##VIDEO ID:VqsQz-4fDF4## e e e I will now call the January 21st 2025 meeting of the burnard's township planning board to order at 7:32 please stand for the salute to the flag i al to the flag of the United States of America to the stands na indivisible andice in accordance with the requirements of the open public meetings law notice of this regular and reorganization meeting of the planning board of the township of Bernards was posted on the bulletin board in the reception hall of the municipal building poer Lane Basking Ridge New Jersey was mailed to the Bernardsville News whiy New Jersey The Courier News um Bridgewater New Jersey and was filed with the Township Clerk all on February 7th 2024 and was mailed electronically to all those people who have requested individual notice the following procedure has been adopted by the burgers Township uh planning board there will be no new ca cases heard after 10 p.m. and no new testimony heard after 10:30 p.m. I'm G to call the role Miss Master Angelo here Mr Crane here Mr Kozo here Mr yoro here Mr linski here M Mandu here Mr Rabino here Mr sevil here M Smith here Mr toriel here Mr Sly here and for the record Miss Kefir is present we'll begin now with the nominations for chairperson of the board um may I have a nomination for the office of chairperson for the board for the year 2025 Nom I'm sorry who said that name am I supposed to call the name yes um okay second I'm sorry Nom pardon me who's the nominee name not entirely sure who nominated who but I'm happy to nominate Kathleen Master Angelo for chair of the planning board and I'll second that all in favor opposed abstain thank you canat thank you thank you for your support every um I will now call for nominations for vice chairperson of the board for 2025 I'd might like to nominate Tyler sville I will second that nomination I accept all right we're going to do this um again as a Voice vote all in favor I opposed abstain thank you I will now accept nominations for vice chair Pro of the board for 2025 I would like to nominate Nick kuzo for protown I second all in favor I opposed abstain thank you okay moving on we will um be calling for the appointment for the board engineer for 2025 and that's under the do I need to do the resolution now or the motion first I um I would just say um based on resolution 25-1 okay based on resolution 25-01 which has been circulated to the board members before this meeting uh with time to review if anyone has any questions on the resolution now is the time to raise them otherwise I'll accept um a nomination for Bryce good uh PE um with his New Jersey license which is noted in the resolution for the position of board engineer for 2025 Mr um kuzo nominates him do I have a second I'll second Mr Cil second okay and this would be a roll call Mr cran yes Mr kuzo yes Mr yorio yes Mr lisinski yes M Mandu yes Mr Rino yes Mr Cil yes M Smith yes um chairperson Angelo yes thank you moving on to the appointment of board secretary I would like to call for the appointment of the office of secretary for the year 2025 and ask for a motion that Miss Cindy kefir be appointed as board secretary for said Year I'll make that motion Miss Mand makes the motion do I have a second I'll second Mr Seville seconds favor yes opposed abstain thank you okay moving on um you've also got a resolution in front of you noted number 25 03 for the appointment for board attorney Mr Jonathan drill for the year 2025 which has been circulated to board members in advance of this meeting do I have a motion for the appointment of Mr drill as the position of board attorney I'll make that motion I'll second Mr Crane motions and Miss manduk seconds righty Mr Crane yes Mr kuzo yes Mr yo yes Mr linski yes M Mandu yes Mr Rino yes Mr Seville yes M Smith yes CH person Master Angelo yes thank you on behalf of Mr drill thank you all Mr Torell is um instead for Mr drill right now thank you um next for the adoption of the official newspapers I would ask for a motion to designate the Burnville News whiy New Jersey and The Courier News Bridge New Jersey as the official newspapers for 2025 the daily record of Morristown New Jersey and the Star Ledger of Newark New Jersey are designated newspapers which may be given notice by the secretary when the publication schedule of the Bernardsville news or The Courier News does not enable it to publish advanced notice of special or rescheduled meetings may I have a motion to designate these newspapers as the official newspapers for our year 2025 so move Mr Kozo moves do I have a second second second by Miss Smith Voice vote Miss all in favor opposed abstain thank you next on the agenda is the resolution number 25-4 for the adoption of meeting dates again these meeting dates were circulated to the board in advance of today's meeting um may I have oh excuse me um yes a motion to adopt the 2025 calendar of meeting dates um for the first Tuesday and the third T Tuesday after the first Monday of the month at 7:30 in the municipal building CO ker Lane Basking Ridge Special meetings if necessary will be scheduled accordingly may I have a motion I'll make the motion Miss Smith motion second by I'll second Mr Crane roll call Miss kefir Mr Crane yes Mr kzo yes Mr uo yes Mr linski yes M manduk yes Mr