Source: https://ecode360.com/8452537
Timestamp: 2018-06-24 12:46:54
Document Index: 449715433

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 48', '§ 48', '§ 48', '§ 48', '§ 48', '§ 48', '§ 48', '§ 48', '§ 48', '§ 48', '§ 48', '§ 48', '§ 48', '§ 48', '§ 48', '§ 48', '§ 48', '§ 48', '§ 48']

City of North Tonawanda, NY Grading and Stormwater Management
Ch 48 Art I Minor Land Disturbance
§ 48-3 Submittal of plan.
§ 48-4 Implementation of plan.
§ 48-5 Exceptions.
Ch 48 Art II Land Development Activities
§ 48-7 Findings; purpose.
§ 48-8 Definitions.
§ 48-10 Procedure.
§ 48-11 Stormwater pollution prevention plans.
§ 48-12 Performance and design criteria for stormwater management and erosion and sediment control.
§ 48-13 Maintenance, inspection and repair of stormwater facilities.
§ 48-14 Administration and enforcement; penalties for offenses; fees.
Chapter 48: Grading and Stormwater Management
[HISTORY: Adopted by Common Council of the City of North Tonawanda 11-10-1981; amended in its entirety 2-5-2008. Subsequent amendments noted where applicable.]
048a Appendix A
Chapter 48 : Grading and Stormwater Management
Article I Minor Land Disturbance
Article II Land Development Activities
Article I: Minor Land Disturbance
This article is designed to alleviate the problem of personal and property damage by flooding resulting from excessive runoff from poorly graded land development sites.
For the purpose of this article, the following terms, phrases, words, and their deviations shall have the meaning given herein:
Any person, partnership, corporation or public agency requesting permission from the City Engineer to engage in land disturbance activity, construction or development.
MINOR LAND DISTURBANCE
Any activity involving the clearing, grading, transporting or filling of land and the construction of any dwelling or building, which activity significantly alters land topography or vegetative cover resulting in an increase in the rate of runoff. Land disturbance shall not be deemed to mean the following:
Gardening activity, including the clearing, leveling, seeding, planting or harvesting of a household garden.
Minor landscaping, including the planting or removing of trees, shrubs or plants for aesthetic purposes or the filling of yard low spots to conform to the grade of surrounding areas.
Minor building erection, including the erection of sheds, garages, tool sheds, patios or decks which do not require the displacement of any land area resulting in a change of land grade and which do not result in roof drain-off on adjoining properties.
Utility installation, including the installation of underground utility connections, provided that the land grade after such installation will not be changed.
Any construction activity that disturbs one or more acres of land, or less than one acre if part of a common scheme of development disturbing one or more acres of land in the aggregate.
All water produced by rain, flood, drainage, sump pump outflows, downspouts, springs and seeps flowing over the land and causing water to gravitate to adjoining properties.
No person shall engage in any minor land disturbance activity on any property within the City without having first submitted a surface water runoff management plan to the City Engineer and obtaining approval of such plan and a permit or written waiver of necessity from the City Engineer.
The applicant shall pay to the City Clerk a fee of $120 at the time the application is submitted, to cover the cost of reviews and inspections required by this article.
[Amended 10-4-2016]
Written waiver may be granted to an applicant upon determination by the City Engineer that the land disturbance being contemplated will not appreciably increase the anticipated rate amount of runoff. In such cases, any application fee shall also be waived.
The City Engineer shall issue such permit, waiver or certificate of completion in a form approved by the Common Council.
The surface water management plan shall contain:
Lot and block numbers of the site as shown on the current Tax Map of the City.
Location, description and quantification of proposed changes to the site, with particular attention given to the capacity of the soil, vegetation cover, and drainageways to absorb, retard, contain or control surface water runoff.
The City Engineer shall require the implementation of the surface water management plan according to an approved time schedule.
Responsibility for the continued maintenance of the graded area shall remain with the applicant from the time of the plan's approval. The City shall retain the right to enter and make repairs and improvements upon the land, to ensure proper adherence to the plan, at the applicant's expense.
