I can't. >> All right. Welcome to the Township of Sparta Environmental Commission meeting of Thursday, August 14th, 2025. We are calling the meeting to order at 7:01 live in the council chambers at the
municipal building and also live streaming at www.youtube.com uh backspartwp streams. Um, adequate notice of this meeting was provided to the public and the press on January 10th, 2025 by
delivering to the press and posting on the township website a copy of this notice. Please join me in saluting the flag to the flag of the United States of America >> and to the republic for which it stands.
One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Thank you. Um, roll call, please. Emily, >> Deputy Mayor Margie Murphy, >> here. >> Chair Kimberly Null >> here.
>> Vice Chair Neil Sourine >> here. >> Christine Dunbar. >> Ted Gaul >> here. >> Christine Rogers >> here. Barbara Kazulka, Landon Tenieri, Robert Otto >> here, >> John Grath >> here.
>> Thank you. >> Thank you. Approval of the minutes of July 24th, 2025. >> Do I have a motion to approve the minutes andor is there any discussion items? Did we miss some minutes? Is this the
last one that we was there a July 10th one that did not get approved? >> No, those were approved. >> Those were approved. Okay. Yeah, they're on right here in front of me. Thank you. >> Oh, that's okay. >> Yeah, they're on the website. Make a motion to approve the minutes as
presented for July 24th, 2025. >> Thank you, >> Robert. >> Thank you, Rob. Do I have a second? >> I'll second. >> Christine seconded. All in favor? >> I >> I >> Thank you.
>> Okay. Uh, next we have three applications to review tonight. Um, let's start with the first one. I know Emily sent him out, but I I know I did not have a chance to look at them. So, if we want to go down to the table, we
can go look at the applications. >> See the applications one over there. Which one was this one? Louisa. >> Oh, Louisa. >> Okay. >> So, first one is the TQ50.
Anybody gets to look at them beforehand? >> No. >> I looked through that one. >> You did? >> Um, yeah. Which one is that? >> PQP Service Inc., >> right? Um, >> what is this one? >> That's 60 Woodport or Yeah. 60 Woodport
Road. >> Oh, yeah. That's >> 160. Yeah, >> that that's where the uh the Taylor is. >> Yes. >> Yes, I saw that one. >> Those are just they're looking to put in a bike,
>> right? Oh, it's just a change of the um I think it's a change of >> change of view. >> Change of view. >> Yeah, >> you probably don't have too much to say about that. >> No, I couldn't find anything.
>> They're not doing anything on the outside or >> it's not becoming a studio. >> It's just It used to be clean. >> Don't know. It was dry cleaner
on the right hand side and Taylor. >> Yeah. In the middle. Yeah. >> I don't know. >> Oh, the 7-Eleven. I know that one property. that was under >> the building on Woodport Road
next to the 7-Eleven. >> Um, they are looking for a variance for the Soap Soapy play lot. >> Could be parking. There's not much parking. Well, >> oh, you know what else is in that
building? Um, >> State Farm. >> State Farm. >> All right. >> So, there's there's like three. I went and looked at it and there's three. It's sweet A, B, and C. The B is empty
in the middle. So, Sophie's tailoring and dry cleaning used to be dry cleaning, which is now across the street for ENA cleaners. >> Right. Um, they are renovating to the front.
of the building to a two-tone stucco material. Repairing and painting the sides of the building to utilize paint similar or identical in color to the proposed facade. Merging the two one-bedroom apartments so that they will be used
as one twobedroom apartment >> on the second floor. >> Yeah. And he further explained that a new peaked roof will be constructed to replace the shed type roof on the rear residential second story which will be more in keeping with the potential for
snow in the existing septic tank will have to be replaced. requesting a septic tank. Comply with health officer requirements. He also is looking for a var. And he confirmed the lighting proposed on the building within the building
could be subject to a requirement that could require reduction in the elimination operational >> I don't understand for some >> the witness further confirmed that there
will be no hazardous materials used in the shop or in the flower store that There will be dry clean. >> So I guess the Taylor shop is safe. >> Yeah. No materials and dry cleaning.
>> I guess the flower stay. >> So there is a dry cleaner there. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. To the right. I thought they completely moved across the street. Good.
