June 23, 2025 Planning Board Special Meeting Transcript - WEHI

1 of 21 sheets Page 1 to 4 of 52 07/19/2025 07:03:47 AM 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 MONDAY, JUNE 23, 2025 6:30 P.M. RE; PB-24-01 WEST ESSEX HIGHLANDS, INC. BOARD MEMBERS: ROBERT BAGOFF, Chairman SUSAN McCARTNEY, Mayor JERRY GUARINO, Vice Chairman KEN ALPER SUSAN SCARPA, Council Person WILLIAM WILKES JOHN J. HESS, Engineer GERARD HAIZEL, Planner JAMILET BAQUERIZO VITE, Board Secretary GENIECE GARY-ADAMS, Zoning Official JOSEPH FAGAN, Zoom Moderator WITNESS: JOHN McDONOUGH, Planner 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 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 .3 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 E4 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 t5 6 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 .7 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 28 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 9 10 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 E11 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 J12 C o r p . 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 3 1 I N D E X O F E X H I B I T S2 E X H I B I T D E S C R I P T I O N P A G E3 4 5 6 7 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 i g h l a n d s , B l o c k 1 7 9 L o t 3 2 Z o n e I H - 1 . W a r n e r R o a d .2 T h e a p p l i c a n t i s p r o p o s i n g t o d e v e l o p a 4 9 6 u n i t3 i n c l u s i o n a r y m u l t i f a m i l y r e s i d e n t i a l d e v e l o 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 i n 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 i p o f W e s t O r a n g e .6 M r . P l o c k e r , f o r t h e a p p l i c a n t .7 M R . P L O C K E R : H i . G o o d e v e n i n g e v e r y o n e .8 B r y a n P l o c k e r o n b e h a l f o f t h e a p p l i c a n t , W e s t E s s e x9 H i g h l a n d s , I n c . A

i c a n t .7 M R . P L O C K E R : H i . G o o d e v e n i n g e v e r y o n e .8 B r y a n P l o c k e r o n b e h a l f o f t h e a p p l i c a n t , W e s t E s s e x9 H i g h l a n d s , I n c . A n d t o n i g h t w e b r o u g h t w i t h u s b a c k a s10 w e p r o m i s e d J o h n M c D o n o u g h , o u r p r o f e s s i o n a l p l a n n e r ,11 w h o g a v e a f f i r m a t i v e t e s t i m o n y b a c k i n J a n u a r y . M r .12 A f r a n , o n b e h a l f o f t h e o b j e c t o r g r o u p , c o u l d n ' t a t t e n d13 t h a t m e e t i n g s o w e p r o m i s e d t o b r i n g M r . M c D o n o u g h b a c k14 f o r c r o s s e x a m i n a t i o n a n d h e i s h e r e .15 C H A I R M A N B A G O F F : M r . M c D o n o u g h , y o u16 u n d e r s t a n d y o u ' r e s t i l l u n d e r o a t h ?17 M S . M c G O V E R N : I ' m g o i n g t o r e s w e a r h i m .18 D o y o u s w e a r o r a f f i r m t o t e l l t h e t r u t h t h e19 w h o l e t r u t h n o t h i n g b u t t h e t r u t h .20 T H E W I T N E S S : Y e s , I d o .21 M S . M c G O V E R N : T h a n k y o u .22 J O H N M C D O N O U G H , h a v i n g b e e n d u l y23 s w o r n u n d e r o a t h t e s t i f i e s a s f o l l o w s :24 C H A I R M A N B A G O F F : M r . M c D o n o u g h , y o u r25