The terms used in this chapter or in documents prepared or reviewed
under this chapter shall have the meaning as set forth in this section.
The activity of an active farm, including grazing and watering
livestock, irrigating crops, harvesting crops, using land for growing
agricultural products, and cutting timber for sale, but shall not
include the operation of a dude ranch or similar operation, or the
construction of new structures associated with agricultural activities.
A property owner or agent of a property owner who has filed
an application for a land development activity.
A natural or artificial watercourse with a definite bed and
banks that conducts continuously or periodically flowing water.
Any activity that removes the vegetative surface cover.
The deliberate appropriation of property by its owner for
general public use.
The New York Stare Department of Environmental Conservation.
The New York State Stormwater Management Design Manual, most
recent version, including applicable updates, that serves as the official
guide for stormwater management principles, methods and practices.
A person who undertakes land development activities.
The most recent version of the New York Standards and Specifications
for Erosion and Sediment Control manual, commonly known as the "Blue
Book."
Those surfaces, improvements and structures that cannot effectively
infiltrate rainfall, snowmelt and water (e.g., building rooftops,
pavement sidewalks, driveways, etc.).
A State Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit issued
to a commercial industry or group of industries which regulates the
pollutant levels associated with industrial stormwater discharges
or specifies on-site pollution control strategies.
The process of percolating stormwater into the subsoil.
An area that is inundated or saturated by surface water or
groundwater at a frequency and duration sufficient to support prevalence
of vegetation typically adapted for life in saturated soil conditions,
commonly known as "hydrophytic vegetation."
Construction activity including clearing grading, excavating,
soil disturbance or placement of fill that results in land disturbance
of equal to or greater than one acre, or activities disturbing less
than one acre of total land area that is part of a larger common plan
of development or sale, even though multiple separate and distinct
land development activities may take place at different times on different
schedules.
The legal or beneficial owner of land, including those holding
the right to purchase or lease the land, or any other person holding
proprietary rights in the land.
A legally recorded document that acts as a property deed
reduction, and which provides for long-term maintenance of stormwater
management practices.
Pollution from any source other than from any discernible,
confined, and discrete conveyances, and shall include, but not be
limited to, pollutants from agricultural, silvicultural, mining, construction,
subsurface disposal and urban runoff sources.
Clearing a parcel of land in distinct pieces or parts, with
the stabilization of each piece completed before the clearing of the
next.
Sediment or a water quality measurement that addresses sediment
(such as total suspended solids, turbidity or siltation) and any other
pollutant that has been identified as a cause of impairment of any
water body that will receive a discharge from the land development
activity.
Land development activity.
The replenishment of underground water resources.
Measures that prevent eroded sediment from leaving the site.
Cold-water fisheries, shellfish beds, swimming beaches, and
water recharge areas, water supply reservoirs, habits for threatened,
endangered or special concern species.
A permit under the New York State Pollutant Discharge Elimination
System (SPDES) issued to developers of construction activities to
regulate disturbance of one or more acres of land.
A permit under the New York State Pollutant Discharge Elimination
system (SPDES) issued to municipalities to regulate discharges from
municipal separate storm sewers for compliance with EPA established
water quality standards and/or to specify stormwater control standards.
The use of practices that prevent exposed soil from eroding.
An order issued which requires that all construction activity
on a site be stopped.
Rainwater, surface runoff, snowmelt and drainage.
A land use or activity that generates higher concentrations
of hydrocarbons, trace metals or toxicants than are found in typical
stormwater runoff, based on monitoring studies.
The use of structural or nonstructural practices that are
designed to reduce stormwater runoff and mitigate its adverse impacts
on property, natural resources and the environment.
One or a series of stormwater management practices installed,
stabilized and operating for the purpose of controlling stormwater
runoff.
An employee or officer designated by the municipality to
accept and review stormwater pollution prevention plans, forward the
plans to the applicable municipal board and inspect stormwater management
practices.