You're adding more energy to It looks like the property. >> Yeah, it has been though, right? >> I don't know. >> This is very small. >> Yeah, the whole thing is paid attention. John, can you
>> I mean I might have Oh, okay. >> Oh, yeah. >> Yeah, we're just the first. So existing signage farm proposed signage type
inside in the back. >> Yeah. Mhm. >> Oh, good. One parking space for 200 square foot. should have 19 to 20 parking space. That's fine.
I thought they have 21, right? normally would request. >> Yeah. And how many students were there per class? >> Per class. >> Y >> we don't here.
>> I don't think so. >> Yeah, I don't have I only have the YouTube and the recording on this computer from >> what you said. has an additional parking area of 1600 square feet which should more than
satisfy any parking. I don't I'm not I don't care. I don't I think I think it's like that place. We had trouble the other night. We couldn't get on. I don't have any comments. >> All right, next one is
Bara smoke shop. I guess it's that was definitely working. Thank you. Here we go. I'm not connecting. Okay. Application. >> Oh, okay. So, it's going by
it's by the pharmacy site >> part of pharmacy. >> It's across from >> across from Shopight. >> I mean, Shopight was Paparonis. >> Yeah. It's also where uh the Tulum was. >> What was that?
>> It was a uh >> computer repair. >> Oh, I know what you're talking about. >> The computer repair. >> Yeah. Y >> that it wasn't retail. It was >> But it was something before that
>> computer repair. >> Are they talking about that pizza place? >> Yes. >> The old pizza place. It was like >> pepperonis and it was >> I think >> and it was a Mexican place.
>> Yes. >> Okay. And so they're going to put a smoke shop and Mediterranean. And it's the the same owner or the the wife of the previous owner past.
>> Yeah. Frank, >> right? Paperonis, whoever was saying that, >> you got it right. >> Okay. >> No structural changes are proposed. The business
permitted smoke shop retail restaurant signage signs are in kind replacement. No variances are needed. >> Pretty standing sign. There's a lot in the back. They're going to keep the freestanding
sign. >> They're going to change it once a week. >> Are you serious? >> Yeah, I think I remember reading that. >> They're going to change the sign over once a week. >> The electronic
>> Oh. Oh. Oh, I see what you mean. The zone the zone um okay this application applicant seeks an alteration to the existing freestanding sign which is 14 ft high and set back more than 25 ft from the
right of way. The zone permits a 48 square foot sign. The existing sign is 58.65 and the proposed sign is 57.17. Yeah. The LED message board will replace existing message according to revised sketch marking.
>> Yeah. >> That's what they were talking about. That's what was previously done. This is April 10th placing signage. Okay. I don't know if we have any comments on March. Okay. Yeah. Where that computer places
are making us You saw this already because it went through the planning board. >> Oh yeah. I mean, they're not doing any like we're not in charge of signs. We're not in charge of these things. So, I don't
know. Does anybody have any comments? >> Nope. >> Other than the signage, like the turning the lights off at night, >> they're not making any changes that we really can make.
Um, >> previous, >> but it has been. I've seen it flash. their grandfather nonconforming this resolution to
unless >> I would still say business. >> Okay. >> Yeah. And then Does it show how far back from the road that sign is going to be? >> Yeah. Yeah, it's already there. That's
the thing. >> 25 ft was it? >> Yeah. 25 ft in from the road. And so I don't know why detectable warning tenant name they're not making any changes.
Oh, this is the whole property is all this what they're talking about. I see. Okay. There's the old pizza place is over here somewhere. Oh, here's the road. Okay. So, there's the computer place >> and here's the
>> there's the restaurant. >> You're right. There's the restaurant. There's the computer. There's that other building. >> Okay. >> Okay. Okay. Turn off the side at night. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. I'd say bare minimum.
In this 2015 res now >> they should not have scrolling >> well per her uh 2015 determination. The criteria from the zoning boarding
flashing and graphics, right? >> It's Yeah, they're not allowed to on page 10 number four. They need to adhere to says it will not be lit overnight and it
will operate during business hours 7 am to 11 p.m. >> Okay. >> And then I don't know if the board if uh Dave Simmons or whoever is going to look at the illumination levels. >> Okay. >> But um I don't know what the
requirements were back in 2015. And then the other thing I saw in here somewhere in here. There's like other like here it says the board finds the light levels will not spill off the property and and they require engineer
approval. So that's why um and it's limited to three lines of text. It will not act as a distraction to pass which I don't understand how you can guarantee that because the whole >> the whole point is to grab someone's
attention that that's not >> so I mean >> but we want to say just adhere to the previous >> for the 2015 >> resolution. Okay. Just to keep you like >> Yeah. And then specifically
um regarding light levels spilling off the property. >> The negative criteria spelled out in the 2015 >> right now >> and it's non-conforming. Oh, yeah. So, this is this is what I was just curious.
