[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Commissioners of the Township of Cheltenham 11-29-1977 by Ord. No. 1424. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Charter
Administration of government — See Ch. 5.
Task forces — See Ch. 62.
In accordance with the power vested in the Board of Commissioners by §§ C103 and C1301 of the Cheltenham Township Charter, the following boards, committees and commissions are hereby created and established, which shall have the powers, duties, number of members and terms of office more particularly specified hereafter.
[Amended 10-19-1982 by Ord. No. 1548; 7-21-1992 by Ord. No. 1755-95; 11-21-1995 by Ord. No. 1846-95; 4-21-2009 by Ord. No. 2181-09]
There shall be a Library Board consisting of seven members. One of said members shall be the President or designee of the Glenside Library; one of said members shall be the President or designee of the Elkins Park Library; one of said members shall be the President or designee of the East Cheltenham Library; one of said members shall be the President or designee of the La Mott Library; one of said members shall be a Township Commissioner or alternate appointed by the Commissioners' President; and two of said members shall be from the public at large. The term of office of members, their organizations, powers and duties shall be as set forth in §§ 5-55B and C of Chapter 5, Administration of Government, of the Code of the Township of Cheltenham.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: The following original sections, which immediately followed this section, were deleted 11-21-1995 by Ord. No. 1846-95; Section 3, Civil Service Commission; Section 4, Planning Commission; Section 5, Zoning Hearing Board; Section 6, Joint Parks and Recreation Board; and Section 7, Joint Financial Resources Board.
[Amended 11-21-1995 by Ord. No. 1846-95; 12-21-2022 by Ord. No. 2450-22]
There shall be a Board of Historical Architectural Review, whose composition, powers and duties shall be as prescribed in § 295-1804 of Chapter 295, Zoning.
[Added 5-22-2007 by Ord. No. 2134-07]
A. 
Creation. A citizens advisory committee to be known as the “Cheltenham Township Environmental Advisory Council” (EAC) is hereby created, as enabled by Act 148 of 1973 of the Pennsylvania General Assembly, and shall continue to function until this section of the Cheltenham Township Code is revoked.
B. 
Purpose. The purpose of the EAC is to advise the Cheltenham Township local government agencies, including, but not limited to, the Board of Commissioners, the Planning Commission, and other local citizen advisory commissions, boards and committees on matters dealing with the protection, conservation, management, promotion and use of natural resources, including air, water and land, located within the Township limits; and to work with the Cheltenham Township agencies and other partners to maintain, conserve, protect and develop the natural resources in Cheltenham Township in a sustainable way that will continue to attract, and retain residents, visitors, and businesses.
C. 
Membership and terms of office. The Board President of the Commissioners of Cheltenham Township shall appoint all members of the EAC, with the advice and consent of the Board of Commissioners in accordance within the Township’s Home Rule Charter. Members must be residents of Cheltenham Township. Membership on the Council shall be composed of seven members with ex officio members. Members shall serve three-year terms with initial members appointed on staggered terms using the following format: 1/3 of the members initially serving a one-year term, a second third as a two-year term and the remaining members as a three-year term, then with all successive members serving three-year terms. Members of the EAC shall elect a Chairperson and Vice Chairperson following the Board of Commissioners' annual reorganization meeting. Whenever possible, one member shall be a member of the local planning commission, at least two members should have technical training in the environmental field, and members should represent the various neighborhoods within the Township. A Township staff member liaison shall be appointed to the EAC by the Township Manager.
D. 
Duties and powers. The EAC shall have the following duties and powers:
(1) 
To identify environmental problems, issues, and trends affecting the Township of Cheltenham.
(2) 
To recommend plans, projects and programs to the Board of Commissioners and other appropriate Township commissions, boards, committees, or other agencies to encourage the sustainable development of Cheltenham Township. For the purpose of this section, “sustainable development” is defined as development that meets the needs of the present residents without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs to promote and conserve natural resources, and to protect and improve the quality of the environment within the Township limits, and for Township residents’ enjoyment of it.
