9 19 24 West Orange BOA ZB 24 06 PSEG Full size

Page 61 1 doubt, but I can't really speak to the engineering 2 behind it and how that all lays out and what will be 3 involved in that. 4 CHAIRMAN NEUER: Anything else, Ms. 5 Malanga? 6 MS. MALANGA: No, just my request stands if 7 he would consider revisiting. Thank you. 8 CHAIRMAN NEUER: Mr. Fagan, hands up? 9 MR. FAGAN: Yes, Mr. Chairperson. Joyce 10 Rudin, welcome to the meeting. Please state your name 11 and address for the record. 12 MS. RUDIN: Hi. Good evening. This is 13 Joyce Rudin, 38 Woodland Avenue. Mr. Futey, you have 14 repeatedly stated that you are in compliance with our 15 township's tree ordinance and that you're meeting all 16 of the requirements. Are you familiar with point 17 number six in the prohibitions which does not allow 18 work to be done -- I will read it specifically, 19 "perform street, curb, and sidewalk construction or 20 repairs unless utilizing methods that protect the roots 21 and trunk of a tree, such as manual excavation, 22 reducing the curb, curbing sidewalks surrounding tree, 23 and modifying driveway aprons to accommodate trees. 24 Are you familiar with that clause? 25 THE WITNESS: Yeah. I've read the

Page 62 1 ordinance, yes. 2 CHAIRMAN NEUER: Ms. Rudin, you've depicted 3 that as something that Mr. Futey has said, but have you 4 reviewed the report from our Township Forester who's 5 responsible for enforcing the Tree Ordinance dated 6 September 6, 2024. In paragraph four he says, "I've 7 reviewed the landscape plan and it's in accordance with 8 the new Tree Ordinance." 9 MS. RUDIN: Right. And I'm objecting with 10 some of that statement. 11 CHAIRMAN NEUER: Well, when your turn comes 12 you can object all you want, but as far as the 13 questioning you mischaracterized it so please ask 14 another question. 15 MS. RUDIN: No. This has to you do with the 16 excavation in order to modify the driveway that 17 according to our ordinance that it does not permit a 18 driveway to be enlarged or modified if it will affect 19 the tree roots. And I have repeated -- I have heard 20 you say many times that you are in accordance with the 21 ordinance, but modifying the driveway in this way would 22 you say that that affects the roots or root system of 23 the trees that are existing? 24 THE WITNESS: It does. It's the alignment 25 of the driveway, but also as I mentioned previously in

Page 63 1 that zone in particular we also have bioretention 2 basins going in as an addition to the fence work. So 3 there's a lot of work happening in that area. 4 MS. RUDIN: But are there trees that will 5 be affected simply because you are modifying the 6 driveway? 7 THE WITNESS: Actually, based on the tree 8 removal plan, the alignment of the driveway, no, not 9 specifically. There are some trees in the interior 10 circulation path that are impacted, certainly, but they 11 get close to the electrified equipment inside that 12 electrical perimeter. 13 MS. RUDIN: But there are trees -- I've 14 been to the site myself and I have walked it with the 15 forester, and there are clearly trees in the apron of 16 the driveway that you are attempting to expand that 17 would not be endangered if the road was not going to be 18 altered. 19 CHAIRMAN NEUER: You need to ask a question 20 and not make statements. 21 MS. RUDIN: Are there trees that are 22 endangered just simply because the road is being 23 altered? 24 THE WITNESS: There are trees that are 25 endangered based on the interior circulation that I

