January 28, 2026, Planning Board Special Meeting - WEHI Transcript

ich should include many important factors15 such as effects on drinking water. Water treatment16 plats are designed for expected conditions, without an17 environment impact statement you cannot safely assume18 that water utility will be able to properly treat water19 with a significant influx of unexpected pollution.20 I am ohne of hundreds of thousands served by21 multiple water utilities whose drinking water would be22 polluted too if the Planning Board were to approve this23 development. I'm standing here in front of you but the24 rest of those people are just as real and face just as25

9 of 66 sheets Page 33 to 36 of 155 02/26/2026 05:17:42 PM 33 much risk.1 On another note, this developments proposal2 is cutting down 30 acres of trees has direct and3 profound environmental impact. This plot of land has4 been repeatedly called a vacant lot during these5 Planning Board meetings. Yes, the land is undeveloped6 but it's currently home to a valuable public asset.7 Mature old growth forests like this one are vital and8 irreplaceable global defenses against climate change.9 This forest acts as a carbon sink improving air quality10 and blunting heat waves.11 The trees stabilize the land and curtail12 flooding at a time when New Jersey is experiencing more13 and more flash floods that devastate property and cost14 lives. To approve this application would be to destroy15 30 acres of an integral asset of a local echo system.16 For all these reasons I must again ask this17 board to reject the application from Garden Homes. If18 we truly care about building more equitable communities19 we need to develop plans for affordable housing that are20 also safe and environmentally sustainable. I think you21 have what I think is a clearcut opportunity here to22 either protect capital or protect the people. I hope23 you make the right choice. Thank you.24 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Thank you very much.25 34 Please come up. State your name for the1 record.2 THE PUBLIC: I'm Cynthia Thompson, 19 Mews3 Lane, South Orange.4 MS. McGOVERN: Do you swear or affirm to5 tell the truth the whole truth and nothing but the6 truth.7 THE PUBLIC: I do.8 MS. McGOVERN: Thank you.9 THE PUBLIC: Thank you.10 So my name is Cynthia Thompson. And I am11 from South Orange, like Julianna before me. I'm also a12 South Orange Environmental Commissioner and a member of13 SOMA Action, focus on climate and Electrify SOMA. I'm14 also a professor emeritus of management psychology and15 sustainability at a university in New York City.16 I had a lot of things I was going to say but17 I think everyone has been so eloquent and passionate18 that I'm sure your decision is made now. I hope. But I19 understand that we need more affordable housing and West20 Orange is maybe a little bit behind the eight ball,21 maybe many of us are in providing affordable housing.22 However, whether you're rich or poor you need access to23 public transportation, but especially if you're poor and24 you need affordable housing,

aybe many of us are in providing affordable housing.22 However, whether you're rich or poor you need access to23 public transportation, but especially if you're poor and24 you need affordable housing, which is a portion of this25 35 this development, I understand. They need to be able to1 walk to the schools, walk to the grocery store, not2 everyone has or needs to be in a two car family, which3 is what it would take if this development was to be4 built.5 You probably know that 38 percent our6 pollution in New Jersey comes from emissions from cars7 and trucks. Though we need new housing that has access8 to public transportation that doesn't involve having two9 cars in the family where people have to drive10 everywhere. I understand as a Planning Board you're11 between a rock and a hard place. How do you increase12 affordable housing, while at the same time enable smart13 growth by protecting our environment, our water supply,14 our watershed and our old growth trees. I know that New15 Jersey does not have a lot of spare land to build on,16 which is why you're between a rock and a hard place.17 But there's got to be a better way. Why not find and18 convert unused office space? Why not, as a Planning19 Board, encourage and support and maybe you do this, I20 don't know you well, encourage and support more21 developments like Stonehill at Essex Green in West22 Orange. I'm sure you all know they won the 2025 Smart23 Growth Award from New Jersey's Future for, "transforming24 obsolete ailing office space into a vibrant walkable25 36 mixed income community.1 Cutting down 30 acres of trees, let me2 repeat, 30 acres of trees. Old growth trees, it's3 insanity in the age of climate change. We need the4 trees because as a carbon sink. If you know what that5 is. It captures the CO2 that we emit from all our cars6 and trucks. The trees obviously improve the air we7 breathe, provide us with shade. An old growth forest8 like the one in the Second Watchung Mountain Ridge just9 cannot be replaced.10 Finally, our watershed will be negatively11 impacted. Our drinking water, your drinking water, will12 be tainted by the runoff from rainwater that would13 normally soak into the ground. Runoff contaminated by14 chemicals from landscapers, pet waste, microplastics,15 heavy metals from roads and driveways, as others have16 eloquently described. I don't want to drink that water,17 I'm

