Borough of Old Tappan, NJ Chapter 53 Open Space Advisory Committee

[HISTORY: Adopted by the Mayor and Council of the Borough of Old Tappan 5-22-2000 by Ord. No. 716-00. Amendments noted where applicable.]

GENERAL REFERENCES

Open space recommendations by Environmental Commission — See Ch. 9, § 9-18.

Open space design standards — See Ch. 218.

Zoning — See Ch. 255.

§ 53-1 Establishment.

There is hereby established the Open Space Advisory Committee of the Borough of Old Tappan, hereinafter referred to as the "Committee."

§ 53-2 Membership; term.

[Amended 11-15-2004 by Ord. No. 867-04]

A. The Committee shall consist of seven members appointed by the Mayor, with the advice and consent of the Council. Members shall be appointed for a term of two years, except that the terms of four of the initially appointed members shall expire on December 31, 2000, and the terms of the remaining three initially appointed members shall expire on December 31, 2001.

[Amended 12-18-2006 by Ord. No. 928-06]

B. The position of alternate member of the Committee is hereby established. The Mayor, with the advice and consent of the Council, shall appoint two alternate members to the Committee. Alternate members shall be designated at the time of appointment by the Mayor as “Alternate No. 1” and “Alternate No. 2.” The terms of alternate members shall be for two years, except that the terms of the alternate members first appointed shall be 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. A vacancy occurring otherwise than by expiration of term shall be filled by the Mayor for the unexpired term only.

C. Alternate members may participate in all matters but may not vote except in the absence or disqualification of a regular member of any class. 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 member is to vote, Alternate No. 1 shall vote first.

§ 53-3 Organization.

The Committee shall organize annually and from its members shall elect a Chairperson who shall preside over all meetings, and a Vice Chairperson.

§ 53-4 Compensation.

No member of the Committee shall receive compensation for his or her service.

§ 53-5 Purpose and duties.

A. Borough voters, at the November 2, 1999, general election, approved a referendum establishing an Open Space Trust Fund which is to be funded through the collection of local property taxes in an amount of $0.01 per $100 of assessed value for a period of five years. It is anticipated that the total amount that this tax will yield will be approximately $70,000 per year. These funds are designated for the purchase of open space so as to preserve such land as open space and to keep it in its natural state and, if no open space is available for purchase, then the moneys shall be used for such other recreation, conservation, farmland preservation or historic preservation purposes as may be permitted by law, to be determined following a public hearing.

B. The Committee shall make recommendations to the Mayor and Council for the use of the Open Space Trust Fund moneys. The Committee shall have the responsibility of reviewing suggestions from all sources, including the public, the Planning Board, the Environmental Commission, and the Mayor and Council, regarding the use of the Open Space Trust Funds, and make recommendations to the Mayor Council for the expenditure of such funds consistent with the Borough referendum.

C. The Committee shall maintain minutes of its deliberations and shall report to the Mayor and Council the results of its ongoing activities and determinations on a regular basis.