Pursuant to the authority vested in the Town Council of the
Town of Belvidere under and by virtue of N.J.S.A. 40:56A-1 et seq.,
there is hereby established an Environmental Commission to be known
as the "Environmental Commission of the Town of Belvidere," which
shall consist of seven members appointed by the Mayor, one of whom
shall be a member of the Municipal Planning Board and all of whom
shall be residents of the municipality; the members of said Commission
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. 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 appointment so that the terms of approximately
1/3 of the members will expire each year, and their successors shall
be appointed for terms of three years and until the appointment and
qualification of their successor. The governing body of the municipality
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.
The Environmental Commission shall have power to conduct research
into the use and possible use of the open land areas of the municipality
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 or, if none, to the Mayor and governing body of the municipality
plans and programs for inclusion in a municipal master plan and the
development and use of such areas.
The Environmental Commission may, subject to the approval of
the governing body, acquire property, both real and personal, in the
name of the municipality, 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 reservations), 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 municipality.
The Environmental Commission shall keep records of its meetings
and activities and shall make an annual report to the governing body
of the municipality.
The governing body of the Town of Belvidere may appropriate
funds for the expenses incurred by the Environmental Commission. The
Commission may appoint such clerks and other employees as it may from
time to time require and as shall be within the limits of funds appropriated
to it.