December 10, 2025, Planning Board Special Meeting - WEHI Transcript

25 of 55 sheets Page 97 to 100 of 144 01/14/2026 10:36:25 AM 97 THE PUBLIC: Sorry.1 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Ask the question of the2 expert, please.3 THE PUBLIC: Okay.4 So the information, you know, I thought your5 report was very good, I thought it was comprehensive.6 What I was wondering was, you had, one of the7 recommendations you had asked for the, you know, for the8 analysis under heavy rainfall conditions, but you also9 asked about mounding and suggested mitigated measures10 for the impoundment basin, did you receive that?11 THE WITNESS: What I was recommending is12 that the design engineer review mounding under a heavy13 rain.14 THE PUBLIC: Right.15 THE WITNESS: The mounding analysis, I don't16 do that. I have never done one.17 THE PUBLIC: Right.18 THE WITNESS: So I am not that familiar with19 what goes into it. But it predicts the extent of water20 under a certain rainfall event.21 THE PUBLIC: Right.22 THE WITNESS: And recommended that the23 design engineer for the system evaluate that to24 determine if it could, if the extent of the mounding25 98 could go back over the slope and introduce water onto1 the slope.2 THE PUBLIC: Right. But that hasn't been3 done yet?4 THE WITNESS: It hasn't been done. The5 response from Langan were basically that they -- it's6 their opinion that the water level that they have7 assumed for their, for their high groundwater assumption8 is higher than the mounding would occur and so there is9 no possibility for the water to go over to exceed that.10 But what I said, I think in the last -- that they should11 submit their analysis. I mean their evaluation formally12 to the board and so that was our last recommendation to13 them.14 THE PUBLIC: Just one final question, if I15 could ask him.16 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Sure. Go ahead, sir.17 THE PUBLIC: Based on the literature that I18 reviewed, not only are trees important on the slope19 itself, but also adjacent, you know, on the, even the20 flat part because the roots are so interconnected, so is21 that something that you think should be considered? And22 also climate changes. So those are a number of factors23 that I think might suggest that a, you know, a factor of24 safety a 1.51 might be appropriate as opposed to 1.5.25 99 So just a couple of thoughts for the board to consider.1 Thank you very much.2 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Thank you, sir.3 THE PUBLIC: Rachel Klein, Howell Drive. My4 question

ppropriate as opposed to 1.5.25 99 So just a couple of thoughts for the board to consider.1 Thank you very much.2 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Thank you, sir.3 THE PUBLIC: Rachel Klein, Howell Drive. My4 question is, are there any like recommendations or5 requirements or some sort of like maybe catchment area6 just in case there is a debris slide or just debris7 being piled up as the they're digging out the rocks and8 lands or if the rocks do loosen, is there any9 recommendation to somehow create a buffer between some10 of the homes that are? There are quite a few homes that11 are below this project and as has happened before, you12 know, gravity takes stuff down, even if it appears to be13 far away it will still hit these homes or, you know,14 damage these homes. So my question is, is there15 anything, a buffer zone, required or recommended to16 catch any debris?17 THE WITNESS: I think Mr. Afran referred to18 that the last meeting. Right now it's not a rockfall19 situation. It wouldn't, it wouldn't occur that way. I20 don't think it will occur.21 THE PUBLIC: Even just rockfall, like a pile22 of mud or dirt that's been removed from the ground, they23 go home for the night, a rainstorm comes, this has24 happened. That, you've referred to it actually, an25 100 event that happened once before on this mountain. This1 happened in 1998. Debris from the building of The2 Grand, you know, they left, the storm came, the debris3 fell and damaged the homes. So I'm asking as an4 engineer is there any requirement to protect the homes?5 It's a lot of homes as the mountain slopes down, to6 protect these homes from any debris, not rock. Any7 debris fall?8 THE WITNESS: The lower -- you live, I'm9 sorry, I'm not familiar with, you are in the, on the10 streets just below the --11 THE PUBLIC: That's right below, yeah.12 THE WITNESS: Right below.13 THE PUBLIC: But so are many other homes --14 THE WITNESS: Right.15 THE PUBLIC: -- as the mountain continues.16 THE WITNESS: The slope flattens out, so --17 to something in the neighborhood of ten degrees in that18 area.19 THE PUBLIC: I think you're referring lower20 down to where there's a sewer line.21 THE WITNESS: Below.22 THE PUBLIC: I'm where, like you'd be23 walking and you could like touch the soil with your24 mouth as you're walking up it's so steep.25