Measures, either structural or nonstructural, that are determined
to be the most efficient practical means of preventing damage and
preventing or reducing point source or nonpoint source pollution inputs
to stormwater runoff and water bodies.
A plan for controlling stormwater runoff and pollutants from
a site during and after construction activities.
Flow on the surface of the ground resulting from precipitation.
Lakes, bays, sounds, ponds, impounding reservoirs, springs,
wells, rivers, streams, creeks, estuaries, marshes, inlets, canals,
the Atlantic Ocean within the territorial seas of the State of New
York and all other bodies of surface water, natural or artificial,
inland or coastal, fresh or salt, public or private (except those
private waters that do not combine or effect a junction with natural
surface or underground waters), which are wholly or partially within
or bordering the state or within its jurisdiction. Storm sewers and
waste treatment systems, including treatment ponds or lagoons which
also meet the criteria of this definition, are not waters of the state.
This exclusion applies only to man-made bodies of water which neither
were originally created in waters of the state (such as a disposal
area in wetlands) nor resulted from impoundment of waters of the state.
A permanent or intermittent stream or other body of water,
either natural or man-made, which gathers or carries surface water.
A channel that directs surface runoff to a watercourse or
to the public storm drain.
A.
Stormwater pollution prevention plan requirement. No application
for approval of a land development activity shall be reviewed until
the appropriate board has received a stormwater pollution prevention
plan (SWPPP) prepared in accordance with the specifications in this
chapter.
B.
Contents of stormwater pollution prevention plans.
(1)
All SWPPPs shall provide the following background information and
erosion and sediment controls:
(a)
Background information about the scope of the project, including
location, type and size of project;
(b)
Site map/construction drawing(s) for the project, including
a general location map. At a minimum, the site map should show the
total site area; all improvements; area(s) of disturbance; areas that
will not be disturbed, existing vegetation; on-site and adjacent off-site
surface water(s); wetlands and drainage patterns that could be affected
by the construction activity; existing and final slopes; locations
of off-site material, waste, borrow or equipment storage areas; and
location(s) of the stormwater discharge(s); Site map should be at
a scale no smaller than one inch equals 100 feet (e.g., one inch equals
500 inches is smaller than one inch equals 100 inches);
(c)
Description of the soil(s) present at the site;
(d)
Construction phasing plan describing the intended sequence of
construction activities, including clearing and grubbing, excavation
and grading, utility and infrastructure installation and any other
activity at the site that results in soil disturbance. Consistent
with the New York Standards and Specifications for Erosion and Sediment
Control (Erosion Control Manual), not more than five acres shall be
disturbed at any one time unless pursuant to an approved SWPPP;
(e)
Description of the pollution prevention measures that will be
used to control litter, construction chemicals and construction debris
from becoming a pollutant source in stormwater runoff;
(f)
Description of construction and waste materials expected to
be stored on-site with updates as appropriate, and a description of
controls to reduce pollutants from these materials, including storage
practices to minimize exposure of the materials to stormwater, and
spill-prevention and response;
(g)
Temporary and permanent structural and vegetative measures to
be used for soil stabilization, runoff control and sediment control
for each stage of the project from initial land clearing and grubbing
to project closeout;
(h)
A site map/construction drawing(s) specifying the location(s),
size(s) and length(s) of each erosion and sediment control practice;
(i)
Dimensions, material specifications and installation details
for all erosion and sediment control practices, including the siting
and sizing of any temporary sediment basins;
(j)
Temporary practices that will be converted to permanent control
measures;
(k)
Implementation schedule for staging temporary erosion and sediment
control practices, including the timing of initial placement and duration
that each practice should remain in place;
(l)
Maintenance schedule to ensure continuous and effective operation
of the erosion and sediment control practice;
(m)
Name(s) of the receiving water(s);
(n)
Delineation of SWPPP implementation responsibilities for each
part of the site;
(o)
Description of structural practices designed to divert flows
from exposed soils, store flows, or otherwise limit runoff and the
discharge of pollutants from exposed areas of the site to the degree
attainable; and
(p)
Any existing data that describes the stormwater runoff at the
site.
