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

33 of 70 sheets Page 129 to 132 of 175 08/07/2025 02:56:42 PM 129 develop, not just West Orange but all the towns I1 mentioned are basically developing, and populations are2 growing. So the 17 acres are important not just for3 Essex Fells but of everybody, including perhaps in the4 future West Orange. It's a resource that is vital to us5 all, our customers.6 And physically, so you understand the7 property I'm talking about, the land that we own and use8 as a well field is right along the Canoe Brook and9 basically we own currently the well that's operated on10 that well field, the well is actually in West Orange.11 Most of the property we own is in West Orange. It is12 owned by the municipality of Essex Fells. We own a13 little bit of land in Essex Fells on the other side of14 the Canoe Brook. In addition we own what's currently15 storage facility, it's about 50 yards from the well that16 I just described, but we are currently building two17 water treatment plants, I am sure members of the public,18 members of the community are familiar with the19 initiative nationwide and the New Jersey laws have20 changed, we're required to sort of deliver water. Essex21 Fells as a result is building that well and really more22 importantly the aquifer under West Orange and Essex23 Fells and other areas, the well under that is24 contaminated due to PFOA which restricts that water. We25 130 are investing millions of dollars right now to basically1 improve that area so we can deliver clean drinking water2 for the next generation to residents in the area.3 So in terms of overall dollar number, we're4 sort expecting that project is going to budget 2.75 million dollars. Our loans could get to 5 million6 dollars, just to have one site for one-way.7 In terms of, I have personal experience just8 as my 18 years as Mayor I have seen a lot of stormwater9 issues. Mayor, I know you and every other Mayor in the10 borough council has seen this issue in New Jersey, that11 area in particular is low lying land makes sense, that's12 why the wells there, right. Water collects in that area13 today and really from the entirety of my eight years as14 Mayor and three to five of those on the borough council15 that area floods regularly. The flooding conditions16 have gotten significantly worse in the last five years17 and my concern in part is that you be aware of existing18 conditions. My

orough council15 that area floods regularly. The flooding conditions16 have gotten significantly worse in the last five years17 and my concern in part is that you be aware of existing18 conditions. My expectation that if this application is19 approved, it's not that the conditions are not going to20 get better, they're going to get material worse. At a21 minimum I'd like you to put into that question. If you22 look at the Canoe Brook, the headwaters on this project23 site, but the Canoe Brook runs right through borough24 property. Right through the well field I'm talking25 131 about and multiple times a year the Canoe Brook1 currently overflows its banks. The amount that2 overflows the bank is significant. If you haven't seen3 it, we can supply evidence of that, but basically the4 flooding, and from my view personally looking at these5 storms when I go down, I get residential complaints, I6 get photos sent to me every time there's flooding.7 You're talking about 150 yard wide flood waters. The8 brooks normally, I'm going to estimate, probably about9 ten to 15 feet. Right. So that's significant. That's10 under conditions today. What it does is basically that11 goes right up to our buildings, goes right up to our12 well house and we are concerned of the impact going13 forward on those structures that are in the process of14 being approved. You know, we don't have an option, in15 terms of we cannot just not provide drinking water. So16 if there's flooding that gets materially worse based on17 this condition, it's going to cost us a significant18 amount of money and it's going to harm our buildings,19 more importantly drinking water to the public. Not just20 our residents but residents of the area.21 In addition, all though Oval Road at the22 border of Essex Fells and West Orange has been vacated,23 meaning it's owned by the residents at this point for24 the last 20 to 30 years, estimation, we are required,25 132 the borough, to maintain the infrastructure. Right. So1 currently there's a sewer uplift station right on Oval2 Road near the border of West Orange in the same low3 lying area. There's also a stormwater infrastructure,4 there's a culvert right at the border of Essex Fells and5 West Orange. Currently both those infrastructure items6 that I mentioned are stressed. We had to replace the7 culvert roughly three years ago. The sewer uplift8 station we're

order of Essex Fells and5 West Orange. Currently both those infrastructure items6 that I mentioned are stressed. We had to replace the7 culvert roughly three years ago. The sewer uplift8 station we're probably going to have to spend about9 $200,000 in the next year to improve it, to harden it10 against the water damage that's being caused by overflow11 from West Orange and a little bit from Essex Fells12 that's collecting in that area. So, again, we cannot13 provide sewer service for our residences. If the water14 gets worse we're going to have to significantly improve15 the area and nobody is even looking at that question16 from our perspective.17 In addition, and it should be Mayor, you18 know, I don't know, how did you become the Mayor. Well,19 I'm an 18 year member of the Essex Fells Fire20 Department, I'm known as the Mayor and as a fireman that21 right now we maintain emergency access to West Orange on22 Oval Road. There's a, not temporary, but a wooden gate23 there that basically you could drive-through there if24 the fire engine needs to, but it has a lock on it25