The Environmental Advisory Council hereby established shall
be called the "Environmental Advisory Council of Schuylkill Township."
The purposes of the said Environmental Advisory Council, hereinafter
called "Council," shall be to advise other local governmental agencies,
including, but not limited to, the Planning Commission and the elected
officials of the Township, on matters dealing with protection, conservation,
management, promotion and use of natural resources, including air,
land and water resources, located within the territorial limits of
the Township and to establish liaison and cooperate with environmental
advisory councils of other municipalities or like agencies at the
municipal, county, state or federal level and also with nongovernmental
organizations that have an interest in improving natural resources
and the environment.
[Amended 11-4-1992; 1-3-2006 by Ord. No. 2005-08; 10-3-2018 by Ord. No. 2018-03; 4-1-2020 by Ord. No. 2020-01]
The Council shall be composed of 10 residents of Schuylkill
Township, seven Council members and three nonvoting alternate Council
members, who will be appointed by the Board of Supervisors. Such duly
appointed Council members shall serve for a term of three years, except
that each appointment shall be staggered so that terms of approximately
one-third of the members shall expire each year; the terms of their
successors are to be of three years each.
Members will receive no compensation for their services, but
will be reimbursed for the expenses actually and necessarily incurred
by them in the performance of their duties upon bills duly presented
for such expenses to the Board.
[Amended 11-4-1992; at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions,
Art. I)]
A. The Council will have the power:
(1) To identify
environmental problems and recommend plans and programs to the Board
of Supervisors and to other appropriate agencies for the promotion
and conservation of the natural resources and for the protection and
improvement of the quality of the environment within the Township.
(2) To make recommendations as to the use of open land areas within the
Township.
(3) To keep an index of all open areas, publicly or privately owned,
including, but not limited to, flood-prone areas, wetlands, and other
unique and natural areas, for the purpose of obtaining information
on and to make recommendations for the proper use of such areas.
(4) To advise the Board of Supervisors and the Planning Commission with
respect to the acquisition of property, both real and personal, by
gift, purchase, grant, bequest, easement, devise or lease, in matters
dealing with the protection, conservation, management, promotion,
and use of open space and other natural resources; and to formulate,
advise, recommend and promote to the Board of Supervisors and the
Planning Commission policies for the management, use, and development
of open space, park and recreation areas; and to review and comment
on subdivision and land development plans.
B. The Council shall not exercise any powers or perform any duties which,
by law, are conferred or imposed upon the Board of Supervisors, the
Planning Commission or any state agency.
The Environmental Advisory Council shall keep records of its
meetings and activities and shall make an annual report, a copy of
which shall be presented to the Supervisors by no later than the March
meeting of the Board of Supervisors, and copies of such report shall
be made available for public inspection thereafter.
[Amended 1-7-2013 by Ord.
No. 2013-01; at time of adoption of Code (see Ch.
1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
The Board of Supervisors may appropriate funds for the expenses
incurred by the Environmental Advisory Council, which sums, upon bills
presented, may be expended for such administrative, clerical, printing
and consulting services as may, from time to time, be required and
as shall be within the limits of funds appropriated to the Environmental
Advisory Council, and such annual expenditures shall not exceed the
amount of funds appropriated to the Council.