August 14, 2024 Planning Board Special Meeting Transcript - WEHI

55 (Pages 214 to 217)55 (Pages 214 to 217) Page 214 1 emergency access. It shows on the picture but I 2 think you know what I'm talking about, not 3 necessarily going up the slope but the actual 4 emergency access. Is that location going to be used 5 for construction vehicles or any construction? 6 MR. APPEL: I don't -- I don't believe 7 so, but I'm going to say the construction team would 8 be the one to opine on -- on that, but I'm not aware 9 of any. 10 MR. LATERZA: So we have a 11 construction team that'll also be testifying at some 12 point? 13 MR. APPEL: It really would be the 14 developer, the site engineer. 15 MR. LATERZA: I thought that might be 16 the case, but okay, you know, that's, I think, of 17 paramount importance to the people who live in the 18 town that is not represented here, Verona, who also 19 shares Howell Drive, so we would like to know, you 20 know, when -- if construction vehicles are going to 21 be driving down our roads that we did not approve 22 that -- 23 MR. APPEL: I'm not aware that that 24 would be, you know, the location would be coming up 25 from the main -- the main roadway. Page 216 1 and preliminary and final site plan applications 2 consisting of five acres or more shall be 3 accompanied by an environmental impact statement." 4 So -- 5 (Someone sneezes) 6 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Bless you. 7 MS. BENNETT: -- is that no longer 8 required? 9 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Mr. Plocker. 10 MR. PLOCKER: (Inaudible) 11 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Sure. 12 MS. BENNETT: So I'm asking the 13 Chairman, is that not required? 14 VOICE: (Inaudible) 15 MS. BENNETT: I understand that he's 16 looking something up, but I'm trying to understand 17 how this Board is convened and costing the taxpayers 18 money and you -- I saw a head shaking in the 19 negative. Mr. Fagan cost the -- Mr. Fagan cost the 20 taxpayers money and others who are here, the police 21 officers cost the taxpayers money, and the building 22 being on cost the taxpayers money. I understand you 23 all are donating your time, but why are you hearing 24 an application that does not have what is required 25 in order for this to get in front of the Board? I'm Page 215 1 MR. LATERZA: I think someone should 2 be able to give clarification on that at some point. 3 Okay, thank you. 4 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: I'm going to ask 5 that the last two people standing -- the last two 6 people standing will be the last two

2 be able to give clarification on that at some point. 3 Okay, thank you. 4 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: I'm going to ask 5 that the last two people standing -- the last two 6 people standing will be the last two people asking 7 questions this evening and then I think the 8 applicant is going to ask for a special -- another 9 special in September. 10 Ma'am, go right ahead. 11 MS. BENNETT: Thank you, Chairman 12 Bagoff. Do I need to do my name again or -- 13 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Just -- yeah, say -- 14 MS. BENNETT: Micaela Bennett, 15 B-E-N-N-E-T-T. 16 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Thank you. 17 MS. BENNETT: Just one really fast 18 question. So I'm reading from the township code and 19 it says that the environmental impact analysis -- 20 hold on. I know that you -- just bear with me. I 21 gotta scroll down to "applicability." So this is 25 22 -- 25-13.1. And then I'm going to scroll down to 23 "Applicability," which is .3. 25-13.3, 24 "Applicability." And it says, at B, "All 25 preliminary and final major subdivision applications Page 217 1 not asking the applicant and counsel -- 2 MS. McGOVERN: The ordinance which has 3 been tasked for this site specifically states 4 "Development of tract shall be exempt from all bulk, 5 design and environmental regulations of the West 6 Orange land use regulations ordinances unless 7 otherwise indicated" -- 8 MS. BENNETT: Ms. McGovern -- 9 MS. McGOVERN: -- herein." 10 MS. BENNETT: Sorry, I'm having a hard 11 time hearing you. 12 MS. McGOVERN: The ordinance that 13 applies to this property -- 14 MS. BENNETT: Yes. 15 MS. McGOVERN: -- specifically exempts 16 them from that legislation and that ordinance that 17 you just read. 18 MS. BENNETT: So this applicant does 19 not need to do an environmental impact analysis? 20 They're on a steep slope, they're on a ridgeline -- 21 MS. McGOVERN: Those are all -- 22 MS. BENNETT: -- on -- 23 MS. McGOVERN: -- (indiscernible). 24 MS. BENNETT: -- resource-valued 25 wetlands, and you're saying that -- and all these

