2025 02 West Orange EIS Signed

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT For MPB Realty, LLC Proposed Popeyes Restaurant & IHOP Restaurant 470 Eagle Rock Avenue (CR 611) Block 153, Lot 38 Township of West Orange Essex County, New Jersey Prepared by: 1904 Main Street Lake Como, NJ 07719 (732) 974-0198 Matthew J. Bersch, PE NJ Professional Engineer License #54522 June 2024 Last Revised February 2025 DEC #1021-99-025

TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Introduction ........................................................................................................................................... 1 2. Project Description ................................................................................................................................. 1 3. Existing Conditions ................................................................................................................................ 1 A. Vegetation .......................................................................................................................................... 1 B. Wildlife .............................................................................................................................................. 2 C. Topography ........................................................................................................................................ 2 D. Geology and Soil ................................................................................................................................ 2 E. Groundwater ...................................................................................................................................... 3 F. Surface Water..................................................................................................................................... 3 G. Freshwater Wetlands .......................................................................................................................... 4 H. Water Supply ..................................................................................................................................... 4 I. Sanitary Sewer Service ....................................................................................................................... 4 J. Air Quality ......................................................................................................................................... 4 K. Noise ................................................................................................................................................. 7 L. Cultural/Historical Resources

Noise ................................................................................................................................................. 7 L. Cultural/Historical Resources ............................................................................................................ 7 M. Land Use ........................................................................................................................................... 8 4. Potential Impacts and Environmental Performance Controls and Mitigation .......................................... 8 A. Vegetation .......................................................................................................................................... 9 B. Wildlife .............................................................................................................................................. 9 C. Soil..................................................................................................................................................... 9 D. Degradation of Groundwater Quality ............................................................................................... 10 E. Flooding........................................................................................................................................... 10 F. Degradation of Surface Water Quality .............................................................................................. 11 G. Degradation of Freshwater Wetlands................................................................................................ 11 H. Water Supply ................................................................................................................................... 11 I. Sewage Disposal............................................................................................................................... 11 J. Degradation of Air Quality ............................................................................................................... 12 K. Odor ................................................................................................................................................ 12 L. Noise

............ 12 K. Odor ................................................................................................................................................ 12 L. Noise ............................................................................................................................................... 13 M. Degradation of Cultural/Historical Resources .................................................................................. 13 N. Land Use ......................................................................................................................................... 14 5. Alternatives to the Proposed Project ..................................................................................................... 14 A. “No Project” or “No-Action” Alternative ......................................................................................... 14 B. Alternative Layouts .......................................................................................................................... 14 6. Permits Required .................................................................................................................................. 14 7. Conclusion ........................................................................................................................................... 15

APPENDIX • Aerial Photo Map • Tax Map • Zoning Map • USGS Map • FEMA Effective Flood Insurance Rate (FIRM) Map • NJDEP GeoWeb – State Planning Area Map • NJDEP GeoWeb – Landscape Region Map • NJDEP GeoWeb – Streams & Waterbodies Map • NJDEP GeoWeb – Wetlands Map • NJDEP GeoWeb – Historical Properties Map REFERENCES • Bureau of Air Monitoring (2022). 2021 New Jersey Air Quality Report. New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. • Report of Geotechnical Investigation (2021). Dynamic Earth. • Water Monitoring and Standards (2012). Ambient Biomonitoring Network Volume 1 of 2. New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.

1. Introduction This Environmental Impact Statement was prepared in accordance with the requirements of the West Orange Township Land Use Ordinance in support of a Preliminary and Final Major Site Plan application for a proposed Popeyes and IHOP restaurant to be located on Block 153, Lot 38 in the Township of West Orange, Essex County, New Jersey (hereafter “the site”). The site consists of 45,713 SF (1.05 Ac) and is occupied by a vacant 1-story building which was previously used as a restaurant. The purpose of this Environmental Impact Statement is to summarize, highlight, or otherwise qualify the extent to which the proposed development will have an impact on the existing site and surrounding areas. 2. Project Description The site is located at 470 Eagle Rock Avenue (CR 611) with secondary frontage along Rosney Terrace. The site is currently occupied by a vacant 1-story building which was previously used as a restaurant. Surrounding properties include: • North: Eagle Rock Avenue • East: Vacated Fundus Road right-of-way with adjacent commercial uses • South: Existing residential uses within a commercial zone • West: Rosney Terrace According to the Township of West Orange Zoning Map, the site is located within the B-2 (General Business) Zone. The proposed development consists of retrofitting the existing building for the occupancy of a 2,391 SF Popeyes restaurant and a 3,797 SF IHOP restaurant. The Popeyes restaurants will also provide a drive-through component. Additional improvements will include parking, driveways, signage, lighting, landscaping, grading, walkways, utilities, stormwater management facilities, and other associated items as shown on the accompanying site plan drawings. 3. Existing Conditions A. Vegetation The subject site is currently developed with a vacant restaurant and parking lot. A tree survey was conducted by Dynamic Engineering Consultants, PC, and forty-three (43) existing trees were found to be within the proposed limit of disturbance area around the Environmental Impact Statement 1 June 2024 DEC #1021-99-025 Last Revised February 2025

