Be it ordained by the Township Committee of the Township of Woolwich that the Swedesboro-Woolwich Joint Environmental Commission is hereby established pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40:56A-1 to 40:56A-12.
[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Committee of the Township of Woolwich 5-6-2013 by Ord. No. 2013-02.[1] Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Boards, committees and commissions — See Ch. 4.
Joint Land Use Board — See Ch. 23.
[1]
Editor's Note: This ordinance also repealed former Ch. 16, Environmental Commission, adopted 8-19-2002 by Ord. No. 02-09.
A.
A Joint Environmental Commission shall consist of 10 members plus two alternates. The Mayor of Woolwich Township shall appoint five members, one of whom shall also be a member of the Joint Land Use Board plus one alternate and all of whom shall be residents of the Township of Woolwich. The Mayor of the Borough of Swedesboro shall appoint five members, one of whom shall also be a member of the Planning/Zoning Board plus one alternate and all of whom shall be residents of the Borough of Swedesboro. The members shall serve without compensation except as hereinafter provided. The Swedesboro-Woolwich Joint Environmental Commission shall elect one of its members to serve as Chairman and presiding officer of the Joint Commission. The term of the Chairman shall be one year. The terms of office of the first commissioners shall be for one, two or three years, to be designated by the Mayors in making their appointments, and their successors shall be appointed for terms of three years and until appointment and qualification of their successors. The alternates shall be appointed for a term of one year. The first members of the Joint Commission shall be appointed for the following terms:
(1)
Two members: one from Woolwich Township, one from the Borough of Swedesboro, for the one-year term expiring December 31, 2014.
(2)
Four members: two from Woolwich Township, two from the Borough of Swedesboro, for the two-year term expiring December 31, 2015.
(3)
Four members: two from Woolwich Township, two from the Borough of Swedesboro, for the three-year term expiring December 31, 2016.
(4)
Two alternates: one from Woolwich Township one from the Borough of Swedesboro, for a one-year term expiring December 31, 2014.
B.
The governing bodies may remove a member of the Joint Commission from their own municipality 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. A vacancy on the Joint Commission occurring otherwise than expiration of a term shall be filled for the unexpired term in the same manner as an original appointment.
[Amended 12-30-2024 by Ord. No. 2024-24]
A.
The Joint Commission is established for the protection, development or use of natural resources, including water resources, located within territorial limits of the Township of Woolwich and the Borough of Swedesboro. The Joint Commission shall have power to conduct research into the use and possible use of the open land areas of the municipalities 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 and prudent 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 appropriate use of such areas and may from time to time recommend to the relevant land use board plans and programs for inclusion in the Master Plan and the development and use of such areas.
B.
The Joint Environmental Commission shall review formally submitted Environmental Site Assessment Phase I Audits, as related to water quality, stormwater, soils testing, historical use of lands, potential environmental concerns, tree removal/compensation plans, proposed land uses, etc.
C.
The Commission is charged with reviewing and reporting any comments or concems to the JLUB for consideration when making decisions on proposed development in the Township of Woolwich.
D.
Joint Environmental Commission hereby shall receive official copies of the Environmental Reports, EIS, Phase I Audit, and tree removal/compensation plans, for any major site plans or major subdivision plans that are presented before the JLUB of the Township of Woolwich.
The Joint Environmental Commission may, subject to approval of both of the governing bodies, acquire property, both real and personal, in the name of the municipalities 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 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 municipalities.
The Joint Environmental Commission shall keep records of its meetings and activities and make an annual report to the governing bodies.
The Joint Commission may appoint such clerks and other employees and incur such expenses as it may from time to time require, providing the same shall be within the limits of funds appropriated to it by the governing bodies or otherwise available to it. The Borough of Swedesboro will maintain the funding for the Joint Environmental Commission between the Borough of Swedesboro and the Township of Woolwich starting in budget calendar year 2014. The Joint Commission should establish a funding mechanism to get the yearly funds from Woolwich to Swedesboro.
[Amended 12-30-2024 by Ord. No. 2024-24]
A.
The Joint Environmental Commission shall have the 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.
B.
The JLUB Board Secretary, upon receipt of application package, forward one full set of application, plans, reports to the Joint Environmental Commission, along with a digital copy of same, concurrent with the forwarding of reports to the Board Professionals.
C.
The Joint Environmental Commission shall review any submitted studies related to major site plans and/or major subdivisions, and submit a formal report with recommendations, related to environmental concerns, soil testing, water quality, tree removal/compensation, soil remediation, protection of environmentally sensitive areas, etc.
D.
Reports from the Commission will be submitted in writing to the JLUB Chairman and Board members and applicant a minimum 10 days before the official regular Board meeting.
E.
The JLUB may then evaluate comments and concerns of the Commission when considering approvals for any major development herein.
The Woolwich Township and Borough of Swedesboro Environmental Commissions shall transfer and convey to the Joint Commission all assets, monies, books/records, property interests, funding/funding rights, and all such other property they own and/or control in furtherance of the combined goals of the heretofore existing Environmental Commissions.
This chapter shall take effect immediately upon its passage and publication according to law subject to the passage and publication of the companion ordinance by the Borough of Swedesboro.