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

08/07/2025 02:56:42 PM Page 149 to 152 of 175 38 of 70 sheets 149 sort of measurement of those two points which are1 actually, it's more than 150 yards. 150 yards is2 actually a conservative number. It could be 175 yards3 and, again, the point I'm referencing with that width is4 just kind of in the middle of the golf course but the5 flooding is at various breaths from Oval Road in West6 Orange, Essex Fells, Eagle Rock Avenue. So that entire7 width of the Canoe Brook the floodplain overflows.8 In addition I know from being a builder9 effectively, as the Mayor, the CEO of the water10 department, I know the wetlands in that area. They get11 basically -- I also know the wetlands in West Orange at12 this site, as you guys know. All these wetlands,13 everything, I have been told by experts that we employ14 is basically that is critical to maintaining our15 drinking waters.16 MR. PLOCKER: I'm going to object. He's17 basically saying what his own experts have concluded. I18 believe that would be improper.19 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Okay. This is --20 MR. KLEIN: And the improvement, what is it,21 the $200,000 culvert improvement, that's going on Eagle22 Rock Avenue, the other end?23 THE PUBLIC: $200,000 figure is an estimate24 that we have done in our budget to basically budgeted25 150 for this. It's called Sewer Uplift Station. It's1 basically just a, it's a Sewer Uplift system. It's a2 pump --3 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: This is beyond --4 MR. KLEIN: That's storm or sanitary?5 THE PUBLIC: Sanitary. And in addition the6 other reference, the culvert that I mentioned, that7 storm was the --8 MR. KLEIN: Stormwater on Oval Road or the9 other end?10 THE PUBLIC: Right. Border of East Orange11 and Essex Fells on Oval Road. Basically where the gate12 is. Again, to be precise, there's two culverts --13 MR. KLEIN: Where the Canoe Brook goes under14 Oval Road?15 THE PUBLIC: Where the Canoe Brook goes16 under Oval Road there's an access point to the Country17 Club where we can access our wells. In addition I could18 only presume it was built when the condos were19 developed. Right. So the detention basins there and20 the culvert. Again, part of the reason that's relevant,21 the existing conditions in West Orange, and I want you22 to understand and I'm begging you guys, think of this on23 a practical level. I understand all the legal24 arguments, let the lawyers do that, but your

ting conditions in West Orange, and I want you22 to understand and I'm begging you guys, think of this on23 a practical level. I understand all the legal24 arguments, let the lawyers do that, but your engineers25 151 specifically saying, we'll work it out. If there's more1 flooding than we expect, we'll make more demands. Well,2 look at the West Essex Condominium Association, the3 development. Your existing infrastructure you put in4 there 30 years ago is insufficient. What are you doing5 about it. Nothing.6 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: You're testifying.7 THE PUBLIC: I'm asking a question. I'm8 saying to you guys in response to your question to me,9 I'm not an expert, I'm not pretending to be an expert.10 The facts are right before you. All I'm saying is look11 at them, don't ignore them and investigate to your12 satisfaction. Do not outsource it.13 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Mayor, thank you.14 Don't go away.15 Ms. Kapferer.16 MS. KAPFERER: Thank you Mayor for your17 testimony. And I am actually okay. I want to ask Mr.18 MacNeill a question.19 If there's soil testing and at that point20 it's determined the high groundwater is higher than what21 we've seen thus far in reports and what the, you know,22 what the stormwater design is based on, how is it23 addressed at that time?24 MR. MacNEILL: So they would immediately be25 152 issued a stop work order and their -- the applicants1 engineer would have to work with our office to come up2 with a plan that is now compliant with the stormwater3 regulations. So essentially they have to now raise the4 basin bottom by 10-feet. That will have impacts5 potentially to upstream on the development. So it will6 be back to the applicants engineer to resolve the7 issues, not the Township. The Township would8 essentially say the goundwater that you have certified9 under your geotechnical report is incorrect based on our10 inspections and our field investigations. If that is11 the, becomes -- if that happens then it would be a stop12 work order and the applicants engineer would have to13 resolve it with revised plans that show the resolution14 at issue.15 MS. KAPFERER: And that's my question then,16 what happens? And then we go back to permitting?17 MR. MacNEILL: So typically handled, and18 every project is different, right. So there's something19 like this to happen but one, it's either handled as a20 field change. They just need to raise the

17 MR. MacNEILL: So typically handled, and18 every project is different, right. So there's something19 like this to happen but one, it's either handled as a20 field change. They just need to raise the basin 2-feet21 to comply with the regulations. That's all handled,22 that's a field change or administrative approval23 potentially. If the situation happens were it's 15-feet24 higher than what they're saying in their geotechnical25