56 (Pages 218 to 221)56 (Pages 218 to 221) Page 218 1 trees are going to be taken down. 2 MS. McGOVERN: I'm not saying it, the 3 ordinance is saying it. 4 MS. BENNETT: You're saying that the 5 ordinance exempts this applicant from what's 6 required of every other applicant in this town? 7 That's what you're saying? 8 MS. McGOVERN: I'm saying this is what 9 the ordinance says. 10 MS. BENNETT: And so any other 11 applicant before the Planning Board would have to 12 adhere to providing you with an environmental impact 13 analysis before they can be before this body, but 14 this applicant doesn't need that -- 15 MS. McGOVERN: Well -- 16 MS. BENNETT: -- because you're saying 17 -- can you -- can you cite the authority, please? 18 MS. McGOVERN: The ordinance -- 19 MS. BENNETT: Yes. 20 MS. McGOVERN: -- again, you want me 21 to read -- 22 MS. BENNETT: Yes, please, just the 23 citation, please. 24 MS. McGOVERN: It is 25-19(i)(h)(1). 25 MS. BENNETT: Thank you. Page 220 1 else's responsibility." 2 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Sure. Thank you. 3 Mr. Plocker, I think you're going to 4 ask for a special meeting. 5 MR. PLOCKER: Yes, I -- 6 MS. McGOVERN: You want to give us 7 your list of -- your lineup? Do you want to? 8 MR. PLOCKER: Yeah, I don't know what 9 order we're going to be going in, that's something 10 we need to evaluate, but we do have a traffic 11 professional who did submit a report. It's likely 12 he'll go next, but it's something we need to 13 determine. 14 MS. McGOVERN: Okay, so you have a 15 traffic expert and then anybody else? 16 MR. PLOCKER: And we have a 17 Professional Planner. 18 MS. McGOVERN: And a Professional 19 Planner, all right. And -- 20 MR. PLOCKER: And -- yeah. And 21 possibly depending on what gets raised and what 22 issues come up, we obviously reserve our right to 23 call anybody else we deem, you know, deem necessary. 24 MS. McGOVERN: Okay, so that's for now 25 and -- Page 219 1 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Go right ahead, sir. 2 MR. PLOCKER: That's not the specific 3 section; I think that's -- 4 MS. McGOVERN: No, it's the general 5 ordinance. 6 MR. PLOCKER: It's 25-19, Subsection 7 (c)(5). 8 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: You're up, sir. 9 MR. SHARRET: Sure. Just a quick 10 question. Jonathan Sharret, S-H-A-R-R-E-T. 11 There's been a lot of kind of confusion 12 here with the public as to kind of who is 13 testifying, what is the purview that they can 14 testify to. Just a

uestion. Jonathan Sharret, S-H-A-R-R-E-T. 11 There's been a lot of kind of confusion 12 here with the public as to kind of who is 13 testifying, what is the purview that they can 14 testify to. Just a question to take under 15 advisement, if it would be possible to inform the 16 public as to who else is going to be testifying on 17 behalf of the applicant, what their purview would 18 be, I think it maybe would make these proceedings 19 more -- flow better perhaps so that people can 20 understand who else is yet to testify and whether 21 certain people will be back to testify and whether 22 they can answer, at least broadly speaking, you 23 know, certain types of questions that have been 24 asked tonight where the answer was "That's not my 25 purview" or "That will be," you know, "somebody Page 221 1 MR. AFRAN: I'm just noting I'm going 2 to have a few additional questions for Mr. Anderson. 3 It won't be extensive, but at some point when it's 4 convenient, we can re-call him. 5 MR. PLOCKER: Did you mean Mr. Appel? 6 MR. AFRAN: No, I haven't started with 7 Mr. Appel. I have additional questions of Mr. 8 Anderson at some point. 9 MS. McGOVERN: I don't think they're 10 anticipating bringing him back. 11 MR. AFRAN: I'm bringing him back. I 12 have -- 13 MS. McGOVERN: Oh, you're going to -- 14 MR. AFRAN: -- some additional 15 questions that have been brought up in my mind that 16 I may wish to address. 17 MS. McGOVERN: Okay. We're not doing 18 that tonight, so -- 19 MR. AFRAN: Oh, no, no, no, no. No. 20 I just want to note that I know Mr. Plocker has his 21 list of witnesses, but I want to let him know and 22 the Board that I may have some additional questions 23 for Mr. Anderson. A lot has come out through the 24 public questions that I may need to direct to -- 25 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: So the "may" is --

