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

35 of 70 sheets Page 137 to 140 of 175 08/07/2025 02:56:42 PM 137 MR. AFRAN: I have one question. I have one1 quick question. One or two questions.2 When you attended the scene at Oval Road3 when the tree blocked the road, I believe that was the4 incident, how long, in your knowledge as a member of the5 public, how long did the road remain blocked until that6 incident cleared?7 THE PUBLIC: Roughly, I was personally at8 the scene, I was on the first engine that was there, I9 was there about half and hour. From my understanding10 after I left, the scene, there was a fire, brush fire11 caused by wires coming down and a tree coming down, so I12 believe it was approximately two hours is what I was13 told until that scene was opened by PSE&G. There could14 have been additional work, that's how long it took15 minimum for traffic to get through.16 MR. AFRAN: Thank you.17 That's all I have.18 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Thank you.19 MR. AFRAN: Thank you, Mayor.20 THE PUBLIC: Thank you.21 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Mayor, do you have any22 questions?23 MAYOR McCARTNEY: Not at the moment -- yes,24 I do.25 138 Thank you, Mayor Davis. The one about1 emergency access, we discussed the emergency access on2 Howell Drive, but have not necessarily discussed this3 emergency access, this is the first hearing about the4 emergency access in Canoe Brook.5 THE PUBLIC: Yeah.6 MAYOR McCARTNEY: I'm not familiar with any7 other emergency access.8 MR. PLOCKER: I can represent it's been9 there for quite some time and it's not part of this10 application.11 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: By the golf course over to12 Essex Fells.13 MAYOR McCARTNEY: Is that --14 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: I'm sorry.15 MAYOR McCARTNEY: -- emergency access that16 Mayor Davis brought up? This was the first time I'm17 hearing that. I didn't realize it's not part of this18 application. But is that something that we should as a19 board consider?20 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: We'll talk about that.21 MAYOR McCARTNEY: Thank you.22 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Mr. Klein?23 MR. KLEIN: So Mr. Davis -- Mayor Davis, you24 said a couple times, conditions will get materially25 139 worse, and you talked about water.1 THE PUBLIC: I'm talking about stormwater2 primarily, but I'm also talking about indirect effects3 on current drinking water and that concern that we all4 draw from.5 MR. KLEIN: What do you base your opinion on6 that it's going to materially be worse?7 THE PUBLIC: Well, because

ut indirect effects3 on current drinking water and that concern that we all4 draw from.5 MR. KLEIN: What do you base your opinion on6 that it's going to materially be worse?7 THE PUBLIC: Well, because I'm downhill and8 water runs downhill. It's bad now, basically the9 infrastructure that's there both in West Essex and West10 Orange, by the way, I've seen both sides of the11 detention pond, I believe it was when the condos were12 developed in West Orange. That infrastructure, that13 amount of water coming from West Orange alone is at the14 top of the culvert, right. I mean, there's zero excess15 capacity in addition the water from Essex Fells is16 coming down Oval Road and drains to the Canoe Brook in17 the other direction, that's hitting a wall of water18 that's coming from West Orange. Everything is backing19 up in Essex Fells. That's what's taking out our sewer20 uplift station. So right now, as I mentioned, three21 years ago one set of improvements already under existing22 conditions, stormwater impact is so great that the23 existing infrastructure is inadequate.24 Second improvement is budgeted, we haven't25 140 done the work yet, but we need to reenforce, that's the1 $200,000 figure I mentioned to you, the existing2 infrastructure because back up the water from West3 Orange. There is nobody, and I'd be happy to kind of4 talk through whatever expert you have, there's nobody on5 this dais or in Essex Fells that doesn't expect that6 water to get worse. You can put impervious coverage,7 you're cutting down massive amounts for forest, the8 stormwater and you had expert testimony before you, the9 stormwater is going to materially worse. I can't give10 you an exact figure, but come on. Look at Hill Top,11 look around us. Look at the hill and the topography12 where we are located. Stormwater's overflowing the13 banks 150 yards today, what do think it's going to be14 when you put this up there.15 MR. KLEIN: So Mr. MacNeill, I'm going to16 ask you. Does that statement make sense to you, that17 the drainage, the stormwater conditions will be18 materially worse after this development is built?19 MR. MacNEILL: So that is definitely, I20 think, subjective a bit. So I will say this. The21 applicant, from our review as well as DEP's review, has22 complied with the four major prongs of stormwater23 management as outlined in N.J.A.C. 7.8, which is the24 state code for

will say this. The21 applicant, from our review as well as DEP's review, has22 complied with the four major prongs of stormwater23 management as outlined in N.J.A.C. 7.8, which is the24 state code for stormwater management and that's runoff25