This chapter is adopted pursuant to Article 12-F of the General Municipal
Law of the State of New York in order to create a Conservation Council, which
is to be named the Lloyd Environmental Conservation Council, hereinafter called
the "Council," to advise in the development, management and protection of
the Town's natural resources. Such Council shall also:
A. Conduct researches into the land area of the Town of
Lloyd.
B. Advise the Town Board on matters affecting the preservation,
development and use of the natural and man-made features and conditions of
the Town insofar as beauty, quality, historic value, biologic integrity and
other environmental factors are concerned and, in the case of man's activities
and developments, with regard to any major threats posed to environmental
quality, so as to enhance the long-range value of the environment to the people
of the Town of Lloyd.
C. Conduct studies, surveys and inventories of the natural
and man-made features within the Town and such other studies and surveys as
may be necessary to carry out the general purposes of this chapter.
D. Maintain an up-to-date inventory or index of all open
spaces in public or private ownership within the municipality, including but
not limited to natural landmarks, glacial and other geomorphic or physiographic
features, streams and their floodplains, ponds, swamps, marshlands and other
wetlands, unique biotic communities, soils, bedrock, slopes, vegetation, scenic
and other open areas of natural or ecological value, and of the ownership,
present use and proposed use of such open area, so as to provide a base of
information for recommendations by the Council for their preservation and/or
use.
E. Seek to coordinate, assist and unify the efforts of private
groups, institutions and individuals within the Town of Lloyd to accord with
the purposes of this chapter.
F. Maintain liaison and communications with public and private
agencies and organizations of local, state and national scope whose programs
and activities have an impact on the quality of the environment or who can
be of assistance to the Council.
G. Working in cooperation with the Planning Board of the
Town of Lloyd, recommend from time to time to the Town Board features, plans
and programs relating to environmental improvement for inclusion in any master
plan which might hereafter be established by the Town of Lloyd and, similarly,
recommend to the Board appropriate and desirable changes in existing local
laws and ordinances relating to environmental control or recommend new local
laws and ordinances.
H. Prepare, print and distribute books, maps, charts and
pamphlets in accord with the purposes of this chapter.
I. Obtain and maintain in orderly fashion maps, reports,
books and other publications to support the necessary researches of the Council
into local environmental conditions.
J. Carry out such other duties as may be assigned from time
to time by the Town Board.
When authorized by resolution of the Lloyd Town Board, the Council may
accept by gift, grant, devise, bequest or otherwise property both real and
personal in the name of the Town of Lloyd, as may be necessary to conserve
and otherwise properly utilize open spaces and other land and water resources
within the boundaries of the Town of Lloyd. Such real property may be accepted
in fee for land and water rights, or as any lesser interest, development right,
easement, including conservation easement, covenant or other contractual right,
including conveyance with limitations or reversions.
Upon the written recommendation of the Council, the Town Board may acquire
by purchase in fee or any lesser interest, through negotiation or by condemnation,
such real or personal property as may be needed to fulfill the purposes of
this chapter.
The Council established hereby shall keep accurate records of its meetings
and actions and shall for this purpose appoint from among its members a secretary,
and shall file an annual report with the Town Board on or before the 31st
day of December of each and every year. Once approved, the Town Board shall
forward a copy of this report to the State Commissioner of Environmental Conservation.
Such Council shall consist of not less than three nor more than nine
members residing in the Town of Lloyd, who shall be appointed by the Town
Board. The initial appointment of as nearly as possible of 1/2 of the
members of such Council shall be for a term of one year, and the appointment
of the remaining members of such Council shall be for a term of two years.
At the expiration of such terms, the terms of office of their successors shall
be two years, so that the term of office of 1/2 of such members of the
Council, as nearly as possible, shall expire each year. The Town Board may,
notwithstanding any inconsistent provision of law, appoint up to two members
to the Council who are between the ages of 16 and 21.
At least one member of the Council of the Town of Lloyd shall be appointed
from among the members of the Planning Board of the Town of Lloyd, and one
further member shall be a member of the Town Board of the Town of Lloyd and
shall be designated by such Town Board.
The presiding officer or Chairman of the Council shall be designated
by the Town Board from among the members so appointed to the Council. The
Town Board shall have authority to remove any member of said Council so appointed
for cause, after a public hearing, if requested. A vacancy shall be filled
for the unexpired term in the same manner as an original appointment.
The members of the Council shall receive no compensation for their services
as members thereof but may be reimbursed for reasonable and necessary expenses
incurred in the performance of their duties within the appropriations made
available therefor.
Such charges and expenses so permitted by an appropriation of the Town
Board for such Council shall be a charge upon the taxable property of the
Town and shall be assessed, levied and collected therefrom in the same manner
as other Town charges.
This chapter shall be deemed an exercise of the powers of the Town of
Lloyd to preserve and improve the quality of the natural and man-made environment
on behalf of the present and future inhabitants thereof. This chapter is not
intended and shall not be deemed to impair the power of any other public corporation.
Within 30 days following the establishment of a Council, written notification
thereof shall be sent by the Town Board to the State Commissioner of Environmental
Conservation.