The City Engineer shall inspect the site during its preparation and development to certify that all control measures are constructed according to the provisions of the approved plan.
During the 12 months subsequent to the date of completion, the City Engineer shall periodically inspect the site to ascertain that the provisions of the plan are complied with. The Engineer shall give the applicant, upon request, a certificate indicating the date on which the required measures were completed and/or accepted.
This article shall not be applicable or required in cases where there is approval by the City Planning Commission of a subdivision plan providing for drainage facilities or building of a multifamily dwelling as reviewed and approved by the City Planning Commission for site plan approval and stormwater drainage plan.
Any person violating any of the provisions of this article shall, upon conviction thereof, be subject to a fine not to exceed $100 for each such violation. A violation shall be deemed to occur for each day that any person fails to conform to this article or the determination of the City Engineer.
Article II: Land Development Activities
Substantial economic losses can result from these adverse impacts on the waters of the City;
Purpose. The purpose of this article is to establish minimum stormwater management requirements and controls to protect and safeguard the general health, safety, and welfare of the public residing within this jurisdiction and to address the findings of fact in § 48-7A of this article. This article seeks to meet those purposes by achieving the following objectives:
Meet the requirements of minimum measures 4 and 5 of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation State Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (SPDES) General Permit for Stormwater Discharges from Municipal Separate Stormwater Sewer Systems (MS4s), Permit No. GP-02-02 or as amended or revised;
Require land development activities to conform to the substantive requirements of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation State Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (SPDES) General Permit for Construction Activities, Permit No. GP-02-01 or as amended or revised;
A professional engineer or landscape architect licensed to practice his or her profession in New York State.
An employee or officer of the City of North Tonawanda designated by the Common Council to accept and review stormwater pollution prevention plans (SWPPPs), forward the plans to such employee, officer or board of the City of North Tonawanda which may be reviewing any application for a construction activity requiring submission of a SWPPP, and inspect stormwater management practices.
Applicability. This article shall be applicable to all land development activities within the City.
Responsibility for administration. The SMO shall administer, implement, and enforce the provisions of this article. Such powers granted or duties imposed upon the authorized enforcement official may be delegated in writing by the SMO as may be authorized by the City.
Any part of a subdivision if a plat for the subdivision has been approved by the City on or before the effective date of this article;
The City shall designate an SMO who shall accept and review all SWPPPs. The SMO may:
Upon approval by the Common Council, engage the services of a registered professional engineer to review the SWPPPs, specifications and related documents at a cost not to exceed a fee schedule established by the Common Council; or
Accept the certification of a licensed professional that the SWPPPs conform to the requirements of this article.
For all land development activities subject to review and approval by the Planning Board, Planning Commission, or City Engineer under site plan, subdivision, or floodplain development permit regulations, the applicant or developer shall be required to submit a SWPPP that complies with the requirements of this article to the SMO, and the land development activity shall be reviewed subject to the standards contained in this article.
Review by SMO. Within 45 days of receipt of a SWPPP, the SMO shall forward the SWPPP, together with his or her written recommendation to approve, approve with modifications, or disapprove the SWPPP, to such employee, officer, or board of the City which is reviewing an application for approval of a land development activity requiring submission of a SWPPP. A recommendation of approval shall only be given if the SWPPP complies with the requirements of this article. In making a recommendation to approve with modifications or disapprove the SWPPP, the SMO shall state the reasons for the decision in writing.
Review by final reviewing body. The employee, officer or board of the City reviewing the application for approval of a land development activity shall review the SWPPP and recommendation of the SMO and shall act to approve, approve with modifications, or disapprove the SWPPP. Such reviewing body shall not act to approve the SWPPP unless it complies with the requirements of this article. If the reviewing body acts to approve with modifications or disapprove the SWPPP, the reasons for the decision shall be stated in writing. In order to be approved, the applicant shall revise a SWPPP that has been approved with modifications or disapproved in accordance with the recommendations of the reviewing body and shall submit the revised SWPPP to such body for review.
