October 30, 2024 Planning Board Special Meeting Transcript - WEHI

23 of 80 sheets Page 89 to 92 of 203 11/06/2024 03:21:43 PM 89 THE PUBLIC: Hello. My name is Barbara1 White. I live in West Orange. If you put up SP-11, I2 believe it is, I can show you approximately where I3 live. That's the one that shows --4 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: I'm going to tell you5 what, we're going to take a ten-minute bio break.6 (Whereupon, a short recess is taken.)7 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Good evening, ladies and8 gentleman, council chamber members and on zoom. Welcome9 back.10 Ma'am, you have the floor.11 Ladies and gentleman, I ask you to be quiet.12 THE PUBLIC: Can you hear me?13 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Yes we, can.14 We want quiet. Thank you.15 THE PUBLIC: Thank you.16 My name is Barbara White. I do live in West17 Orange and I asked you to put up, I think it was SP-11,18 to give you an idea what I'm talking about. It's the19 map. That's the one.20 So I happen to live, you see the undeveloped21 properties at the top of the map, across the street of22 that. I have a question. The question was raised23 whether or not there were any other things to be24 considered when looking at the health of the forest and25 90 you cited a few things, one thing that was not cited was1 the damage that was done during Hurricane Irene and2 Hurricane Sandy. There are records that speak to the3 incredible loss of trees in New Jersey, certainly in my4 neighborhood. Before I couldn't see my neighbors house5 and after those storms I can see all of my neighbors6 houses. There were also trees that came down, you have7 no impacts during that time that I can point out to you8 and I believe one scrub trees hitting the forest itself.9 So that hasn't been taken into consideration.10 And then the second thing is actually11 related to something that happened this weekend. My12 question really is around, given what we're looking at13 in front of us, in the event of something like what's14 happening in Livingston, 192 acres were burned and15 multiple fire departments had to respond. Will the deer16 fence itself make it harder in the event that there is17 something like what happening in Livingston, to manage18 it? On Patch it was, part of the concern was a few19 roads there and they were not able to make turns both20 manpower and the apparatus. So, again, for future21 safety of the deer is that something we can look at?22 Thank you.23 THE WITNESS: To make sure I understand your24 question, you're

make turns both20 manpower and the apparatus. So, again, for future21 safety of the deer is that something we can look at?22 Thank you.23 THE WITNESS: To make sure I understand your24 question, you're asking me a question related to if25 91 there is a fire, a forest fire in this area, does the1 deer fencing impede the fire department from putting out2 the fire?3 THE PUBLIC: Absolutely.4 THE WITNESS: Am I understanding that5 correctly?6 THE PUBLIC: That's the question.7 THE WITNESS: I'm not a firefighter, nor a8 forest firefighter, so I can't speak with any expertise9 on that. There would be gates there. I could only say10 by observation if there was a fire today the fire11 department can't get in there anyway. It's all wooded,12 there's no trail in there now. So I really can't answer13 your question because I'm not a firefighter. Did I14 consider fire, is I guess the second part of your15 question, when laying out deer fencing. I did not.16 THE PUBLIC: Okay.17 And then the first part of my question was,18 did you consider, given the impact of those two main19 storms on trees in general and particularly trees in our20 neighborhood?21 THE WITNESS: I'm -- the short answer is,22 no, because I can't do a projection of major storms.23 THE PUBLIC: Excuse me, I'm asking about the24 storms that happened, Irene and Sandy. There are counts25 92 for the number of trees that were taken down or impacted1 by those storms in New Jersey and the informations2 publically available. My question is whether or not it3 was taken into consideration when you were looking at4 the change in the forest over time from a major storm5 that took place in 2011 followed by the one that took6 place in 2012 and one of those, I think it's the first7 one, actually had a tornado effect that went through8 multiple places and we lost a large amount of woods. I9 was there at the time. That's my question. Were those10 taken into consideration?11 THE WITNESS: No.12 THE PUBLIC: Thank you.13 That's it.14 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Thank you.15 THE PUBLIC: Good evening.16 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: State your name for the17 record, please.18 THE PUBLIC: Is this thing on?19 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Yes, you have to move a20 little closer.21 THE PUBLIC: I'm good.22 Jessica Pearson, Verona.23 Hi. Good evening.24 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Good evening.25