NOTICE OF INTENT TO REQUEST RELEASE OF FUNDS FOR TIERED PROJECTS AND PROGRAMS February 26, 2025 City of Crete 243 East 13th Street Crete, Nebraska 68333 402-826-4312 On or after March 6th, 2025 the City of Crete will submit a request to the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), or its State administering agency, Nebraska Department of Economic Development (State), for the release of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds under Title I of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1974 (U.S.C. 5301 et seq.), as amended, to undertake a project known as 24DTR001 for the purpose of the following: The City of Crete (“City”), Saline County, Nebraska is preparing to implement an additional phase of its Downtown Revitalization (DTR) program to aid in the elimination of substandard and blighted conditions within the City’s designated downtown district (“Project”). The boundaries of the downtown district are generally considered to be: Norman Avenue north/south from 11th to 14th, extending west for two blocks from midway past 12th Street to 13th Street; 14th Street east/west from Norman Avenue to Kingwood Avenue, extending half a block north from Main and Linden Avenues; Linden Avenue north/south from midway between 14th and 15th Streets to 11th Street, extending east one block to Kingwood Avenue between 13th and 14th Streets; 11th Street east/west between Linden and Norman Avenues. The area is primarily commercial in usage, with upper-story residential. Project activities identified for improvement within this designated area will be carried out in accordance with the design guidelines, design goals, and policies established in the City’s approved 2024 DTR Program Guidelines. Eligible activities include façade improvements, window/door replacements, brick/masonry repairs, structural repairs, and formally documented code violations on a case-by-case basis. No tree removal will occur during the course of the project, but improvements may include changes in exterior lighting. Business owners will be invited to apply for these funds by the City; an estimated eight (8) businesses will be assisted, and applications will be reviewed as received. A site-specific environmental review will be completed for each property selected. There will be no change in capacity, land use, or zoning. The total Project costs are estimated at $535,000, including $25,000 for General Administration, and $10,000 for Construction Management. Funding sources include a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) from the Nebraska Department of Economic Development for $435,000. These funds will be matched with at least $100,000 from the participating business owners. This Project will address the National Objective of preventing or eliminating slum and blight conditions on an area basis (SBA) through the commercial rehabilitation of privately-owned facilities. No residents, businesses, or farms will be displaced as a result of the Project activities. Project activities may result in dust, noise, or temporary interruption of access to individual buildings during construction. Businesses, residents, and emergency services will be notified of all sidewalk and street closures that may be required for the Project and will be directed to an alternate route. All DTR rehabilitation program activities will be completed within 30 months. Tier 2 site specific reviews will be completed for those laws and authorities not addressed in the Tier 1 broad review for each address under this program when addresses become known. Level of Environmental Review Citation: 24 CFR 58.35(a) ((3)(iii)(a) and (3(iii)(b)) Tier 2 site specific review: The site-specific reviews will cover the following laws and authorities not addressed in the Tier 1 broad review: Contamination and Toxic Substances [24 CFR 58.5(i)(2)], Endangered Species [50 CFR 402], and Historic Preservation [36 CFR 800]. Mitigation Measures/Conditions/Permits (if any): For each of the laws and authorities listed in the Tier 2 site specific review, appropriate agencies will be contacted for determination of appropriate mitigation measures/conditions/permits. The City of Crete will include any such findings as part of the award conditions for any subproject awarded by the City to an eligible applicant under the 24DTR001 project. The activities proposed are Categorically Excluded Subject To (CEST) under HUD regulations at 24 CFR Part 58 from National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requirements. An Environmental Review Record (ERR) that documents the environmental determinations for this project is on file at Crete City Hall 243 East 13th Street, Crete, NE 68333 and may be examined or copied weekdays 8 A.M to 5 P.M. The ERR will be made available to the public for review either electronically or by U.S. mail. Please submit your request by U.S. mail to the address above or by email to Nancy Tellez, City Clerk, nancy.tellez@crete.ne.gov. If the RE chooses to send the ERR to the public for review via U.S. mail, the RE will establish a timeframe for accepting comments with the person requesting the ERR. PUBLIC COMMENTS Any individual, group, or agency may submit written comments on the ERR to Crete City Clerk, Nancy Tellez. All comments received by March 5th, 2025 will be considered by the City of Crete prior to authorizing submission of a request for release of funds. ENVIRONMENTAL CERTIFICATION The City of Crete certifies to the State that David Bauer in their capacity as Mayor consents to accept the jurisdiction of the Federal Courts if an action is brought to enforce responsibilities in relation to the environmental review process and that these responsibilities have been satisfied. The State’s approval of the certification satisfies its responsibilities under NEPA and related laws and authorities and allows the City of Crete to use Program funds. OBJECTIONS TO RELEASE OF FUNDS The Nebraska Department of Economic Development will accept objections to its release of funds and the City of Crete certification for a period of fifteen days following the anticipated submission date or its actual receipt of the request (whichever is later) only if they are on one of the following bases: (a) the certification was not executed by the Certifying Officer of the City of Crete; (b) grant recipient has omitted a step or failed to make a decision or finding required by HUD regulations at 24 CFR part 58; (c) the grant recipient or other participants in the development process have committed funds, incurred costs, or undertaken activities not authorized by 24 CFR Part 58 before approval of a release of funds by the Nebraska Department of Economic Development; or (d) another Federal agency acting pursuant to 40 CFR Part 1504 has submitted a written finding that the project is unsatisfactory from the standpoint of environmental quality. Objections must be prepared and submitted in accordance with the required procedures (24 CFR Part 58, Sec. 58.76) in writing to the Nebraska Department of Economic Development, 245 Fallbrook Blvd, Suite 002, Lincoln, NE 68521. Potential objectors should contact the Nebraska Department of Economic Development to verify the actual last day of the objection period. David Bauer, Mayor Certifying Officer CR — February 26, 2025 ZNEZ
