Planning board approves subdivision, asks for easement
Page 4 • Wednesday, June 26, 2019 • The Hammonton Gazette
BOARD, from Page 1
the applicant’s son, John Spado
Jr., will construct a home on 3.20
acres of the subdivided land, lo-
cated at 517 Pine rd., while Spado
will continue to reside on the other
8.06 acres while using three of
those acres to farm blueberries.
Spado Jr. attended the meeting
to provide testimony on behalf of
the application. He was accompa-
nied by professional planner John
Helbig, who said the application
meets the New Jersey Pinelands
Commission’s cultural housing
provisions because the property
has been in the Spado family for
more than 40 years. Helbig said
the applicant has submitted the
necessary proof and affidavits to
the Pinelands Commission to ver-
ify that they meet the criteria under
the cultural housing provisions.
According to Helbig, the appli-
cant has met all the environmental
standards of the Pinelands’ com-
prehensive management plan and
was granted a certificate of filing,
dated April 10, 2019, allowing him
to appear before the planning
board for the “fairly straightfor-
ward application.”
“there are no variances re-
quired; we meet all the bulk and
setback standards of your ordi-
nance … it’s a minor subdivision
and the construction of one single
family home,” Helbig said.
Prior to the board voting on the
application, board engineer Mark
Herrmann, of town engineering
firm Adams, rehmann and Heg-
gan Associates (ArH) highlighted
the key points ArH had addressed
in a letter regarding the project that
was issued on May 31.
Herrmann addressed six points
from the letter. the sixth pertained
to drainage problems on Pine
road near Spado’s front property
line that were recently discussed
during a meeting between ArH
and Public Works Department
Head Scott rivera.
“there’s two B inlets that right
now are in pretty poor condition;
they’re full of dirt and debris. Dur-
ing rain events, it floods up and
they start charging and go to the
east. We’ve had some flooding is-
sues around the out-parcel,” Her-
rmann said.
During their discussions, Her-
rmann said ArH decided to ask
for a potential drainage easement
that would go from Pine road,
along the side and rear of the
house currently located on the
southeastern portion of the prop-
erty and “take it back in a north-
westerly direction” to the back of
the parcel.
Herrmann said the easement
would provide the town leeway
with formulating a solution to redi-
recting water off of Pine road and
towards the wooded area behind
the parcel.
However, the Helbig and Spado
Jr. both expressed doubts about the
easement.
“Absent any engineering analy-
sis, we really had no idea what that
drainage easement might be used
for some day ... And the topogra-
phy out here is incredibly flat ...
i’m not an engineer, but i believe
that’s going to be incredibly diffi-
cult to do,” Helbig said.
Spado Jr. said he did not want
the easement due to the potential
loss of blueberry crops it could
cause in the event that the town
needs to install any infrastructure
to correct any future drainage is-
sues.
“My suggestion was: if you’re
going to do a drain here, you al-
ready have the right-of-way and
the street front; why wouldn’t you
come straight across? Less footage
of pipe, less cost. if we have a 20-
foot easement and if we’re 10 feet
from the line, who’s going to re-
place the blueberries when you
come dig it up and put a supposed
pipe that’s never going to be put
there?” Spado Jr. said.
Board solicitor James Schroeder
said the easement gives the town
the ability to address any future
drainage issues.
“it doesn’t mean that pipe is
going in there now or ever. it just
gives the town the option down the
road … You know that land better
than anybody else, but what the
town needs to do is protect its right
that if a problem did come up later
on, they have as many options as
possible,” Schroeder said.
After discussing their options
during a brief recess, Helbig and
Spado Jr. returned to town hall
chambers after coming to an
agreement on appropriate lan-
guage for a condition of the subdi-
vision approval that they will
agree to an appropriate easement
at a future date if it’s deemed to be
“required for the good of the town
and its citizens.”
A motion to approve the two-lot
subdivision in accordance with the
cultural housing language of the
Pinelands Commission was made
by Giralo, seconded by board
member Gordon Pherribo and
passed unanimously. the resolu-
tion also stated that no waivers or
variance relief are being requested
or granted, all of the board’s gen-
eral approval conditions will
apply, as will the following spe-
cific conditions:
• the lot number and address as-
signment for the two lots must be
approved by the town tax assessor
and verified via conformation let-
ter or email.
• All conditions listed in the
Pinelands Commission’s April 10
letter will be part of any approved
resolution.
• the applicant agrees to an ap-
propriate easement if, in the future,
it’s required for the good of the
town and its citizens.
in other business, the board ap-
proved a 60-day extension of fil-
ing a minor subdivision requested
by joint applicants Sandy Bour-
guignon and Pleasantdale farms.
the subdivision, located at 530-
540 Pleasant Mills rd. (Block
4902, Lots 1-12, zone AP on the
town tax map) was previously ap-
proved in february 2005 when
Bourguignon’s parents, Anthony
and Jean Bertino appeared before
the board.
Since the approval was granted,
the applicants received a call-up
letter from the New Jersey
Pinelands Commission because
the deeds for the subdivision were
not filed, according to attorney
Brian Howell, who accompanied
Bourguignon during the meeting
and provided testimony on the his-
tory of the 2005 subdivision that
the board approved.
Both Anthony and Jean Bertino
have died since 2005. Bour-
guignon, acting as executrix of her
parents’ estate, asked for a 45-day
extension of filing so she can re-
solve any remaining issues with
the Pinelands Commission and file
the necessary deeds to complete
the subdivision exactly as it was
approved 14 years ago.
in addition to the deeds that
need to be filed, Howell said the
Pinelands also requested Bour-
guignon to provide an updated
map of the subdivision, which is
now complete.
Prior to the board voting on
Bourguignon’s application, board
member and councilman Joseph
Giralo suggested that an extension
of greater than 45 days may be
prudent. Board member Michael
Pullia expressed the same senti-
ment by making a motion to grant
a 60-day extension of filing for the
minor subdivision. Board member
Michael Messina seconded Pul-
lia’s motion, which was unani-
mously approved.
in other news, the board adopted
the two following resolutions to
memorialize applications that
were approved during its previous
meeting on June 5:
• S.B. Auto Dealers inc., 654 S.
egg Harbor rd. (Block 4003, Lot
1, zone M1).
• AtlantiCare regional Medical
Center, 219 N. White Horse Pike
(Block 4501, Lot 36, zone HB).
the Hammonton Planning
Board’s next meeting will be held
on Wednesday, July 17 at 7 p.m. in
town hall.
Police: Expect
traffic delays
on June 30
by Gabe Donio
G Azette S tAff W riter
HAMMONtON—Police are
reminding local residents to be
aware of the higher volume of traf-
fic on the roads around the school
complex, particularly at Hammon-
ton High School at the intersection
of the White Horse Pike (route
30) and Old forks road, on June
30 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. during
the 33rd Annual red, White &
Blueberry festival, Hammonton
Police Lt. Kevin friel said.
“residents are reminded that
they may need more time when
driving in those areas on June 30
due to the increase in traffic,” friel
said.