[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Committee of the Township of Lebanon
by Ord. Nos. 2001-22 and 2001-23 (Sec. 2-6.2 of the 1985 Revised General Ordinances).
Amendments noted where applicable.]
Pursuant to L. 1972, c. 35 (N.J.S.A. 40:56A-1 et seq.), there is hereby
established in and for the Township of Lebanon an Environmental Commission,
to be known as the "Lebanon Township Environmental and Open Space Commission."
A.Â
The Environmental and Open Space Commission shall consist
of seven members to be appointed by the Mayor, one of which seven members
shall be a member of the Lebanon Township Planning Board. All members so appointed
shall be residents of the Township of Lebanon. All appointments to such Commission
shall be for a term of three years beginning the first day of January of the
first year of the term. The initial appointment of said Commission shall have
the terms amended so as to provide for staggered expiration of terms. The
Mayor shall designate which of the appointees shall serve as Chairman or Presiding
Officer of the Commission. Any vacancy on the Commission other than by expiration
of term shall be filled for the unexpired term. Removal of any appointee shall
be for cause, only on written charges and after hearing before the Mayor and
Township Committee.
B.Â
In addition to resignation or death of an appointee or
an appointee's moving his or her residence from the Township, any appointee
who shall fail to attend three successively called meetings of the Commission
shall be deemed to have vacated his or her appointment to the Commission,
at the discretion of the Township Committee.
C.Â
The Environmental and Open Space Committee shall include
two alternate members, Alternate 1 and Alternate 2, for a term of two years.
The term of Alternate 2 shall be initially for one year and thereafter for
the stated two-year appointment.
Meetings of the Commission shall be held monthly on such dates as determined
by the Commission at its annual reorganization meeting.
The Environmental Commission shall have the 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
Lebanon Township Planning Board plans and programs for inclusion in a Township
Master Plan and the development and use of such areas.
The Environmental Commission may, subject to the approval of the Township
Committee, acquire 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 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 Township.
The Environmental Commission shall keep records of its meetings and
activities and shall make an annual report to the Lebanon Township Committee.
This Commission may be dissolved at any time by the majority vote of
the Township Committee.
