[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Council of the Township of Hampton 7-25-1989 by Ord. No. 397 (Ch. 1, Part 9, of the 1995 Code of Ordinances). Amendments noted where applicable.]
There is hereby created an Environmental Advisory Council of the Township of Hampton, which Council shall advise and assist other Township agencies including, but not limited to, the Planning Commission, Recreation Boards, and all of its elected officials on matters dealing with protection, conversation, management, promotion and use of natural resources, including air, land and water resources, and all land, water or air development, management and planning within the territorial limits of the Township of Hampton.
[Amended 2-28-2018 by Ord. No. 807]
The Environmental Advisory Council shall be composed of seven members of the Township of Hampton, each of whom shall be appointed by the Council of the Township of Hampton and each of whom shall serve for a term of three years, except that three of the original members appointed under the terms of this chapter shall serve until the first Monday of January of 1993, three such members shall serve until the first Monday of January of 1992, and the remaining one member shall serve until the first Monday of January of 1991. The members of the Environmental Advisory Council shall receive no compensation for their services but may be reimbursed for expenses actually and necessarily incurred by them in the performance of their duties. The members of the Environmental Advisory Council shall elect one of its members as Chairperson each year at the first regularly scheduled meeting of the Environmental Advisory Council. Any vacancy which may occur in the membership of the Environmental Advisory Council shall be filled by the Council of the Township of Hampton.
The Environmental Advisory Council hereby created shall have the following powers and may from time to time adopt regulations pursuant to the provisions of this chapter and in furtherance of the administration of the Environmental Advisory Council, but no regulation shall be effective unless the same shall have been submitted to and approved by the Council of the Township of Hampton, nor shall any regulation be effective which shall confer or impose upon the Environmental Advisory Council any powers or authorize the performance of any duties which are now or which may hereafter be conferred or imposed upon a state agency. The Environmental Advisory Council may:
A. 
Identify environmental problems and recommend plans and programs to the appropriate Township agencies for the promotion and conservation of the natural resources and for the protection and improvement of the quality of the environment within the Township of Hampton.
B. 
Make recommendations as to the possible use of open land areas within the Township of Hampton.
C. 
Promote a community environmental program.
D. 
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.
E. 
Advise the appropriate Township agencies including, but not limited to, the Hampton Township Planning Commission, the Hampton Recreation Commission, the Township Council, and all other bodies or organizations within the Township limits regarding the acquisition of property, both real and personal, by gift, purchase, grant, bequest, easement, devise or lease on all matters dealing with the purposes of this chapter.
F. 
Update and otherwise define and redefine the Hampton Township Flood Control Plan and keep abreast of technical literature, reports and documents relevant to the protection of natural resources in the Township.
G. 
Maintain liaison with appropriate municipal, state or federal departments or agencies concerned with the quality of life and the protection of the environment and to transmit such information to the appropriate agencies of the Township.
H. 
Work with Township agencies, and, in particular, with the Planning Commission and the Recreation Commission of the Township, to establish a plan for the management, use and development of open space and recreation areas within the Township of Hampton and, to the greatest extent practicable, utilize any assistance made available to it by the State Conservation Commission of the Department of Environmental Protection in the form of educational services, exchange of information, assignment of technical personnel for natural resources planning assistance, and the coordination of state and Township conservation and planning activities.
The Environmental Council shall keep records of its meetings and activities and shall make an annual report of the same to the Township Council.
The Council of the Township of Hampton may appropriate funds for the expenses incurred by the Environmental Advisory Council subject to a request from the Environmental Advisory Council and following the submission by the Environmental Advisory Council of a proposed budget for each succeeding year, which budget shall be submitted by the Environmental Advisory Council prior to December 1 of the year preceding the year for which the proposed budget is submitted. Items to be considered in the preparation of such budget are clerical, printing and legal services; the Environmental Advisory Council shall be limited to the funds appropriated by the Township Council annually. In the event that all or any part of the funds so budgeted and appropriated by the Township Council for use by the Environmental Advisory Council in any year are not expended, they may be allowed to accumulate from year to year or be expended in their entirety in any one year.
In conjunction with and in furtherance of its duties and powers set forth herein, particularly with regard to the indexing of and making of recommendations as to the use of open land areas and advice to the Township Council and other agencies of the Township with regard to the acquisition of property, the Environmental Advisory Council shall designate areas within the Township of Hampton which might be suitable for future public acquisition where, in the opinion of the Environmental Advisory Council acting in conjunction with and upon the advice of the Hampton Township Recreation Commission, such land is required for proposed parks, nature preserves, and other open spaces. The Hampton Township Council shall take such action as it deems appropriate regarding the recommendations of the Environmental Advisory Council, but only when the Township Council determines that the acquisition of some interest in the subject land is necessary to protect or improve environmental values including ecological balances, to protect existing visual and recreational values, to preserve existing open spaces, or to minimize potential damages from landslides, floods, or other natural disasters. The designation of such lands by the Environmental Advisory Council for future public acquisition in accordance with the provisions of this section shall not, absent approval of the acquisition of the land so designated by Council, be deemed in and of itself, to constitute a taking or acceptance of any land by the Township of Hampton or a reservation of the said area for future taking or acquisition for public use, nor shall any such designation constitute anything other than a recommendation based upon appropriate studies for the limited purposes stated herein.
This chapter shall take effect on the first day of January 1990.