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

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]

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