Page 64 1 have on the tree inventory. 2 MS. RUDIN: So your testimony is that none 3 of the trees on the outside perimeter which I saw with 4 the forester that seem to be on the map for cutting 5 down that they are going to be staying? 6 THE WITNESS: If it's within the alignment 7 of the new driveway they will not be staying, but 8 they're also not survey trees, I guess. I'm not 9 exactly sure what you're referring to. 10 MS. RUDIN: How is this in accordance with 11 our ordinance if they will be removed to modify simply 12 the driveway. 13 MS. PARLAVECCHIO: Mr. Chairperson -- 14 CHAIRMAN NEUER: Ms. Rudin -- I'm dealing 15 with it. 16 MS. PARLAVECCHIO: Sorry. 17 CHAIRMAN NEUER: Ms. Rudin, he's already 18 testified that there are no trees coming out solely 19 because of the alignment of the driveway. Please go on 20 to something else. 21 MS. RUDIN: You testified that you are 22 putting in trees that will create a wall-like barrier 23 that are not deciduous trees. Can you tell us exactly 24 what the name of those trees are? You mentioned -- are 25 you referring to Thuja Green Giants?

Page 65 1 THE WITNESS: No. We have a mix of trees, 2 and actually if I can share my screen I can show you 3 will plant list. 4 CHAIRMAN NEUER: Please do. 5 MR. FAGAN: I have to remove the clock, Mr. 6 Chairperson. 7 CHAIRMAN NEUER: That's okay. You can put 8 it back up after we're finished with the shared screen. 9 THE WITNESS: Here's the evergreen with 10 plant material up here. So we have a Holly, we have an 11 Eastern Redcedar, Norway Spruces, Black Hills Spruce, 12 we have Serbian Spruce, and Eastern White Pine. And 13 the idea is to get a mix of species. We don't want 14 them monoculture. We're not trying to put an absolute 15 wall of one species because that's not a good idea. If 16 an event comes it wipes them all out. So we're trying 17 to get some visual interest and we're also trying to 18 think of the future health of the site. 19 MS. RUDIN: Okay. I appreciate that. I do 20 not think -- 21 CHAIRMAN NEUER: You can take your screen 22 down, Mr. Futey. 23 MS. RUDIN: Just one last question. I do 24 appreciate that you are considering native trees, but 25 our Ordinance also requires organic non-pesticide

Page 66 1 trees. Will the trees that you will be putting in meet 2 the requirement of both the size that they are native 3 and that they are organic and non-pesticide? 4 THE WITNESS: We can put that into our 5 planting notes, but this is going to be nursery stock. 6 There's nothing exotic that we're proposing. And 7 they're mostly native. There are a few that are 8 introduced, but introduced species could be hanging 9 around for 200 years. And again, we have the 10 confirmation of those species from actually the Board 11 Engineers and also from Mr. Kipp as well in his letter. 12 MS. RUDIN: Can you guarantee us that they 13 will be organic and non-pesticide according to the 14 Ordinance? 15 THE WITNESS: I think we will meet that, 16 yes. 17 MS. RUDIN: Terrific. Okay. Thank you so 18 much. 19 CHAIRMAN NEUER: Mr. Fagan, any other hands 20 coming up? 21 MR. FAGAN: Mr. Chairperson, there are no 22 other hands raised. If any member of the public would 23 care to ask questions at this time this is your last 24 call. Otherwise Mr. Chairman, we'll close public 25 comment.

Page 67 1 CHAIRMAN NEUER: Thank you. 2 MR. FAGAN: Mr. Chairperson, there are no 3 other hands raised. 4 CHAIRMAN NEUER: Thank you. Then the 5 questioning is closed. Ms. Parlavecchio, do you have 6 any redirect? 7 MS. PARLAVECCHIO: No. 8 CHAIRMAN NEUER: It's 9:22. So rather than 9 interrupt a witness let's take our break now. We'll 10 make it eight minutes. Everybody please come back at 11 9:30. We are in a brief recess. Everybody turn off 12 your cameras and microphones. 13 (Whereupon, a recess is taken at 9:23 p.m.) 14 CHAIRMAN NEUER: As the regular crowd 15 shuffles back in. It is 9:30. I'm waiting for the 16 rest of the Board to come back on for a quorum. So far 17 it's Mr. Dannemiller and me. 18 Ms. Parlavecchio, will you be continuing 19 or is Ms. Porter coming back on? 20 MS. PARLAVECCHIO: No. Jen just signed on 21 so I will turn off my video and I will go on mute. 22 CHAIRMAN NEUER: Oh, there's Ms. Porter. 23 Welcome back. Thank you, Ms. Parlavecchio, for filling 24 in. 25 MS. PARLAVECCHIO: You're welcome. Thank

