July 31, 2024 Planning Board Special Meeting Transcript - WEHI

16 (Pages 58 to 61) Page 58 1 through, I think it's probably one of the most 2 stable circumstances you can get from an engineering 3 basis. 4 MR. KRAKOVIAK: Thank you, Mr. 5 Anderson. 6 MR. FAGAN: You can just hand it 7 behind you. 8 MR. KRAKOVIAK: Oh, sorry. 9 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Good evening. 10 MR. LATERZA: Good evening. Patrick 11 Laterza, L-A-T-E-R-Z-A. I have a really quick 12 question because I couldn't hear earlier. 13 The flood hazard permit with the DEP 14 was pulled. Are you able to confirm -- I couldn't 15 hear what you said -- that it was pulled maybe 16 around November of 2023? 17 MR. ANDERSON: I didn't give a date -- 18 MR. LATERZA: Oh, okay. 19 MR. ANDERSON: -- but it's probably 20 correct. I mean, I'd have to go back and look at my 21 records to see the exact date that it was pulled. 22 MR. LATERZA: Okay, so like eight 23 months ago? 24 MR. ANDERSON: Say again? 25 MR. LATERZA: About eight, nine months Page 59 1 ago, somewhere around there? 2 MR. ANDERSON: Yeah, it was -- yes. 3 MR. LATERZA: Okay. 4 MR. ANDERSON: That's correct. 5 MR. LATERZA: Thank you. Now I'll put 6 it back. 7 MR. FAGAN: No, hand it to the person 8 -- 9 MR. LATERZA: Oh, another person. 10 MR. PATEL: Good evening. Kumar 11 Patel, P-A-T-E-L. 12 (Court reporter asks Mr. Patel to re-state 13 his first name.) 14 MR. PATEL: Kumar, K-U-M-A-R. 15 COURT REPORTER: Thank you. 16 MR. PATEL: I have a question. So how 17 many projects have you worked where stability could 18 be an issue? 19 MR. ANDERSON: Could you say that last 20 part again, please? 21 MR. PATEL: You mentioned earlier the 22 landslides, right? That you look at the landslides 23 piece from a soil stability standpoint. So over 24 your career, from 1988 or whatever you mentioned 25 when you were certified, over your career's Page 60 1 duration, how many projects have you worked on where 2 this could have been a potential issue, similar to 3 the site that's under question right now? 4 MR. ANDERSON: I don't know what the 5 number is but there's quite a few steeper lots that 6 are being developed throughout New Jersey that I've 7 worked on over the years and it comes up in just 8 virtually every municipality in North Jersey in 9 steep areas that we work on. 10 MR. PATEL: And has there ever been 11 any issue of stability of the building, structure? 12 MR. ANDERSON: No, there is not. 13 MR. PATEL: That you're aware of, 14 okay.

steep areas that we work on. 10 MR. PATEL: And has there ever been 11 any issue of stability of the building, structure? 12 MR. ANDERSON: No, there is not. 13 MR. PATEL: That you're aware of, 14 okay. Thank you. 15 One question for the Board. The Board 16 mentioned that there was a consultant hired, right, 17 last evening for doing the survey of the forest 18 again, and if I understood correctly from the 19 comments, it was the same consultant who provided 20 the report previously. Is that correct? 21 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: That's correct. 22 MR. PATEL: Is there any rationale for 23 hiring the same consultant compared to any other 24 third parties out there -- 25 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Yes. Page 61 1 MR. PATEL: -- in New Jersey? 2 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Yes. 3 MR. PATEL: Okay. Is there an answer 4 that the Board will be providing of the rationale 5 for -- 6 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Yes. He has great 7 credentials -- 8 MR. PATEL: Okay. 9 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: -- he teaches 10 environmental science -- 11 MR. PATEL: Okay. 12 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: -- and he knows the 13 area, as was brought out by many people, what has 14 changed between 2020 and today. 15 MR. PATEL: Okay. 16 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: He would be the best 17 person and his group would be the best people to 18 give the most accurate understanding of where it was 19 and where it is today. So as opposed to trying to 20 reinvent the wheel, we have somebody who is well 21 known in the field, an expert, and knows the site. 22 MR. PATEL: Okay. And credentials 23 will be shared by the Board? 24 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Absolutely. 25 MR. PATEL: Thank you.