[Adopted 2-26-1973 by Ord. No. 73-1]
[Amended 8-9-2005 by Ord. No. 2005-30; 2-16-2022 by Ord. No. 2022-05]
Pursuant to the provisions of N.J.S.A. 40:56A-1 et seq. (Chapter 245 of the Public Laws of 1968), as amended, there is hereby created a public body corporate and politic under the name of "Clementon Environmental and Open Space Commission," for the protection, development and use of natural resources, including water resources, located within the Borough of Clementon.
[Amended 8-9-2005 by Ord. No. 2005-30; 2-16-2022 by Ord. No. 2022-05]
A. 
The Clementon Environmental and Open Space Commission hereby created is a municipal environmental commission as contemplated and provided for by N.J.S.A. 40:56A-1 et seq., as amended, and shall have and exercise all of the powers and perform all of the duties provided for by said statute and any other statutes heretofore enacted and applicable thereto, and shall coordinate the activities of the Shade Tree Commission.
B. 
The Clementon Environmental and Open Space Commission shall have the 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 marshland, 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 plans and programs for including in the Master Plan and development and use of such areas.
C. 
The Clementon Environmental and Open Space 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 conveyance on conditions or with limitations or revisions), 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.
D. 
The Clementon Environmental and Open Space Commission shall keep records of its meetings and activities and make monthly reports to the governing body.
E. 
The Clementon Environmental and Open Space 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.
The Clementon Environmental Commission is hereby composed of seven members to be appointed by the Mayor, one of which members shall also be a member of the Clementon Planning Board, and all of which members shall be residents of the Borough of Clementon. All of said members shall serve without compensation, and the Mayor shall designate one of the members of said body as the Chairman thereof. The Mayor or Borough Council may remove any member of said body for cause, upon written charges and subsequent to a hearing. A vacancy in said body shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment.
The first two members appointed to said body shall be for a term of one year from date of appointment. The next two members appointed shall be for a term of two years from date of appointment. The next three members appointed to said body shall be for a term of three years from date of appointment.