There is hereby established, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40:56A-1 et
seq., an Environmental Commission of the Township of Mount Laurel
("Township") for the protection, development or use of natural resources,
including water resources, located within the territorial limits of
Mount Laurel Township and which shall be known as the "Mount Laurel
Environmental Commission" ("Environmental Commission" or "Commission")
and which shall be governed by the provisions of the aforementioned
law and this chapter.
The Commission shall consist of seven members who shall be appointed
by the governing body; one member shall also be a member of the Planning
Board, and all members shall be residents of the Township of Mount
Laurel. The governing body shall appoint the representative of the
Environmental Commission who serves on the Planning Board. All members
of the Environmental Commission shall serve without compensation,
but within budgetary limitations, they may seek reimbursement for
actual expenses necessarily incurred in the performance of their duties.
The governing body shall designate one of the members to serve as
Chairperson and Presiding Officer of the Commission.
The terms of office for the first Commissioners shall be for
one, two or three years, as shall be designated by the governing body
in making the appointments, so that the terms of approximately 1/3
of the members will expire each year. Their successor shall be appointed
for terms of three years until the appointment and qualification of
their successors.
The governing body may remove any member of the Commission for
cause on written charges served upon the member and after a hearing
thereon at which the member shall be entitled to be heard in person
or by counsel.
A vacancy on the Commission occurring otherwise than by expiration
of a term shall be filled for the unexpired term in the same manner
as an original appointment. Notwithstanding any other provisions of
law to the contrary, the powers of appointment and removal are hereby
accorded to the governing body of the municipality.
The Environmental Commission may investigate and negotiate,
with the approval of the governing body, the acquisition of property,
both real and personal, by gift, purchase, grant, bequest, devise
or lease, for any of its purposes. Such an acquisition may be to acquire
the fee or any lesser interest, development right, easement (including
conservation easement), covenant to 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 municipality. All such acquisition
shall be in the name of the municipality, and the governing body shall
have the right finally to approve or disapprove the Commission's
recommendations. The Commission may recommend to the governing body
policies, rules and regulations for the administration of such acquisitions
and, if so authorized by the governing body, administer such acquisitions
for the purposes for which they were obtained, subject to the terms
of any conveyance or gift thereof.
The Environmental Commission shall meet a minimum of one time
per month in accordance with the provisions of the Open Public Meetings
Act, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 10:4-6 et seq., and shall meet at such other
times as requested by the governing body or as may be necessary to
discharge its duties hereunder. The Environmental Commission shall
keep records of its meetings and activities and shall make an annual
report to the governing body and shall make a report to the governing
body at such other times as the governing body may request.
The Environmental Commission may appoint, in consultation with
the Township Manager, such clerical, technical or other assistance
and incur such other expenses as it may from time to time require
and as shall be within the limits of funds appropriated to it by the
governing body.
The governing body shall appropriate in the annual budget funds
for the expenses incurred by the Environmental Commission. The Environmental
Commission shall submit its proposed annual budget to the governing
body at such time and in such form and in accordance with such procedures
as the governing body shall prescribe. Budget review and approval
shall be performed in the manner required under New Jersey law.