[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Trustees
of the Village of Ossining 1-15-2002 by L.L. No. 1-2002. Amendments noted where applicable.]
The preservation and improvement of the quality
of the natural and man-made environment within the Village of Ossining,
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 Village of Ossining. It is recognized
that the biological integrity of 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 in the Village of Ossining working in partnership
with local and state officials and with various public and private
institutions, agencies and organizations. Establishment of an Environmental
Advisory Council is a necessary step in fostering unified action on
environmental problems.
The Board of Trustees of the Village of Ossining
hereby creates a council which shall be known as the "Village of Ossining
Environmental Advisory Council," hereafter called "the Council."
[Amended 2-19-2008 by L.L. No. 3-2008; 12-20-2017 by L.L. No. 9-2017]
A.
The council shall consist of seven members, all of
whom shall be appointed by the Board of Trustees, who shall serve
at the pleasure of said Board. Persons residing within the Village
of Ossining who are interested in the improvement and preservation
of environmental quality shall be eligible for appointment as a member
of the Council. Vacancies on the Council 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.
Each member shall be appointed to a two-year term from the date of
appointment. Members whose terms have expired shall continue to serve
as members of the Council until the member is reappointed, resigns
or a new member is appointed in place of the departing member. A member
may be appointed to a maximum of four consecutive terms (eight years).
If the member has served for four consecutive terms, that member must
be off of the Council for one year before applying for appointment
to the Council.
[Added 12-20-2017 by L.L. No.
9-2017[1]]
A.
All members of the Council shall be required to attend a minimum
of 75% of the Council meetings scheduled within a calendar year.
B.
Noncompliance with minimum requirements relating to attendance at
meetings shall be deemed a proper cause for removal from office by
the Board of Trustees.
C.
All members of the Council shall be required to attend a minimum
of four hours in relevant courses annually.
D.
Noncompliance with minimum requirements relating to training shall
be deemed a proper cause for removal from office by the Board of Trustees.
E.
The costs for such training sessions shall be a Village charge. Members
shall be reimbursed for travel and meal expenses according to Village
policy.
F.
Training sessions which relate to the duties of members of the Council
may include programs offered by the New York State Department of State,
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, the Westchester
County Planning Department, Westchester Municipal Planning Federation,
and such other entities as well as in-house updates or seminars. The
Village Manager, after discussion with the Director of Planning and
Development and the Council Chairperson shall annually designate such
seminars, workshops, or continuing education courses which may be
offered within a reasonable distance and which may be helpful to the
Council in carrying out its functions in a timely, fair and lawful
manner.
G.
The Chairperson of the Council shall notify the Village Manager and
the Director of Planning and Development in writing on or about December
1 in any year, or at any other time if so warranted, of any member
who fails to comply with the minimum requirements for meeting attendance
and/or training in any calendar year.
[Added 12-20-2017 by L.L. No.
9-2017]
Notwithstanding the foregoing attendance and training requirements,
the failure of a member of the Council to attend the required percentage
of meetings or obtain such training shall not affect said person's
appointment to serve on the Council, to entertain applications, to
vote on such applications or the validity of such members' actions.
No action by the Council will be voided or declared invalid as a result
of a member's failure to comply with the annual attendance/training
requirements.
The Board of Trustees shall designate a member of the Council to act as Chairman thereof. At the first meeting of the Council its members shall elect from among themselves a Recording Secretary. The council 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 § 119-6 of this chapter.
The powers and duties of the Council shall be
to:
A.
Advise the Board of Trustees on matters affecting
the preservation, development, and use of the natural and man-made
features and conditions of the Village insofar as beauty, quality,
biologic integrity, and other environmental factors are concerned
and, in the case of man's activities and development, 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 Village.
B.
Develop and, after receiving general approval by resolution
of the Board of Trustees, 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.
C.
Conduct studies, surveys and inventories of the natural
and man-made features within the Village of Ossining and such other
studies and surveys as may be necessary to carry out the general purposes
of this chapter.
D.
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 Council for their
preservation and/or use.
E.
Seek to coordinate, assist, and unify the efforts
of private groups, institutions, and individuals within the Village
of Ossining to accord with the purposes of this chapter.
F.
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 Council.
G.
Working in cooperation with the Planning Board, recommend
from time to time, to the Board of Trustees, features, plans, and
programs relating to environmental improvement for inclusion in the
Master Plan of the Village of Ossining and, similarly, recommend to
the Board of Trustees appropriate and desirable changes in existing
local laws and ordinances relating to environmental control or recommend
new local laws.
H.
Prepare, print, and distribute books, maps, charts
and pamphlets in accord with the purposes of this chapter.
I.
Obtain and maintain in orderly fashion maps, reports,
books and other publications to support the necessary researches of
the Council into local environmental conditions.
J.
The council may recommend acceptance by the Board
of Trustees, by any gift, grant, devise, bequest or otherwise, property
both real and personal, in the name of the Village of Ossining, as
may be necessary to conserve and otherwise properly utilize open spaces
and other land and water resources within the boundaries of the Village
of Ossining. Such real property may be accepted in fee for land and
water rights, or as any lesser interest, development right, easement,
including conservation easement, covenant, or other contractual right,
including conveyance with limitations or reversions.
K.
Carry out such other duties as may be assigned from
time to time by the Board of Trustees.
The council shall submit an annual report to
the Board of Trustees not later than the first day of October of each
year, concerning the activities and work of the Council and from time
to time shall submit such reports and recommendations as may be necessary
to fulfill the purposes of this chapter.
[Amended 2-19-2008 by L.L. No. 3-2008; 12-20-2017 by L.L. No. 9-2017]
The members of the Council shall receive no
compensation for their services as members thereof but may be reimbursed
for reasonable and necessary expenses incurred in the performance
of their duties as detailed above within the appropriations made available
therefor.
This chapter shall be deemed an exercise of
the powers of the Village of Ossining 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.
