November 13, 2024 Planning Board Special Meeting Transcript - WEHI

121 1 Now, will the deer be, again, they have less 2 room to roam, so they will roam in this small area as 3 they do today because the impacting variable. In this 4 area, if the wrong species and I say wrong only insofar 5 as saying if all of the native species planted happened 6 to be deer preferred, they you’re going to have to get 7 a greater level of work done here to protect them, 8 again, either using chemical repellants and looking to 9 be very clear when I say chemical repellants, we’re 10 talking about nontoxic repellants that contain pepper, 11 oil, that sort of thing that the deer find unpalatable. 12 Q Well, my question was simply for fencing of 13 large parts of the site on the right and left, the deer 14 that tend to live in this area will tend to concentrate 15 more on the unfenced area and, hence, do their browsing 16 there in greater intensity then they are right now, 17 isn’t that correct? 18 A Or they will move to other areas. 19 Q Well, you mean backyards? 20 A Well, if they come up to here, this area is not -- 21 is either undisturbed or disturbed, different 22 properties, there’s vacant right now. 23 Q Well, presumably that’s already happening 24 because that’s an existing condition, right? 25 A It’s possible. 122 1 Q So, in other words, this will cause greater 2 focus of the deer on the unfenced wooded area, isn’t 3 that fair to say? 4 A The deer will have less room to roam. 5 Q Is it a yes to my question? 6 A Well, it’s not a yes or no type of question. It’s 7 wildlife, wildlife doesn’t -- the deer don’t really 8 look so they don’t read the studies so, the odds are 9 very good that they will walk through here and find, 10 oh, I can’t go in this fenced area so I have to go 11 somewhere else -- 12 Q Well, I’m asking -- 13 A -- this is overly -- I’m trying to answer your 14 question. They may only concentrate in given areas, 15 even if there is nothing for them to eat. Right now, 16 there is very limited deer browsing here. We hope to 17 actually increase the number of plants growing. If I 18 lose some to deer browse, I’m fine with that overall 19 because I will have increased the health of the deer 20 and the forest simultaneously. 21 And, also, and most important by the way, I 22 know we focus on deer a great deal, my other concern is 23 or my other benefit of the deer fencing, sorry, when we 24 have areas that begin to regenerate with

also, and most important by the way, I 22 know we focus on deer a great deal, my other concern is 23 or my other benefit of the deer fencing, sorry, when we 24 have areas that begin to regenerate with undergrowth I 25 benefit smaller game. I’ll benefit rabbits, I’ll 123 1 benefit other small wildlife because they’ll have more 2 area to hide, they’ll have more area to eat themselves, 3 rabbits, for example, et cetera. So, generally, what 4 we find is when areas are deer fencing to get 5 regenerational, all wildlife benefits. 6 Q I just asked if this part of the forest was 7 going to more browsing, yes or no? 8 A It’s possible. 9 Q Okay, thank you. Have you done any study as 10 to the impact of the construction as shown on SP-11 on 11 the wetlands that are below the developed -- the area 12 to be developed? 13 A No, that’s outside the area. I rely on wetlands 14 protection to be with the Department of Environmental 15 Protection. 16 Q Well, there are trees in the wetlands, are 17 there not? 18 A It’s an undisturbed area and it will be determined 19 as to what can be done. There are uppers and 20 requirements that DEP will determine that to be meant. 21 Q Well, storm water runoff from the developed 22 area will be diverted to detention basins and is it 23 fair to say they will no longer go to the wetlands as 24 it has and wouldn’t that affect the ecology of the 25 trees that live there? 124 1 UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: We didn’t ask them to 2 do that, we did ask him to look at that. We didn’t ask 3 them to do that. 4 MR. AFRAN: Well, we talked about trees on 5 the site and the impact to the client, and I’m asking 6 won’t this affect the wooded areas in the wetlands? 7 UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: I think that’s a 8 question for the engineer and it’s storm water 9 question. 10 UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Yeah, that’s -- 11 MR. AFRAN: Well, I don’t think the 12 engineer knows much about trees, this gentlemen says he 13 does know about trees, so, I’m asking the gentlemen who 14 says he knows about trees. 15 MR. CHAIRPERSON: He didn’t look at the tree 16 -- we didn’t ask him to look at the trees in the 17 wetland because we have -- the applicant nor us have 18 any control over that. Okay. 19 UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Well, I’m simply 20 asking whether he did that analysis. 21 MR. CHAIRPERSON: Okay. You can ask whether 22 he did it or not. 23 THE WITNESS: I did not do a secondary 24

. Okay. 19 UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Well, I’m simply 20 asking whether he did that analysis. 21 MR. CHAIRPERSON: Okay. You can ask whether 22 he did it or not. 23 THE WITNESS: I did not do a secondary 24 analysis, storm water was done by the engineers and was 25 done by DEP.