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

08/07/2025 02:56:42 PM Page 69 to 72 of 175 18 of 70 sheets 69 vibration energy.1 THE PUBLIC: So is there a factor safety for2 this blasting that could effect this slope and anything3 that's there that might be affected?4 THE WITNESS: I'm sorry, could you repeat5 that.6 THE PUBLIC: Sure. So is there a factor of7 safety that is taken into consideration and are there8 any critical infrastructures on the slope?9 THE WITNESS: Well, there's a utility in the10 slope and then the street sewers.11 THE PUBLIC: If it's an older sewer line12 could vibration cause damage problems?13 THE WITNESS: Potentially.14 THE PUBLIC: So last question. When doing15 blasting, I know things have to be presented, they'll be16 governed by the laws, the statutes and all those things,17 is in it your normal or could there be pretesting done18 to determine the safety factors? Is that recommended19 before just going into full on blasting after what you20 presented, do you do any pretests beyond the soil21 samples?22 THE WITNESS: Yes, so there's -- one of the23 things I've already testified is recommended pre and24 post blasting surveys where the threshold goes into25 70 homes or adjacent, someone inspects the outside, the1 exterior facade of potential sensitive receptor and2 writes a report with recommendations for protecting the3 structures.4 THE PUBLIC: Is that something that can be5 taken up by the Planning Board, not just as a6 recommendation, but a condition?7 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: It was a condition in the8 first meeting.9 THE PUBLIC: It was. I am double checking,10 it's hard to keep track.11 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Okay. Absolutely. Thank12 you.13 Do any other members of the public have any14 questions?15 Come up.16 THE PUBLIC: Debbie Butensky.17 So my colleague brought up a question18 regarding a particular matter and the air pollution.19 What type of mitigation is expected on your end?20 MR. PLOCKER: I'm just going to object. I21 think that the question is assuming that there's going22 to be particular spread, that isn't necessarily the23 case. I think for a --24 THE PUBLIC: Absolutely.25 71 MR. PLOCKER: -- clear record.1 THE PUBLIC: You don't think there will be2 dust?3 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Let him answer.4 THE PUBLIC: I find the attorneys5 supposition that there will be no dust or debris --6 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Ma'am.7 MR. PLOCKER: I didn't say there wouldn't be8 any. I just said, would there

him answer.4 THE PUBLIC: I find the attorneys5 supposition that there will be no dust or debris --6 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Ma'am.7 MR. PLOCKER: I didn't say there wouldn't be8 any. I just said, would there necessarily be any.9 THE WITNESS: So let me try to --10 MR. PLOCKER: Everybody here is laughing but11 it's a legitimate question. I know they would like this12 to drag on and on, but let's get to an answer.13 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Okay, ma'am. Go ahead and14 ask the question.15 THE PUBLIC: Well, Mr. Plocker just asked a16 very relevant question.17 THE WITNESS: So let me try to get some18 context of the blasting question. This building has a19 certain area and then rock within that building is maybe20 roughly 28 or so the extent of the entire building. So21 it's somewhere between a quarter and a third of the22 entire building and the amount of excavation that we're23 seeing based of what the proposed elevations are of the24 building, is anywhere from 3-feet of rock excavation to25 72 in one case upwards of 20, I think 22-feet where there's1 a larger amount. And that's the extent of blasting.2 The remainder of it would be excavation of soils, which3 is, depending on the time of year, it can be dusty, but4 the contractor can suppress or make attempts to suppress5 any dust locally with water. And same thing would be6 done, I would expect, with blasting.7 THE PUBLIC: So we can multiply that times8 four because there are four buildings being proposed, is9 that what you're saying?10 MR. PLOCKER: Objection.11 THE WITNESS: I'm not saying that. I am12 only --13 THE PUBLIC: I'm trying to understand what14 the process is when the buildings in those 30 acres,15 that's what I'm trying to understand.16 MR. PLOCKER: Respectfully, we could have17 three hearings on the process of blasting and I think18 we've exhausted --19 THE PUBLIC: Not just the blasting, it's in20 his domain. Explain to me about mitigation or air21 hazard, the pollution that's going to ensue?22 THE WITNESS: I would expect that the23 contractor will make every effort to suppress dust24 through the blasting process, through the excavation25