June 4, 2025, Planning Board Regular Meeting Transcript - WEHI

06/20/2025 06:55:03 AM Page 69 to 72 of 101 18 of 41 sheets 69 THE PUBLIC: Could the water affect my1 community?2 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: If you can answer you can3 answer.4 MR. AFRAN: I would say this, he did speak5 to flooding on terms of building on Mr. Walsh's6 testimony when he spoke about the water table being7 different from how the applicant measured. He didn't8 speak of flooding directly but he talked about the9 problems because of the water table.10 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Didn't speak to flooding11 on the contiguous properties.12 THE PUBLIC: Based on what you -- I'll try13 and rephrase it. Based on what you told us today what14 would be the effects of the heavy rains in my15 neighborhood?16 MR. PLOCKER: Same objection.17 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: He didn't look at your18 neighborhood, sir.19 THE PUBLIC: In the adjacent neighborhood to20 where this is being built?21 MR. PLOCKER: Same objection.22 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Did you talk about runoff?23 THE WITNESS: So are you in the neighborhood24 right down here?25 70 THE PUBLIC: Yes.1 THE WITNESS: So my firms concern about this2 whole project is their stormwater management plan is3 flawed based on what we still believe that being4 inaccurate soil information. With that said, it's going5 to -- understanding where the seasonal high water table6 accurately is, si important to make sure all the7 stormwater BMP's proposed function in accordance with8 the NJ BMP manual. If they're incorrect with any aspect9 of the existing features it's going to impact how they10 function. And then, yes, you will have an increase in11 water going down the hill towards your development.12 THE PUBLIC: Thank you.13 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Thank you.14 Please state you name.15 THE PUBLIC: Jessica Pearson, Verona.16 Okay. You just, and a couple of times17 before, you had testified that the seasonal high water18 table is higher than the bottom or the base of the pits.19 Okay. That being said, so obviously what are the20 ramifications of a retention basin that cannot retain21 the water?22 THE WITNESS: It is a compliance problem.23 And the New Jersey BMP manual has very strict guidelines24 on how to design a basin and what the constrains are.25 71 And normally you need two feet of separation between the1 bottom of a basin and the seasonal high water table. If2 the seasonal high water table is actually found to be3 above the elevation of the basin that's an

you need two feet of separation between the1 bottom of a basin and the seasonal high water table. If2 the seasonal high water table is actually found to be3 above the elevation of the basin that's an inherent4 problem within the design.5 THE PUBLIC: So going a little further on6 that, you had mentioned something about water quality,7 N.J.A.C. 7.8. You talked about it not being in8 compliance with water quality standards and infiltration9 standards recharge. And this is a wholly natural10 property, so recharge would apply on this particular11 site, would that be correct?12 THE WITNESS: Yes.13 THE PUBLIC: So, okay.14 So the recharge standard can't actually15 occur if the water level is higher, than the water has16 nowhere to go. It's not going to infiltrate into the17 ground. So they would not be in compliance with the18 recharge standard and the water quality standard would19 also necessitate some kind of infiltration or flow20 through some kind of grasses or some kind of vegetation,21 but how would that actually be conducted if none of22 these pits are working?23 THE WITNESS: Again, that goes back to our24 fundamental concern with the design and what I tried to25 72 show with the seasonal high water table and fragipan as1 it relates to wetlands, is that the environment should2 make sense. That water is not moving uphill to get to3 the wetland. Their seasonal high water table elevation4 being below the wetland makes no sense. Every other5 wetland in every other landscape in New Jersey is,6 unless it's in an Arcasian City. The water moves7 downhill towards the lowest landscape position and if it8 is a wetland it is a wetland and a stream. And that's9 what we believe occur's here. So any indication that a10 seasonal high water table is below the elevation of an11 adjacent wetland the basis for our position is that it12 just makes no sense.13 THE PUBLIC: Speaking back -- going back to14 the fragipan. Have you ever seen a situation in which15 the change of flow, the pattern of flow being changed16 with the arrow diagram that was up earlier, could that17 change of flow have an impact on the topsoils before you18 hit the fragipan so as to erode them more quickly,19 whether that lead to intense storms, to redirection, the20 removal of trees and upsetting the root systems, so that21 the fragipan actually now is closer to the surface than22 it was long before and,

whether that lead to intense storms, to redirection, the20 removal of trees and upsetting the root systems, so that21 the fragipan actually now is closer to the surface than22 it was long before and, again, that would, would that or23 could that disrupt the infiltration process, the natural24 recharge process that had once occurred on that site?25