Jessica Pearson, a resident of Montclair Avenue, has produced video interviews with three people who live on Westview Road: Sandy and Bill Krouse and Mary Purcell, which you can watch below. The videos capture their apprehension over the development, but add elements, like a blast-like sound that scares a bird away. Because the two lots slope steeply to Bloomfield Avenue, the developer is planning substantial excavation and blasting to make them buildable.
“The videos were made to properly illustrate not only the proportions of the property, but most significantly, its very proximity to residents’ homes and the profound effects that this particular development will have on Verona residents,” Pearson wrote in response to an email from this reporter. “People can read or skim though a very detailed article and still never really gain a true sense of how severe an effect that this will have on local residents, the children that play at Everett field, the Brookdale School, and the people in their daily travels through Verona’s busiest intersection. This video can clearly show that many residents will be dangerously close to an invasive and dangerous plan.”
Purcell’s house is on the ridge behind the development. Unlike most Verona homes, which have front and back yards, this house touches the far back of the property line. “I’ve been here 50 years and I’m not looking forward to having this type of destruction go on for two years or more right outside my window,” Purcell says in the video.
But there are some assertions in the video that differ from the development plans as they now stand. According to testimony last October, the blasting could go no closer than nine to 10 feet from a property line, not seven as the video indicates. Any additional rock would be removed by drilling. In addition, the current plan calls for a 15.5 foot buffer zone between Purcell’s house and the retaining wall that would be installed for the development.
The video also says blasting will go on for five months. In the first round of testimony last June, the developer’s engineer said the entire excavation phase would be four to five months. The October testimony clarified that blasting might take up 90 days of that. Blasting is regulated by the state, not the Board of Adjustment, which is has been hearing testimony on the variances sought for the development since last June.
Many of the opponents to the plan have expressed concern at the meetings that work at the site could aggravate respiratory conditions in the area, which abuts Everett Field, where youth baseball and football are played. But there has been no testimony on this point, other than an explanation by the blasting expert that blasting now takes place under heavy rubber mats to keep rocks and dirt from spraying. The developer, DMH2 LLC of Sparta, cannot go build on the IHOP lot as suggested because that lot is owned by someone else, who is apparently readying his own development plan.
“The videos were made to highlight the urgency of Mary, Bill and Sandy’s circumstances,” Pearson wrote. “About 10 feet off of the back of Mary’s home will be a severe drop off… and there is no guarantee that the remainder of the land- from the drop off to her home— will remain intact, especially during invasive blasting.”
Tonight’s Board of Adjustment meeting starts at 7:30 p.m., but there is another project on the docket ahead of DMH2. Peter Steck, a planner representing Pearson and her husband Jack McEvoy, raised significant objections to the project at the February hearing, including an assertion that 75 parking spaces are needed, not 63. DMH2 did submit a revision to the project after the meeting, but it only moved the dumpster that would have been located at the base of the retaining wall below Purcell’s house.
It is such a shame that an old woman has to live like this and be afraid of what is going to happen to her home, her life, her peace and her sanctuary because of someone else’s GREED. Can we PLEASE stop developing every square inch of unused land in our town? No one thinks of the consequences of these projects all they see are dollar signs. Mary Purcell is one of MANY people who will be effected by this and other development projects that get approved without considering the consequences. Tell this developer to move on… we don’t need any more buildings in our town.
I would just like to state some Facts about the proposed project.
Blasting period of 90 days was 90 Working days (at 5 days a week is 4.5 months) and the blaster stated that is without any delays-Rain, snow etc
The plans submitted shows the footing for the 26′ retaining wall Measuring 7.5′ from the face of the wall. With the wall being 15.5′ from Mary’s rear property line That puts the back of the footing at 8′ from the property line. An excavator cannot dig straight down at the 8′ mark when removing 30’+ of earth and rock. The mountainside has to be tapered so that there is less chance of a collapse from the earth above. In my opinion With a height of 30′ they will need a minimum of 2′ extra to get to that depth and that puts the excavation 6′ from the rear of Mary Purcells property line. I am a builder and have excavated for foundations and footings for homes and additions. Any excavator I have used digs past the footing location so that there is an ample amount of room to work. My calculation of the 6′ proximity to the property line did not include any over dig and therefore was a VERY generous one. Keep in mind that when it rains that soil behind her house will become soft and with the extensive blasting and hammering will collapse into the site. Does her house go with it???
I don’t want to drag on but the safety of her home is at risk. 5-6-7 foot away or even 10′—–any way you slice it (or blast it) it is still DANGEROUSLY CLOSE!!!