The property is a pre-existing non-conforming lot located on Route 15. Eight prior approvals were granted by this board for the various non-conforming commercial uses. Can we ask what is eight? I mean
>> I guess >> we could ask but I don't know if that's that's not for us. It might not be for us, but if it's related to like drainage, anything like that to just feel better. >> I have no idea what these prior.
>> All right, everyone. Good. All right. Now, I guess we'll go over there to that one. >> Huh? >> An actual full size >> drawing. >> Don't worry.
Where's this road? What is it here? >> It's um off of Glen Road. >> You know Morris Lake? >> No, honestly, >> it's up Glen Road and then right before the river, you go over the little river.
>> Yeah, Arapjo. >> It's the side road. >> If you look at this >> Yeah. You may not, if you've never turned down this road, you won't recognize no at all. >> You go up to
past uh East Mountain, >> and it'll be the next road on your left, I believe, is where it is. And there's a lake there.
Let's look at septic design. >> They had to put in a whole new septic. >> They had to put a whole new >> Yeah. It's right on the >> four three-bedroom apartments. Septic
tank capacity. It's 3,000 gallons. No. 12. We're proposing multiple septic tanks of 3,000 gallons. No, 3,000 total. Sorry. Two proposed
with 1500 gallons. 200 gallon per day. >> There's four apartments, right? >> Yeah. four threebedroom apartments and the septic area is way behind it out over here the field.
>> Yes, it exists already. >> Yeah, it was a hotel back in the day back in the 30s or 40s. system that draw it shows minimum required
showing your system. >> What was that for? >> So the the setback is >> of what building? >> Oh >> construction. So existing for the front yard is fine. Um it's going to be 78.5
ft, but it's a massive building, right? So the rear yard setback should be 50 ft. And you're telling me it's very close to the lake. >> No, it's on the Glenn >> on the Glen the road. >> But then Glen Lake is right
>> across the street. >> So it's 9 ft on the rear. >> Yes. because I think the water goes all the way up to here. There's like a little river that goes through >> here. >> It's weird shaped. Yeah, >> it is.
>> But the um >> when the dam broke and the and the flooded it goes right behind that propert. >> So I mean we have a >> because that's where the
>> Morris Lake the Newton water system. >> Well then I was going to kind of ask, "Have we gotten a letter from Newton? Make sure that you know it's very protective of the water source. Do we need to check them?" >> But uh
>> so yeah, if you look at this picture, the lake is like right over here, I think. >> So are there any controls proposed for, you know, like runoff concerns potentially? I I would just simply say they have no rear yard setback. If the
lakes right there. That would be a suggestion I would have that >> any storm waters straight in there. >> Do you remember that name?
>> What are they calling the rear yard? >> I mean, this has got to be the front yard. The rear yard and the shortest distance is right there. It's a very cheap They don't even they don't even share the left side except
shape. >> Oh, I see. So, they're going to have people You're not going to park here. You're going to drive all the way around up that road and come in and park. Right. >> Right. >> This is Morris Lake Road.
>> Right now, you're driving here. >> Yeah. And it looks like they're changing it. >> What is it? >> It's a driveway. It's not a road. >> But look at how they have the driveway. >> What is that first word there? Ground. Ground. Driveway.
>> Gravel. >> Gravel. >> Gravel. >> Gravel. Driveway. Yeah, that's what it's saying. >> Probably. >> It's gravel. >> Well, >> it is gravel now. >> Actually, I just drove up there. Um, yeah, it's a very weird, but yes, it
is right. It drops. This is where that little bridge is. Right. Right. Right here. When if you go over to Morris Lake Road >> and you're park over here, right, to go onto the beach. >> Yes.
>> If you're coming from Glenn Road, >> Yeah. Then there's a little stream there. >> You know what we should have done, which I didn't do. We should have done a um
>> pull that report. You know what? We'll we'll pull the report. I'll share it with y'all and then we can see if we have any other comments. It's going to be in front of the zoning board in September. September 9th, I think something like that.
