February 25, 2026 Planning Board Special Meeting - WEHI Transcript

17 of 68 sheets Page 65 to 68 of 154 03/20/2026 06:14:03 AM 65 pulled out version, an aerial photograph, and it shows1 what we're surrounded by. You have bit of that other2 forest -- sorry. You have a bit of that other forested3 area here, but this is remarkable. It's a remarkable4 survivor. And so the question of what development takes5 place must take place in the context of the ecological6 destruction. If you don't have that as a fundamental7 part of your analysis, then the boards not doing it's8 duty under the law. It must be considered.9 Protecting water quality. This is a very10 important drawing and engineering chart. The center is11 our property. What do we see in the left-hand side or12 western side of that square? Well, actually in the13 center too. We see the headwaters of the Canoe Brook.14 Mr. Fagan, can you hone in on that. Thank you.15 We see inside the site, the two branches that16 form the Canoe Brook. This property is the headwater of17 the Canoe Brook. This is not just a little stream, it's18 part of the drinking water supply of several19 communities, and you heard people testify the concern20 they had about this. So when we degrade the forest21 we're doing other things. Remember, water is not22 supplied only by stormwater runoff. It's also supplied23 by water that percolates through the soil. There was24 testimony about this. And when we damage the soil, when25 66 damage the plant life by creating edge forest and1 eliminating core, we damage the natural return of water.2 We dry out wetter areas. You heard testimony from Dr.3 DeVito or Mr. Farr as to the impact of losing water to4 these areas. They dry out. And when waters dry out --5 what was the testimony. I don't know if anyone recalls,6 it's quite awhile. The ironic factor is that when land7 dries because it loses the water that supplies the8 wetlands, flooding arises and increases. And Dr. DeVito9 or Mr. Farr, I frankly forget which one, were very clear10 on this point. That as we dry naturally wet areas out,11 and there's a lot of wet area here that we will dry, the12 land loses it's absorptive capacity. And the water13 instead of dropping down and percolating out, runs14 across rapidly and it destroys natural features, and it15 also brings with it sentiment and other pollutants into16 the Canoe Brook and other tributaries on other sites17 where this happens. So this is the

s rapidly and it destroys natural features, and it15 also brings with it sentiment and other pollutants into16 the Canoe Brook and other tributaries on other sites17 where this happens. So this is the headwaters of the18 Canoe Brook. I mean, water is really our most precious19 resource. So we're going to build a project that we20 know will degrade and virtually destroy the entirety of21 the ecology of the site and this site is headwaters of22 this brook. That's why this demonstration from Dr.23 Hasse was very important.24 So if you could pull back on that a minute.25 67 And so bear in mind, this is really the core1 feeding area for that -- for the Canoe Brook. And when2 you pull back you see that. So this project is not only3 going to destroy fauna on the site, we use the4 ornithology as an example. It's not only going to5 destroy the waters that supply the wetlands, it's not6 only going to destroy the trees, it's actually going to7 damage the drinking water supply of the community.8 This is another aspect of the productivity9 and smart growth factors in development we spoke to.10 Protecting the productive soil classes.11 Now, you can see here the project site is in12 the magenta area. That's the second highest level of13 productivity. This whole area is in that second highest14 level. Dr. DeVito testified to something very15 significant. Remember he talked about the forest soils,16 and he testified it takes thousands of years for those17 soils to develop and once they degrade they do not come18 back. It sounds like it's a renewable resource,19 something that can regrow, soil. He testified it20 literally takes thousands of years for soils to21 regenerate. So once they lose their supplying fauna,22 once they loose their water supply and dry out, once23 flooding becomes more prominent, the soils erode. They24 disappear. And so the soils that are fundamental to the25 68 health of the forest, which also hold water and let it1 percolate into the water supply, dry out and die. They2 don't come back. They don't come back in any time frame3 any of us can envision. The soils that are there now4 existed 5000 -- were created thousands of years ago,5 probably 5000 years ago. It'll take that long to6 regenerate the soils. So this is another example of the7 destructive nature of this project.8 He spoke about the smart growth aspects of9 creating community green spaces.

ago. It'll take that long to6 regenerate the soils. So this is another example of the7 destructive nature of this project.8 He spoke about the smart growth aspects of9 creating community green spaces. Now, remember we saw10 this forest in the center of that vast subdivision. So11 we have this horrible development, which we all need to12 live, but we have the remarkable presence of a natural13 area in the center of it. And that's what he's talking14 about. He's saying smart growth says, rehabilitate15 structures. Don't just open up new lands to massive16 construction, when we can be looking at rehabilitative17 -- rehabilitating structures. Yes, we want some18 affordable housing, does it have to be in a pristine,19 virtually pristine virgin forest. Is that smart growth?20 It's not. You know, what are we going to say 20 years21 from now, 40 years from now when we wake up and the22 forest didn't regenerate, as Mr. DeFeo rather blithely23 said it would, by putting up fences. What are we going24 to say to the next generation when we tell them, you25