[HISTORY: Adopted by the Mayor and Council of the Borough of Palisades
Park 12-9-1976 by Ord. No. 851. Amendments
noted where applicable.]
Pursuant to the authority vested in the Borough Council of the Borough
of Palisades Park 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."
A.
The Environmental Commission shall consist of seven regular
members appointed by the Mayor with the advice and consent of the Council,
one of whom shall also be a member of the Planning Board and all of whom shall
be residents of the Borough of Palisades Park. In addition to the seven regular
members, there shall also be two alternate members, two associate members
and two student members. The alternate members and student members shall be
residents of the Borough of Palisades Park. All shall serve in accordance
with the definition provided herein.
[Amended 7-18-1995 by Ord. No. 1224]
B.
The members shall serve without compensation.
C.
The Mayor shall designate one of the members to serve
as Chairman and presiding officer of the Commission.
D.
One member of the Environmental Commission shall be selected
by the Mayor to constitute one Class IV member of the Planning Board of the
Borough of Palisades Park pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40:55D-23.
E.
The terms of the first Commissioners shall be for one,
two or three years, to be designated by the Mayor in making his appointments
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.
F.
The Council of the Borough 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.
G.
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 the following duties:
A.
To study and make recommendations to the Mayor and Council
in areas of conservation and environmental protection, which shall include
but not be limited to pollution control of all types; waste disposal, including
sewage, garbage and solid waste; open space preservation, with emphasis on
outdoor recreation needs; aesthetic flora and fauna preservation and beautification;
and water resources.
B.
To plan local conservation programs and to inform the
public about those programs.
C.
To prepare, print and distribute informational materials,
such as books, maps, charts, plans and pamphlets, which in its judgment it
deems necessary for its purposes, within the limits of funds appropriated
to the Commission.
D.
To keep an index of all open areas, publicly and privately
owned, in order to obtain information on the proper use of such areas.
E.
To recommend, from time to time, to the Planning Board
plans and programs, for inclusion in the Master Plan of the Borough of Palisades
Park, for development and use of such areas.
F.
To act as the coordinating agency of the community on
conservation matters with appropriate federal, regional, state, and other
agencies concerned with such matters.
G.
To do such other acts and things as are reasonably related
to and assigned to carry out the purposes and objectives of the Commission.
The Environmental Commission may, subject to the approval of the Borough
Council, acquire property, both real and personal, in the name of the Borough
of Palisades Park, 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 Borough
of Palisades Park.
A.
Regular meetings of the Commission shall be established.
B.
At all meetings, a quorum shall consist of a majority
of the members of the Commission.
C.
The Commission shall keep records of its meetings and
shall make an annual report to the Mayor and Council of the Borough of Palisades
Park on or before the 15th day of December.
The Council, in its discretion, may annually fix, determine and appropriate
sums sufficient for the care, custody, leasing and maintenance of such land
acquired for these uses and purposes herein stated, if necessary and for the
expenses of said Commission.
[Added 7-18-1995 by Ord. No. 1224]
A.
Alternate members. Two alternate members may be appointed
by the Mayor to serve during the absence or disqualification of any regular
member. Such alternate members shall meet the same qualification of any regular
member. In the event that two alternate members are appointed, the initial
terms of such members shall be one and two years, respectively. All subsequent
appointments of alternates, except to fill vacancies, shall be for a period
of three years and until the appointment and qualification of their successors,
beginning the first day of January of the first year of the term. At the time
of their appointment such alternate members shall be designated by the Mayor "Alternate
No. 1" and "Alternate No. 2." Alternate members may participate in discussions
of the proceedings but may not vote except in the absence or disqualification
of a regular member. In the event that a choice must be made to which alternate
member is to vote, Alternate No. 1 shall vote.
B.
Associate members. The associate members shall be appointed
for a term of two years. Although associate members shall be encouraged to
attend all meetings and participate in all discussions, they shall not be
entitled to vote on any formal action take at the meetings of the Environmental
Commission. They shall be neither regular nor alternate members of the Commission
and shall be persons with expertise in a special area or special talents.
C.
Student members. The Mayor shall appoint two student
members to serve for a term of one year. The student members shall be either
high school, college or graduate school students. Although student members
shall be encouraged to attend all meetings and participate in all discussions,
they shall not be entitled to vote on any formal action take at the meetings
of the Environmental Commission.
