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Mayor and deputy to seek re-election
Township gains $52K from public land sale BUENA VISTA -- A public land sale Monday night made the township about $52,000 richer. Fifteen properties in Buena Vista sold for that amount, while four others failed to draw any interested bidders. One property, which drew the highest bid and sold for $28,000, drew its fair share of attention. Don Lentz, a township resident, raised objections to the sale of the 2.5-acre parcel off Weymouth Road. He questioned why the contiguous owner did not hold precedence in the lot's sale, which was open to the public. He also claimed that Pinelands restrictions and the lot's irregular size would result in added expenses should the new owner want to build on it. But Solicitor Joseph Gindhart refuted the objections. The parcel does not fall under the contiguous property rule because it is a buildable lot. It's about 2.5 acres in size, and includes an additional off-site acre that lies in the same Pinelands RDR-1 zone. The additional acre must be deed-restricted, meaning construction is prohibited. Because it measures 3.5 acres altogether, the parcel also exceeds Pinelands requirements of a minimum 3.2 acres to build. With about 565 feet of road frontage, the parcel also meets the minimum frontage required for a parcel of its size. The night's second highest seller -- a buildable property on Sixth Road -- sold for $18,500, or more than three times the minimum bid price.
Van Drew wants meeting on Abbott funding MILLVILLE -
Assemblyman Jeff Van Drew, D-Cumberland, Cape May, Atlantic, on Wednesday
reiterated his effort to retain Abbott school funding for Vineland and
Millville, citing his opposition to any changes in criteria the state uses to
classify Abbott districts.
Township to improve parks with $60K grant NEWTONVILLE -- Call it a change of plans, or a change of heart. Recently awarded a $60,000 Atlantic County Open Space Grant, Buena Vista Township officials abandoned their original plan to construct a full-blown football field. Instead, they will spread the wealth among the township's parks. Buena Vista will be reimbursed up to that amount for the costs incurred on county- approved recreational improvement projects. In place of the football field, these projects now include: · A $14,000-plus investment in a portable irrigation system that can be used at all four township parks. · Lighting at the Michael Debbi Park parking lot in Richland. · Asphalt paving and striping at the Michael Debbi parking lot, if it falls under the grant's guidelines. If not, Buena Vista will set aside money to complete the work in the fiscal year's budget. · One-third of the grant must be earmarked for the construction of a field, which township officials say will be a multi-purpose field at Newtonville Park for soccer and football. It's a "scaled-back" version of the original proposal, Mayor Chuck Chiarello said. The 10th street basketball courts at the park will be removed to build the new field. · Courts near the Martin Luther King Center pavilion will be rebuilt and enlarged. Angel Rivera, a member of the township's recreation committee, likes the sound of that. Residents spanning the township's five communities deserve an even-handed distribution of top-notch recreational facilities, he said. Buena Vista's four parks are Quigley in Collings Lakes, Newtonville, Michael Debbi and Lake Ann on Sorrento Road. "There are a lot of community people, and they also want these things out in their parks, too," Rivera said. The Buena Braves, who make Michael Debbi Park their home every football season, also threw a vote of confidence in the township's favor. The organization includes about 135 football players and 90 cheerleaders -- most of whom live locally. A Saturday night football game draws up to 1,000 people. The situation approaches chaos in the parking lot because parking stripes and lighting are lacking, head football coach Aldo Falasca said. "Anything (township officials) do at Michael Debbi (Park) will be of benefit to the Braves," he said.
Investigation continues into Buena Vista crash BUENA VISTA
TOWNSHIP - State Police said Wednesday they are still investigating a single-car
crash that occurred Tuesday and sent three young girls to the hospital.
Soccer facility doesn't score with residents - Developer says plan is needed; neighbors fear influx of traffic BUENA VISTA -- The view from the house that Marilyn Spreng and her husband built is one of blue skies and sweeping farmland, dotted by a tall hedgerow in the distance. But little could Spreng imagine that one day the open horizon might be obstructed by a major indoor soccer facility. Had she known that, Spreng might have reconsidered her decision to move to the quiet community along Vine Road, where wide-open spaces are common among the farm fields and homes. Spreng, 36, is among the Vine Road residents opposed to a proposed soccer facility. They argue it would shatter their quaint community. "It's a quiet road," Spreng said. "It's always been that way, and we would like to see it remain that way." The 13-acre swath along the road, where local real estate agent Lynda Gazzara wants to build the facility, lies in a residential/agricultural zone. Gazzara needs Zoning Board approval to construct the complex. She calls residents' concerns about the facility "ridiculous," claiming the neighbors oppose any major development in the area. "They don't want to see anything different go there," Gazzara said. "If they didn't want it, they should've purchased the property." But Vine Road resident Doris Mazzoni believes an indoor soccer complex would simply be too incongruent with its surroundings. "I don't feel like it would fit into the neighborhood or the farming atmosphere," said Mazzoni, who walks by the property every day. Gazzara decided to build the structure after finding she often had to transport her children -- who are avid soccer players -- to as far away as Cherry Hill to play the sport in the offseason. A Vine Road facility could let area soccer teams play locally during the winter, she said. There are no other indoor soccer facilities in Cumberland, Atlantic or Cape May counties, said Jerry Amari, publicity director of the Vineland Soccer Association. The closest facilities are Gaetano Indoor Soccer & Batting Cages in Newfield and the International Sports Complex in Cherry Hill. Gazzara said her facility, which would have a single soccer field, could be utilized by local and traveling leagues on an appointment basis, she said. Training sessions would be scheduled for soccer newcomers. Though open year-round, the facility would be used primarily in winter, she said. "I think it will be a benefit for the town, an asset, and give kids a safe place for them to go," Gazzara said. But residents worry about noise and traffic on Vine Road, which would be the main access route to the facility. Presently, the road can barely contain two passing cars, they say. The idea of more cars raises safety concerns in the area, where kids play and residents walk along the edge of the road, Vine Street resident Christina Taraquinio said. Some residents doubt whether the soccer facility would be viable. They point to the closure of Michael's Indoor Soccer Complex off Mays Landing Road in East Vineland, now the site of Trinity Bible Church. "What happens if it doesn't succeed and it's there for five years, and then we're stuck with this great white elephant?" asked Charles Tamagni, who lives at the corner of Brewster and Vine roads. But Claudia McCarthy, who ran the field hockey league at Michael's, says it closed for personal reasons. McCarthy and Amari said there's plenty of interest around town for an indoor soccer facility to thrive, but noted running such a facility is a full-time commitment. "If you're not open to the maximum amount of time, you limit your hours and do minimal promotion and last-minute scheduling," Amari said. "It's hard to keep a base of teams and people coming back to you." There are nearly 800 local kids participating in the Vineland Soccer Association, and another 70 youngsters play soccer for nearby clubs, he said. Adults also have teams. Hundreds more youths also play on Millville Soccer Association recreation and traveling teams. Gazzara's next step is obtaining the Zoning Board approval. A hearing on the plan, originally set for today, will be rescheduled because not enough board members were able to attend. Gazzara seeks a use variance from the board to permit the commercial structure. She also is applying for a minor subdivision because the swath is part of a larger 20-acre parcel that borders Janet Street to the north. Gazzara said she plans to subdivide the remaining acres into three separate lots, and already has buyers lined up for all three.
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