January 29, 2025 Planning Board Special Meeting Transcript - WEHI

35 of 57 sheets Page 137 to 140 of 143 02/13/2025 11:25:53 AM 137 MAYOR MCcARTNEY: One more question.1 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Mayor McCartney.2 MAYOR MCcARTNEY: Mr. Plocker, where do we3 land as far as doing additional soil borings or test4 pits?5 MR. PLOCKER: That's something we'll6 definitely discuss.7 MAYOR MCcARTNEY: Thank you.8 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Mr. Cardoza, do you have9 any question or comments?10 MR. CARDOZA: Not at this time, Chairman11 Bagoff.12 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Mayor McCartney, do you13 have any questions or comments?14 MAYOR MCcARTNEY: No, I asked my questions15 already.16 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Thank you.17 Vice Chairman Guarino, do you have any18 questions or comments?19 VICE CHAIRMAN GUARINO: Not at this time.20 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Mr. Alper, do you have any21 questions or comments?22 MR. ALPER: Not at this time.23 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Mr. Wilkes, do you have24 any questions or comments?25 138 MR. WILKES: No.1 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Councilwoman Scarpa, do2 you have any questions or comments?3 COUNCILWOMAN SCARPA: Yeah, I have a4 question about planning. You testified that good5 planning constitutes -- a good plan is comprehensive and6 you talked a lot about good planning. So if there was7 no Mount Laurel or affordable and you're a planner for8 West Orange, would you plan and approve this development9 for the site?10 THE WITNESS: I'm not sure I understand the11 question. You're saying if there was no --12 COUNCILWOMAN SCARPA: Affordable housing was13 removed from this, you were the planner for West Orange,14 do you think this plan is a good plan? The totality of15 all this.16 THE WITNESS: It's a hypothetical and I17 don't know. I don't know.18 COUNCILWOMAN SCARPA: You're a planner and19 you know about good planing, so I was wondering if this20 would be a good plan?21 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Ladies and gentlemen, you22 have to be quiet, he is taking notes.23 MR. PLOCKER: With all due respect, that's24 not the application before you, Councilwoman Scarpa.25 139 But John, if you want to, go ahead and answer it.1 THE WITNESS: It's a whole separate fact2 analysis. But, again, we're looking at a development3 that fully complies with the zoning requirements that4 are before you, so. There may be different zoning if it5 wasn't affordable housing. I don't know. I think the6 applicant has certainly demonstrated here that at this7 density, at this mass, at this scale the site

ou, so. There may be different zoning if it5 wasn't affordable housing. I don't know. I think the6 applicant has certainly demonstrated here that at this7 density, at this mass, at this scale the site can8 accommodate the density that's before you. Parking,9 water, sewer, all can be accommodated here with the10 development that's before you and it is a beautiful11 development. It is a beautiful investment in the12 property.13 COUNCILWOMAN SCARPA: Okay. That's it.14 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Mr. Hess, do you have any15 questions or comments?16 MR. HESS: I don't.17 MR. BAGOFF: Mr. Haizel, do you have any18 questions or comments?19 MR. HAIZEL: Not at this time.20 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Okay.21 The objectors are going to put on their22 testimony next meeting and --23 MR. PLOCKER: We'll try to confirm that. We24 need to look at availability and --25 140 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: So the area around, that1 was brought out by the public tonight, around the most2 disproportion of Building D proximity to Howell Drive.3 The board would like to have additional pits done in4 that area.5 MR. PLOCKER: Yeah, we already discussed6 that. We'll discuss it with the professional, we don't7 see it's an issue.8 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: So the geotechnical expert9 will be in touch with Mr. Hess, they will come up with a10 solution that makes sense and during the process of11 blasting we'd like monitoring during the entire blasting12 period. Okay.13 MR. PLOCKER: Absolutely.14 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Okay. Good.15 February 26 be good for the applicant?16 MR. PLOCKER: Yes.17 MS. MCGOVERN: We did poll the board, I did18 poll the board and I do know that we have a quorum from19 the responses that I got.20 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: So we'll have a quorum.21 MS. MCGOVERN: We will have a quorum because22 it looks like we got nine board members who responded23 they would be able to attend.24 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Good. Okay.25