>> So that's what that's they do need to see on that. Looks like their driveway is in off their property though. >> Yeah, >> I agree. >> I don't know what the story is on there.
>> I don't either. And look, the pavement goes onto their property. >> It's driving right through the center of the road goes right through the center. I'm just saying what about
the side specifically left and either way if they're calling rear and left just that's the overall problem I think the least we should do is suggest that they create some kind of burn or some kind of
some kind of >> runoff So it doesn't go right into >> Yeah, this show looks like they're going to be nice detail. Yes. Interior stuffing. Decreasing coverage.
currently. Yeah, looks like it's decreasing. Is it getting higher? hasn't accept >> are they tearing it building it or >> I think it's gravel now.
>> No, the structure. >> No, they're just looks like they're only doing interior things. >> I don't know. That's what I'm trying to >> The only thing I >> Oh, the driveway. >> Yeah, smaller driveway.
So maybe this >> I don't know what is over. >> Looks like it's not even on their property. >> So that's a good point. If it's not even on
their property, how they claim >> maybe they have a right away. I don't own my driveway either. I have a rightway. Well, you do. It could burn. >> If you have a right away, that's fine. But if you're doing your calculations
on >> Yeah, they're only doing their calculations inside the line, I think. >> Does it say where the road? Because there's >> I don't think this I don't think this is the road. I think this is gravel driveway. Literally, the road I think is
way over here. further down. Oh, here it is. See? >> So, I don't know who owns this piece right here because they're basically what they're doing is driving over that other person's >> property. I don't think there's anything there. >> They may have a Here's Burn.
Um, maybe they have a >> Yeah. field here. And this is pretty steep. >> This is steep here, too. This is All right. So, our comments are drainage
plan >> to prevent uh runoff going into the lake. >> Yeah, it looks like the rear and also where >> Okay. >> technically if you look at the shape of
the building, this is the front. >> I'm not sure what they're calling The left doesn't have any >> any love setback. >> Was this your >> So this is the
>> this um page says existing septic tank to be bumped, backfilled and abandoned. And then their general notes over here said that they ran it through NJ web. The proposed individual subsurface
sewage disposal system is not located in a freshwater wetlands transition area or a floodway or flood plane area. That's what they're saying. >> I remember I want to see where the These are new plantings.
>> And I don't understand how there's two trees right in the >> Oh, okay. So, it says all trees within 10 foot of proposed disposal area to be removed. Not all trees on the property are shown on this plan. >> But then they're saying proposed tree protection.
So, all right. So these are where all the trees are. They're protecting some and they should just Oh, I guess they're ext. >> So why not the left side set back and they say the right one
has 35 ft. So to me >> that might that might be 35 ft right there. >> Cuz if that's twice that that's 70ish >> but >> and then this is 9 ft maybe at narrowest here.
>> But then where >> did they did they mix up their left? I mean this is the front. So this is the rear. So this is the left. This is the right. It looks like they mixed up their left and right. set back potentially.
Um, and anyway, >> this is all steep. So, they could suggest like, oh, we're going to put um, same type of thing. We're going to put like a
>> retaining wall, >> build your fabric fence all along here. That's not going to address drainage, and you're not going to want to divert the drainage to your brand new So, I guess I'm just curious what the plan
just porch and stairs that they're ripping out. So that could have [Music] >> I could put it away after. >> All right. That's better. Have to be real exciting.
>> Sure. Everybody >> riveting. >> Riveting. >> All right. >> Oh, are they done with the drawings? All right, moving on to correspondence. We have no correspondence. Moving on to public comment. We have nobody from the
public here. Moving on to reports. Does anybody want to go first? >> Neil, you want to go first? >> Yes. Um, we just had our uh stakeholder meeting with um for the master plan subcommittee with the
environmental commission and uh that will be entered into the record for the upcoming revision. >> Awesome. We don't have Landon for the trails.
Do you want to go Rob? >> Planning >> meeting? Yeah, we haven't >> Has there been a meeting recently? Talk in the mic, please. >> It's on purpose. Uh we haven't we're we're going to have a meeting following
uh this one. Um so we've canled a couple of our meetings. Um but just generally um for minor site plan I think we're we're still trying to move the needle and kind of what we discussed uh at the
master plan um subcommittee which is just just general um landing on the proper guidelines uh for wayfinding and tackling kind of intensity and it sounds like we should be looking at parking
standards. Um so um yeah, same old same old. >> Awesome. And Deputy Mayor Murphy, >> I only update um we haven't had any 50. So the only thing is the possible new
person to as our new liaison from school. We have one application and uh the super fund act has been given to all the council members. >> Oh, great.
