Page 4 • Wednesday , March 15 , 2023 • The Hammonton Gazette
Talavera application heard at Env . Comm
COMMISSION , from Page 1 “ green , net-zero house .”
“ He can offset all of his expenses , all of his utilities , by building an airtight home that will be fully electric , which would need a solar array ; that would go behind the house ,” Falisi said .
Falisi said that Talavera plans to do some replanting once construction is complete .
“ He will do landscaping and plant maybe red maple , some laurel , dogwoods in a landscape setting . We don ’ t want to get real crazy with too-big trees that are just dying off around the house . Behind the house , that 260 feet all the way back is going to stay asis ,” Falisi said .
During discussion of the application , commission chair Dan Bachalis said that he could not find flags or markers at the four corners of the lot . Falisi addressed the issue .
“ We ’ re having a problem with that . We ’ ve done this twice , and they ’ re being ripped out within a 24-hour period , all our markings ... My surveyor went out , marked the property line , 700 feet back , marked all four corners of that 260 by 150 block , and they were gone the following morning when my son went out to check the surveyor ’ s work ,” Falisi said .
Falisi said that the area was subsequently marked again .
“ This time , we spray-painted the ground , we spray-painted the trees . We put the flags in , and they were still gone ... It ’ s costing us a fortune to keep putting these stakes back in , and now we don ’ t know what we ’ re going to be up against when we actually stake the house out ,” Falisi said .
Falisi said that his surveyor was amenable to meeting with members of the commission onsite and plot the area in their presence .
Commissioner Terri Caruso-Cafiso made a motion to approve the application , pending confirmation of the clearing area limits . Commissioner Chris Bethmann seconded the motion , which was approved .
The second in-person application was presented by Nicholas Fognano of 305 Walmer St . Fognano was seeking permission for one tree to be removed with one replacement tree to be planted . According to the application , the tree in question is large , too close to the residence and is impacting the house ’ s foundation .
“ There ’ s an upstairs bedroom that ’ s within 18 feet of that tree , that could be a safety problem , or it could go over into the Mar-Jor Apartments ; that could be a problem . There ’ s another problem that developed in the basement , where one of the basement walls was crumbling and cracking , and that was the wall that was 18 feet from the tree ,” Fognano said .
Caruso-Cafiso asked Fognano if he planned to replant , to which Fognano replied in the affirmative .
“ It would certainly be a smaller tree , and I ’ d probably move it to the center of the property . I ’ ll probably confer with my landscaper ,” Fognano said .
Caruso-Cafiso made a motion to approve the application , which Commissioner Charles Crowley seconded . The application was approved unanimously .
The commission entertained other applications , including one submitted by Daniel Franchetti Sr . for the removal of one dead tree with no replacement at 830 11th St . During discussion of the application , it was noted that there was
a second , larger tree next to the one listed on the application . The application was approved pending a possible amendment of the application to include both trees .
The following applications were also approved :
• Frank P Sacco , 856 12th St . One tree to be removed with no replacements ; tree is hollowing out and poses a safety hazard to the house .
• Edward and Christine Harper , 730 8th St ., 40 trees to be removed ; clearing for a pole barn .
A sixth application submitted by William Parkhurst — for the removal of two trees with no replacements at 890 Central Ave .— had been previously entertained by the commission at their February meeting but was tabled since the trees were not marked , as is required by the application process . The commission voted to table the application a second time to request the applicant to appear before the commission to explain the removal of the two trees prior to approval of the application .
Bachalis thanked Fognano for appearing before the commission .
“ It ’ s always good to talk to people who submitted the application in person ,” Bachalis said .
In other business , Town Solicitor Michael Malinsky attended the meeting and addressed the commission in an advisory capacity .
“ I had sent an email out on Friday , December 16 explaining the authority of the environmental commission , and the interaction between the environmental commission and the planning board . I know January and February I couldn ’ t really attend the meetings , so I ’ m here tonight , really , to see if there ’ s any questions regarding that email ,” Malinsky said .
When no questions were presented , Malinsky continued , summarizing the previous communique .
“ This board fulfills an important function , and it serves in an advisory capacity to the planning board . Any reports related to any planning board application , obviously , in accordance with the ordinances , should go to the secretary of the planning board — and the planning board . If it ’ s related to or if you ’ re doing anything with those decisions , it should go to the building inspector , as well , the construction official , where those decisions are exempt from the planning board ,” Malinsky said .
Councilman Jonathan Oliva thanked Malinsky for attending the meeting .
“ He ’ s always been great with any questions we ’ ve had along the way . As we tackle unique projects , or anything new and innovative , he ’ s always here to assist us and guide us in the right direction ,” Oliva said .
During the meeting , Bachalis spoke about the Community Clean Up that was held on March 4 .
“ We did three or four sites in addition to the lake park and the Smith tract . ACUA [ Atlantic County Utilities Authority ] gave out upwards of 280 safety shirts ; I ’ m not exactly sure how many people registered , but , if the shirt distribution is any indication , that is nearly double the attendance that we ’ ve ever had ,” Bachalis said .
Bachalis said that it was a very successful event .
“ We had people not only from Hammonton , but we had people from Galloway , Vincentown , Medford , Millville and several other spots . It was quite amazing ,”
Bachalis said .
Bachalis also spoke about the commission ’ s activities for Arbor Day , which will be April 28 . Bachalis said that he confirmed with Commissioner Martha Matro — who was absent from the meeting — that the commission was approved for a presentation to third-grade students for that day .
“ What we ’ ve done in the past is used our consulting arborist , Mickey Riggin , to do the presentation ... Basically , what he would talk about is why trees are important and things like that ,” Bachalis said .
Bachalis said that he would check with Riggin about his availability .
“ If he ’ s not available , what kind of topics does he feel are important to cover ?” Bachalis said .
After the presentation , Caruso- Cafiso said , small trees will be distributed to students , Bachalis commented further .
“ They give you a list of what ’ s available for your region , and then they just give you whatever . They don ’ t have anything where you can specify that we want these trees or those trees . I think I wrote on the application ‘ anything but white pine ’ because we always get a bundle of white pines ,” Bachalis said . Bachalis continued . “ I did ask for a bunch of them so we ’ ve got enough for the kids and so we ’ ve got another 100 , 125 or so to give out to the community during the Third Thursday event in May ,” Bachalis said .
In addition to Matro , absent from the meeting were Commissioners Amy Menzel , Michael Hozik , Steve Carr and Luis Antonio Diaz Campos .
The Hammonton Environmental Commission regularly meets on the second Wednesday of the month . The next meeting is scheduled for April 12 at 7 p . m .