[HISTORY: Adopted by Mayor and Council of Borough of Wenonah 11-14-1974. Amendments noted where applicable.]
The Borough of Wenonah Environmental Commission is hereby established
pursuant to Chapter 245 of the Laws of 1968 (N.J.S.A. 40:56A-1 to
40:56A-5) as amended by P.L. 1972, c. 35.
A.
The Commission shall consist of seven members appointed by the Mayor,
one of whom shall be a member of the Planning Board, and all of whom
shall be residents of the Borough of Wenonah. The members shall serve
without compensation except as hereinafter provided. The Mayor shall
designate one of the members to serve as Chairman and presiding officer.
The terms of office of the first Commissioners shall be for one, two
or three years, as designated by the Mayor in making his appointments,
and their successors shall be appointed for terms of three years and
until the appointment and qualification of their successors. The first
members of the Commission shall be appointed for the following terms:
[Amended 2-9-1984]
B.
The Mayor 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 by the Council.
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.
A.
The Commission is authorized to adopt bylaws governing its procedural
operation. It shall have the power and authority to employ experts
and a staff and to pay for their services and for such other expenses
as may be necessary and proper, not exceeding in all, exclusive of
gifts and grants, the amount of funds appropriated by Borough Council
for the use of the Commission.
B.
The Commission is established for the protection, development or
use of natural resources, including water resources, located within
the territorial limits of the Borough of Wenonah. The Commission shall
have the power to conduct research into the use and possible use of
the open land areas of the borough, 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 Borough Planning Board, plans and programs for inclusion into
the Master Plan and the development and use of such areas.
The Environmental Commission may, subject to the prior approval
of the Borough Council, acquire property, both real and personal,
in the name of the Borough Council 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 or otherwise conserve and properly
utilize open spaces and other land and water areas in the borough.
The Commission, upon the request of the Borough Planning Board, shall review the environmental impact statement which has been submitted to the Planning Board pursuant to Chapter 58, Article XI, of the Borough Code and shall file a written report to the Planning Board of its findings and recommendations within the period required.
The Environmental Commission shall keep records of its meetings
and activities and shall make periodic reports to the Borough Council
as requested by the Council.