>> So, it uh should be put on to the it I believe will be put on to the next meeting in September. Okay, great. All right. Thank you. >> So, it was pretty boring. Town council.
Sorry. >> All right. unfinished business sustainable New Jersey certification. I know we got our bronze. Any other updates from that? >> Well, we're gonna have enough points for bronze, but the final certification was sent in on July 31st, and so we're just
waiting to get the final points of how many we're going to have. >> Thank you, Christine, for doing the bulk of that work. Much appreciated. >> Yes. Y >> All right. Um, the next three items are
resolutions that um, additional resolutions that we're going to be presenting to the town council. I spoke to Mayor uh, Clark about it and he recommended possibly in September um, but maybe uh, in October. So, we're on
we're on the agenda. We're getting there. Um, all right. Next item is we have a certificate for John for your service to the Sparta uh township
>> environmental commission. >> Thank you so much for everything. >> Enjoy doing this. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Wait a minute. >> Can we go down and get a picture? Let's go get a picture. >> You want me to take a picture? >> Yeah, that'd be great.
I'll send it to you guys. Can I get a picture with John? >> Yes. Ready? Mhm. So, what what have you learned? What has it meant to you to be on the committee? It's I think probably the most
involvement I've had in something at such a big level because I've been involved in like you know school things and you know even even some local things but being involved uh in something to this scale is been really important to me and if I and I've enjoyed all of it.
>> Awesome. Good. Good. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Thank you for letting me be a part of it. >> Yeah. Thank you for being part of it. It's not easy coming here. All right. Um, there is also another resolution that we're working through. Um, and that was to protect our public
forests. Um, Christine had some suggestions that came out in I didn't bring my copy again. Um, said sent out suggestions. Did anybody have any other comments or suggestions to that?
Or do we like Christine's suggestions? I liked them personally. I liked them. They thought they were good clarifications. >> Um this won't be the final review because as with most of our resolutions has to go through the town council process which includes review by um
township lawyer etc. So if we don't have any other comments, do I have a motion to go ahead and approve with the changes that Christine had submitted. >> I'll make the motion to approve.
>> Thank you. Do I have a second? >> I'll second that. >> Thanks, Rob. >> All right. All in favor say I. >> I. >> I. Thank you. All right. So, we'll get on the agenda for town council for that one. >> Um the last unfinished business was on
the deer management. So, we did have the presentation um by DE DP's Fish and Wildlife. Uh Brian Schum came. Um I thought it was a very informative uh presentation. I'm going to have to go back and listen to it again in some
cases. >> Um but the next step I I have been in touch with him and the next step is to put together a wildlife management plan. The first thing that we have to do is kind of um I don't know if it's a formal survey,
but I'm sure that we can use things such as police records for deer and car accidents, but we need to basically identify where we have the most problems with deer. Um I think we all know it's pretty much in the Lake Mohawk area. Um
but we could also take a look at our accident records. Um I can be in touch with I know that he gave a report sheriff um gave a report already but I don't remember where exactly he said. Um is there any does anybody know of any
other ways we can identify where it's a problem? >> I know where the most traffic accidents are, but they're not deer related. >> Yeah, I'm just talking about the deer related traffic accidents. >> I could take pictures in my yard. I was going to say if you want to do a a
survey uh >> it went on your trail. >> You did? >> We could probably set up a survey uh >> at least for Lake Mohawk to define hot spots, but that's >> I think that would be great. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> So, I know that a tool was just created.
