July 30, 2024 Planning Board Special Meeting Transcript - WEHI

15 (Pages 54 to 57) Page 54 1 that, but I think what I was trying to demonstrate, 2 that there's an easy route for his fire trucks to 3 get in and around, and I don't believe that he would 4 have an issue with it but, obviously, he has to 5 review it and approve it. 6 COUNCILMAN RUTHERFORD: I'm a layman, 7 again, so those terms look relatively navigable for 8 large vehicles to meet but, you know, I'm not a 9 fireman. I just wanted to know, did you -- when you 10 were looking at your turn radiuses, did you look at 11 the largest piece of equipment we have or the pieces 12 of equipment that would be needed for this 13 development? 14 MR. ANDERSON: I looked at a large 15 fire truck that is representative of -- that would 16 get through this community. I didn't go and get the 17 exact truck and that exact turning radius, but it's 18 a larger fire truck that I use to go through this 19 area. And it made it actually -- it wasn't like 20 you're going to have to go over this curb here or 21 that curb there to make it; it made it fairly 22 easily. 23 COUNCILMAN RUTHERFORD: Yeah, I will 24 echo the sentiments of the Vice Chair. I think, 25 understanding the type of equipment that the fire Page 55 1 department would have to deploy to address an 2 emergency there is important. There are different 3 size fire trucks that have different functions -- 4 MR. ANDERSON: Yes. 5 COUNCILMAN RUTHERFORD: -- and we want 6 to make sure that all of them can get in or out. 7 MR. ANDERSON: We do as well. 8 COUNCILMAN RUTHERFORD: Building D, 9 which is west of the ridgeline -- 10 MR. ANDERSON: Correct. 11 COUNCILMAN RUTHERFORD: -- you stated 12 you don't know how close to the steep slope that it 13 is. Is that accurate? 14 MR. ANDERSON: Yes, because steep 15 slope is not part of this application. We haven't 16 studied steep slope, it is not part of this zoning 17 ordinance. So I don't have a lot of information for 18 you as to where the steep slope begins by your 19 definition of "steep slope" on the new steep slope 20 ordinance because it's not relevant to this 21 application. 22 COUNCILMAN RUTHERFORD: Well, following 23 the ordinance may not be relevant, but understanding 24 the impact on the steep slope is relevant -- 25 MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC: Right. Page 56 1 COUNCILMAN RUTHERFORD: -- and so I do 2 think it's important -- 3 (Applause by members of the public) 4 COUNCILMAN RUTHERFORD:

the steep slope is relevant -- 25 MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC: Right. Page 56 1 COUNCILMAN RUTHERFORD: -- and so I do 2 think it's important -- 3 (Applause by members of the public) 4 COUNCILMAN RUTHERFORD: I think it's 5 important to understand how close to the steep slope 6 you will be building. I understand you are building 7 into the ridge, which will minimize, according to 8 your testimony, the impact on the ridge, but we 9 already had a tragedy in town where a hillside 10 collapsed on an apartment building that has now been 11 vacant for almost three years and we certainly would 12 not like to see a similar tragedy because we're 13 building close to the -- to the edge of the steep 14 slope. 15 MR. ANDERSON: Yeah, I understand 16 that, I heard of that, that tragedy that happened, 17 and I don't believe you will have any concern for 18 this building having a similar circumstance. The 19 architect will be testifying with regard to the 20 building, how it lays with the land and how it will 21 be stable, as it's built into the top of that hill, 22 into the -- into the, you know, almost to the top of 23 the hill, but it is -- it -- when he demonstrates it 24 to you, I believe you'll see that there's not a 25 concern for that same circumstance to happen again Page 57 1 here. 2 COUNCILMAN RUTHERFORD: And I 3 appreciate your answer; this is not -- this is 4 agnostic to you as a professional and an individual, 5 but the township has some difficulty accepting some 6 of these professional opinions when we've seen those 7 types of opinions here before and then an accident 8 has still occurred. So I don't know what you can do 9 to assuage the fears of the residents in those 10 neighborhoods and this Council member and the 11 Planning Board, but that is a serious concern and it 12 should be understood and addressed. 13 Now, with regard to that steep slope, 14 it appears to me on that map that very -- that very 15 little of the foliage approaching the slope will be 16 disturbed, but I can't really tell. Are you taking 17 trees down off the top of the slope? I see some 18 light green along Building D but I'm not... 19 MR. ANDERSON: Immediately behind the 20 building, some trees come down. 21 COUNCILMAN RUTHERFORD: Okay. And 22 that line that is immediately behind the building, 23 does that line represent the high point on the map? 24 MR. ANDERSON: The curved line 25

me trees come down. 21 COUNCILMAN RUTHERFORD: Okay. And 22 that line that is immediately behind the building, 23 does that line represent the high point on the map? 24 MR. ANDERSON: The curved line 25 represents the high point, the ridgeline, yes,