Rino yes Mr Seville yes Miss Smith Yes chairperson master Angela yes thank you next on the agenda is the adoption of the 2025 rules and regulations again these uh rules were uh disseminated to the board in advance of today's meeting it is resolution number 25-5 which gives the rules and regulations for the year for 2025 for the planning board um I will note that there was one typo in the um header for the rules which was that the board second paragraph the board determined that the rules and regul regulations attached here too bearing a print date of January 16 2024 that should be supplanted with January 14 2025 Miss keeper has made that change correct so with that change um I would for a motion to adopt said rules um and the resolution number 255 for the planning board I'll make that motion with the noted change thank you Miss manduk second please I'll second Mr cevil second roll call please Mr Crane yes Mr kuzo yes Mr eorio yes Mr linski yes M Mandu yes Mr Rino yes Mr yes Miss Smith Yes chairperson master Andre yes thank you okay may I have a motion and a second to um close the did I miss you saying that everybody took their Oaths of office oh thank you Mr um Edelstein thank you very much we can do that now as well as part of the reorganization thank you there were Oaths of office administered thank you Mr Ed by um Mr toriello our board attorney for the following members Edward Rino class one member onee term expiring 201231 2025 John Crane Class 2 member oneyear term expire expiring 12 3125 Mr Nick Kozo class war member four-year term expiring 1231 2028 Daniel yuo class 4 member foure ter iring 12 3128 Miss Lauren Mandu class 4 member 4-year term expiring 12 3128 Julie Smith class 4 member alternate one filling unexpired one-year term of Mr Rabino expiring 1231 2025 these o of office were administered as I mentioned by our board attorney in advance of today's meeting and signed and submitted to the board secret thank you um another note we will be appointing the board planners and also the class three member at a subsequent meeting yes thank you for bringing that up Miss kefir so with that now I will ask for a motion to adjourn and a second the reorganization portion of today's meeting make that motion thank you Mr Crane second by I'll second Mr cille all in favor opposed abstain thank you I there you go official now we will open the um Regular meeting agenda for January 21st today um and I will call has everyone had a chance to look at the minutes that were sent by Miss Kefir in advance of today's meeting the first one being December 3rd 2024 yes does anyone have any changes that they would like to know just I don't think I'm qualified to you're going to you're going to recuse no no I don't think I'm qualified because there was subjects that oh you weren't at the meeting I I was at the meeting but in now I mean you were not at this part of the okay so you aren't allowed to vote on this okay and we also have Miss manduk who was absent along with M Smith who is absent from that meeting the remainder of the board is eligible okay so I would like to have a motion to approve the minutes of December 3rd 2024 noting that Mr Crane Miss mic and Miss Smith will not be able to vote I also have to abstain related to the 150 on road discussion okay so Mr cevil as well may I have a motion to approve the minutes of December 3rd 2024 so thank you Mr kuzo second please second Mr Rino seconds may I have a roll call Miss keeper Mr crzo yes Mr ororo yes Mr linski yes Mr Rino Yes chairperson master Andrew thank you for the December 17th 2024 meeting these minutes were disseminated to the board in advance of today's meeting does anyone have any um additions or any discussion no seeing none I would ask for a motion to approve the minutes of December 17 2024 I'll make that motion thank you Mr Crane a second second second by Mr Rino R is keer Please Mr Crane yes Mr eorio yes Mr linski yes M Mandu yes Mr Rubino yes Mr seil yes M Smith Yes chairperson master Angelo yes thank you moving on to number eight on the agenda any comments from Members um for at this time Madam chair I have a comment yes and bear with me as I may jump around a little bit so I was hoping that Paul Demers would be here tonight um to hear he's part of this with respect to his obvious departure from the board um I mean look I've been a member of the board of adjustment and the planning board for the better part of two decades I've always been very proud of the boards I truly mean it when I say we have the best professionals and we have a really we have really strong boarders um we are going into a crucial crucial time 2025 is going to be imperative of respect round four and other issues and this is my long-winded way of really imploring this board to educate yourselves on you know what we are what we are is a quasi judicial body we are completely autonomous from the township committee I think it's no surprise when I say I did not like much of what happened last month I don't think it's reflective or indicative of our board um our caliber um I'm sorry and sad to say you know opras were flying around and emails were disclosed that show a fundamental lack of understanding of the ml when uh you know public comment is warranted it showed um you know