre 
site to mitigate these impacts to the greatest extent practicable.
    Limited Expansion Alternatives: Based on the research and analyses 
conducted in the preparation of the Draft and Final EIS, GSA and CDC 
expect the Limited Expansion Alternatives to have impacts similar to 
and of approximately the same magnitude as the Proposed Action. These 
include minor adverse impacts on ambient air quality, housing, and 
transportation & parking, minor positive impacts on comprehensive 
planning and zoning, and major adverse impacts on vegetation & 
wildlife, and landforms & topography.
    Short-term and highly localized air quality impacts would occur 
primarily during the construction periods for new facilities, and 
during highly congested AM and PM peak traffic hours. These air quality 
impacts would be partially mitigated through CDC's continued use

[[Page 8020]]

of TDM strategies designed to increase use of transportation 
alternatives to single-occupant vehicle commuting. CDC would continue 
to work closely with MARTA and with other large employers in the 
Clifton Road Corridor and concerned citizens to improve TDM measures.
    Minor housing impacts will occur through the demolition of 35 
single family residences, and one small multi-family apartment complex. 
Within the census tract containing the proposed site, this reduction 
constitutes approximately four percent of existing housing stock, and 
only one percent of housing stock in the Druid Hills CDP. Adverse 
impacts to displaced owners will be mitigated under the provisions of 
the Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition for 
Federal and Federally Assisted Programs regulations (40 CFR Part 24). 
The Limited Expansion Alternatives would minimize adverse impacts to 
several institutional uses along the Clinton Road portion of the site, 
including a Dekalb County Fire Station, the Emory Annex, GHA, and GAPC, 
by excluding all or a combination of them from Government acquisition 
and subsequent relocation.
    The Limited Expansion Alternatives would result in adverse traffic 
impacts to several important intersections in the form of increased 
delay time, expressed as LOS degradation. Intersections where at lease 
one future year LOS component will be worse under the proposed action 
versus the No Action Alternative are: Clinton Road and Briarcliff Road 
(2005); Clifton Road and Houston Mill Road (year 2015); Clifton Road 
and North Decatur Road (2015); Briarcliff Road and La Vista Road 
(2015); Shepherds Land and La Vista Road (2005); and, Clifton Road and 
Clifton Way (2005). CDC would partially mitigate the Clifton Road/
Clifton Way intersection LOS degradation through redesign and possible 
resignalization of the intersection, in consultation with Dekalb 
County, Neither GSA nor CDC is authorized to spend Government funds for 
off-site road improvements, but CDC would attempt to partially mitigate 
LOS degradation at other key intersections through the use of TDM 
measures.
    The Limited Expansion Alternatives are expected to have minor 
positive impacts to planning and zoning because they are more 
consistent with future intended land use patterns than current uses.
    Vegetation and wildlife would be adversely affected by the proposed 
action due primarily to habitat destruction when the site is partially 
graded. CDC would implement a comprehensive tree identification and 
retention element as part of a master landscaping plan for the entire 
17.6 acre site to mitigate these impacts to the greatest extent 
practicable.
    The Limited Expansion Alternatives would have adverse effects on 
landforms & topography because CDC would not control the entire site 
and would have to use less efficient solutions than comprehensive site 
grading to overcome the extreme elevation differences and drainage 
issues from Clifton Road down to Peavine Creek. For example, large 
retaining walls similar to the one behind the existing Dekalb County 
Fire Station would have to be constructed behind all the facilities 
adjacent to Clifton Road, thus exacerbating elevation differences 
between the upper and middle parts of the site.
    On Site Expansion: Based on the research and analyses conducted in 
