November 10, 2025 Planning Board Special Meeting - WEHI Transcript

01/05/2026 03:19:18 PM Page 61 to 64 of 112 16 of 28 sheets 61 could actually hit vehicles on the highway, that sort of1 thing.2 The bottom point is often called the toe of the3 Q. slope, is that correct?4 Correct.5 A. So if the toe angles that's the bottom part.6 Q. Now, the rockfall zone would normally be off the7 slope somewhere after the toe, is that correct?8 Well, there would be a certain area that would be9 A. protected and they frequently put up a barrier.10 Now, in this particular instance, if there is a11 Q. danger of rockfall or landslide of anything like that,12 what type of rockfall zone would formally be used to13 protect those houses?14 I don't think there is a condition on the15 A. outcrops. They're not going to do any construction on16 the slope. The outcrops are a maximum 10-feet high,17 something like that. I don't think there is a rockfall18 hazard associated with this project.19 Now, if the slope destabilized through the20 Q. liquefaction and the infiltration liquefaction process,21 what would that mean in terms of the physical stability22 of the slope?23 I'm sorry, could you repeat that.24 A. Sure. If there was water infiltration and then25 Q. 62 you went to the expansion of the joints and the1 liquefaction and destabilization of the slope, what2 would that look like in terms of the physical condition3 of the slope. What would happen to the slope in that4 case?5 Well, I think you, if we were making a lake on6 A. top of this instead of a building, then that could7 occur, but we're not doing that.8 Well, you said if there's joints that open water9 Q. can infiltrate and we have to protect against that in10 someway. That doesn't require a lake, that was just11 normal groundwater?12 Well, no. It would require a substantial supply13 A. of water.14 In terms of a very heavy rainfall, as you say in15 Q. your report?16 Right. But there are mitigating procedures.17 A. No, I understand.18 Q. Are you aware of any mitigating procedures in the19 present plan?20 I don't think the plans have been advanced that21 A. far.22 The answer is no?23 Q. I'm not aware -- the answer is no, I am not24 A. aware.25 63 Okay.1 Q. Now, if you had the infiltration liquefaction,2 etc., what do they do to the slope?3 I don't know that there is liquefaction.4 A. Mr. Kleinberg, I am asking a very simple5 Q. question. You said that could happen, you don't know6 the

liquefaction,2 etc., what do they do to the slope?3 I don't know that there is liquefaction.4 A. Mr. Kleinberg, I am asking a very simple5 Q. question. You said that could happen, you don't know6 the condition?7 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Mr. Afran.8 MR. AFRAN: I'm simply asking one question,9 please.10 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: You're asking a11 hypothetical on top of hypothetical and the last meeting12 you argued against talking about hypotheticals.13 MR. AFRAN: No, I said in the last meeting,14 you can't say to a witness, if a opposing party15 satisfies your condition, would you withdraw your16 objection. That is not the kind of hypothetical you17 give to an expert witness, this is. The witness said18 there's a danger of opening the joints, liquefaction,19 collapse of the slope. He said he doesn't know yet20 because he doesn't know where the joints are.21 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: You presented that a22 hypothetical exists. Did Mr. Kleinberg say that these23 open joints exist?24 MR. AFRAN: He said he doesn't know. Well,25 64 he simply said -- he said we should put protection in to1 make sure in case they're there. So my question is very2 simply, if this liquefaction process occur's and the3 slope destabilizes what would happen to the slope? You4 got houses underneath, what would happen to the slope5 versus the homes?6 Well, the houses aren't underneath.7 A. Well, they're below the slopes high point, so if8 Q. the slope destabilizes what happens physically?9 There would have to be some sort of, you would10 A. have to project a failure surface to the toe of the11 slope and that hasn't been done in the analysis, but.12 I'm not asking you that. You said there's a13 Q. concern you have that if you don't know where the joints14 are and we don't know their condition that infiltration15 of water can cause this process and destabilize the16 slope. You said that's a concern?17 I should've said, reduce the stability of the18 A. slope.19 But you said destabilize, I believe?20 Q. I'm not 100 percent sure that would happen, so I21 A. should've said, reduce the stability.22 And when you reduce the stability of the slope23 Q. what happens physically to the slope?24 It may -- there may be a slide.25 A.