[Amended 10-27-1998 by Ord. No. 36-98; 1-25-2011 by Ord. No. 2-11]
The City of Long Branch hereby establishes an
Environmental Commission for the protection, development or use of
natural resources, including water resources located within its territorial
limits. The Commission shall consist of five to seven members and
up to two alternate members appointed by the Mayor or other Chief
Executive Officer of the municipality, one of whom shall also be a
member of the Municipal Planning Board and all of who shall be residents
of the municipality of the City of Long Branch. Members shall serve
without compensation.
An 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 from 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.
An 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 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.
An 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 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.
An Environmental Commission shall have power
to study and make recommendations concerning open space preservation,
water resources management, air pollution control, solid waste management,
noise control, soil and landscape protection, environmental appearance,
marine resources and protection of flora and fauna.
Any Conservation Commission established pursuant
to law shall be an Environmental Commission.