[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Commissioners of the Borough of Haddonfield 12-28-1973 by Ord. No. 1151, as amended 4-8-1997 by Ord. No. 1748; amended in its entirety 4-27-2004 by Ord. No. 12-2004 Subsequent amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Land development — See Ch. 135.
The Borough Commissioners of the Borough of Haddonfield does, pursuant to the N.J.S.A. 40:45A-1 et seq., hereby create an Environmental Commission.
[Amended 6-12-2007 by Ord. No. 2007-17]
A. 
The Environmental Commission shall consist of seven members, appointed by the Mayor, one of whom shall be a member of the Planning Board of the Borough of Haddonfield and all of whom shall be residents of the Borough of Haddonfield. The members shall serve without compensation except as hereinafter provided. The Mayor shall designate one of the members to serve as Chairman and presiding officer of the Commission. The terms of office of the first Commissioners shall be for one, two, or three years as designated by the Mayor of the Borough of Haddonfield, so that the terms of approximately one-third of the members will expire each year. The successor Commissioner shall thereafter be appointed for a term of three years and shall remain in office until the appointment and qualification of the successors. In addition, there shall be two alternate members who are residents of the Borough, appointed by the Mayor for a term of two years, and who shall serve without compensation. The alternate members first appointed shall be for a term of two years for Alternate No. 1 and one year for Alternate No. 2, so that the term of not more than one alternate member shall expire in any one year. Thereafter all appointments for alternate members shall be for two years.
B. 
Alternate members shall be designated at the time of their appointment as "Alternate No. 1" and "Alternate No. 2." Alternate members may participate in the discussion of the proceedings but may not vote except in the absence or disqualification of a regular member. A vote shall not be delayed in order that a regular member may vote instead of an alternate member. In the event that a choice must be made as to which alternate is to vote, alternate members shall vote in the order of the numerical designations.
Removal of any member of the Commission may be accomplished as set forth in the N.J.S.A. 40:56A-1. The Mayor or governing body may remove any member of the Commission for cause, on written charges served upon the member and after the hearing thereon at which the member shall be entitled to be heard in person or by counsel. Any vacancies on the Commission occurring otherwise than by expiration of the term shall be filled for the unexpired term.
The Environmental Commission shall have such powers as are provided by the N.J.S.A. 40:56A-1 et seq. and as may be granted by the Borough Commissioners.
The Commission is established for the protection, development or use of natural resources, including water resources, located within the territorial limits of the Borough of Haddonfield. The Commission shall have the power to conduct research into the use and possible use of the open land areas of the municipality 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 marshland, 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 Planning Board plans and programs for including in the Master Plan and development and use of such areas.
The Environmental Commission may, subject to the approval of the governing body, acquire property, both real and personal, in the name of the municipality 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 conveyance on conditions or with limitations or revisions), 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 municipality.
The Environmental Commission shall keep records of its meetings and activities and make an annual report to the governing body.
The Commission may appoint such clerks and other employees and incur such expenses as it may from time to time require, provided that the same shall be within the limits of funds appropriated to it by the governing body or otherwise available to it.
The Environmental Commission shall have power to study and make recommendations concerning open space preservation, water resources management, air pollution control, solid waste management, noise control, soil and landscape protection, environmental appearance, marine resources and protection of flora and fauna.