. Runoff contaminated by14 chemicals from landscapers, pet waste, microplastics,15 heavy metals from roads and driveways, as others have16 eloquently described. I don't want to drink that water,17 I'm guessing you don't want to drink that water either.18 So what's a Planning Board to do. I don't19 know, so please vote no. But also maybe send a message20 to the billionaire owner of the land, Mr. Wilf, and have21 him read this wonderful book called, Dirtbag22 Billionaire, it's a wonderful book, very inspirational.23 It's all about Yvon Chouinard who started Patagonia and24 gave it all away. He and his family donated the entire25

02/26/2026 05:17:42 PM Page 37 to 40 of 155 10 of 66 sheets 37 3 billion dollar stake in the company to fight the1 climate crisis, or tell him to be like Doug Tompkins and2 his wife Kristine, who is the CEO of Patagonia. Dough3 Tompkins is the one who founded North Face. They4 donated land over 14 million acres in Chilean, Argentina5 to be preserved forever. Together they created 17 new6 national parks.7 Maybe also send a message to him to do the8 right thing by his neighbors and your community and our9 community. We're all affected by this. Tell him to10 donate this land to the City of West Orange, turn it11 into a preserve that allows flora and fauna to thrive.12 Turn it into a preserve that allows it's current13 inhabitants, animals, birds, bugs that we can see and we14 can't, allows them to thrive. Turn it into an old15 growth preserve of trees and tell him we'll even name16 the preserve after him and his wife.17 Thank you and God bless you. I know you'll18 do the right thing.19 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Thank you very much.20 Please come up. State your name for the21 record and we'll swear you in.22 THE PUBLIC: Hello, my name is Joe Gonzalez,23 36 Ball Terrace, Maplewood.24 MS. McGOVERN: Do you swear or affirm to25 38 tell the truth the whole truth and nothing but the1 truth.2 THE PUBLIC: Yes, I do.3 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Go right ahead, sir.4 THE PUBLIC: I want to start by thanking you5 for listening to us here and I'm going to sound a little6 whinny at times, but it's because I prepared a statement7 with my 13 year old son who has become quite a8 protection person of the environment and me and him have9 working together on it. Like I said, I'm going to focus10 on the environment, the forest itself.11 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Why don't you add your12 sons name to the record.13 THE PUBLIC: Oh, Kai Gonzalez, K A I.14 Gonzalez.15 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Thank you.16 THE PUBLIC: So we were thinking about the17 logic about what we are doing and sort of the undertones18 of the decisions that need to be made from you and from19 the town. One of the pieces is, Is the shortage of20 affordable housing a big problem? Yes, it is. We know21 it is. Is this land privately owned? And, you know,22 yes, we can't do much about that. Is there a business23 opportunity and profit for the developer? Yes, that's24 important, right. And for our town. A town of West,25 39 Orange.1 There's another piece of

s, we can't do much about that. Is there a business23 opportunity and profit for the developer? Yes, that's24 important, right. And for our town. A town of West,25 39 Orange.1 There's another piece of logic there, which2 is, is saving this forest, this one piece of New Jersey3 wild forest, going to have a big enough impact on our4 environment. Maybe not, that's arguable. So you follow5 from all that, can we just simply keep destroying our6 natural forests. Are we okay to keep doing that as long7 as there's a justification, like these justifications we8 just said. We're forced logically to say, yes, it is9 okay to keep destroying forest, deforestation, and it's10 not. It's just, it's not. But think about that11 statement for a second. This is my son speaking, right.12 We -- the statement, we can simply keep destroying our13 natural world as long there's justification. It's14 horrible. It's horrible to think about. We watch a lot15 of the Nature Channel, you see our impact, human impact16 on the world and what it's doing and it brings tears to17 your eyes when you see trees getting cut down and18 species, you know, wandering, you know, starving and,19 you know, going extinct. You know, you could say things20 like, enough is enough, right. You know, when do we21 draw the line. But it's, that's not really the way to22 look at it. The way to look at it is, do we keep doing23 what we're doing. You know, we're talking about a lot24 of gradual changes here, so it's hard to know the impact25 40 we're having. It's hard to know when enough is enough.1 So the question is, Why can't we act now to protect our2 forests? You know, Why can't we address the problem as3 soon as we can? We have the power to do that. You have4 the power to do that. You know, we can say, you know,5 the worst affects of climate change, deforestation, are6 they here right now? We really don't know. Maybe they7 are, right. I admit I tell my son all the time,8 sometimes we don't know. We don't know. We don't have9 all the facts, you know. Maybe Super Storm Sandy wasn't10 as bad as, you know, it could have been, you know, if it11 wasn't for human activity. Maybe it wouldn't have been12 that bad if it wasn't for us. We don't know.13 The science though tells us that we are14 approaching the point of no return and some scientists15 believe we are at the point of no return right now.16 Again, we don't

wasn't for us. We don't know.13 The science though tells us that we are14 approaching the point of no return and some scientists15 believe we are at the point of no return right now.16 Again, we don't know. But does that make it okay to not17 do something right now. When will we know. We won't,18 and that's why we have to act now. Thank you.19 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Thank you very much.20 Let the record show that Mr. Cardoza has21 joined the board.22 Sir, please tell your son Kai, we appreciate23 his sentiments. Thank you.24 State your name.25