preparation of the Draft and Final EIS, GSA and CDC expect the On Site 
Expansion Alternative to have minor adverse impacts on hydrology/water 
quality, vegetation & wildlife, ambient air quality, ambient noise, 
comprehensive planning & zoning, and housing, and a major adverse 
impact on transportation & parking.
    CDC and GSA anticipate potential minor adverse impacts to 
hydrology/water quality, and vegetation & wildlife because even though 
the Government would not acquire the 17.6 acre parcel, growth patterns 
in the area indicate that it would likely be developed by other parties 
over the 20-year analysis period. If the development occurs 
sporadically over this period, the opportunities to systematically 
address grading, runoff control, tree retention and landscaping, etc. 
are significantly reduced.
    Short-term and highly localized air quality impacts would occur 
primarily during the construction periods for new CDC facilities and 
for private development of the 17.6 acre site, and during highly 
congested AM and PM peak traffic hours. These impacts would be higher 
under this alternative than others because this alternative projects 
the greatest additional density in the Clifton Road Corridor. Air 
quality impacts would be partially mitigated through CDC's continued 
use of TDM strategies designed to increase use of transportation 
alternatives to single-occupational vehicle commuting. CDC would 
continue to work closely with MARTA and with other large employers in 
the Clifton Road Corridor and concerned citizens to maximize effective 
TDM measures.
    Ambient noise impacts to adjacent residential areas of the 17.6 
acre site would increase somewhat during CDC construction periods, but 
not to unacceptably high levels.
    Minor adverse housing impacts could occur under the On Site 
Expansion Alternative because private development of the 17.6 acre site 
could take place over the 20-year analysis period in a piecemeal 
fashion, leaving some residential properties ``as-is'' while others are 
developed. This type of development pattern can create noise, traffic, 
and other nuisances for residents while the area is in transition.
    The On Site Expansion Alternative would result in adverse traffic 
impacts to several important intersections in the form of increased 
delay time, expressed as LOS degradation. Intersections where at least 
one future year LOS component will be worse under the Limited Expansion 
Alternatives versus the No Action Alternative are: Clifton Road and 
Briarcliff Road (2005); Clifton Road and Houston Mill Road (2005); 
Clifton Road and Haygood Drive (2005); Clifton Road and North Decatur 
Road (2015); Shepherds Lane and La Vista Road (2005); Briarcliff Road 
and La Vista Road (2005); North Decatur Road and Haygood Drive (2005); 
and Clifton Road and Clifton Way (2205). CDC could partially mitigate 
the Clifton Road/Clifton Way intersection LOS degradation through 
redesign and possible resignalization of the intersection, in 
consultation with Dekalb County and surrounding property owners. 
Neither GSA nor CDC is authorized to spend Government funds for off-
site road improvements, but will attempt to partially mitigate LOS 
degradation at other key intersections through the use of TDM measures.
    The On Site Expansion Alternative is expected to have minor 
negative impacts to planning and zoning because it does not allow for 
the comprehensive development of the 17.6 acre site in a manner 
consistent with future intended land use patterns.
    No Action: Based on the research and analyses conducted in 
preparation of the Draft and Final EIS, GSA and CDC expect the No 
Action Alternative to have minor adverse impacts on hydrology/water 
quality, vegetation & wildlife, ambient air quality, ambient noise, 
comprehensive planning & zoning, housing, and on transportation & 
parking.
    CDC and GSA anticipate potential minor adverse impacts to 
hydrology/water quality, and vegetation & wildlife because even though 
the Government would not acquire the 17.6 acre parcel, growth patterns 
in the area indicate that it would likely be developed by other

[[Page 8021]]