(3) 
To promote the Township of Cheltenham as an environmentally sustainable community and provide public education and outreach, projects, plans and programs needed to support this promotion.
(4) 
To recommend possible uses of open land areas within the Township as recommended in, but not limited to, the Cheltenham Township Open Space Plan.
(5) 
To advise as to how to revise the Cheltenham Township Open Space Plan, and the Tookany Creek Watershed Management Plan, which would include keeping an inventory of all open space, publicly and privately owned, including, but not limited to, flood-prone areas, wetlands, forests, riparian areas, aquifer recharge areas, and other unique natural areas, for the purpose of obtaining information on the use of such areas that will promote sustainable development in Cheltenham Township.
(6) 
To work cooperatively with other municipal EACs, partnerships and public and private entities to address issues affecting the sustainable development of multiple townships, such as watershed issues, riparian areas, forests and aquifer recharge areas.
(7) 
To advise the Public Works Committee and other appropriate Township boards, commissions or committees on the acquisition and management of property, both real and personal, by gift, purchase, grant, bequest, easement, devise or lease, in matters dealing with the protection, conservation, management, promotion and use of natural resources and the sustainable development of Cheltenham Township.
(8) 
To undertake such environmental or sustainability-related tasks as requested by the Public Works Committee.
(9) 
To provide, at the request of the Public Works Committee or any of the Township advisory committees, input on programs or projects, including land development projects or activities under review by said board or committees related to the environment. Notwithstanding the input, the process shall not obviate the need to comply with review deadlines such as but not limited to the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code.
(10) 
To participate in programs available to EACs, including, but not limited to, educational services, exchange of information, assignment of technical personnel for natural resources planning assistance and coordination of state and local conservation activities, as may be established by the State Conservation Commission or the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, and any program of assistance to EACs in planning for the management, use and development of open space sites, the Tookany Creek Watershed, and parks and recreation areas, and any other programs of assistance that may be advantageous to the sustainable development of Cheltenham Township.
(11) 
To explore funding sources and make recommendations to the Public Works Committee.
(12) 
To keep written records of its public meetings and activities. The EAC will submit its meeting minutes for review and acceptance by the Public Works Committee of the Board of Commissioners. The meeting minutes will be approved, or amended and approved, at the next EAC meeting. Copies of the EAC meeting minutes will be maintained and made available to the public at the Cheltenham Township Administration Building.
[1]
Editor's Note: Former § 9-4, Health Advisory Committee, was repealed 6-21-2005 by Ord. No. 2088-05.
A. 
There shall be a Historical Commission consisting of not less than 15 nor more than 35 members, and an additional membership classification of Emeritus limited to six members.
B. 
The terms of office of members shall be two years, which shall be on a staggered basis so that at least 1/2 of the total membership shall be appointed each year.
C. 
The duties of the Commission shall be to locate buildings of historical value presently standing in the Township and report the same to the Board of Commissioners through its Public Affairs Committee and such other historical research or activities as the Board of Commissioners may from time to time authorize.
[Amended 1-22-2008 by Ord. No. 2151-08]
A. 
There shall be a Substance Abuse and Mental Health Committee composed of not less than 15 nor more than 35 members.
B. 
The terms of office of members shall be two years, which shall be on a staggered basis so that at least 1/2 of the total membership shall be appointed each year.
C. 
The duties of the Committee shall be to advise the Public Affairs Committee of the Board on programs to inform the public of available services and information regarding the treatment of drug and alcohol problems and problems relative to mental health.
[Amended 10-21-2008 by Ord. No. 2165-08; 1-20-2021 by Ord. No. 2420-21; 3-17-2021 by Ord. No. 2424-21]
A. 
There shall be a Civil Rights Task Force consisting of nine members. Two members shall be members of the Board of Commissioners and seven members shall be selected by the Board of Commissioners from the public-at-large.
B. 
The duties of the Task Force shall be to advise the Public Affairs Committee of the Board of Commissioners on procedures to encourage compliance with all laws, federal and state, respecting the rights of citizens, the education of the public with respect thereto and the solution of problems regarding civil rights.
