There is hereby created an Environmental Commission for the
protection, development or use of the natural resources located with
the territorial limits of the Borough of Clayton pursuant to the provisions
of Chapter 245 of the Laws of New Jersey 1968 (N.J.S.A. 40:56A-1 to
40:56A-5).
The Commission is established for the protection, development
or use of natural resources, including water resources, located within
the territorial limits of the Borough of Clayton. The Commission shall
have the power to conduct research into the use and possible use of
the open land areas of this Borough 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 for its purposes. It shall
keep an index of all open areas, publicly or privately owned, including
open marshlands, swamps and other wetlands, in order to obtain information
on the proper use of such areas, and may from time to time recommend
to the Planning Board plans and programs for inclusion in the Master
Plan and the development and use of such areas.
The Environmental Commission may, subject to the approval of
the Borough Council, acquire property, both real and personal, in
the name of the Borough 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 Borough.
The Environmental Commission shall keep records of its meetings
and activities and make an annual report to the Borough Council.
The Commission may appoint such clerks and other employees as
it may from time to time require, provided that the same shall be
within the limits of funds appropriated to it by the Borough Council.