[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Committee of the Township
of Liberty 2-5-2004 by Ord. No. 04-01. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Open Space, Recreation and Farmland and Historic Preservation Trust Fund — See Ch. 24A.
There is hereby created the Liberty Township Open Space Advisory
Committee whose duties and purposes are set forth below.
A.
B.
All members shall be appointments of the Township Committee, except
the Committee Chairman, who shall be elected from among the duly elected
members and chosen from its members. The Township shall receive recommendations
from the various boards/commissions as to the possible membership
on this Committee, but the Township Committee shall not be bound by
such recommendations.
C.
All members shall serve for a period of three years, except the initial
year of the Committee wherein the terms will be as follows: two one-year
terms, two two-year terms and two three-year terms. A public member(s)
shall only serve on the Committee so long as he/she is (are) residents
of the Township.
D.
The Committee shall be subject to the provisions of the Open Public
Meetings Act,[1] including the requirements of meeting notice and promulgation/approval
of minutes. The Committee may call upon the services of the Township
Attorney and/or Engineer to assist it in its endeavors, subject to
the Township Committee or designee's approval and the availability
of funds.
[1]
Editor's Note: See N.J.S.A. 10:4-8 et seq.
E.
Any appointee who is unable to fulfill his/her duties on the Committee
and resigns and/or fails to attend three meetings in any calendar
year may be replaced for the remainder of the unexpired term at the
discretion of the Township Committee.
F.
The Committee, in addition to the submission of minutes to the Township,
shall report to the Township Committee as to its functions on at least
a quarterly basis.
The purposes/duties of the Township Open Space Advisory Committee
are as follows:
A.
To advise the Township Committee as to the possible acquisition/development
of lands/properties within the Township for recreation (active and/or
passive) and/or conservation purposes (and, where applicable, prioritize
the acquisition/development of said lands/properties).
B.
To advise the Township as to possible properties for preservation.
C.
To advise the Township Committee as to various opportunities for
alternate funding for acquisition/development of open space and farmland
properties within the Township and, where authorized by the Township
Committee, to apply, on behalf of the Township, for such funding opportunities.
D.
To catalog/inventory for the Township Committee all existing open
space and preserved farmland properties within the Township on a yearly
basis; and prioritize same.
E.
To catalog/inventory for the Township Committee all open space and
farmland properties within the Township that could be obtained by,
acquired by and/or donated to the Township, including, but not limited
to the following:
(1)
By development rights only for preservation of open space;
(2)
By outright purchase;
(3)
By donations;
(4)
By conservation easements;
(5)
By scenic easements;
(6)
As a down payment for the issuance of bonds;
(7)
By long-term lease; or
(8)
By any other method for the same purpose at the discretion of the
Township Committee.
F.
To maintain the Township's Open Space Plan.
G.
The Committee shall, where applicable, also:
H.
To accept applications for funding and prioritize them.
I.
Any and all other purposes/duties as assigned to the Committee by
the Township Committee.
Since the Open Space Advisory Committee is premised on the existence
of the Township Open Space Trust Fund, which contains a sunset provision,
if the sunset provision is exercised as to the Open Space Fund by
the Township Committee, then the Township Open Space Advisory Committee
shall cease to exist at the end of the Fund's life.