our confidential were disclosed and I'm just going to leave it there uh there was obvious you know an effort to weaponize in my opinion the planning board with having a couple of streets gather to um what they I'm sure thought would be an opportunity to weigh in on a consistency review and it all has now culminated with Paul De merg not being here I'll speculate as to why he was demoted from a class 4 member he was uh the chair and no one wanted to be the chair he stepped up he has a spotless record he has a background that suited for exactly what we need to do I don't recall exactly when he was appointed but I believe it was 2018 if not earlier and we are really at a disadvantage without him and his institutional knowledge being here tonight and I would ask the board all of the board to ask yourselves why isn't he here and remember an autonomous board we have been charged with a job to do and why I respect some of my colleagues opinions as to why we didn't do the consistency review last month I think um others of my colleagues made a decision based on pressure from sources that should not have been so again my my long-winded way of saying I've always been proud to be on this board I'm looking forward to another productive year on this board and three more after that um but I am concerned and so I would just ask that we all take the time to really educate ourselves on the basics the ml our role as a quasi judicial governing body and uh you know at the end of the day respect each other and that includes not disclosing our email addresses or asking for public comment when public comment is not called for that's my two sense thank you V does anyone else have anything to add yes Mr linski I'd like to Echo Miss have to say I haven't been on committee as long as miss or part of the government for as long as that um but when I did join I was partnering with Paul on a number of different projects when went out into the field and you know did did the uh the ground workor I found Co to be not only knowledgeable and profession but willing to share all that information it made me a better a better for for being here um I'm sorry that he no longer appears to be part of this board but I do want to take the moment to um to congratulate angel on her new position and hopefully uh it will work out much better than in the past so um once again sorry to see Paul go I I don't know why he's not here I was surprised I was hoping to he here but we have lost some of very for and uh it it hurts the whole Community not just the Dozen or some of that's all thank you Mr linski anyone else Mr Rino and then Mr crank I'll add I Echo the statements I think the U you know transpired in December is UPC coming of the board and presents Us in in a light to the public that that really doesn't but I would add that it starts when board members who are the minority in terms of the vote bully and strong on other board members who have a difference of amending okay and I will tell you I did some I did some research on this topic and you go to the uh to our to our Municipal landuse laws right 40 sem d-26 the referral Powers this to summarize one of the reasons why you know some seven members out of 11 member board wanted to table this subject is because essentially what this is saying without reading it verbatim is that what we were being strong enough to do is make a decision that it was inconsistent with the master plan without having all the all the facts the reasons why and detailing some of those reasons to support that argument so if it goes there with with just the uh with just that decision it can just be ignored it's just guidance it's not uh it's not something You' got to stick to so the township committee essentially would be voting on both ends of it without any due diligence from the planning board which is what we're supposed to do so tbling it allowing people to be able to understand it some people wrote The Master Plan understand it more other people like me didn't even have time I found out about 4 days ago had no time to even research it so I think it was it's unfair for some members of the board to Strongarm other members of the board there seven people six others like me on 11 person board who made that decision so it's we should have respect for each other and then after making that decision that vote I was I was uh messaged by one member on this board in a very condescending way I won't pull that person out but I want to start this year on a very different note and I hope we can get there I I responded to that condescending message in a very professional way and I got no feedback back so that person's not interested in that I hope we can change that but let's work together respect each other's opinions and understand that sending it back without the information that Julie was talking about right in DET without having that information essentially we become no part of the process the TC can make the decision on the front end and the back end with regard to our recommendation if we don't have the detail the detail holds the TC accountable to make decisions thank you Mr Rino Mr Crane like to say congratulations to my former environmental commission member she has a t-shirt that's I survive praying at I think it's been