For all land development activities not subject to review by the Planning Board, Planning Commission, or City Engineer as stated in § 48-10B of this article, the applicant or developer shall be required to submit a SWPPP prepared in accordance with the standards contained in this article to the SMO and such SWPPP must be approved prior to commencement of the land development activity. Within 45 days of receipt of a SWPPP, the SMO shall approve, approve with modifications, or disapprove the SWPPP. Approval shall only be given if the SWPPP complies with the requirements of this article. In approving with modifications or disapproving the SWPPP, the SMO shall state the reasons for the decision in writing. In order to be approved, an applicant shall revise a SWPPP that has been approved with modifications or disapproved in accordance with the recommendations of the SMO and shall submit the revised SWPPP to the SMO for review.
Stormwater pollution prevention plan requirement. No application for approval of a land development activity shall be reviewed and no land development activity shall be commenced until the SMO or such employee, officer or board of the City which may be reviewing an application for approval of a land development activity requiring submission of a SWPPP has received a SWPPP that complies with the specifications in this article and has approved such SWPPP.
Land development activities meeting Condition A, B or C below shall also include water quantity and water quality controls (postconstruction stormwater runoff controls) as set forth in § 48-11B(3) of this article as applicable:
Condition A: Stormwater runoff from land development activity discharging a pollutant of concern to either an impaired water identified on DEC's 303(d) list of impaired waters or a total maximum daily load (TMDL) designated watershed for which pollutants in stormwater have been identified as a source of the impairment.
All information in § 48-11B(1) of this article;
Inspection and maintenance agreement binding on all subsequent landowners served by the on-site stormwater management measures in accordance with § 48-13 of this article.
The SWPPP shall be prepared by a licensed professional and must be signed by the professional preparing the plan who shall certify that the design of all stormwater management practices meets the requirements in this article.
Other environmental permits. The applicant shall assure that all other applicable environmental permits have been or will be acquired for the land development activity prior to approval of the final stormwater design plan. Any notice of intent (NOI) submitted to DEC pursuant to the SPDES General Permit for Construction Activities GP-02-01 shall be submitted to the SMO concurrently therewith.
The certification must include the name and title of the person providing the signature; address and telephone number of the contracting firm: the address (or other identifying description) of the site; and the date the certification is made.
Technical standards. For the purposes of this article, the following documents shall serve as the official guides and specifications for stormwater management. Stormwater management practices that are designed and constructed in accordance with these technical documents shall be presumed to meet the standards imposed by this article:
Equivalence to technical standards. Where stormwater management practices are not in accordance with technical standards set forth in § 48-12A of this article, the applicant or developer must demonstrate equivalence to such technical standards.
The applicant or developer of the land development activity or his/her representative shall at all times properly operate and maintain all facilities and systems of treatment and control (and related appurtenances) which are installed or used by the applicant or developer to achieve compliance with the conditions of this article. Sediment shall be removed from sediment traps or sediment ponds whenever their design capacity has been reduced by 50%.
For land development activities meeting Condition A, B or C in § 48-11B(2) of this article, the applicant shall have a qualified professional conduct site inspections and document the effectiveness of all erosion and sediment control practices every seven days and within 24 hours of any storm event producing 0.5 inch of precipitation or more. Inspection reports shall be maintained in a site logbook.
The applicant or developer or his/her representative shall be on site at all times when construction or grading activity takes place and shall inspect and document the effectiveness of all erosion and sediment control practices.
Maintenance easement(s). Prior to the issuance of any approval that has a stormwater management facility as one of the requirements, the applicant or developer must execute a maintenance easement agreement that shall be binding on all subsequent landowners served by the stormwater management facility. The easement shall provide for access to the facility at reasonable times for periodic inspection by the City to ensure that the facility is maintained in proper working condition to meet design standards and any other provisions established by this article. The easement shall be recorded by the grantor in the office of the County Clerk after approval by the counsel for the City.
Discharges from the SMPs shall not exceed design criteria or cause or contribute to water quality standard violations in accordance with § 48-12 of this article.
