The Hammonton Gazette 06/22/16 Edition | Page 5

Page 4 • Wednesday , June 22 , 2016 • The Hammonton Gazette

Curb , sidewalk waiver approved for Walkers ’ new home on Central Ave .

PLANNING , from Page 1 neth Pape of Heilbrunn Pape .

“ This is a project that was approved by this board in 2005 as 42 apartments on a seven-acre parcel . Our client worked diligently after

Blueberry season

BERRY , from Page 2 the best possible experience we can ,” Galletta said .

Atlantic Blueberry Co . recently upgraded their sorting equipment and refurbished coolers in order to be ready for another big season .

“ It ’ s a very exciting and challenging time for the trade , trying to make the right decisions that will help us through the next growth stage of the industry ,” Galletta said .

Known as the “ blueberry capital of the world ,” Hammonton ’ s soil is ideal for blueberries and the climate provides the right amount of dormancy . In fact , blueberries were first cultivated one hundred years ago on New Jersey soil .

Blueberry pioneer , Elizabeth White , teamed up with the USDA to crossbreed bushes and create viable varieties that became the first commercial crop of blueberries in 1916 .

The Galletta family has also had a significant impact , not only in their local New Jersey region but worldwide . The USDA honored Art Galletta ’ s father , Duke Galletta , by naming the “ Duke ” blueberry variety after him because of the cooperation and dedication he had towards the breeding program . Duke Galletta worked side by side with the USDA team to grow and evaluate test trials of many varieties that the USDA bred .

“ We love growing New Jersey blueberries and continuing our family traditions by being good stewards of the land , growing a nutritious food that is beautiful and delicious , and supporting our employee families and the community ,” Art Galletta said .

Atlantic Blueberry Company is a grower for Naturipe . Packages for Naturipe now feature a locallygrown package design . The label clearly highlights the state in which the berries are grown .

the approvals were received addressing the outstanding approvals . The intervening economy caused something of a delay , but the real delay in this project was the most unfortunate event where one of the partners passed away . Manny Silva , who was one of the three principals , his estate was managed by his daughter . His daughter was appointed a Superior Court Judge and all of the assets were placed in a trust and management of the assets was through the trust . In March of this year , the two surviving partners were able to secure from the trustee , permission to take over the project and move forward ,” Pape said .

The board unanimously approved the request for extension and that request will become effective on June 30 , 2016 .

The evening ’ s second hearing was a request for waiver of curb and sidewalk by Richard and Millicent Walker for Block 3801 , Lot 66 , Zone R-1 at 918 Central Avenue . Representing Richard Walker was attorney Brian Howell of Howell and Bertman Law Offices .

“ They ’ re [ Richard and Millicent Walker ] building a single family home that should be completed in a month or so … Mr . and Mrs . Walker , as I do , believe in curb and sidewalk . It ’ s nice for pedestrian traffic , for handicap people and for bicyclists . When we looked at this location , we did some calculations , particularly on that side of the street . If you look at Central Avenue driving towards Kessler Hospital from town hall , we ’ re looking at the right side , that ’ s where the home is being developed . If you take from the first house after Park Avenue , which happens to be mine , and extend all the way out to the White Horse Pike , you get two categories . Sidewalk , there is zero … 4,574 feet without any sidewalk , nearly a mile . 15 football fields . There is sporadic curbing . I ’ m not indicating the left hand side has a lot of sidewalk either ,” Howell said .

Discussion continued with Howell citing that the road would need to be torn up to install sidewalk . Richard and Millicent Walker would be responsible for the cost of both curb and sidewalk installation , and the police service that would be necessary as the work was completed . The estimated cost would be somewhere close to $ 22,000 , which Richard Walker cited as one of the main reasons he was seeking a waiver .

Town engineer Bob Vettese gave the board a recommendation regarding the proposed waiver .

“ Will it be hard to install ? Yeah , it will be a challenge . If we had to recommend a waiver of one or the other if the board is considering that , we would probably recommend waiving the sidewalk in this area , provided it can be installed in an area that we aren ’ t going to disturb the gas mane ,” Vettese said .

After further discussion between members and planning board solicitor James Schroeder , the board voted to allow the waiver for both curb and sidewalk .

The planning board will hold their next meeting on Wednesday , July 6 at 7:30 p . m . at town hall .

Community garden coming into bloom

by Kevin Troilo

GAZETTE STAFF WRITER

HAMMONTON — The Hammonton Community Garden is thriving in its second full year of operation . The garden started with just 16 plots in the spring of 2015 .

Mainly through word-of-mouth , that number has since doubled and there are now 31 gardeners tending to 38 total plots at the field on the corner of 11th and Washington streets . What was formerly unsightly and unused land space has been transformed into a beautiful and productive community project by members of the Hammonton community .

Mica McCullough and Charley Crowley are co-leaders of the community garden project . Both have moved to Hammonton within the past few years ; Crowley from Boston and McCullough from Nashville .

“ I was a member of a community garden in Boston for many years . When I came here , I searched all over for one but was unsuccessful in finding something . This has been perfect ,” Crowley said .

In order to get things started last spring , McCullough and a number of others took trips to surrounding

See GARDEN , Page 10

Watch a video celebrating the 30th Anniversary of the Red , White and Blueberry Festival featuring Anne Sparaco at www . hammontongazette . com

Hammonton

Trivia Questions from the Town Sesquicentennial Committee

Q : What is the oldest established religious house in Hammonton ?

A : The Methodists first conducted services in a building that was also used as a school by Hammonton Lake as early as 1857 . They later built a church on “ upper ” Bellevue Avenue around 1866 . The Baptists were the next to start a congregation in about 1859 , with services held in private homes .