perimeter of the development. The existing trees consist of mostly maple, locust, and arborvitae species. The accompanying Demolition and Tree Removal Plan along with the Tree Removal Report provide a further analysis of the existing onsite trees. B. Wildlife Per NJDEP GeoWeb Mapping, there are no wildlife habitats within the site or any adjacent properties. C. Topography Per the Boundary and Topographic Survey prepared by Dynamic Survey, LLC, dated May 13, 2021, site grades generally slope from the southern corner towards the northern corner and Eagle Rock Avenue. Site elevations range between approximately 586 feet and 574 feet. The Township of West Orange Land Use Ordinance defines steep slopes as, “any slope equal to or greater than 10 percent as measured over any minimum run of 10 feet.” Manmade steep slopes are present onsite along the southeastern border as well as along Rosney Terrace. D. Geology and Soil Per the Report of Geotechnical Investigation, prepared by Dynamic Earth, LLC, dated June 3, 2021: “The subject site is located in a region of the Piedmont Physiographic Province of New Jersey known as the Newark Basin. The Newark Basin contains rocks of the Newark Super Group which is a stratigraphic series of Triassic to Jurassic age sedimentary rocks containing intrusive sills and dikes as well as extrusive volcanics. The primary formation beneath the site is known as Orange Mountain Basalt of the Brunswick Group which includes basalt and siltstone. The overburden materials at the site include glacial till deposits and man-made fill.” Based on site subsurface exploration completed by Dynamic Earth, LLC: “Soil borings were performed within existing pavement areas and encountered approximately 1.5 inches to four inches of asphaltic concrete at the surface underlain by up to approximately four inch of apparent subbase material. Environmental Impact Statement 2 June 2024 DEC #1021-99-025 Last Revised February 2025

Beneath the surface cover, existing fill material was encountered that generally consisted of sand and gravel with variable amounts of silt and debris. The debris encountered included asphalt and wood. The existing fill material was encountered to depths ranging between approximately two feet and four feet below the ground surface; corresponding to elevations ranging between 580.5 feet and 575.3 feet. SPT N-values ranged between approximately five blows per foot (bpf) and 14 bpf. An unconfined compressive strength (Qp) pocket penetrometer value of 0.5 tons per square foot (tsf) was recorded within the fine-grained portions of the stratum. Beneath the existing fill material, natural glacial deposits were encountered that generally consisted of sand (USCS: SM) and gravel (USCS: GP, GM and GP-GM) with variable amounts of silt and clay. The natural glacial deposits were encountered refusal depths ranging between approximately 3.5 feet and 12.5 feet below the ground surface; corresponding to elevations ranging between 578.3 feet and 566.8 feet. Except for split spoon sampler refusal, SPT N-values ranged between approximately 16 bpf and 63 bpf, and averaged 28 bpf; generally indicating a medium dense condition within the coarse-grained soils.” E. Groundwater Per the site subsurface exploration completed by Dynamic Earth, LLC, apparent perched groundwater within the existing fill material was encountered at a depth of approximately two feet below the ground surface (corresponding to an elevation of 578.7 feet). Groundwater was not encountered at depths ranging between approximately 8 feet and 10 feet below the ground surface (corresponding to elevations ranging between 572.2 feet and 569.3 feet). Groundwater levels are expected to fluctuate seasonally and following significant periods of precipitation. F. Surface Water The site currently drains via overland flow towards existing onsite inlet structures, which discharge to the existing inlets within Rosney Terrace. These inlets ultimately discharge into the existing stormwater infrastructure within Eagle Rock Avenue. Most of the site is located in the Lower Passaic and Saddle Watershed Management Area (WMA 4), within the Peckman River (above CG Res trib) subwatershed (04BA01), and Passaic River Lower

Most of the site is located in the Lower Passaic and Saddle Watershed Management Area (WMA 4), within the Peckman River (above CG Res trib) subwatershed (04BA01), and Passaic River Lower (saddle to Pompton) watershed, which has a cumulative drainage of Environmental Impact Statement 3 June 2024 DEC #1021-99-025 Last Revised February 2025

5.03 square miles. The southern portion of the site is located in the Arthur Kill Watershed Management Area (WMA 7), within the Rahway River WB subwatershed (07DA01) and Rahway River/Woodbridge Creek watershed, which has a cumulative drainage of 8.52 square miles. According to the NJDEP GeoWeb, Crystal Lake is the nearest waterbody, approximately 1,000 feet southeast of the site. The waterway is classified as FW2-NT. “FW2” is a general surface water classification applied to those freshwaters that are not FW1 or pineland waters. According to the Surface Water Quality Standards (N.J.A.C. 7:9B), “NT” or “Nontrout waters” means fresh waters that have not been designated in N.J.A.C. 7:9B-1.15 as trout production or trout maintenance. These waters are generally not suitable for trout because of their physical, chemical or biological characteristics, but are suitable for a wide variety of other fish species. Per FEMA FIRM Map Number 34013C0092F, effective date June 4, 2007, the site is not located within a Flood Hazard Area. G. Freshwater Wetlands Per NJDEP GeoWeb, the site does not contain freshwater wetlands. The closest wetlands are deciduous wooded wetlands located approximately 1,200 feet south of the site. H. Water Supply Water service is provided to the area by New Jersey American Water. There is an existing water main located adjacent to the property along both Eagle Rock Avenue and Rosney Terrace. I. Sanitary Sewer Service Sanitary sewer collection service is provided by the Township of West Orange with wastewater treatment provided by the Joint Meeting of Essex and Union Counties (JMEUC). The JMEUC operates under NJPDES Permit No. NJ0024741 and is permitted for flows up to 85.0 million gallons per day (MGD). An eight (8) inch sanitary sewer main exists adjacent to the property along Eagle Rock Avenue. J. Air Quality The following was taken from the 2021 New Jersey Air Quality Report: “this report presents the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) air quality data for 2021, collected from NJDEP’s extensive air monitoring network. The state of New Jersey has been Environmental Impact Statement 4 June 2024 DEC #1021-99-025