[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Board of the Town of Niagara 12-27-1977 by L.L. No. 6-1977; amended in its entirety 5-14-2019 by L.L. No. 1-2019. Subsequent amendments noted where applicable.]
The preservation and improvement of the quality of the natural and man-made environment within the Town of Niagara in the face of population growth, urbanization and technologic change, with their accompanying demands on natural resources, are found to be of increasing and vital importance to the health, welfare and economic well-being of present and future inhabitants and require forthright action by the governing body of the Town of Niagara. It is recognized that the biologic integrity of the natural environment on which humans are dependent for survival and the natural and functional beauty of our surroundings which condition the quality of our life experience cannot be protected without the full cooperation and participation of all the people of the Town working in partnership with local and state officials and with various public and private institutions, agencies and organizations. Establishment of a committee for conservation of the environment is a necessary step in fostering unified action on environmental problems.
The Town Board of the Town of Niagara hereby creates a committee which shall be known as the "Town of Niagara Citizen's Environmental Conservation Advisory Committee of the Environment," hereinafter called the "Committee."
A. 
The Committee shall consist of eight members, of which six shall be appointed by the Town Board and who shall serve at the pleasure of the Town Board, and the remainder shall be ex officio members as provided herein. Persons residing within the Town of Niagara who are interested in the improvement and preservation of environmental quality shall be eligible for appointment as members of the Committee. Vacancies on the Committee shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment, except that a vacancy occurring other than by the expiration of term of office shall be filled only for the remainder of the unexpired term.
B. 
The Code Enforcement Officer and a representative designated by the company operating the landfill at Packard Road and Pine Avenue shall be voting ex officio members of the Committee.
A. 
The Town Board shall designate a member of the Committee to act as Chairperson thereof. The Town Board shall also designate a Recording Secretary, who shall not be a voting member of the Committee.
B. 
The Committee shall adopt rules and procedures for its meetings. It shall keep accurate records of its meetings and activities and shall file an annual report as provided in § 32-6 of this chapter.
C. 
The Committee shall meet four times a year and once every quarter.
A. 
The powers and duties of the Committee shall be to:
(1) 
Advise the Town Board on matters affecting the preservation, development and use of the natural and man-made features and conditions of the Town insofar as beauty, quality, biologic integrity and other environmental factors are concerned and, in the case of human activities and developments, with regard to any major threats posed to environmental quality, so as to enhance the long-range value of the environment to the people of the Town.
(2) 
Develop and, after receiving approval by resolution of the Town Board, conduct a program of public information in the community which shall be designed to foster increased understanding of the nature of environmental problems and issues and support for their solutions.
(3) 
Maintain an up-to-date inventory or index of all open spaces in public or private ownership within the municipality, including but not limited to natural landmarks, glacial and other geomorphic or physiographic features; streams and their floodplains, swamps, marshlands and other wetlands; unique biotic communities; scenic and other open areas of natural or ecological value; and of the ownership, present use and proposed use of such open areas so as to provide a base of information for recommendations by the Committee for their preservation and/or use.
(4) 
Seek to coordinate, assist and unify the efforts of private groups, institutions and individuals within the Town of Niagara in accord with the purposes of this chapter.
(5) 
Maintain liaison and communications with public and private agencies and organizations of local, state and national scope whose programs and activities have an impact on the quality of the environment or who can be of assistance to the Committee.
(6) 
Work in cooperation with the Planning Board, and recommend from time to time to the Town Board features, plans and programs relating to environmental improvement for inclusion in the Master Plan of the Town of Niagara and, similarly, recommend to the Town Board appropriate and desirable changes in existing local laws and ordinances relating to environmental control or recommend new local laws and ordinances.
(7) 
Obtain and maintain any research and publications to support the necessary research of the Committee into local environmental conditions.
(8) 
Meet with and develop a working relationship with management and representatives of any Town-based business relating to waste treatment and disposal as well as any public health and welfare issues that may arise. Keep the Town Board apprised with respect to any public health and welfare, development and operation issues that may have an impact on the Town of Niagara as a whole.
(9) 
Carry out such other duties as may be assigned from time to time by the Town Board.
B. 
When authorized by resolution of the Town Board of the Town of Niagara, the Committee may accept by gift, grant, devise, bequest or otherwise, property both real and personal in the name of the Town of Niagara as may be necessary to conserve and otherwise properly utilize open spaces and other land and water resources within the boundaries of the Town of Niagara. Such real property may be accepted in fee for land and water rights, or any lesser interest, development right, easement, including conservation easement, covenant or other contractual right, including conveyance with limitations or reversions.
The Committee shall submit to the Town Board meeting minutes of each quarterly meeting by not later than the first day of the month following any committee meeting, as well as any other activities and work of the Committee. The Committee shall from time to time submit reports and recommendations to the Town Board necessary to fulfill the purposes of this chapter.
The members of the Committee, with the exception of ex officio members, shall be compensated for the services as members thereof; all members, including ex officio members, may be reimbursed for reasonable and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties within the appropriations made available therefor. At the Town's organizational meeting, or at such times as the Board may deem necessary, the Town Board shall, by resolution, set the annual compensation of the members and may appropriate a sum of money for the reasonable and necessary expenses of the members.
This chapter shall be deemed an exercise of the powers of the Town of Niagara to preserve and improve the quality of the natural and man-made environment on behalf of the present and future inhabitants thereof. This chapter is not intended and shall not be deemed to impair the powers of any other public corporation.