[Ord. No. 2014-17]
There is hereby established pursuant N.J.S.A. 40:56A-1 et seq.
an environmental commission of the municipality of Princeton for the
protection, development and use of natural resources, including water
resources, located within the territorial limits of Princeton, which
shall be known as the "Princeton Environmental Commission" and which
shall be governed by the provisions of the aforementioned law and
this chapter.
[Ord. No. 2014-17]
The commission shall consist of seven members who shall be appointed
by the mayor, after consultation with the council; one member shall
also be a member of the planning board, and all members shall be residents
of the municipality. The mayor shall designate one of the members
to serve as chairperson and presiding officer of the commission. All
members of the commission shall serve without compensation, but within
budgetary limitations, they may receive reimbursement for actual expenses
necessarily incurred in the performance of their duties.
[Ord. No. 2014-17]
The terms of office for the first commissioners shall be for
one, two or three years, as shall be designated by the mayor in making
the appointments, so that the terms of approximately 1/3 of the members
will expire each year. Their successors shall be appointed for terms
of three years and until the appointment and qualification of their
successors.
[Ord. No. 2014-17]
The 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.
[Ord. No. 2014-17]
A vacancy on the commission occurring other than by expiration
of a term shall be filled for the unexpired term in the same manner
as an original appointment.
[Ord. No. 2014-17; Ord. No. 2014-22]
The mayor, after consultation with the council, shall appoint
not more than two alternate members who shall be residents of the
municipality. Alternate members shall be designated at the time of
appointment by the mayor as "Alternate No. 1" and "Alternate No. 2."
The terms of the alternate members shall be for two years, except
that the terms of the alternate members first appointed shall be two
years for Alternate No. 1 and one year for Alternate No. 2 so that
the term of not more than one alternate member shall expire in any
one year. A vacancy occurring other than by expiration of term shall
be filled in the same manner as an original appointment, for the unexpired
term only.
An alternate member shall not be permitted to act on any matter
in which such member has either directly or indirectly any personal
or financial interest. An alternate member may, after a public hearing
if requested, be removed by the council for cause.
An alternate member may participate in discussions of the proceedings
but may not vote except in the absence or disqualification of a regular
member. A vote shall not be delayed in order that a regular member
may vote instead of an alternate member. In the event that a choice
must be made as to which alternate member is to vote, Alternate No.
1 shall vote first.
A council member may be designated as liaison with the commission.
Such designee may attend meetings and participate in deliberations
of the commission, but shall not have the right to vote on matters
before the commission.
The board of trustees of Sustainable Princeton may annually
designate one of its board members to serve on the commission. The
Sustainable Princeton member may attend meetings and participate in
deliberations of the commission, but shall not have the right to vote
on matters before the commission.
The board of health may annually designate one if its members
to serve on the commission. The board of health member may attend
meetings and participate in deliberations of the commission, but shall
not have the right to vote on matters before the commission.
[Ord. No. 2014-17]
a.
The commission shall have power to study, and make recommendations
and provide advice concerning, open space preservation, water resources
and stormwater management, air pollution control, sustainable building
design and practices, alternative transportation, recycling, composting,
solid waste management, noise control, soil and landscape protection,
environmental appearance, aquatic resources and protection of flora
and fauna.
b.
The 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.
c.
The commission may advertise, prepare, print and distribute books,
maps, charts, plans and pamphlets which, in its judgment, it deems
necessary for its purposes, subject to appropriations made available
to it for such activities.
d.
The commission shall develop and maintain an inventory of all open
space areas, publicly or privately owned, including sensitive environmental
features like streams, open marsh lands, swamps, wetlands and flood
plains, as a resource for obtaining information on the proper use
of such areas. It may recommend to the planning board plans and programs
for inclusion in the municipal master plan and for the development
and use of such areas.
e.
The commission shall, at the commission's discretion, have the power
to review applications for development submitted to the planning board
and offer written advice to said board which, in said commission's
judgment, would alleviate or avoid negative environmental impacts.
f.
The commission may, upon the council's approval, develop or participate
in programs, activities and projects aimed at supporting and/or promoting
the commission's goals and purposes, including but not limited to,
fundraising efforts.
g.
The commission shall also have such other powers and duties as shall,
from time to time, be prescribed by the council.
[Ord. No. 2014-17]
The commission may investigate and negotiate, with the approval
of the council, the acquisition of property, both real and personal,
by gift, purchase, grant, bequest, devise or lease, for any of its
purposes. Such acquisitions 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 municipality. All such acquisitions shall be in the name of the
municipality, and the governing body shall have the right finally
to approve or disapprove the commission's recommendations. The commission
may recommend to the council policies, rules and regulations for the
administration of such acquisitions and, if so authorized by the council,
administer such acquisitions for the purposes for which they were
obtained, subject to the terms of any conveyance or gift thereof.
[Ord. No. 2014-17]
In addition to the research performed and recommendations made
by the commission to the planning board and council, as set forth
in section 12-7 above, the commission shall have the power to take
into account the regional aspects of conservation of open space. For
such purpose, the commission may consult and cooperate with boards,
bodies and commissions of other municipalities having a mutual interest
in open space and may invite and permit delegates of such boards,
bodies or commissions to attend meetings and participate in the deliberations
of the commission, without the right to vote.
[Ord. No. 2014-17]
The commission shall keep minutes of its meetings and records
of its activities and shall make a report to the council annually,
and at such other times as the council may request.
[Ord. No. 2014-17]
The commission may appoint, in consultation with the administrator,
such clerical, technical or other assistants and incur such other
expenses as it may from time to time require and as shall be within
the limits of funds appropriated to it by the council.
[Ord. No. 2014-17]
The council shall appropriate in the annual budget funds for
the expenses incurred by the commission. The commission shall submit
its proposed annual budget to the council at such time and in such
form and in accordance with such procedures as the council shall prescribe.
Budget review and approval shall be performed in the manner required
by the New Jersey statutes and regulations.