Maintenance agreements. The City shall approve a formal maintenance agreement for stormwater management facilities binding on all subsequent landowners and recorded in the office of the County Clerk as a deed restriction on the property prior to final plan approval. The maintenance agreement shall be consistent with the terms and conditions of Appendix A of this article entitled "Sample Stormwater Control Facility Maintenance Agreement."[1] The City, in lieu of a maintenance agreement, at its sole discretion, may accept dedication of any existing or future stormwater management facility, provided such facility meets all the requirements of this article and includes adequate and perpetual access and sufficient area, by easement or otherwise, for inspection and regular maintenance.
Stormwater management practice inspections. The SMO is responsible for conducting inspections of SMPs. All applicants are required to submit as-built plans for any SMPs located on-site after final construction is completed. The plan must show the final design specifications for all stormwater management facilities and must be certified by a professional engineer.
Right-of-entry for inspection. When any new stormwater management facility is installed on private property or when any new connection is made between private property and the public storm water system, the landowner shall grant to the City the right to enter the property at reasonable times and in a reasonable manner for the purpose of inspection as specified in § 48-14A(3) of this article.
Construction completion guarantee. In order to ensure the full and faithful completion of all land development activities related to compliance with all conditions set forth by the City in its approval of the SWPPP, the City may require the applicant or developer to provide, prior to construction, a performance bond, cash escrow, or irrevocable letter of credit from an appropriate financial or surety institution which guarantees satisfactory completion of the project and names the City as the beneficiary. The security shall be in an amount to be determined by the City based on submission of final design plans, with reference to actual construction and landscaping costs. The performance guarantee shall remain in force until the surety is released from liability by the City, provided that such period shall not be less than one year from the date of final acceptance or such other certification that the facility(ies) have been constructed in accordance with the approved plans and specifications and that a one-year inspection has been conducted and the facilities have been found to be acceptable to the City. Per annum interest on cash escrow deposits shall be reinvested in the account until the surety is released from liability.
Maintenance guarantee. Where stormwater management and erosion and sediment control facilities are to be operated and maintained by the developer or by a corporation that owns or manages a commercial or industrial facility, the developer, prior to construction, may be required to provide the City with an irrevocable letter of credit from an approved financial institution or surety to ensure proper operation and maintenance of all stormwater management and erosion control facilities both during and after construction and until the facilities are removed from operation. If the developer or landowner fails to properly operate and maintain stormwater management and erosion and sediment control facilities, the City may draw upon the account to cover the costs of proper operation and maintenance, including engineering and inspection costs.
Recordkeeping. The City may require entities subject to this article to maintain records demonstrating compliance with this article.
Notice of violation. When the City determines that a land development activity is not being carried out in accordance with the requirements of this article, it may issue a written notice of violation to the landowner, developer, and/or applicant. The notice of violation shall contain:
A statement that the determination of violation may be appealed to the City by filing a written notice of appeal within 15 days of service of notice of violation.
Stop-work orders. The City may issue a stop-work order for violations of this article. Persons receiving a stop-work order shall be required to halt all land development activities, except those activities that address the violations leading to the stop-work order. The stop-work order shall be in effect until the City confirms that the land development activity is in compliance and the violation has been satisfactorily addressed. Failure to address a stop-work order in a timely manner may result in civil, criminal, or monetary penalties in accordance with the enforcement measures authorized in this article.
Penalties. In addition to or as an alternative to any penalty provided herein or by law, any person who violates any of the provisions of this article shall be guilty of a violation punishable by a fine not exceeding $250 and/or imprisonment for a period not to exceed 15 days.
Restoration of lands. Any violator may be required to restore land to its undisturbed condition. In the event that restoration is not undertaken within a reasonable time after notice, the City may take necessary corrective action, the cost of which shall become a lien upon the property until paid.
Fees. The City may require any person undertaking land development activities regulated by this chapter to pay a fee, as set by the Common Council from time to time, for review of SWPPPs and related inspections.