parties over the 20-year analysis period. If the development occurs 
sporadically over this period, the opportunities to systematically 
address grading, runoff control, tree retention and landscaping, etc. 
are significantly reduced.
    Short-term and highly localized air quality impacts would occur 
primarily during the construction periods for private development of 
the 17.6 acre site, and during highly congested AM and PM peak traffic 
hours. Air quality impacts would be partially mitigated through CDC's 
continued use of TDM strategies designed to increase use of 
transportation alternatives to single-occupant vehicle commuting. CDC 
would continue to work closely with MARTA, with other large employers 
in the Clifton Road Corridor, and with concerned citizens to improve 
TDM measures.
    Minor ambient noise impacts to adjacent residential areas of the 
17.6 acre site would occur from private development of the 17.6 acre 
site over the 20-year analysis period.
    Minor adverse housing impacts could occur under the No Action 
Alternative because private development of the 17.6 acre site could 
take place over the 20-year analysis period in a piecemeal fashion, 
leaving some residential properties ``as-is'' while others are 
developed. This type of development pattern can create noise, traffic, 
and other nuisances for residents while the area is in transition.
    The No Action Alternative would result in adverse traffic impacts 
to several important intersections in the form of increased delay time, 
expressed as LOS degradation, because of ``background development'' 
that would occur in the area regardless of CDC's development 
activities. Intersections where at least one future year LOS component 
will be worse under the No Action Alternative versus current conditions 
are: Clifton Road and Briarcliff Road (2005); Clifton Road and Haygood 
Drive (2005); Clifton Road and North Decatur Road (2005); Shepherds 
Lane and La Vista Road (2005); Briarcliff Road and La Vista Road 
(2005); North Decatur Road and Haygood Drive (2005); and, Clifton Road 
and Clifton Way (2005). CDC could partially mitigate the Clifton Road/
Clifton Way intersection LOS degradation through redesign and possible 
resignalization of the intersection, in consultation with Dekalb County 
and surrounding property owners. Neither GSA nor CDC is authorized to 
spend Government funds for off-site road improvements, but will attempt 
to partially mitigate LOS degradation at other key intersections 
through the use of TDM measures.
    The No Action Alternative is expected to have minor negative 
impacts to planning and zoning because it does not allow for the 
comprehensive development of the 17.6 acre site in a manner consistent 
with future intended land use patterns.

Rationale for Decision

    The Proposed Action, which is also the Technically Preferred 
Alternative, will enable GSA and CDC to plan for and accommodate CDC's 
long-term housing needs at the Clifton Road Campus in the most 
economical and efficient manner. The Proposed Action maximizes design 
options and development potential for both the existing campus and the 
proposed CDC expansion, and, most importantly, will greatly enhance the 
security of the Headquarters Complex. This alternative poses the least 
adverse environmental impacts compared with other feasible 
alternatives, and is, therefore, the Environmentally Preferred 
Alternative.
    The Limited Expansion Alternatives are feasible, but would not 
allow the Government the maximum flexibility to plan for and configure 
site security, site infrastructure, or the placement of future 
laboratory, parking and support facilities in the most efficient and 
cost-effective ways over the 20-year development horizon. The 
environmental impacts of the Limited Expansion Alternatives are very 
similar to those resulting from the Proposed Action; therefore, 
implementing a Limited Expansion Alternative versus the Proposed Action 
would not result in additional mitigation of adverse environmental 
impacts, but would pose additional constraints and costs on the 
Government to implement CDC's long-range facility plans.
    Implementing the No Action Alternative neither results in 
additional mitigation of environmental impacts, nor allows the 
Government to address the purpose and need for the Proposed Action: to 
provide an efficient, cost-effective means to accommodate CDC's future 
space needs in its Clifton Road location through the year 2015. The 
Proposed Action is needed to adequately address CDC's current program 
needs at Clifton Road through renovation and reconfiguration of 
existing space, as well as to provide new space to accommodate 
anticipated future research and operational activities.
    Therefore, having given consideration to all of the factors 
discovered during the 19 month environmental review process, it is 
GSA's decision to proceed with the Proposed Action: Government 
acquisition and development of 17.6 acres of existing residential, 
commercial and institutional property immediately to the west of the 
existing CDC Clifton Road Campus, as described in this ROD, and in the 
Draft and Final EIS documents incorporated by reference in this ROD.

    Dated: February 10, 1997.
Phil Youngberg,
Regional Environmental Officer.
[FR Doc. 97-4026 Filed 2-20-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6820-23-M