January 29, 2025 Planning Board Special Meeting Transcript - WEHI

02/13/2025 11:25:53 AM Page 37 to 40 of 143 10 of 57 sheets 37 breaking would a method. Hoe rams would be another1 method, but blasting tends to be the most productive.2 It's the quickest, it's the least overall impact on the3 community, but it's because of the relatively hardness4 of the rock contractors tend or prefer using blasting.5 THE PUBLIC: Is there any sort of danger6 when it comes to the sequence of blasting as opposed to7 just overall blasting? In other words, if you were to8 blast one area versus another would that lead to the9 potential collapse of an area versus blasting one area10 then another?11 THE WITNESS: Blasting is generally12 sequenced determined by the blaster. And if -- there's13 several things that go into determining what an14 appropriate blast sequence is. But your question is15 very broad, so it's harder to address. But I don't --16 if a properly developed, designed and implemented17 control blasting program is implemented then there's18 very -- there's no risk. Really very small risk of19 getting damage beyond that excavation line.20 THE PUBLIC: I think, to be more specific or21 as specific as I can get, I'm nowhere near an expert on22 this, is that the young lady who spoke earlier about23 collapse, part of the reason for that collapse just24 south of here, just because the blasting was not done in25 38 the right order and that led to the collapse of the1 slopes. So is that a danger if it is not done right? I2 mean, I guess everything is a danger when it's not done3 right, but obviously this was construction that you4 would expect people to have known how to do it and they5 didn't. So is something that needs to be a concern?6 THE WITNESS: It's -- we always recommend7 that this type of blasting be implemented on project8 sites and that is something that the owner implemented9 and put into their contract documents, to make sure that10 this is properly done and implemented.11 THE PUBLIC: Okay. All right. I think12 that's all I have.13 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Young lady first.14 THE PUBLIC: Jessica Pearson, P-E-A-R-S-O-N.15 Good evening. Good evening board. I'm going to speak16 loudly because I had a very hard time hearing back there17 and I'm going to tell you that I apologize in advance if18 I repeat a question because I really -- back there is19 very, very difficult to hear, including your testimony.20 So I apologize.21 So I would like

m going to tell you that I apologize in advance if18 I repeat a question because I really -- back there is19 very, very difficult to hear, including your testimony.20 So I apologize.21 So I would like to know, how deep was the22 soil at the top of that ridge where you dug and were23 there dug soil borings at the top of that slope or did24 you go into the rock at the top of that slope, and if25 39 so, you would obviously know the depth of the sand and1 the dirt that I saw on your cross section?2 THE WITNESS: Correct. So the borings --3 THE PUBLIC: Can you speak up, I'm sorry.4 Even though I'm right here.5 THE WITNESS: We can scroll to the boring6 log and look at that together.7 It's in there.8 THE PUBLIC: So you're going to hopefully9 cover the distance from the ridge and the area at the10 top of that ridge where you dug borings or digging or11 drilling, I would like to know the depth of the dirt.12 Thank you.13 MS. MCGOVERN: It's Page 26 in the report.14 THE PUBLIC: Page 26 did you say?15 MS. MCGOVERN: That's what I'm trying to16 find out.17 THE WITNESS: This is it right here.18 MS. MCGOVERN: Page 26.19 THE WITNESS: Okay. So boring LB-1, which is20 shown up on the screen here.21 THE PUBLIC: Can you speak into the mic,22 please.23 THE WITNESS: What we're showing on the24 screen is boring LB-1 at the top of the slope and it's25 40 showing decomposed rock layer.1 THE PUBLIC: I'm sorry. I'm really having2 trouble hearing you. Maybe he needs a new mic or3 something. That mic is just --4 THE WITNESS: I will try to speak more5 closely into the mic.6 So what we're finding is in boring LD-1 rock7 is around, decomposed rock is about 9 feet below ground8 and above that is this generally sandy material with9 varying amounts of gravel and silt that tends to be very10 dense.11 THE PUBLIC: Very dense?12 THE WITNESS: Right.13 THE PUBLIC: You said 9 feet correct? Yeah.14 THE WITNESS: Correct.15 THE PUBLIC: 9 feet of silt and sand and16 some gravel before you hit rock. Did you bore into the17 rock as well and if so how deep?18 THE WITNESS: So at boring B-1 we cored a19 couple runs into it, which is a total depth of 24 feet.20 THE PUBLIC: I'm sorry.21 THE WITNESS: 24 feet total.22 THE PUBLIC: You went 24 feet into the rock?23 THE WITNESS: No, we went from 9 feet to 24.24 So the first 9 feet is soil and then the next 13 feet is25