[Derived from Sec. 2-19 of the 1969 Revised General Ordinances]
The Borough of Spotswood Environmental Commission is hereby
established pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40:56A-1 to 40:56A-5.
A.
Appointment.
The Environmental Commission shall consist of five members appointed
by the Mayor, one of whom shall also be a member of the Planning Board
and all of whom shall be residents of the Borough. The members shall
serve without compensation except as hereinafter provided. The Mayor
shall designate one of the members to serve as Chairman and presiding
officer of the Commission.
B.
Terms.
The terms of office of the first commissioners shall be for one, two
or three years, to be designated by the Mayor in making his appointments
and their successors shall be appointed for terms of three years and
until the appointment and qualification of their successors. The first
members of the Commission shall be appointed for the following terms:
C.
Removal;
vacancy. The Mayor or Borough Council may remove any member of the
Commission for cause, on written charges served upon the member and
after a hearing thereon at which the member shall be entitled to be
heard in person or by counsel. A vacancy on the Commission occurring
otherwise than by expiration of a term shall be filled for the unexpired
term in the same manner as an original appointment.
A.
Protection
of natural resources. The Commission is established for the protection,
development or use of natural resources, including water resources,
located within the territorial limits of the Borough.
B.
Land
use. The Commission shall have power to conduct research into the
use and possible use of the open land areas of the 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.
C.
Index
of open areas. 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 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 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.
