There is hereby created an Environmental Advisory Council of
the Township of Hampton, which Council shall advise and assist other
Township agencies including, but not limited to, the Planning Commission,
Recreation Boards, and all of its elected officials on matters dealing
with protection, conversation, management, promotion and use of natural
resources, including air, land and water resources, and all land,
water or air development, management and planning within the territorial
limits of the Township of Hampton.
[Amended 2-28-2018 by Ord. No. 807]
The Environmental Advisory Council shall be composed of seven
members of the Township of Hampton, each of whom shall be appointed
by the Council of the Township of Hampton and each of whom shall serve
for a term of three years, except that three of the original members
appointed under the terms of this chapter shall serve until the first
Monday of January of 1993, three such members shall serve until the
first Monday of January of 1992, and the remaining one member shall
serve until the first Monday of January of 1991. The members of the
Environmental Advisory Council shall receive no compensation for their
services but may be reimbursed for expenses actually and necessarily
incurred by them in the performance of their duties. The members of
the Environmental Advisory Council shall elect one of its members
as Chairperson each year at the first regularly scheduled meeting
of the Environmental Advisory Council. Any vacancy which may occur
in the membership of the Environmental Advisory Council shall be filled
by the Council of the Township of Hampton.
The Environmental Advisory Council hereby created shall have
the following powers and may from time to time adopt regulations pursuant
to the provisions of this chapter and in furtherance of the administration
of the Environmental Advisory Council, but no regulation shall be
effective unless the same shall have been submitted to and approved
by the Council of the Township of Hampton, nor shall any regulation
be effective which shall confer or impose upon the Environmental Advisory
Council any powers or authorize the performance of any duties which
are now or which may hereafter be conferred or imposed upon a state
agency. The Environmental Advisory Council may:
A. Identify environmental problems and recommend plans and programs
to the appropriate Township 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 of Hampton.
B. Make recommendations as to the possible use of open land areas within
the Township of Hampton.
C. Promote a community environmental program.
D. Keep an index of all open areas, publicly or privately owned, including,
but not limited to, flood-prone areas, swamps, and other unique natural
areas, for the purpose of obtaining information on the proper use
of such areas.
E. Advise the appropriate Township agencies including, but not limited
to, the Hampton Township Planning Commission, the Hampton Recreation
Commission, the Township Council, and all other bodies or organizations
within the Township limits regarding the acquisition of property,
both real and personal, by gift, purchase, grant, bequest, easement,
devise or lease on all matters dealing with the purposes of this chapter.
F. Update and otherwise define and redefine the Hampton Township Flood
Control Plan and keep abreast of technical literature, reports and
documents relevant to the protection of natural resources in the Township.
G. Maintain liaison with appropriate municipal, state or federal departments
or agencies concerned with the quality of life and the protection
of the environment and to transmit such information to the appropriate
agencies of the Township.
H. Work with Township agencies, and, in particular, with the Planning
Commission and the Recreation Commission of the Township, to establish
a plan for the management, use and development of open space and recreation
areas within the Township of Hampton and, to the greatest extent practicable,
utilize any assistance made available to it by the State Conservation
Commission of the Department of Environmental Protection in the form
of educational services, exchange of information, assignment of technical
personnel for natural resources planning assistance, and the coordination
of state and Township conservation and planning activities.
The Environmental Council shall keep records of its meetings
and activities and shall make an annual report of the same to the
Township Council.
The Council of the Township of Hampton may appropriate funds
for the expenses incurred by the Environmental Advisory Council subject
to a request from the Environmental Advisory Council and following
the submission by the Environmental Advisory Council of a proposed
budget for each succeeding year, which budget shall be submitted by
the Environmental Advisory Council prior to December 1 of the year
preceding the year for which the proposed budget is submitted. Items
to be considered in the preparation of such budget are clerical, printing
and legal services; the Environmental Advisory Council shall be limited
to the funds appropriated by the Township Council annually. In the
event that all or any part of the funds so budgeted and appropriated
by the Township Council for use by the Environmental Advisory Council
in any year are not expended, they may be allowed to accumulate from
year to year or be expended in their entirety in any one year.
In conjunction with and in furtherance of its duties and powers
set forth herein, particularly with regard to the indexing of and
making of recommendations as to the use of open land areas and advice
to the Township Council and other agencies of the Township with regard
to the acquisition of property, the Environmental Advisory Council
shall designate areas within the Township of Hampton which might be
suitable for future public acquisition where, in the opinion of the
Environmental Advisory Council acting in conjunction with and upon
the advice of the Hampton Township Recreation Commission, such land
is required for proposed parks, nature preserves, and other open spaces.
The Hampton Township Council shall take such action as it deems appropriate
regarding the recommendations of the Environmental Advisory Council,
but only when the Township Council determines that the acquisition
of some interest in the subject land is necessary to protect or improve
environmental values including ecological balances, to protect existing
visual and recreational values, to preserve existing open spaces,
or to minimize potential damages from landslides, floods, or other
natural disasters. The designation of such lands by the Environmental
Advisory Council for future public acquisition in accordance with
the provisions of this section shall not, absent approval of the acquisition
of the land so designated by Council, be deemed in and of itself,
to constitute a taking or acceptance of any land by the Township of
Hampton or a reservation of the said area for future taking or acquisition
for public use, nor shall any such designation constitute anything
other than a recommendation based upon appropriate studies for the
limited purposes stated herein.
This chapter shall take effect on the first day of January 1990.