Office of the Township Clerk
Ordinances

TOWNSHIP OF VERNON
ORDINANCE #06-29

AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE COLLECTION OF A TAX OF ONE (1) CENT PER ONE HUNDRED (100) DOLLARS OF ASSESSED VALUE, TO BE DEDICATED TO THE PRESERVATION OF OPEN SPACE AND, IN PART, THE RECREATIONAL USE OF OPEN SPACE, SAID TAX TO BE COLLECTED FOR A PERIOD OF FIVE (5) YEARS BEGINNING IN THE YEAR 2007

WHEREAS, the Township Council has the obligation to act in the best interests of the health, safety and welfare of the residents of the Township; and

WHEREAS, the Township has collected an open space tax for the past five years pursuant to a referendum vote of the residents of Vernon; and

WHEREAS, the Township remains dedicated to the preservation of appropriate open space and the use of appropriate portions of said space for active and passive recreation.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED, by the Township Council of the Township of Vernon, County of Sussex, State of New Jersey, that:

1. The Township is hereby authorized to collect a tax of one (1) cent per one hundred (100) dollars of assessed value for a period of five (5) years beginning in the year 2007, with said tax dollars to be dedicated to open space preservation and active and passive recreational use of said open space.

2. A five member Farmland and Open Space Preservation Advisory Committee presently exists to identify and rank open space consistent with state, county or local criteria for inclusion in the program. The Advisory Committee shall continue for the duration of the time period set forth herein and shall continue to be chosen and appointed by the Township Council and shall consist of the Township Manager or designee, one Conservationist and/or one member of the Environmental Commission, one member of the Township who is not an active farmer (the at large member) and a member of the Agricultural Community who owns a farm in Vernon and actively farms in Vernon.

3. Appointments to the Advisory Committee shall be for two years and be consistent with the original establishment of the Committee.

4. The Advisory Committee shall make recommendations and forward same to the Township Council for its consideration and potential approval.

5. This Ordinance shall be the subject of a binding referendum which shall be placed on the ballot as a public question during the general election which will be held on November 7, 2006. This Ordinance shall take effect only after publication and passage according to law and after it is approved by the voters by way of binding referendum.

6. If any section or provision hereof shall be adjudged invalid or illegal, such determination shall not affect the other provisions hereof which shall remain in full force and effect. All ordinances or parts of ordinances or resolutions which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Ordinance are repealed to the extent of such inconsistency.

7. The following referendum question shall be submitted to the voters of the Township of Vernon as a public question on the November 7, 2006, general election ballot.

QUESTION

Shall the Township of Vernon be permitted to collect a tax of one (1) cent per one hundred (100) dollars of assessed value for a period of five years beginning in the year 2007, with said tax dollars to be dedicated to open space preservation and the active and passive recreational use of said open space and shall the Township of Vernon be permitted to continue a Farmland and Open Space Advisory Committee under the following circumstances, in the following manner and for the following purposes?

1. To identify and rank open space consistent with state, county or local criteria for inclusion in the program.

2. The Advisory Committee shall be chosen and appointed by the Township Council and shall consist of the Township Manager or designee, a Conservationist and/or one member of the Environmental Commission, an at large member who shall be a Vernon resident not involved in farming and a member of the Agricultural Community who owns a farm in Vernon and actively farms in Vernon. Appointments to the Advisory Committee shall be for two years and be consistent with the original establishment of the Committee.

3. The Advisory Committee shall make recommendations and forward same to the Township Council for consideration as to whether such recommendations shall be approved pursuant to this Ordinance.

EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

The Township of Vernon has collected an open space tax of two cents per hundred dollars of assessed property value since 2001 as required by a prior referendum approved by the voters of Vernon in 2000. The Township remains committed to the preservation of appropriate open space and the active and passive use of portions of the open space for recreation.

It is believed that by authorizing the collection of a tax of one (1) cent per one hundred (100) dollars of assessed value and dedicating same to open space preservation, funding can properly be directed at preserving the portion of the Township’s open space which is appropriate for future generations and which shall continue to provide active and passive recreation as well as preserve the rural character of Vernon. Additional information on this preservation initiative may be found in Ordinance No. 06-29 adopted by the Township of Vernon, which is available for public inspection, at the Municipal Building.

NOTICE

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the above ordinance was introduced and passed on first reading at the Regular Meeting of the Township Council of the Township of Vernon in the County of Sussex, State of New Jersey held in the Municipal Building on August 14, 2006 and the same came up for final passage at the Regular Meeting of the Township Council held on August 28, 2006, at which time, after persons interested were given an opportunity to be heard concerning said ordinance, the same was passed and will be in full force in the Township according to law.

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JANET E.MORRISON, MAYOR

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PATRICIA A. LYCOSKY, R.M.C.
TOWNSHIP CLERK