what 10 years served and that's quite impressive attorney background match two two children that's three three didn't want overwhelm so she she can give you the mom look if the people get out of control here um I just happen to be a senior member now at the planning board also want to thank Tyler Seville for stepping up and Nick kuzo for also stepping up um really don't want to go into what happened at the last meeting but my my suggestion is and I made this to the township committee after that meeting that we really should have at least three three planning board meetings before we have to make a decision um in the master plan there's a section that says we have C certain so it's it's not only that we are making a decision on things we need input from the public it's it's very vital to get input from the public I I don't know everything there's very very impressive members here but and I've I've been like I stated uh been around business quite a while and I I certainly don't know everything and I just would certainly like any any uh master plan consistency it should be open to the public I'm not going to put myself at such a higher level that I'm not going to listen to people and potentially hear things that I've never thought about so I I would ask the and Ed you can feed this back in your our representative to give us the three full meetings it also gives the opportunity for the public to hire professionals uh in that 35 days to bring up stuff so it can only help the process is getting more more input uh I I'll just give one example the the planning board opened a ordinance about the pie-shaped lots and I came up and I said do you realize that you're making 75 Lots non compliant and you're also allowing them to build forward and nobody in the planning board or the professionals had realized that they mended the ordinance of the grandfather those lots so that's just one one of many things that I've been inv with and the Public's been involved with that uh the professionals might have overlooked and I thought about so I would emphasize I would hope that every ordinance in determination that there's public comment thank you thank you Mr cran any other one comments I have a quick comment I would like to publicly thank Paul deman as well for his chairperson uh or stepping up as chair chairperson in 2024 I think he did an admirable job and um I am sad enough to see him here I um hope that he will at some point revisit us he did add a lot he gave his due diligence at every single turn and so publicly I would like to thank him um I would also like to thank each and every one of you because you're all so different and you bring so many different backgrounds here and that's why you've been put on this board and you do the homework the public does not see that we are given a a bevy of documents before our meetings we have architectural reports we have site plans we have board planner members we have ordinances to review and we all do our due diligence we often visit the sites that are under consideration so that we can get a 360 view not just a pay-per-view is an awful lot of time and dedication given to this board that the public does not see before we even come to these meetings so thank you for doing that and continuing to do that and as Miss manduk said this is going to be a very important year we have round four of affordable housing and among other things and we are going to dig in and I know each of you you're not not everyone's an attorney not everyone's an engineer not everyone's Financial which is the best part of this board it really is because we all bring different backgrounds and considerations the only thing that I would ask is that you do your homework as best as you can we're all busy but please take the time to review the documents ask the questions if you have to of board professionals beforehand if you have a question and to be respectful to your fellow board members there should be no one-upsmanship here in my view there should be consideration and there should be um professional courtesy to our board members as well as our board professionals and to the public so do your homework please I will be asking everyone to put on the record if they visited a site so that the public there is transparency for that I do encourage you to do that I have done that for every single application except for one where I was out of the country and I've always learned something from going there and if we can't if you can't go on the site which you shouldn't without permission but you can we can arrange for a board visit so with that said I do want to thank each and every one of you Miss Smith Mr yorio Miss Mandu Mr Kozo Mr Crane who I followed from environmental to board of adjustment to hear um Mr Seville Mr linski and Mr Rabino I think I got everyone and thank you to Mr SCH Mr toriello and Mr drill's absence and Miss kefir um thank you and to our board engineer as well who's not here so any other comments yeah and thank you to our members of the public that come particularly Mr Edelstein ex a credit okay any anything else thank you for your vote of confidence um and with that I'll entertain the motion to adjourn make that motion thank you Mr Crane a second I'll second that was Mr Cil yes thank you