I could see if we could co-op that tool, which is just uh it's a it's a very simple survey. I I think it's geared towards safety and trespass, but you know, uh either they could just copy that and say, you know, like a deer reporting tool,
>> and it could be deer, it could be bear. I mean, if we want, you know, I guess that's the question is I could or or we could reach out um to Lake Mohawk to the web uh master there and say, you know, hey, could we just roll out a variation
on this? That's just a form. And so people that um weigh in, they could, you know, they could choose to share their address um and what they saw. And then at least that would be like that's 2700 potential
data points that we could get. >> That'd be great. >> Um because I was thinking of ring cameras because you always get the bear and the oh look at this cute deer. But that seems like a much better way to do it >> if people >> are willing to do it. >> But with this particular case they might
if they're like oh someone could change. >> So will you start that conversation with the web master? >> Sure. and then I'm happy to take it from there. >> And then related with that, um I had that question that I could just throw
out there. Um I know it's come up in past town council that there was there's been questions about food security and hunting. Um, and I know the state as outlined kind of took us through the different options for controlling
deer populations and then they kind of settled on this is what we think is the best thing and then we're we're kind of at like next steps which are um do the study, quantify it, uh, and then I
assume then kind of frame the the plan. Um and so someone had reached out. They watched they actually did watch our um deer um talk and they said, "Hey, so does can we
start hunting again?" Um and they meant bow hunting, which I think is exactly what the state would do. So I guess I'm just curious. Is is this something maybe Margie you could bring up with town council? And I know you guys are all
like you would probably remember watching some of previous town council, but I don't know if there's someone you could ask uh who's been at town hall for a while and just say how do you guys do it before? Because I just think when we come up with this data, then it's going
to be action steps. And it seemed like the state has a certain way to do it, certain pathway, which I if I understood it is they have a team that comes up of hunters. They're bow hunters. They do they take the animals, then they test
the meat, then they um provide the meat to recipients. >> Yes. >> Um and I guess the question there is if you know where we are there's a lot of interest amongst the hunters.
So, is there an opportunity to change the pathway where maybe the hunters as part of of their permitting either get certified by the state to join that program and then they pay for the permit and then Sparta doesn't have to pay for it? I don't know. So, Margie,
>> I think what you're saying is um don't go through the process. >> I'm just asking just as a town, can we just do it on our own? >> It's I'm Yeah, I'm just asking is that something? So, I think also a conversation with um the police.
>> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> We wouldn't want a bunch of people just wandering around. >> Well, no, I think we're I think we're very far away. I mean, I didn't imagine that this process would happen very quickly at all >> years ago. >> Okay. So yeah, I would start because I think that what I recall was it was a
discussion about township owned lands first of all and then there was kind of some laughter about hunters in Station Park and that's kind of the extent of what I remember but you know now that we're talking about it and to be fair and
because there is interest from Sparta residents you know I I think we should find out >> what was done if anything. >> Okay, makes sense. Is there a fine feeding for feeding deer?
>> State fines like fishing game, they have fines, but I don't know. >> Do they? >> Yeah. >> Well, I know Lake Mohawk is very much against it, but um Oh, pardon me. I did forget to tell you one thing. Um, did you know that there's a a uh a watering
>> restriction on >> odd even days depending upon your it's on the it's on the website for town. >> Yep. So if your house number is odd or even >> even, >> right? Then you get to water on those days. >> Correct. >> Okay.
>> And that was a change from because there was a 48 hour no one can use water and now it's odd even. Right. Okay. I don't think anybody should be watering, but that's just my opinion. >> I agree.
>> All right. Um All right. Moving on to new Oh, sorry. >> I have one one other thing on on unfinished business. >> Sure. >> What are the next steps in um the uh Sparta Mountain? >> That's that resolution
um protecting the forest. No, wait. This change I don't think this is the right agenda item. Change Senate bill. >> Oh, no. No. I I mean what like weren't we? >> That's what they came with their suggestions.
>> Oh, okay. Yeah, it is the right one. All right. I'm sorry then. >> Uh yeah, but weren't we going to try to get um the state to come back in and talk with um >> Oh, yeah. >> Yeah. just talk with the uh
>> my impression was though that Neil was doing that and that we weren't we were we were taking on the resolution >> okay is there any any date or or anything like that >> I haven't seen anything yet >> okay
>> can we do you want to formalize a request to just keep us in the loop since we're all interested >> I can Um, okay. New business. Um, Christine Dunbar had brought up that
there is the Rivers Conference is coming up on October 10th and um, please sign up for it if anybody's interested. >> Kim, that's actually um, Rivers Conference is October 17th. Oh, >> I think that other NJA conference is the
10th. >> Okay, thank you. >> Isn't it Anjack conference? >> Oh, maybe. >> You're missing an A there, Emily. No problem. >> I think so.