11 of 66 sheets Page 41 to 44 of 155 02/26/2026 05:17:42 PM 41 THE PUBLIC: My name is Judith Stark,1 S-T-A-R-K.2 MS. McGOVERN: And your address.3 THE PUBLIC: And I live in South Orange.4 332 Lenox Avenue, South Orange.5 MS. McGOVERN: Do you swear or affirm to6 tell the truth the whole truth and nothing but the7 truth.8 THE PUBLIC: I do.9 MS. McGOVERN: Thank you.10 THE PUBLIC: My profession is a philosopher,11 and not just a philosopher, I'm an environmental12 philosopher. I have taught environmental ethics and13 environmental philosophy at Seton Hall University for14 over 35 years. I have devoted my teaching, research and15 community activism to the environment since the first16 Earth Day on April 22, 1970.17 Other speakers this evening covered many18 areas, but I will take a different approach. I come19 here before you as a representative of that wonderful20 Dr. Suess character, the Lorax. Because the Lorax21 speaks for the trees and now so do I.22 What do trees provide? Beauty, shade,23 habitats for other living beings. We have heard about24 the process of photosynthesis in which carbon dioxide is25 42 taken out of the atmosphere by plants and then they emit1 oxygen for us and for every living being. A 30 acre2 forest emits 660,000 pounds of oxygen every year. This3 supports the breathing needs of 540 people per year.4 That -- this same forest can absorb up to 450 metric5 tons of CO2 annually. These prothesis, as we have6 heard, are particularly important as we tackle the7 serious challenges of climate change.8 What are trees? We know they're members of9 the plant kingdom with all the classifications that we10 learned in biology class, but this is only part of their11 story. A more comprehensive account sees trees as12 living beings with capacities that basic biology hardly13 recognizes. A German forester by the name of Peter14 Wohlleben has written a wonderful book called, The15 Hidden Life of Trees. See, Professors bring books to16 things like this. The Hidden Life Of Trees, what they17 feel, how they communicate. He analyzed a wide range18 capacity of trees. For example, trees communicate with19 each other through a vast network and intricate20 underground network through which they share news about21 insects, drought and other dangers. The term for this22 network was first coined by Dr. Suzanne Seymard of23 British Columbia, Canada. She called this

und network through which they share news about21 insects, drought and other dangers. The term for this22 network was first coined by Dr. Suzanne Seymard of23 British Columbia, Canada. She called this complex24 underground network, the Wood Wibe Web.25 43 I hardly need to remind us of the human1 population density here in our beloved New Jersey. In2 fact New Jersey ranks number one in the US in population3 density. Some things you're known to be number one in,4 this one we are. 1,292 people per square mile. Because5 of this density New Jersey experiences both habitat loss6 and habitat fragmentation. These facts support the7 argument to maintain as much forested open land in our8 state as possible.9 Finally, there's a great deal of research10 about value for us human beings to be in nature and this11 is sometimes called, forest bathing, it's a wonderful12 Japanese practice.13 I often give my students the assignment to14 go out into nature and to describe what they see. A few15 years ago one of my students conducted her nature16 experience while driving on the Garden State Parkway.17 No, I told her, this was not acceptable. But I can tell18 you it was highly revealing. She was so removed from19 nature that she thought she could count this as her20 nature experience. I told her she needed to get out of21 her car and take nature in, but don't do it on the22 Garden State Parkway.23 My last point, be very quick, is an ethical24 one, and that is, there's a wonderful ethical system25 44 called, The Land Ethic, that was developed by Aldo1 Leopold about 30 years ago in a wonderful collection of2 essays, I should've brought that book, Sand County3 Almanac, so I recommend that book, it's wonderful.4 Considering all these points, I urge the5 Planning Board to reject this development as a violation6 of these fundamental principles. Therefore, I urge7 everyone to consider that if ten year old children and8 my undergraduate students can listen to the Lorax and9 speak for the trees, so can this Planning Board. Thank10 you very much.11 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Thank you.12 Come right up. State your name for the13 record, please. And your address?14 THE PUBLIC: Names Elizabeth Bicente,15 B-I-C-E-N-T-E. I live in 320 15th Ave, South Street,16 Morristown.17 MS. McGOVERN: What was the town?18 THE PUBLIC: Morristown.19 MS. McGOVERN: Do you swear or affirm to20 tell the truth the whole

,15 B-I-C-E-N-T-E. I live in 320 15th Ave, South Street,16 Morristown.17 MS. McGOVERN: What was the town?18 THE PUBLIC: Morristown.19 MS. McGOVERN: Do you swear or affirm to20 tell the truth the whole truth and nothing but the21 truth.22 THE PUBLIC: Yes, I do.23 MS. McGOVERN: Thank you.24 THE PUBLIC: Okay.25