November 10, 2025 Planning Board Special Meeting - WEHI Transcript

7 of 28 sheets Page 25 to 28 of 112 01/05/2026 03:19:18 PM 25 building.1 MAYOR McCARTNEY: And in your2 recommendations you said that soil erosion protection of3 the slope, how will you install that and what does that4 actually mean?5 THE WITNESS: Well, basically here you would6 ensure that the grading during construction didn't7 permit any flow, any runoff over the top of the slope.8 MAYOR McCARTNEY: You also mentioned that9 they should place slope indicators?10 THE WITNESS: Slope indicators, yes.11 MAYOR McCARTNEY: So if they do bend, as you12 referred to, what happens? What is the implication of13 that.14 THE WITNESS: Well, the implication is15 that -- well, we anticipate that, or at least it should16 be anticipated in the review of this project that17 blasting will be required to excavate 23 feet of rock on18 the one end of the building. And so that, and so this19 excavation work plan that we recommend be required they20 would have to do an evaluation on how much charge to do21 in each blast and that's usually dependent on the22 distance to the, to the structure to be protected. And23 ordinarily you would be looking at residences nearby, so24 the residences here are several hundred feet away from25 26 it. You wouldn't use several hundred feet in order to1 design the blasting charge. You would consider the2 slope to be the structure that's being protected and you3 would -- that distance ranges from about 40 to 100 feet.4 And so the design of the blasting program would have to,5 have to employ small charges and the excavation would6 proceed at a slower pace because of that. But the --7 there would be vibration monitoring and the slope8 indicators would indicate, they would indicate, they9 indicate movement. Relative movement. In other words,10 you have a long shaft with a tube in it, you lower a11 probe in and the slope, it can read back electronically12 the changes in slope going up and down and so over time13 you would, if you had a problem, let's say that the part14 of the tube that's fixed in the rock would not move but15 you would notice that the soil above the rock, you would16 see a big sweep in the curve and it would show its17 moving. It would be to everybody's benefit to employ18 these devices so that you would check during the19 excavation and you could demonstrate at the end of20 construction that we did that and hopefully it would21 indicate

everybody's benefit to employ18 these devices so that you would check during the19 excavation and you could demonstrate at the end of20 construction that we did that and hopefully it would21 indicate there was negligible movement and that would be22 the only way you could tell whether there was or there23 was not, otherwise there would be grounds for argument.24 And if you did notice it then you would have to modify25 27 the excavation plan if it was going on during the1 construction.2 MAYOR McCARTNEY: That's where I was going.3 Thank you. Seemed like quite a bit of conditions.4 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Mr. Klein.5 MR. KLEIN: The Mayor got most of my6 questions.7 You talked a little bit about, so we are8 talking about landslide hazard and the 1.7 factor and9 things like that. So you're pretty confident that --10 well, let me ask you it this way. The slope right now,11 naturally it could slide based on groundwater and all12 these other forces, that's just naturally the way it's13 sitting?14 THE WITNESS: I think that's to simplistic.15 MR. KLEIN: Oh, okay.16 THE WITNESS: It could slide, but I'm saying17 the analysis that were performed would, which did not18 include the most pessimistic ground water analysis,19 don't indicate, don't give an indication of, that there20 is a problem with stability, in our opinion. And, but21 then you're faced with this mapping that was done by the22 USGS and I think it concerns areas down the slope beyond23 the investigations that were performed. But we were24 unable to locate the basis for that particular25 28 classification and it's pretty unique to that area. In1 other words, the Watchung Ridge continues north and2 south and there were no areas mapped except at this3 location.4 MR. KLEIN: So the placement of that5 building, it's Building D with the jog in it?6 THE WITNESS: Right.7 MR. KLEIN: The location to the top of the8 slope and the slope itself, how do you feel about that9 location, distance from the top of the ridge, I'm not10 sure that ridge line, how far west it is of that?11 THE WITNESS: Well --12 MR. KLEIN: Is it to close?13 THE WITNESS: The analysis provided by14 Langan would indicate that it did not have a, as located15 it did not have a significant affect on the stability.16 In other words, the calculations with the building in17 place yielded the same safety factor as the calculations18 --19 MR. KLEIN: Before the

5 it did not have a significant affect on the stability.16 In other words, the calculations with the building in17 place yielded the same safety factor as the calculations18 --19 MR. KLEIN: Before the building is put20 there. Okay. Okay. That was my questions. Thank you.21 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Ms. Kapferer, do you have22 any questions for Mr. Kleinberg on his testimony?23 MS. KAPFERER: Thank you, Mr. Chairman.24 Thank you, Mr. Kleinberg.25