March 12, 2025 Planning Board Regular Meeting Minutes

Michael DeCheser asked the ditch that you put rip rap is at the beginning of the elliptical pipe and that elliptical pipe runs on an angle to the beginning of the steep slope, does that sound accurate. Mr. Grabowski said yes, you can visually see it. Michael DeCheser asked where is the water coming from that goes into that ditch. Mr. Grabowski said most of the water comes from the surrounding properties. Andrew Kessler at 29 Mountain Ave asked do you have any pictures of the broken pipes. Mr. Grabowski said he took a couple of snapshots. Andrew Kessler asked have you given these pictures to Mr. Cohn. Mr. Grabowski said yes. Andrew Kessler asked did you receive any instructions from the soil conservation group to put in the elliptical pipe. Mr. Grabowski said no. Andrew Kessler asked did you submit any drawings to the soil conservation. Mr. Grabowski said they don’t get drawings, they just inspect. Andrew Kessler asked the elliptical pipe that you put in, water that is running out of the end, where is it going. Mr. Grabowski said it goes downhill. Andrew Kessler asked the water running out of the pipes, down the mountain, and then into Llewellyn Park, is that correct. Mr. Grabowski said yes, like it has historically done. Andrew Kessler asked have you seen any of the pictures that were circulated to West Orange of the flooding that is occurring down the mountain onto Llewellyn Park. Mr. Grabowski said no. Andrew Kessler asked where exactly is the elliptical pipe installed. Mr. Grabowski said in the exact location of where the old pipes were. Gerald Sweeny asked you installed the rip rap in the area for the purpose of reducing soil erosion from water flow, is that correct. Mr. Grabowski said yes that’s correct. Gerald Sweeny asked does the rip rap slow down the pace of water. Mr. Grabowski said pretty much, it contains the water in it, creates a ripple effect, and slows down the sediment movement. Gerald Sweeny asked did you install the pipes to increase water flow. Mr. Grabowski said that is not correct. Gerald Sweeny asked did you say there was water flow before you installed the pipes. Mr. Grabowski said there was 2 12-inch vitrified clay pipes that were compromised in age and nature and they were clogged and not working properly. The water was flowing over the pipes. Gerald Sweeny asked was there a retaining wall on the site when you installed

were compromised in age and nature and they were clogged and not working properly. The water was flowing over the pipes. Gerald Sweeny asked was there a retaining wall on the site when you installed the rip rap. Mr. Grabowski said yes there was. Gerald Sweeny asked did you install it. Mr. Grabowski said there was one there historically and they just rebuilt it. Gerald Sweeny asked what was the source of the rip rap that you installed. Mr. Grabowski said it was all from the site. Gerald Sweeny asked did you excavate the bedrock. Mr. Grabowski said yes that’s the source. Gerald Sweeny asked do you remember where on the site you removed the bedrock. Mr. Grabowski said yes in Mr. Cohn’s backyard. Gerald Sweeny followed-up asking right near the slope. Mr. Grabowski said no, right up against Mr. Cohn’s house, about 20 feet away from it. Oliver DeCheser at 35 Mountain Ave asked regarding the replacement of 2 12-inch pipes for 36-inch elliptical pipe which is about 4 times as much flow, was there a reason you were anticipating such an increase of flow through the pipe. Mr. Grabowski said it creates 9