[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Council of Horsham Township 4-8-1998
by Ord. No. 230. Amendments noted where applicable.]
There is hereby created and established a Horsham Township Environmental
Advisory Board (hereinafter referred to as "Board"), pursuant to the authority
granted by Section 214.1 of the Charter.
The Board shall advise other local governmental agencies, including,
but not limited to, the Planning Commission and the Horsham Township Council
and, at the request thereof, other officials, employees, boards, councils
or other entities of Horsham Township on matters dealing with protection,
conservation, management, promotion and use of natural resources, including
air, land, and water resources located within the territorial limits of Horsham
Township.
The Board shall have the power to identify environmental problems and
recommend plans and programs to the appropriate Horsham Township agencies
for the promotion, protection and conservation of the natural resources and
for the protection and improvement of the quality of the environment within
Horsham Township; to make recommendations as to the possible use of open land
areas of Horsham Township; to promote a community environmental program; to
keep an index of all open areas, publicly or privately owned, including, but
not limited to, flood-prone areas, swamps and other unique natural areas for
the purpose of obtaining information on the proper use of such areas; and
to advise the appropriate Horsham Township agencies with respect to the acquisition
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.
The Board shall be composed of seven residents of Horsham Township,
who shall be appointed by the Horsham Township Council. One member of shall
serve for a term of one year, one member shall serve for a term of two years,
one member shall serve for a period of three years, two members shall serve
for a period of four years, and two members shall serve for a period of five
years. These terms shall begin on the first Monday in January next succeeding
the date of the establishment of this Board. Thereafter whenever a vacancy
has occurred by reason of the expiration of the term of any member, the Horsham
Township Council shall appoint a member of the Board for at term of five years
from the date of the expiration of the prior term to succeed the member whose
term has expired. The Horsham Township Council of Horsham Township shall designate
the Chairman of the Board.
Members shall receive no compensation for their services, but shall
be reimbursed for the expenses actually and necessarily incurred by them in
the performance of their duties.
The Board shall keep records of its meetings and activities and shall
make an annual report which shall be printed in the annual municipal report,
if any, or, if there shall be no annual municipal report, the Board shall
otherwise make its written annual report to the Horsham Township Council and
generally make the report known and available.
Funds for the expenses incurred by the Board shall, at the discretion
of the Horsham Township Council, be appropriated to the Board. The Board may
expend monies for such administrative, clerical, printing, and legal services
as may from time to time be required, but its expenditures shall be limited
to the amount of funds appropriated to it by the Horsham Township Council.
The whole or any part of any funds so appropriated in any year may be placed
in a conservation fund, allowed to accumulate from year to year, or be expended
in any year. The Board shall submit a detailed written itemized budget proposal
to the Horsham Township Council at least 30 days prior to adoption of the
Township's preliminary budget.
The Board shall endeavor to take advantage of such programs of assistance
to environmental advisory boards, including 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 in the Department
of Environmental Protection and any program or assistance to environmental
advisory boards in planning for the management, use and development of open
space and recreation areas as may be established by the Secretary of Community
Affairs, and any other program of assistance as may seem to the Board and
the Horsham Township Council to be advantageous.
Nothing herein contained shall be construed as abolishing or limiting
any existing municipal agency, board, authority or commission even though
such agency, board, authority or commission may have a responsibility related
to the responsibilities delegated to the Environmental Advisory Board hereunder.
