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

43 of 70 sheets Page 169 to 172 of 175 08/07/2025 02:56:42 PM 169 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Thank you. Thank you for1 your testimony. Okay.2 MR. AFRAN: There's one -- we have one more3 but probably -- there was one more witness tonight, I4 don't know whether you were doing other matters right5 now.6 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Three minutes.7 MR. AFRAN: Three minutes but not more than8 a few minutes.9 Rachel Klein and that would be the last10 person from us.11 MS. McGOVERN: Is she in your group?12 THE PUBLIC: No, I am not.13 MS. McGOVERN: Oh, I thought she was part of14 your group of people.15 THE PUBLIC: I'm not an officer.16 MR. AFRAN: We didn't say we are only doing17 our group of people. I said that Paul, as a18 representative of the organization, is speaking. We19 have fact witnesses. That's the point of Marea for20 example.21 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Okay. Go ahead.22 MS. McGOVERN: I misunderstood.23 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Come on guys.24 MS. McGOVERN: No, it's fine.25 170 MR. AFRAN: Ms. Klein is going to describe a1 certain condition.2 MS. McGOVERN: It's not public comment?3 MR. AFRAN: She's discussing a condition.4 MS. McGOVERN: Do you swear or affirm to5 tell the truth the whole truth nothing but the truth.6 THE PUBLIC: Yes.7 MS. McGOVERN: Please state you name and8 spell you last name and give us your address.9 THE PUBLIC: Rachel Klein, K-L-E-I-N. 1310 Howell Drive, West orange.11 R A C H E L K L E I N, having been duly12 sworn testifies as follows:13 THE PUBLIC: I wanted the board to be aware14 of a sewer issue, especially since no one has brought up15 exactly how the sewer lines are going to be dealt with,16 with the proposed development. There's currently a17 sewer line that goes through the property, goes from the18 West Essex Highlands all the way through and connects to19 the sewer line on Howell Drive. I moved into my20 property November 1, 2016 and immediately I noticed a21 smell, I didn't know what the smell was. I had assumed22 it was a swimming pool because I never owned one before.23 I was informed that it's actually the sewer line and24 it's been smelling for years. And upon investigation25 171 with the town, the Health Department, with county DEP1 representatives we pretty much narrowed it down that the2 sewer line that runs from West Essex Highlands through3 the woods there it's admitting a horrible odor all the4 time. And just imagine having a barbecue for

s we pretty much narrowed it down that the2 sewer line that runs from West Essex Highlands through3 the woods there it's admitting a horrible odor all the4 time. And just imagine having a barbecue for Father's5 Day and the wind turns and sitting in the backyard6 entertaining family and it's like having a porta potty7 just dumped on your property. It's a horrific smell.8 It always smells. The developer is aware of it because9 he was made to come out and smell it, but no one is10 dealing with it. The town is under the impression that11 it can only be dealt with by the owner of the property12 because the owner of the property owns the sewer line.13 The county just says to me come out whenever you smell14 it. So I'm literally chasing phantoms, chasing smells15 and this is what I'm living with all the time. My16 children, it's really hard to enjoy the backyard and to17 know that there is no plan right now for where you're18 planning to put this sewer line for 500 more homes, is19 this sewer line going to --20 MR. PLOCKER: I'm going to object. I21 believe that's a mischaracterization of the testimony.22 There is a sewer plan for this job. It's part of site23 plan set. So the fact that repeatedly people keep24 saying that there is no sewer plan, that is not25 172 accurate.1 MR. AFRAN: Well, there's no way to get the2 sewage from the building to any output. That's the lack3 of a sewer plan.4 MR. PLOCKER: That's not accurate.5 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Okay.6 MR. AFRAN: Well, then I'd like to see --7 last time we had this discussion I said, show me the8 sewer plan. I don't see a sewer plan. I don't see a9 potable water plan.10 THE PUBLIC: I'll just say one other thing,11 as a resident of this town I have a major trust issue12 with an owner and a developer who I have been dealing13 with as a neighbor to my property who is just leaving us14 with this awful awful thing to deal with. I am going to15 trust him to put a basin above my property, I am going16 to trust him to blast above my property. I have a major17 trust issue and something that you should all be aware18 of. Come stand in my backyard, smell it and ask19 yourself, is this something I would live with and then20 is this someone I would ever trust. Tell me all your21 plans. DEP said this, I don't care. I am smelling raw22 sewage all the time because of this developer. Thank23 you.24 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Thank you. We are

someone I would ever trust. Tell me all your21 plans. DEP said this, I don't care. I am smelling raw22 sewage all the time because of this developer. Thank23 you.24 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Thank you. We are done.25