The Township Environmental Advisory Commission is hereby established
pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40:56A-1 through 40:56A-5.
[Amended 3-3-2010 by Ord. No. 10-006]
A.Â
The Environmental Advisory Commission shall consist of not more than
seven members appointed by the Mayor with the advice and consent of
the Council, one of whom shall also be a member of the Planning Board
and all of whom shall be residents of the Township. The members shall
serve without compensation. The Mayor shall annually designate one
of the members to serve as Chairman and presiding officer of the Commission.
The terms of office of the first Commissioners shall be for one, two
or three years, to be designated by the Mayor in making his appointments.
Their successors shall be appointed for terms of three years and until
the appointment and qualification of their successors. The Mayor or
Council may remove any member of the Commission for cause, on written
charges served upon the member and after a hearing thereon at which
the member shall be entitled to be heard in person or by counsel.
A vacancy on the Commission occurring otherwise than by expiration
of a term shall be filled for the unexpired term in the same manner
as an original appointment.
B.Â
The Mayor may appoint four associate members for a term of one year.
Each year all four terms shall expire. The associate members shall
not be entitled to vote with the Commission.
C.Â
The Mayor shall appoint two alternate members, designated as Alternate
No. 1 and Alternate No. 2, to serve for terms of two years. The terms
of the alternate members first appointed shall be two years for Alternate
No. 1 and one year for Alternate No. 2 so that the term of not more
than one alternate member shall expire in any one year. A vacancy
occurring otherwise than by expiration of term shall be filled by
the appointing authority for the unexpired term only. An alternate
member shall not be permitted to act on any matter in which he or
she has either directly or indirectly any personal or financial interest.
An alternate member may, after public hearing if he or she requests
one, be removed by the governing body for cause. An alternate member
may participate in discussions of the proceedings but may not vote
except in the absence or disqualification of a regular member. A vote
shall not be delayed in order that a regular member may vote instead
of an alternate member. In the event that a choice must be made as
to which alternate member is to vote, Alternate No. 1 shall vote first.
The Environmental Advisory Commission is established for the
protection, development or use of natural resources, including water
resources, located within the territorial limits of the Township.
The Commission shall have power to conduct research into the use and
possible use of the open land areas of the Township and may coordinate
the activities of unofficial bodies organized for similar purposes,
and may advertise, prepare, print and distribute books, maps, charts,
plans and pamphlets which, in its judgment, it deems necessary for
its purposes. It shall keep an index of all open areas, publicly or
privately owned, including open marshlands, swamps and other wetlands,
in order to obtain information on the proper use of such areas, and
may from time to time recommend to the Planning Board plans and programs
for inclusion in the Master Plan and the development and use of such
areas. The Commission shall have such additional powers as are conferred
by N.J.S.A. 40:55D-1 et seq.
The Environmental Advisory Commission may recommend, for the
approval of the Council, the acquisition of property, both real and
personal, in the name of the Township, by gift, purchase, grant, bequest,
devise or lease, for any of its purposes, and shall administer the
property for such purposes, subject to the terms of the conveyance
or gift. Such an acquisition may be to acquire the fee or any lesser
interest, development right, easement, including a conservation easement,
covenant or other contractual right, including a conveyance on conditions
or with limitations or reversions, as may be necessary to acquire,
maintain, improve, protect, limit the future use of or otherwise conserve
and properly utilize open spaces and other lands and water areas in
the Township.
The Environmental Advisory Commission shall keep records of
its meetings and activities and make a semiannual report to the Mayor
and Council.
The Environmental Advisory Commission may appoint such clerks
and other employees as it may from time to time require, provided
that such appointments shall be within the limits of funds appropriated
to it by the Council in the Council's discretion.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Former Ch. 2, Art. V, Division 9, Human Relations
Advisory Commission, which immediately followed this section, was
repealed 3-19-2013 by Ord. No. 13-012.