C. 
Terms of office shall be for one year.
A. 
There shall be a Committee of eight members consisting of the Director of Parks and Recreation, the Recreation Administrator, the Director of the La Mott Community Center, the Commissioner from the district, the Chairman of the Parks and Recreation Committee and three members of the public. The terms of the public members shall be for two years on a staggered basis, and the terms of the nonpublic members shall be concurrent with their respective terms.
B. 
The duties of the Committee shall be to advise the Parks and Recreation Committee of the Board of Commissioners on the operation and programming of the La Mott Community Center.
A. 
There shall be a Committee of eight members consisting of the Director of Parks and Recreation, the Recreation Administrator, the Director of the Rowland Community Center, the Commissioner from the district, the Chairman of the Parks and Recreation Committee and three members of the public. The terms of the public members shall be for two years on a staggered basis, and the terms of the nonpublic members shall be concurrent with their respective terms.
B. 
The duties of the Committee shall be to advise the Parks and Recreation Committee of the Board of Commissioners on the operation and programming of the Rowland Community Center.
[1]
Editor's Note: Former § 9-10, Parking and Traffic Advisory Commission, was repealed 6-19-2007 by Ord. No. 2136-07.
[1]
Editor's Note: Former § 9-11, Citizens Advisory Committee, was repealed 6-19-2007 by Ord. No. 2136-07.
[Added 3-9-2002 by Ord. No. 2005-02; amended 2-15-2005 by Ord. No. 2077-05; 12-19-2006 by Ord. No. 2122-06; 5-26-2009 by Ord. No. 2184-09]
A. 
There shall be a Cheltenham Township Twinning Committee comprised of not more than 15 voting members appointed by the Board of Commissioners in conformity with § C1302 of the Charter.
B. 
The Township and the Borough of Cheltenham, County of Gloucestershire, England have coordinated events in the past and through the establishment of this Committee, they will continue to maintain and further the bond of friendship that was established with the Township’s sister town during the Township’s centennial year and through the official signing of a Twinning Agreement, which took place on October 11, 2003.
C. 
The duties of this Committee are to advise the Board of Commissioners, through its Public Affairs Committee, on all tasks and functions necessary to establish exchange programs, carry out events and projects, develop budgets, identify and secure financial sponsors to help offset expenditures, develop schedules and itineraries, arrange for host families, and coordinate other accommodations which are necessary to facilitate activities and events that promote the comprehension of each other’s way of life, including the development of cultural, social, educational, governmental, fraternal, sporting, and other exchanges to strengthen the bond between the two towns and countries.
D. 
The terms of office shall be for two years, staggered, with 1/2 of members having terms expiring in even-number years and the rest having terms expiring in odd-number years.
[1]
Editor's Note: Former § 9-12, Ogontz Urban Renewal Area Committee, was repealed 12-21-1999 by Ord. No. 1951-99.
[1]
Editor’s Note: Former § 9-13, Americans With Disabilities Act Advisory Committee, added 8-18-1992 by Ord. No. 1758-92, was deleted pursuant to Ord. 2260-13, adopted 3-20-2013, which ordinance abolished the Americans With Disabilities Act Advisory Committee and delegated the duties of said committee to the Township Human Relations Committee.
No person may be appointed to the Civil Service Commission, the Planning Commission, the Zoning Hearing Board or to any other citizens group, or a class of members thereof, which functions other than in an advisory capacity when, in the case of a citizens' group or class thereof with fewer than five members, such appointment would result in more than 2/3 of the members of such class or such citizens' group being members of the same political party, or when, in the case of such class or citizens' group with five or more members, such appointment would result in more than 80% of the members of such class or citizens' group being members of the same political party.
Any existing board, committee or commission not herein established which is in existence as of the adoption of this chapter shall continue until December 31, 1977, when its existence shall automatically terminate.
The effective date for the operation of the heretofore established boards, committees and commissioners shall be January 1, 1978. All appointed members of any of the above established boards, committees or commissions shall continue in office for the balance of the term of their original appointments or until such group ceases to exist, whichever first occurs.