[Ord. 2006-19 § 1,
2006]
There is established pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40:56A-8 et. seq.,
a joint environmental commission of the Boroughs of Ship Bottom, Surf
City, Harvey Cedars, Barnegat Light, Beach Haven and the Township
of Long Beach for the protection, development and use of natural resources,
including water resources, located within the territorial limits of
the municipalities, which shall be known as the Joint Environmental
Commission of Long Beach Island, and which shall be governed by the
provisions of the aforementioned law and this chapter.
[Ord. 2006-19 § 1,
2006]
The commission shall consist of 12 members as follows: two persons
appointed by the mayor of each municipality with the consent of the
governing body thereof, one of whom shall also be a member of the
planning or land use board of the municipality. All terms of office
shall be for one year computed from January 1st of the year of appointment,
and the members shall serve after the expiration of their terms until
their successors are appointed and qualified. A vacancy on the commission
occurring otherwise than by expiration of term shall be filled for
the unexpired term in the same manner as the original appointment.
A majority of the members of the commission shall hold no other public
office except membership on a municipal or other planning board. Members
of the commission shall serve without compensation, but within budgetary
limitations, they may receive reimbursement for actual expenses necessarily
incurred in the performance of their duties. The commission shall
elect one of its members as chairman who shall hold no other public
office or position, except that he or she may be a member of a municipal
or other planning board. The term of office of the chairman shall
be one year, computed from January 1st of the year of election.
The governing body of each municipality shall have the right
to designate one of its members as liaison to the commission. Such
designee may attend meetings and participate in deliberations of the
commission, but shall not have the right to vote on matters before
the commission.
[Ord. 2006-19 § 1,
2006]
The mayors and governing bodies may remove a member of the commission,
from their own municipality, for cause, on written charges served
upon a member. The member shall be entitled to a hearing and shall
be entitled to be represented by counsel.
[Ord. 2006-19 § 1,
2006]
The commission shall have the power to study and make recommendations
concerning open space preservation, water resources management, air
pollution control, solid waste management, noise control, soil and
landscape protection, environmental appearance, aquatic resources
and protection of flora and fauna. The commission shall have the power
to conduct research into the use and possible use of the open land
areas of the municipalities 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, within appropriations
made available to it therefor. It shall keep an index of all open
areas, publicly or privately owned, including open marshland, 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
and land use boards, plans and programs for inclusion in the master
plans and the development and use of such areas. It shall also have
such other powers and duties as shall from time to time be prescribed
by the municipal governing bodies.
[Ord. 2006-19 § 1,
2006]
The commission may, subject to unanimous approval of the governing
bodies, acquire property, both real and personal, in the name of the
municipalities by gift, purchase, grant, bequest, devise or lease
for any of its purposes and shall administer the same 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 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 land and water areas in the municipalities.
[Ord. 2006-19 § 1,
2006]
The commission shall keep records of its meetings and activities
and shall make a report to the governing bodies annually and such
other times as may be requested by them.
[Ord. 2006-19 § 1,
2006]
The commission may appoint such clerks and other employees and
incur such expenses as it may from time to time require, provided
that the same shall be within the limit of funds appropriated to it.
[Ord. 2006-19 § 1,
2006]
The participating municipalities shall share in the annual operating
expenses of the commission in proportion to the taxable property within
their respective boundaries, as equalized for the purpose of apportioning
county taxes, for the preceding year. The commission shall submit
its proposed annual budget to the governing bodies of the municipalities
at such time and in such form and in accordance with such procedures
as the governing bodies shall prescribe. The budget as finally agreed
upon by unanimous approval of the governing bodies shall constitute
the budget of the commission for the budget year, and each municipality
shall appropriate and raise money for its share of said budget, as
required by law. Special appropriations for capital or other special
purposes may be made by the municipalities pursuant to agreement between
them from time to time.
