[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Committee
of the Township of Hillsborough 10-11-2000 by Ord. No. 2000-32. Amendments
noted where applicable.]
A.
There is hereby established in the Township of Hillsborough
a permanent committee to be known and designated as the “Hillsborough
Township Agricultural Advisory Committee" which shall consist of five
residents of the Township of Hillsborough to be appointed by the Mayor
with the consent of the Township Committee within 60 days of the effective
date hereof, and the terms of office shall commence upon the date
of their appointment. At least one Committee member shall also be
a member of either the Hillsborough Township Planning Board or the
Hillsborough Township Environmental Commission. A member appointed
as a member of either of said two bodies will be disqualified from
Committee membership if he or she shall not remain a member of either
of said two bodies. The members of said Committee first appointed
shall serve for terms as follows: two appointees for one-year terms;
two appointees for two-year terms and one appointee for a three-year
term. Thereafter, all appointments shall be for terms of three years,
and vacancies shall be filled for the unexpired term only. The members
shall serve until their respective successors are appointed and qualified.
The members of the Committee shall receive no compensation for their
services. A majority of the members shall be actively engaged in farming
and shall own a portion of the land they farm.
B.
In addition to the membership established by § 5-1A, there shall be two alternate members, designated as “Alternate No. 1” and “Alternate No. 2,” to be appointed by the Mayor with the consent of the Township Committee within 60 days of the effective date of this amendment. The alternate members first appointed shall serve until December 31, 2009, and thereafter for terms of three years.
[Added 4-28-2009 by Ord.
No. 2009-17[1]]
[1]
Editor's Note: This ordinance also provided for the renumbering
of former Subsection B as Subsection C.
C.
The Committee shall organize within 30 days after
the appointment of its total membership for the remainder of the then
calendar year and thereafter annually and select from among its members
a Chairman and such other officers as it may deem necessary. Said
Committee may establish rules of order and meet at least quarterly
and from time to time as its rules of order might provide. The Agricultural
Advisory Committee shall report to the Planning Board.
The responsibilities of the Committee shall
be as follows:
A.
To become fully aware of all land in Hillsborough
currently used for agricultural and/or related purposes.
B.
To analyze how the Township can best protect the continuance
of the aforesaid uses.
C.
To determine existing problems facing farmers and
those in related endeavors in the Township of Hillsborough and to
recommend reasonable and desirable solutions to the Township Committee.
D.
To determine future problems which will face farmers
and those related to farming in the Township of Hillsborough and to
recommend reasonable and desirable solutions to the Township Committee.
E.
To encourage existing farmers to continue their farms
in active operation.
F.
To assist in continuing the sustainable use of economically
viable farmland for agricultural production.
G.
To help preserve large, contiguous and economically
viable tracts of agricultural land.
H.
To assist in minimizing conflicts between agricultural
uses and adjacent and nearby agricultural natural resource based,
rural, residential and commercial activities.
I.
To promote compliance with the Farmland Assessment
Tax program. (N.J.S.A. 18:15-2)
J.
To encourage and assist applications to farmland preservation
programs.
K.
To encourage appropriate conservation strategies and
agricultural activities.
L.
To formulate strategies and objectives with regard
to any present or future local, county, state or federal farmland
regulations.
M.
To promote interest in Township children in 4-H and
other related agricultural activities.
N.
To recommend to the Township Committee reasonable
and desirable changes to this listing of responsibilities.
O.
To make an annual report to the Township Committee
and Planning Board setting forth and detailing the activities and
operations of the Committee during the preceding year.
P.
To accomplish any other tasks referred to it by the
Township Committee having to do with agricultural related activities.
The Committee shall receive from all officials,
employees, consultants, and all authorized boards, departments, and
offices of the Township of Hillsborough such assistance as may be
required by the Committee in performing its aforesaid responsibilities.
The Committee's powers relative to regulation
of any activity are specifically limited to its making recommendations
to the Township Committee as to its adoption of the same. The Committee
shall advise the Planning Board of its findings and recommendations
on land use and management.
