March 12, 2025 Planning Board Regular Meeting Minutes

At the request of the board, Paul Grabowski, is present to testify regarding the questions that have arisen about the ditch. The contractor, Paul Grabowski, entered on the record, he was sworn under oath, and his credential were accepted by the board. He testified to the following: Mr. Grabowski is a contractor who does site work and was engaged by The WayMaker LLC to do the site work at 40 Eagle Ridge Way. Mr. Grabowski did the excavation for the pool and the pool house. Mr. Grabowski installed the 10-tank seepage pit system and did it in accordance with the plans prepared by Matarazzo. The general contractor contacted Mr. Grabowski’s office in the summer of 2023 concerning the conditions of the ditch on the property. Mr. Grabowski received a call to clean the ditch and put in rip rap in the summer of 2023. After this Mr. Grabowski continued to work at 40 Eagle Ridge Way and was notified that there was a potential violation issue with regard to the rip rap in the ditch in November 2023. Mr. Grabowski was told to put rip rap in the ditch but he already put rip rap in the ditch. In November of 2023 a deficiency notice concerning the rip rap was received. That deficiency notice instructed them to add rip rap and Mr. Grabowski added more as they requested. After November, they never received a violation. At 2 separate times, Mr. Grabowski cleaned the ditch and put in rip rap. Mr. Grabowski did not change the ditch, move it from one side to another, or change the direction that the ditch was already in existence. Mr. Grabowski came across 2 broken pipes while working on the ditch. These pipes were made out of vitrified clay and were compromised due to age. Mr. Grabowski replaced these broken pipes with an elliptical concrete pipe in the exact location where the broken pipes were. Nothing else was done with regard to the ditch or the rip rap or any construction down in that area. BOARD QUESTIONS Mayor McCartney asked was any of this work done near a steep slope. Mr. Grabowski said no Mayor McCartney asked did you come to the town to say there is a broken pipe on a steep slope in pre-existing conditions that needs to be repaired. Mr. Grabowski said he was directed by soil conservation to repair what was there as far as putting rip rap in the ditch and replaced the broken pipes. Mr. Klein asked if there was a disturbance on the steep slope. Mr.

he was directed by soil conservation to repair what was there as far as putting rip rap in the ditch and replaced the broken pipes. Mr. Klein asked if there was a disturbance on the steep slope. Mr. Grabowski said the disturbance was pre-existing, everything was pre-existing except with the exception of adding rip rap that was authorized by soil conservation. Ms. Kapferer asked did the soil conservation district directed you to replace the pipe. Mr. Grabowski said they directed him to put rip rap in the ditch. Ms. Kapferer asked regarding the pipe replacement, did the conservation district provide guidance about what kind of pipe or the size of pipe to use in the replacement? Mr. Grabowski said there were 2 broken12 12-inch pipes, and he put in 1 large concrete pipe that accommodates the same kind of flow that previously flowed through the vitrified clay pipes. Chairman Bagoff asked, did the plans given to the soil conservation district show the new pipes. Mr. Triolo said she thinks it was added.