November 13, 2024 Planning Board Special Meeting Transcript - WEHI

29 1 presentation included a slide called total native plant 2 additions as proposed, which summarized the additional 3 plantings the applicant planned to make inside the 4 proposed deer fence to help restore the forest -- 279 5 trees, 1,065 shrubs and 2,166 perennials, grasses, 6 ground covers -- total of 3,510 plantings. And you 7 said these all, in terms of specific species are 8 subject to further discussion. So, just had a series 9 of questions from that. 10 Who determines this specific proposal and 11 what are the main factors impacting such a proposed 12 formulation? 13 MR. DeFEO: So, I understand the question, 14 are you asking specifically about the species being 15 selected as of right now and proposed? 16 MR. COVIAT: Well, both. It was a compound 17 sentence. I probably shouldn’t have done that. But 18 I’ll break it into two questions. 19 MR. DeFEO: Please. 20 MR. COVIAT: Who actually determines this 21 proposal and is there a formula that is generally 22 followed in the industry? 23 MR. DeFEO: I’m not certain I understand the 24 question. Let me try my best. 25 THE CHAIRPERSON: Are you asking the nature 30 1 of the individual trees -- how many elm trees, how many 2 oak trees -- the species of trees? 3 MR. COVIAT: Yes, and the actual number and 4 who actually does that. 5 MR. DeFEO: Okay. As far as the specific 6 species of plants that were selected, that is the 7 applicant submitting that to us for consideration. 8 They submitted native species. As I testified, I 9 think, in the prior testimony, I stated in at least one 10 case I have recommended that they consider replacing 11 one of the native species with a second one because of 12 climate change and the species probably would not do 13 well. 14 In fact, there are a number of studies that 15 show we need to be thinking about planting species that 16 are at the northern range, historically, of their 17 survival rate and picking more southern species as 18 they’ll do better. So we talked about that. As far as 19 the formula itself and this number of trees, the 20 applicant submitted that. 21 MR. COVIAT: Okay. And would the applicant 22 typically hire a forester to help put this proposal 23 together? Would it be a forester or -- 24 MR. DeFEO: Applicants can hire whomever they 25 want. I don’t know who they hired to do this. 31 1 MR. COVIAT: Okay. So, when you say that the 2 proposal is subject to

Would it be a forester or -- 24 MR. DeFEO: Applicants can hire whomever they 25 want. I don’t know who they hired to do this. 31 1 MR. COVIAT: Okay. So, when you say that the 2 proposal is subject to further discussion, do you mean 3 that the Planning Board can make changes to this 4 proposal as a condition of approval? 5 MR. DeFEO: I can’t answer that question. 6 THE CHAIRPERSON: The Planning Board can have 7 a condition that a forester can be engaged to review on 8 behalf of the Planning Board all these new trees and 9 growth that we planted. 10 MR. COVIAT: Okay. So, again, I just want to 11 clarify a little bit. And I realize the witness is 12 here as opposed to the Chair, but could the Board, 13 perhaps upon the recommendation of Mr. DeFeo, say that 14 we need a different number of a particular proposed 15 species or that we need a different species as he’s 16 already mentioned and is that something that the Board 17 would have to decide upon as part of their decision? 18 UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: The applicant will 19 work with the Planning Board as a condition whether 20 it’s through our forester or their forester with our 21 forester to make sure that they are no invasive species 22 and are conducive to the new growth that Mr. DeFeo’s 23 been speaking about. 24 MR. COVIAT: Okay. So, let me just throw out 25 a hypothetical. The proposal is for 279 trees. If Mr. 32 1 DeFeo or a majority of the Board said we think there 2 should be 30 more trees as opposed to what are 3 proposed, is that something that has to be reached by 4 consensus or the can the applicant say nope, not going 5 to do it? 6 MR. CHAIRPERSON: It would have to be by 7 consensus. And the applicant has been very reasonable 8 with this, so -- I can’t speak for Mr. Plocker -- he 9 may want to -- 10 MR. PLOCKER: Yeah, I just wanted to say for 11 the record because I thought this may have come up 12 before and I may have made a representation on behalf 13 of the applicant, if not, I’ll make it now. We do have 14 a landscaping plan. That’s what’s before the Board. 15 The application complies with the tree requirement of 16 our zoning ordinance. 17 However, we did represent, and will continue 18 to represent that as a condition of approval, we will 19 continue to work with Mr. DeFeo, the town forester or 20 whatever town professionals are going to be involved 21 when we are out in the field and it

present that as a condition of approval, we will 19 continue to work with Mr. DeFeo, the town forester or 20 whatever town professionals are going to be involved 21 when we are out in the field and it is time to do these 22 plantings after the buildings are built. And we stand 23 by that representation. 24 UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Thank you, Mr. 25 Plocker.