>> I didn't catch it. My bad. >> I didn't either. >> Yeah. So, the Anjac conference is coming up on October 10th and the Rivers Conference is coming up on the 17th. Yes. Okay. Okay, I think I got that right now. >> Okay. >> All right. Um,
the other thing that we wanted to talk about or that I had as new business was um discussing the environmental impacts of AI data centers. Um, artificial intelligence, the computing capacity
that is necessary for a lot of it um is kind of hidden. I think people don't know that, you know, even if you store like 300,000 emails, it actually is uh using a lot of electricity. But now with
AI, I've actually been implementing uh a whole bunch of AI uh projects and they have these things called tokens. And so as the AI is doing its work for a piece of a word, it is actually exchanging a
token with the data center. Um and so the data centers need to be quite large. They um are taking a lot of computing power. Um so energy starts to become an issue with um data centers and then they
must be kept cool. So I don't know if anybody is familiar with um servers and the infrastructure that goes on behind computers, but your server room is supposed to be cold. not like refrigerator cold, but like it it's
around 60, 65, 70. If they get too hot, then the servers don't work anymore. So, keeping these enormous data centers cool is also um causing an environmental impact both in energy and electricity
and um water. So they are using in some cases closed cooling systems that are using up the in the area's water but in other cases not using a closed system and they're just continuously drawing more and more water to cool their
infrastructure. Um, so I just wanted to bring this up because I don't think it's very widely known how um, AI is actually impacting um, the environment. I use AI every day. I enjoy using it. I'm not against
artificial intelligence, but we do have to consider that, especially as the environmental uh, commission and as a town. We need to think about the impacts of it. Um right now um I'm aware of some data
centers that were built down in the Georgia area and just anid this I know this only one case and one anecdotal discussion of what happened to to this one uh couple but they're now they have rolling blackouts all the time ever
since the data center moved in next to them and essentially they have no water their well has run dry So, um, >> and those were those were actually illegal. Some some of those they were only supposed to have a certain number
and they have more than they are um allowed to, right? >> Yeah. I I don't know all the legality of it. The other thing is they are leaving the lights on all night long blaring out into the parking lots. So, um, essentially they were showing how they
could close their curtains and it still was like it looked like it was daylight out for them. So, um, again, just I don't know what actions we should take, but I think we should be informed of of the impacts of artificial intelligence and data centers and then start
considering maybe what we should do in the master plan to talk about it. I'm not saying it gets banned. I'm just saying that like it needs to be something that's considered in there. >> So like lighting glare, lighting only
during operation, lighting is necessary. But it does sound like aside from the humidity, we have a potential if we do find an abandoned mine, which would be cold and which be partially flooded, we could throw a data center down there
and we could use that water and we could keep our servers cold. >> But it's not just the water. They use massive amounts of energy. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> So, we need to get the wind farm going above the mine, too. >> And solar panels. >> Above mountain. >> There we go. Dig a hole in the mountain.
Shove a server farm under there. There we go. >> Kidding. >> Yes. Yes. I'm kidding. Sorry. >> Joking. >> We have fun. >> 100%. >> Let's not do that. >> All right. So, I guess the ask is just
be aware. We'll keep if I see anything else about it, I'll bring it to folks attention and um let's just continue to have it on our radar as something to pay attention to. >> So AI centers, we need to backfill
some common sense regulation locally. Artificial turf fields, we need to do the same but different ways. >> Um yeah. And how do you replace artificial turf? What do you do with the artificial turf?
>> It's not recyclable. They don't know what to do with it. >> They don't know what to do with it. Same thing with solar panels. >> It goes into landfills. >> Yep. >> So, this is where we need to consider again like cradle cradle to grave. Like
if if something is coming into Sparta Township, we need to have a plan for it to exit. If it's something like this where it's going to have a finite amount of time um and then it's of no use and if it's going to irrevocably change the dynamic
is it's not just taking the field out but it's also the abrasion of those little fibers and the movement of that through in our case >> yes >> yeah the pas through the surrounding areas and then if we have waterways adjacent which unfortunately we do how
does that affect the bigger picture. So, >> all right. Any other new business? >> I don't. Awesome. Do I have a motion to adjurnn? >> I'll make that motion. Robato, >> I a second. >> I'll second. >> Thank you. All in favor?
>> I meeting adjourned at 808. >> Yes.