Page 4 • Wednesday , July 20 , 2022 • The Hammonton Gazette
Environmental Commission met on July 13
COMMISSION , from Page 1 cifically die . Poplar trees have a lot of top foliage and low roots , so , during wind storms , they get blown down pretty easily ,” Bizga said .
Bizga said that he noticed that a lot of trees he has driven past are “ a bit shiny .”
“ It ’ s sap from the leaves ; aphids like to suck sap ,” Bizga said .
Bizga showed the commission a leaf sample taken from the 700 block of Bellevue Avenue .
“ It has leaf blight . Basically , the tree ’ s immune system gets weaker as it ’ s shutting down , so more and more things are able to attack it ,” Bizga said .
Bachalis said that the commission has long been aware of “ a surfeit of over-mature trees .”
“ We started a tree bank in order to start replacing things and to add more trees to the streetscape , but we really do need to have a better plan for proactively removing the street trees that are over-mature ,” Bachalis said .
Bachalis said that , usually , the practice is to wait for a road project to plan street tree removal , such as the current work being done on Vine Street and School House Lane .
“ They ’ ve taken down all the street trees , because they ’ re in the way of the road project . They probably needed to come down anyway , because they were all very , very old ,” Bachalis said .
Bachalis said that the public is usually receptive to such removals .
“ There was no public pushback on that particular project , and we ’ ve taken trees down en masse on other streets and , usually , most people don ’ t complain , but other times we get some serious worry about it , so it really behooves us to do it on an ongoing basis — but do it selectively so that we ’ re not taking everything down on a street ,”
Bachalis said , noting that the topic warranted further discussion .
Menzel said that equally important to removing over-mature trees is planting replacement trees .
“ We need to focus on letting people know how important it is to plant new trees ... It ’ s not just the aesthetics . They provide shade , which is important , but they also suck up stormwater ,” Menzel said . Bachalis concurred . “ Carbon sequestration , too . If we ’ re successful in developing a plan to cull these mature trees and we ’ re able to activate it , it ’ s going to make replanting even more important , because those beautiful trees that have lined Hammonton ’ s streets for 100 years aren ’ t going to be there , so we really need to be serious about this ,” Bachalis said .
Bachalis encouraged Bizga to attend future meetings of the commission to learn how to become involved with the CFMP , and apologized that more commissioners were not in attendance .
“ This is the first time in our memory that we don ’ t have a quorum ,” Bachalis said .
In other business , Bachalis talked about the Plastic Free July photo contest being held by the Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions ( ANJEC ).
“ You can send a photo of a reusable object that you ’ ve got in your possession to be entered into a contest and win a prize ,” Bachalis said .
Bachalis also said that ANJEC was scheduled to hold a virtual roundtable on August 2 titled “ Creating a Certified Wildlife Habitat .”
“ Anybody can get involved in it . It ’ s a property-owner based program . You can provide food and water , shelter and a place for wildlife to have their young . You can get certified as a wildlife habitat ; they ’ ll give you a little certificate but you can purchase a nice sign and put it on the front of your property and let people know about it ,” Bachalis said .
Bachalis said that more information can be found by visiting anjecnews . com .
Because there was no quorum present , the commission could not vote on tree removal permit applications . However , Bachalis did approve the following applications after the meeting on the chairperson ’ s authority , in accordance with
News from the police dept .
HPD , from Page 2 keys in the ignition , Friel said .
The subject was awakened and was identified as Raphael Jiminez- Flores , 37 , of Hammonton , Friel said . The odor of alcoholic beverage was emitting from his person , Friel said .
He was placed under arrest , transported to police headquarters for processing and charged with the following motor vehicle violations : driving while under the influence , refusal to submit to breath testing , careless driving , reckless driving , open container of alcoholic beverage in a motor vehicle , unlicensed driver , unregistered vehicle , failure to possess the registration and failure to possess the insurance card , Friel said .
Jiminez-Flores was released as per John ’ s Law pending a court appearance in Hammonton Joint Municipal Court .
Friel said Officer Travis Hoffman is the investigating and arresting officer .
This report is comprised of arrests and investigations made by the men and women of local enforcement . All suspects and arrested are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law .
Chapter 267 , Article II Section 11 of the General Ordinances of the town of Hammonton .
• Harborwood Condo Association , 62 Harbor Dr . One tree , no replacement . Dead .
• Jacqueline Bruno , 528 12th St . One tree , no replacement . Insurance company requires removal .
• Steven Rubin , 105 Lakeshore Dr . One tree , no replacement . Leaning , bug-infested .
• Donald Ambrose , 200 Walmer St . One tree , no replacement . Dead .
• Arthur Enders , 1 Girard Ln . Eight trees , eight replacements . Two dead , six leaning .
HAMMONTON — An engineering firm issued a press release on July 18 that stated it will be holding a Public Information Center , or meeting , about the Preliminary Engineering Design of the Safe Routes to School – Sooy Elementary School Area Sidewalk and ADA [ Americans with Disabilities Act ] Ramp Improvements project . The meeting will be held from 6 p . m . to 8 p . m . on July 21 in council chambers at Hammonton Town Hall , the release said .
According to the release from Greenman-Pedersen Inc . ( GPI ), the public is encouraged to participate by providing comments at the meeting , by mail or by email .
“ You are welcome to attend any time during the allotted time window and will have an opportunity to review exhibits of the Preliminary Construction Plans , ask questions and share valuable input and information with the Town ’ s project team members . Property owners of rental units are advised
• Oak Grove Cemetery , 500 N . White Horse Pike . Two trees , no replacement . Dead .
• Aaron Pierro , 529 Pratt St . Three trees , no replacements . Too close to house , getting solar , dead limbs .
• John Bonanno , 710 Campanella Terrace . Eight trees , four replacements already planted . one dead , others overgrown including Tree of Heaven .
• Susan Esposito , 143 Maple St . Two trees , no replacement . Leaning , dropping limbs .
The Hammonton Environmental Commission meets on the second Wednesday of each month . The next meeting is scheduled for August 10 at 7 p . m .
Sidewalk hearing July 21
by Gabe Donio
GAZETTE STAFF WRITER that tenants are also invited and encouraged to participate ,” the release said .
The release said Hammonton received a grant in the amount of $ 502,000 through the New Jersey Department of Transportation Safe Routes to Schools ( SRTS ) program to construct pedestrian safety improvements to the south and west of Warren E . Sooy Jr . Elementary School on Fourth Street . The plans call for filling in gaps in the sidewalk and creating a safe pedestrian corridor to Sooy Elementary School , the release said .
The Preliminary Engineering Phase of the project is expected to be completed by this fall , with final design starting afterward and lasting through 2023 , the release said . A second Public Information Center will be held in late 2023 where the construction plans will be presented to the public for comments , according to the release . Costs for Engineering Design , Construction and Construction Inspection are being reimbursed through the federal SRTS program , through NJDOT Local Aid , the release said .