Page 68 1 you, Mr. Chairperson. And Jen, you're still on mute. 2 MS. PORTER: Good evening, Mr. Chairman. 3 Thank you. 4 CHAIRMAN NEUER: Okay. It's 9:32 and the 5 record will reflect that the four Board members who 6 comprise our quorum are all present on the screen. Mr. 7 Warner, may we proceed? You need to put your 8 microphone on, though. 9 MR. WARNER: Absolutely, Mr. Chairman. 10 CHAIRMAN NEUER: Okay. Thank you. Ms. 11 Porter? 12 MS. PORTER: Yes. 13 CHAIRMAN NEUER: The floor is yours. 14 MS. PORTER: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We 15 would next like to call Ms. Merainer who will be 16 testifying as our professional planner. She is also a 17 very long employee of PSE&G but will be speaking in her 18 capacity and with respect to her credentials as a 19 professional planner. If she could please state her 20 name and address for the record to be sworn? 21 MS. MERAINER: My name is Noreen Merainer, 22 N-o-r-e-e-n, last name Merainer, M-e-r-a-i-n-e-r. 23 CHAIRMAN NEUER: Mr. Warner, your 24 microphone. 25 MR. WARNER: Do you swear to God or affirm

Page 69 1 that the testimony you're about to give is the truth, 2 the whole truth, and nothing but the truth? 3 MS. MERAINER: Absolutely. 4 MR. WARNER: Thank you. Back to you, Mr. 5 Chairman. 6 CHAIRMAN NEUER: Thank you, Mr. Warner. 7 Ms. Porter, witness with you. 8 MR. PORTER: Great. Thank you. 9 N O R E E N M E R A I N E R, having been 10 duly sworn, testifies as follows: 11 EXAMINATION BY MS. PORTER: 12 Q. Ms. Merainer, if you could please state 13 where you are employed? 14 A. I'm a Licensed Professional Planner in the 15 state of New Jersey. Here is my license. I'm employed 16 by Public Service Electric and Gas Company. The 17 address of the company is 4000 Hadley Road, South 18 Plainfield, New Jersey 07080. My title is licensing 19 project manager and I'm responsible for environmental 20 and land use planning and permitting for company 21 facilities. I've been employed by PSE&G for 26 years. 22 Prior to employment with PSE&G I was employed as an 23 environmental planner with an environmental engineering 24 and consulting firm. And for seven of those ten years 25 I consulted directly for PSE&G.

Page 70 1 Q. Thank you. And how long have you been a 2 licensed planner in the state of New Jersey? 3 A. Since the '90s. 4 Q. And you previously mentioned your license 5 is current. If you could just for the record just 6 state your educational and professional background? 7 A. Certainly. I have a Bachelor's from Clarke 8 University. A Master's Marine Affairs from University 9 of Rhode Island, which is actually resource management. 10 I also have an MBA from Excelsior College, and I have 11 certification as a Project Management Professional. 12 Q. Thank you. And what specifically has been 13 your role in connection with this application? 14 CHAIRMAN NEUER: I'm sorry, Ms. Porter, 15 those are credentials, right? 16 MS. PORTER: Yes. I was going to ask if 17 she has ever testified before a Board as well for one 18 last question. 19 CHAIRMAN NEUER: You can do that. 20 MS. PORTER: Great. 21 Q. Ms. Merainer, have you ever testified 22 previously before a Board? 23 A. I have. I have testified in front of 24 dozens of Boards. I've also testified before state 25 agencies such as the New Jersey Sports and Exposition