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

21 of 66 sheets Page 81 to 84 of 155 02/26/2026 05:17:42 PM 81 around this room to see the passionate community1 rallying to protect the town they love. For the condos,2 I have two words. Bah Humbug. Thank you very much.3 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: We're going to take a4 ten-minute break. Thank you very much.5 (Whereupon, a short recess is taken.)6 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Back on the record.7 Come right up, sir. I'm sorry. Come right8 up, sir. Do you want to sit down?9 THE PUBLIC: No, I don't.10 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Okay. Please stand.11 THE PUBLIC: I want to stand right here.12 I'm a retired pastor and I'm used to standing up and13 talking to people.14 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Go right ahead.15 MS. McGOVERN: We need you name and address.16 THE PUBLIC: Sure. My first name is Robin,17 R-O-B-I-N, Hawley, H-A-W-L-E-Y. Last name is Gorsline,18 G-O-R-S-L-I-N-E. And my address is 38 Cerone Court in19 West Orange.20 MS. McGOVERN: Do you swear or affirm to21 tell the truth the whole truth and nothing but the22 truth.23 THE PUBLIC: Yes, I do.24 So I came tonight, I've only been a resident25 82 three years, and I have a neighbor of mine who said,1 please go to this meeting because he couldn't come and I2 thought well, I read about it and I said, yes, I need to3 go. I identify as an environmental or ecological4 Theologen or Ecologen, as I sometimes call it. And I5 listened to Chief Mann and I thought -- I had decided I6 wouldn't say anything then I listened to him, then I7 said, I need to speak. He was making a very, very8 important point and I want to make it from my point of9 view. And that is, you talk about all those thousands10 of trees and some people have mentioned, of course all11 the brilliant comments made here, about all the birds12 and bees and everything else. In my view, in my13 theological spiritual view we are all residents of New14 Jersey. We are all residents of West Orange. We are15 indeed all residents of the universe, every single16 being, and we need to take seriously the beings that are17 not human, not just the humans. We need very much to18 not, just in the terms of our own self interest but19 actually care about others around us. And that includes20 those thousands of trees and all the others and the21 water and the roots and the soil and everything.22 So I'm just here, I know it's not going to23 make a difference to any of you because it is not24 something you probably

and all the others and the21 water and the roots and the soil and everything.22 So I'm just here, I know it's not going to23 make a difference to any of you because it is not24 something you probably have heard of, maybe you have, I25 83 don't know, but anyway, I feel passionately about this1 community of West Orange. And one of the things that I2 think has been raised numerous times tonight, is that3 how dense the population is both in West Orange as well4 as the entire state of New Jersey. And that's about the5 human beings. We don't begin to count all the other6 beings here and they matter too and they matter not just7 because they help us live but because they are beings as8 well and they're sacred beings.9 So I urge you, I urge you, I urge you to10 think about all that life and try and save it. I hope11 you hear that and I hope you hear all the other voices12 here when people say, do the right thing. Amen.13 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Thank you.14 Go right ahead, sir.15 THE PUBLIC: Jack McEvoy, Deputy Mayor of16 Verona.17 MS. McGOVERN: Are you testifying as a18 representative of Verona or on your own?19 THE PUBLIC: Resident of Verona, New Jersey.20 MS. McGOVERN: Then can we have your21 address, please.22 THE PUBLIC: I'd rather not say.23 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Use the town hall address.24 THE PUBLIC: 600 Bloomfield Avenue.25 84 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Good enough.1 THE PUBLIC: Thank you.2 MS. McGOVERN: Do you swear or affirm to3 tell the truth the whole truth and nothing but the4 truth.5 THE PUBLIC: I do.6 CHAIRMAN BAGOFF: Go right ahead.7 THE PUBLIC: First, thank you all for your8 patience 27 -- well, it's going to be 28 meetings, I9 know it's rough. I wonder if that's a record in New10 Jersey. I'll look it up.11 The development before you is Block 179 Lot12 32. This development is also planning on utilizing two13 other lots, Block 179.17 Lots 8 and 9 on Howell Drive as14 an emergency access. Expanding beyond Block 179 Lot 3215 should require a D variance. The use of those lots as16 emergency access is also a violation of a deed17 restriction that this same owner agreed to when they18 accepted the September 25, 1980 and July 28, 198319 decision for the Howell Drive major subdivision. This20 major subdivision spanned two municipalities and21 therefore went before two Planning Boards, Verona and22 West Orange. Both boards looked at the subdivision in23 its entirety, I'm sure,

ision. This20 major subdivision spanned two municipalities and21 therefore went before two Planning Boards, Verona and22 West Orange. Both boards looked at the subdivision in23 its entirety, I'm sure, and it's very clear Verona24 certainly added the deed restriction as a condition of25