April 30, 2025, Planning Board Special Meeting Transcript - WEHI

1 of 48 sheets Page 1 to 4 of 116 05/12/2025 02:23:28 PM 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 1 TOWNSHIP OF WEST ORANGE DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT WEDNESDAY, APRIL 30, 2025 6:30 P.M. RE; PB-24-01 WEST ESSEX HIGHLANDS, INC. BOARD MEMBERS: ROBERT BAGOFF, Chairman SUSAN McCARTNEY, Mayor WILLIAM WILKES II LEE D. KLEIN, PE PTOE LORI KAPFERER (Alternate 2) KEN ALPER RYAN MacNEILL, Engineer GERARD HAIZEL, Planner JAMILET BAQUERIZO VITE, Board Secretary GENIECE GARY-ADAMS, Zoning Official JOSEPH FAGAN, Zoom Moderator FISHMAN COURT REPORTING AGENCY 89 HEADQUARTERS PLAZA NORTH 4 SPEEDWELL AVENUE, SUITE 1440 MORRISTOWN, NEW JERSEY 07960 (973) 285-5331 - FAX - (732) 605-9391 2 A P P E A R A N C E S :1 2 3 H U T T , S H I M A N O W I T Z & P L O C K E R , E S Q S . B Y B R Y A N D . P L O C K E R , E S Q .4 B p l o c k e r @ h u t t s h i m . c o m 4 5 9 A M B O Y A V E N U E5 W O O D B R I D G E , N E W J E R S E Y 0 7 0 9 5 A p p e a r i n g o n b e h a l f o f t h e A p p l i c a n t6 7 G A C C I O N E & P O M A C O , E S Q S . B Y D I A N A P . M c G O V E R N , E S Q .8 O N E B O L A N D D R I V E , S U I T E 1 0 2 W E S T O R A N G E , N E W J E R S E Y 0 7 0 5 29 A p p e a r i n g o n b e h a l f o f t h e B o a r d 10 11 B R U C E I . A F R A N , E S Q . 1 0 B R A E B R U N D R I V E12 P R I N C E T O N , N E W J E R S E Y 0 8 5 4 0 A p p e a r i n g o n b e h a l f o f t h e O b j e c t o r , W e C a r e N J13 C o r p . 14 L A W O F F I C E S O F S T E V E N L . S A C K S - W I L N E R , E S Q S .15 B Y S T E V E N L . S A C K S - W I L N E R , E S Q . 2 0 E A S T R I D G E R O A D16 S K I L L M A N , N E W J E R S E Y 0 8 5 5 8 A p p e a r i n g o n b e h a l f o f t h e O b j e c t o r17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 3 I N D E X1 W I T N E S S D I R E C T C R O S S R E D I R E C T R E C R O S S2 3 I N D E X O F E X H I B I T S4 E X H I B I T D E S C R I P T I O N5 O - 1 2 D R . B U T L E R S L I D E S H O W6 O - 1 3 D R . D e V I T O S L I D E S H O W7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 4 C H A I R M A N B A G O F F : P B - 2 4 - 0 1 W e s t E s s e x1 H ig h la n d s , I n c . B lo c k 1 7 9 L o t 3 2 , W a r n e r R o a d . T h e2 a p p li c a n t is p r o p o s in g t o d e v e lo p a 4 9 6 u n it3 in c lu s io n a r y m u lt if a m ily r e s id e n t ia l d e v e lo p m e n t o n a4 v a c a n t 1 2 0 a c

e r R o a d . T h e2 a p p li c a n t is p r o p o s in g t o d e v e lo p a 4 9 6 u n it3 in c lu s io n a r y m u lt if a m ily r e s id e n t ia l d e v e lo p m e n t o n a4 v a c a n t 1 2 0 a c r e p r o p e r t y in t h e n o r t h w e s t c o r n e r o f t h e5 T o w n s h ip o f W e s t O r a n g e .6 M S . M C G O V E R N : S o M r . A f r a n w a s c o n t in u in g7 w it h h is o b j e c t o r s c a s e .8 C H A I R M A N B A G O F F : M r . A f r a n .9 M R . A F R A N : Y e s , g o o d e v e n in g . I t h in k i t 's10 o n .11 G o o d e v e n in g , M r . C h a ir m a n . W e h a v e t w o12 w it n e s s e s f o r t o n ig h t . I f y o u r e c a l l a t t h e la s t13 m e e t in g w h e n t h e r e w a s a t e c h n ic a l p r o b le m w e c o u ld n 't14 g o f o r w a r d . O n e o f t h o s e w it n e s s e s h a d a v a c a t io n15 s c h e d u le d f o r t o d a y , h e ' s o u t o f t h e c o u n t y b u t h e ' s16 a v a il a b l e , t h a t 's M a r k G a l la g h e r , f o r J u n e 4 , a s s u m in g17 t h e r o o m s a v a ila b le a t t h a t t im e . B u t w e d o h a v e t w o18 w it n e s s e s t o n ig h t . T h e f ir s t is E m il D e V i t o , w h o w a s19 s c h e d u le d t h e l a s t m e e t in g t h a t w e h a d t h a t w a s20 p o s t p o n e d b e c a u s e o f t e c h n ic a l p r o b le m s a n d t h e n w e h a v e21 L u k e B u t le r , o u r s e c o n d w it n e s s t o n ig h t .22 M r . F a g a n is c h e c k in g t o s e e if w e h a v e D r .23 D e V it o ' s - -24 M R . F A G A N : I h a v e it . I t h in k I h a v e it .25