57 (Pages 222 to 225)57 (Pages 222 to 225) Page 222 1 how do we know "may"? Are you -- do you want him 2 back? You said "may." So how does the applicant 3 know that you -- 4 MR. AFRAN: Well, he's going to be 5 here anyway so -- 6 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: I'm sorry? 7 MR. AFRAN: -- that's not the point. 8 He's coming back, right? He's going to be here. 9 MR. PLOCKER: I don't know who's 10 coming here. We need to discuss our dates. 11 MR. AFRAN: No, no, I don't mean that, 12 I -- 13 MR. PLOCKER: We're definitely moving 14 forward on a date. 15 MR. AFRAN: Right. 16 MR. PLOCKER: I don't know if all of 17 our team is going to be here, it's something we need 18 to evaluate and discuss. 19 MR. AFRAN: Okay, so Mr. Plocker and I 20 can talk and we can try to work out if I need Mr. 21 Anderson back, we'll find out when he's going to be 22 here. 23 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: So right now, we're 24 looking at Wednesday, 9/11, 6:30, for a special 25 meeting. Is that good for you guys? Page 224 1 September 11 at 6:30 p.m. live in Council Chambers, 2 and the next regular Planning Board meeting will be 3 Wednesday, September 24, 2024 at 7:30 p.m. via Zoom. 4 Do I have a motion to adjourn? 5 COUNCILMAN RUTHERFORD: So moved. 6 VICE-CHAIRMAN GUARINO: Moved. 7 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Council President 8 motions, Vice-Chairman seconds. All in favor? 9 BOARD MEMBER: Aye. 10 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Opposed? 11 (No response) 12 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: The ayes are above 13 the nos. I want to thank the people on Zoom and the 14 public for joining us. 15 (Hearing adjourned at 10:44 p.m.) 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Page 223 1 MR. PLOCKER: That's acceptable, thank 2 you. 3 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Very good. Don't go 4 away yet, we're not done. Getting closer. And I 5 would like to thank the public, you brought up some 6 very good questions; we're going to do better with 7 the applicant, but the Planning Board can't present 8 our side of things or environmental stuff till the 9 applicant finishes their portion of the application. 10 Our environmentalist will be listening and has been 11 listening to the questions that the audiences 12 brought up, and he will be able to, within reason, 13 answer these questions. So that's why we're 14 planning it this way. And the objector can ask the 15 applicant to bring back people who have testified. 16 So again, it depends on what the objector is trying 17 to do, what the applicant is

we're 14 planning it this way. And the objector can ask the 15 applicant to bring back people who have testified. 16 So again, it depends on what the objector is trying 17 to do, what the applicant is agreeing to do, and at 18 the end of the day, all this information is for the 19 Board to evaluate, with our experts, how this 20 application fits into what the township has agreed 21 to, through ordinance and zone. 22 To that end, there will be no 23 additional notice required for this application. We 24 will carry PB-24-01, West Essex Highlands, 25 Incorporated, Block 179, Lot 32, Zone IH-1, to Page 225 C E R T I F I C A T E I, MICHELE QUICK, a Certified Court Reporter, Registered Merit Reporter, Certified Realtime Reporter of the State of New Jersey, authorized to administer oaths pursuant to R.S. 41:2-1, do hereby state that the foregoing is a true and accurate verbatim transcript of my stenographic notes of the within remote proceedings, to the best of my ability. ____ MICHELE QUICK, CCR, RMR, CRR NJ Certified Court Reporter License No. XIO1731

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