Town of West Greenwich, RI Conservation Commission

Pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 45-35 of the General Laws of Rhode Island, as amended, there is hereby created a commission to be known as the "West Greenwich Conservation Commission." The membership, terms, qualifications, powers and duties of the Conservation Commission shall be consistent with Section 703 of the Charter of the Town of West Greenwich.

§ 9-2 Purpose.

The purposes of the West Greenwich Conservation Commission shall be as follows:

To promote and develop the natural resources.

To protect the watershed resources.

To preserve natural aesthetic areas within said municipalities.

To conduct researches into its local land areas and seek to coordinate the activities of unofficial bodies organized for similar purposes.

§ 9-3 Powers and duties.

The powers and duties of the West Greenwich Conservation Commission shall be as follows:

It may advertise, prepare, print and distribute books, maps, charts, plans and pamphlets which in its judgment it deems necessary for its work, within the framework of its budget.

It shall make and keep an index of all open spaces within the Town, publicly or privately owned, including open marshlands, swamps and other wetlands for the purpose of obtaining information on the proper use of such areas.

[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]

It may recommend to the Town Council, and other Town boards or agencies, a program for the better promotion, development, utilization, or preservation of open areas, streams, shores, wooded areas, roadsides, swamps, marshlands, and natural aesthetic areas.

It shall keep accurate records of its meetings and actions and shall file an annual report.

It shall have power to appoint, within the framework of its budget and subject to any personnel procurement program ordained by the Town, clerks and other employees it may from time to time require.

§ 9-4 Organization.

The West Greenwich Conservation Commission shall consist of seven members appointed by the Town Council. At the first meeting of the Commission, the members shall elect a Chairman, a Vice-Chairman, and shall organize such subcommittees as they shall deem necessary for the performance of their duties. The members of such Commission shall be appointed for three-year terms, except the initial appointments of some of the members shall be for less than three years to the end that the initial appointments shall be staggered and so that all subsequent vacancies shall not reoccur at the same time. In the event of a vacancy, interim appointments may be made by the Town Council to complete the unexpired term of such position. Duly incorporated and existing wildlife, conservation, sportsmen's, horticultural, or like organizations may present to the Town Council a list of qualified citizens, from which lists the Town Council must select at least three members of the Commission and from which lists the Town Council may select the remainder.

§ 9-5 Acquisitions; access to land.

Subject to the approval of the Town Council and Financial Town Meeting, the West Greenwich Conservation Commission may receive gifts of funds, lands, buildings or other properties in the name of the municipality; acquire by gift, purchase, grant, bequest, devise, lease, or otherwise the fee in such lands or water rights or any lease interest, development right, easement, covenant or other contractual right, including conveyances; and thereafter shall manage the same in accordance with the purposes set forth in this chapter. Nothing herein shall be construed to deny to the people access to said lands for all legitimate purposes. The people shall have free access to said lands, or to any other land held by or for the Town for recreation purposes.

§ 9-6 Meetings and records.

All meetings of the West Greenwich Conservation Commission shall be open to the public, and any person or his duly constituted representative shall be entitled to appear and be heard on any matter before the Commission before it reaches its decision. All records of its proceedings, resolutions, and actions shall be open to public view.

§ 9-7 Coordination with other bodies.

To effectuate coordination of related endeavors, the West Greenwich Planning Board, Zoning Board of Review, Development Corporation and any other board, commission or agency concerned with resource uses shall notify the Conservation Commission of any proposals concerning natural resources made by or to any of them, forthwith.