Sustainability May Have Permanent Home in Moorestown

Sustainability is a step closer to having a permanent home in Moorestown.

Moorestown Council approved an ordinance on first reading to establish the Sustainable Moorestown Green Team as a permanent advisory committee Monday night.

The vote was 4-0. Councilwoman Stacey Jordan was absent.

The nine-member Green Team was established in 2013 as a temporary committee. Its move to a permanent committee would clear the way for the committee to perform its primary functions, which includes work environmental, economical and social issues in Moorestown.

“Why do this every year when we know this is something we want?” Moorestown Mayor Victoria Napolitano said. “That’s why we made this an ordinance instead of a resolution.”

The Green Team counts among its achievements the green roof on town hall, which includes solar panels and flowers and patches of grass. The vegetation on the roof helps minimize the amount of water that drains into the building when it rains, according to Sustainable Moorestown Chair Wolf Skacel and Vice Chair David Hess, who were both in attendance Monday night.

The building also has energy efficient lighting, as does the Moorestown Recreation Center.

With the Green Team in place, Moorestown has achieved Silver Status from Sustainable Jersey.

Towns earn points from Sustainable Jersey. A town needs 100 points to become certified, and at least 350 points to reach Silver Certification.

Communities earn points in a variety of ways, including having a water conservation ordinance (10 points), having green-energy buildings or partnering with schools to create “growing gardens” for students.

Hess said it’s important to make sure the environmental, economical and social aspects are all preserved.

“The interaction of all three is the town’s strength,” Hess said. “If you have just the environmental aspect but not the other two, the whole thing falls apart.”

The second reading and public hearing on the ordinance is set for Aug. 10.