February 26, 2025, Planning Board Special Meeting Transcript - WEHI

03/03/2025 06:36:47 AM Page 5 to 8 of 115 2 of 46 sheets 5 who will be speaking on forestry issues and related1 ecological testimony.2 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Go right ahead.3 MR. AFRAN: Because Mr. Walsh needs to be4 near Mr. Fagan's setup, we'll sit back here and present5 from over here.6 MS. MCGOVERN: Mr. Walsh, will you please7 raise you right-hand.8 Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth the9 whole truth nothing but the truth.10 THE WITNESS: I do.11 MS. MCGOVERN: Thank you.12 S E A N W A L S H, having been duly sworn testifies13 as follows:14 Mr. Walsh, would you just introduce yourself and15 Q. give your academic and professional qualifications -- I16 will repeat that for the record. Is there a second mic17 for Mr. Walsh to use?18 Mr. Walsh, would you please describe for the19 board your academic and professional qualifications and20 associations?21 Hello. I am a professional engineer, been a22 A. professional engineer for about 15 years. I graduated23 Rutgers University with a bioenvironmental degree in24 engineering, a bachelor's, and went back and got a25 6 degree, a master's degree, in civil engineering from1 Rutgers University.2 I'm also the stormwater municipal engineer in3 Susquehanna Stillwater, Reading Township, Peapack4 Gladstone Township and Mendham Township in New Jersey.5 I also review plans for East Vincent Township in6 Pennsylvania.7 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Is your license current in8 the state of New Jersey?9 THE WITNESS: It is current in the State of10 New Jersey, yes.11 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Any members of the board12 have questions or Mr. Plocker?13 MR. PLOCKER: All right. I just, I know the14 board will have some leeway, which they do with all15 witnesses, but the applicants would like to state an16 objection for the record. It is my understanding this17 witness is going to be addressing stormwater design and18 as the board and everybody here is aware, my client did19 receive it's DEP approval, it's DEP permit on November20 15, 2024. We'll listen to what he has to say but it's21 going to be our intention that whatever's going to be22 discussed from this witness tonight is not within this23 boards purview. We have approvals from DEP, if they24 want to take it up with the DEP they can do that,25 7 they've already done than, we were at the Appellate1 Division, so I just wanted to state that and preserve2 that for the record. Thank you.3 CHAIRMAN

t to take it up with the DEP they can do that,25 7 they've already done than, we were at the Appellate1 Division, so I just wanted to state that and preserve2 that for the record. Thank you.3 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: So unless any members4 of the board have any questions, we accept Mr. Walsh as5 a licensed engineer in the State of New Jersey.6 MR. AFRAN: Yeah, I just don't know if Mr.7 Walsh mentioned he's employed by Princeton Hydro.8 That's a further qualification.9 And just in terms of Mr. Plocker's10 objection. I understood he would make that statement.11 It is on appeal and there are three towns that filed an12 initial challenge and may file an appeal and it's our13 contention the board does have an independent duty to14 assure itself that qualifications in this field are met15 in terms of stormwater management. That may be a legal16 dispute but in addition because the developer offered17 testimony in this field it is very proper for us to18 respond.19 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Go right ahead, sir.20 I just want to say one thing about the DEP21 A. approving the plan. The Township still has its own22 responsibility to review and approve plans. Make sure23 it meets the local ordinance. The municipal ordinance24 is pretty clear that if something is wrong and it's25 8 missed in the review process the town could be held1 accountable not the DEP. So that's why it's important2 for the town to do an independent review and I know of3 at least one instance where something was missed by the4 planning board, something got built and the town was5 held accountable to make the repairs to the system. So,6 so these things are always more expensive to fix once7 they're built than when they are on paper.8 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Thank you.9 Go right ahead, sir.10 MR. AFRAN: Mr. Walsh will present his11 presentation, I may interject occasionally with12 questions.13 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Thank you.14 All right. Thank you very much for your time.15 A. I'm going to try to be as efficient as I can. I16 appreciate it.17 First thing I'd like to talk about is the soil18 logs that were provided as part of the submission19 package. Now, DEP requires soil logs to be performed to20 learn more about the site. They're a really important21 part of the initial analysis part of a project. Soil22 logs tell us important things about the site. It will23 tell us where the seasonal high water table is. It will24 tell us

re a really important21 part of the initial analysis part of a project. Soil22 logs tell us important things about the site. It will23 tell us where the seasonal high water table is. It will24 tell us what the infiltration rates are in different25