October 29, 2025, Planning Board Special Meeting - WEHI Transcript

11/19/2025 04:42:31 PM Page 45 to 48 of 149 12 of 59 sheets 45 questions for Mr. Walsh? Please come up and be1 identified.2 THE PUBLIC: Rachel Klein, Howell Drive.3 I want to ask you about the retention4 basins. When I hear retention basin I understand it's5 going to hold water, right?6 THE WITNESS: Yes.7 THE PUBLIC: Do those have to be maintained?8 THE WITNESS: It will only hold water for a9 short period of time. They're only allowed to hold10 water for 72 hours at most and then they have to be11 emptied.12 THE PUBLIC: And something like, like13 another earthquake and something's damaged, would that14 have to be checked to make sure it wasn't broken and not15 working any longer?16 THE WITNESS: Stormwater systems have to17 routinely be inspected by their owners.18 THE PUBLIC: Routinely inspected by their19 owner?20 THE WITNESS: Yes.21 THE PUBLIC: Thank you.22 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Any other members of the23 public have questions for Mr. Walsh on his testimony?24 Come up and be identified.25 46 THE PUBLIC: Hi, Kevin Millman, the botany1 guy.2 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Go right ahead, sir.3 THE PUBLIC: Mr. Walsh, I just want to4 clarify some things. So the first is, you talked about5 the analysis that the DEP suggests or requires or is at6 least detailed, correct? Are you saying that in the7 applicants report they didn't say whether they followed8 that, it was just silent.9 THE WITNESS: It's -- they used an alternate10 method. They don't say they used alternate, but that's11 been the justification.12 THE PUBLIC: But you can back into that13 through what they detailed?14 THE WITNESS: Yeah, we pointed out some of15 their calculations don't match DEP regulations.16 THE PUBLIC: Say it again.17 THE WITNESS: We found that some of their18 calculations and methodology didn't match what was found19 in the NJ DEP Manual, that's the standard.20 THE PUBLIC: So we're left to assume that an21 alternate method was used?22 THE WITNESS: Yes. For a portion of it, yes.23 THE PUBLIC: And that alternate method was24 not outlined?25 47 THE WITNESS: No.1 THE PUBLIC: Okay.2 If you were writing a report and you used an3 alternate method would your firm detail what methodology4 was used? Would that be industry best practice to do5 so.6 THE WITNESS: I never had to use an alternate7 method before, but I would think it would be a normal8 practice to call it out.9 THE PUBLIC: Okay.10 THE WITNESS:

at be industry best practice to do5 so.6 THE WITNESS: I never had to use an alternate7 method before, but I would think it would be a normal8 practice to call it out.9 THE PUBLIC: Okay.10 THE WITNESS: Honestly, to avoid the comment11 later from a reviewer.12 THE PUBLIC: And in reviewing the alternate13 method used were you able to determine what alternate14 method was used?15 THE WITNESS: For some of it they used an16 older method that used to be the standard for the DEP,17 for other ones we think they're just mistakes,18 miscalculation. So they weren't methods, we think they19 were mistakes.20 THE PUBLIC: Was the older method retired by21 the DEP?22 THE WITNESS: Yeah, they had replaced it.23 There's a more current one.24 THE PUBLIC: Do you know why?25 48 THE WITNESS: I don't know the particulars of1 that. I don't want to -- I imagine it's a more2 conservative method, but that's, I don't know what their3 thought was.4 THE PUBLIC: Okay.5 Since we're getting into hypotheticals --6 MR. AFRAN: Oh, please. Kidding.7 THE PUBLIC: If you are in CME's seat, would8 you want to go out personally and do tests so that the9 board could see for themselves about the mottling,10 M-O-T-T-L-I-N-G, the coloration. Would you want that --11 THE WITNESS: I think I'd have a lot more12 questions about the soil profiles and depending on what13 they said --14 THE PUBLIC: In other words, would you15 rather just rely on two conflicting reports or would you16 want to see it for yourself?17 THE WITNESS: It's an extreme option. I18 think I'd have a lot more questions for the geotechnical19 engineer and maybe it would deem to that fact.20 THE PUBLIC: I mean just from, for the21 board, from a common sense standpoint, I think I would22 want to see it for myself. But, okay.23 You talked about the volume of the basins,24 basically the high water table and the mottling were25