(2)
Land development activities as defined in § 329-6 of this article and meeting Condition A, B or C below shall also include water quantity and water quality controls (postconstruction stormwater runoff controls) as set forth in Subsection B(3) below as applicable:
(a)
Condition A. Stormwater runoff from land development activities
discharging a pollutant of concern to either an impaired water identified
on the Department'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.
(b)
Condition B. Stormwater runoff from land development activities
disturbing five or more acres.
(c)
Condition C. Stormwater runoff from land development activity
disturbing between one and five acres of land during the course of
the project, exclusive of the construction of single-family residences
and construction activities at agricultural properties.
(3)
SWPPP requirements for Conditions A, B and C:
(b)
Description of each postconstruction stormwater management practice;
(c)
Site map/construction drawing(s) showing the specific location(s)
and size(s) of each postconstruction stormwater management practice;
(d)
Hydrologic and hydraulic analysis for all structural components
of the stormwater management system for the applicable design storms;
(e)
Comparison of postdevelopment stormwater runoff conditions with
predevelopment conditions;
(f)
Dimensions, material specifications and installation details
for each postconstruction stormwater management practice;
(g)
Maintenance schedule to ensure continuous and effective operation
of each postconstruction stormwater management practice;
(h)
Maintenance easements to ensure access to all stormwater management
practices at the site for the purpose of inspection and repair. Easements
shall be recorded on the plan and shall remain in effect with transfer
of title to the property;
(i)
Inspection and maintenance agreement binding on all subsequent landowners served by the on-site stormwater management measures in accordance with § 329-9 of this article;
(j)
For Condition A, the SWPPP shall be prepared by a landscape
architect, certified professional or professional engineer and must
be signed by the professional preparing the plan, who shall certify
that the design of all stormwater management practices meet the requirements
in this chapter.
C.
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.
D.
Contractor certification.
(1)
Each contractor and subcontractor identified in the SWPPP who will
be involved in soil disturbance and/or stormwater management practice
installation shall sign and date a copy of the following certification
statement before undertaking any land development activity: "I certify
under penalty of law that I understand and agree to comply with the
terms and conditions of the stormwater pollution prevention plan.
I also understand that it is unlawful for any person to cause or contribute
to a violation of water quality standards."
(2)
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 verification is made.
(3)
The certification statement(s) shall become part of the SWPPP for
the land development activity.
E.
A copy of the SWWP shall be retained at the site of the land development
activity during construction from the date of initiation of construction
activities to the date of final stabilization.
All land development activities shall be subject to the following
performance and design criteria:
A.
Technical standards. For the purpose of this chapter, 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 chapter:
(1)
The New York State Stormwater Management Design Manual (New York
State Department of Environmental Conservation, most current version
or its successor, hereafter referred to as the "Design Manual").
(2)
New York Standards and Specifications for Erosion and Sediment Control
(Empire State Chapter of the Soil and Water Conservation Society,
2004, most current version or its successor, hereafter referred to
as the "Erosion Control Manual"). The New York State technical guidance
documents may be ordered from the Department. An order form as well
as downloadable versions of the manuals are available on the Internet
at http://www.dec.state.ny.us/website/dow/toolbox/escstandards/index.html
and http://www.dec.state.ny.us/website/dow/toolbox/swmanual/
B.
Equivalence to technical standards. Where stormwater management practices are not in accordance with technical standards, the applicant or developer must demonstrate equivalence to the technical standards set forth in Subsection A and the SWPPP shall be prepared by a licensed professional.
C.
Water quality standards. Any land development activity shall not
cause an increase in turbidity that will result in substantial visible
contrast to natural conditions in surface waters of the State of New
York.
A.
Maintenance and inspection during construction.
(1)
The applicant or developer of the land development activity or their
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 chapter. Sediment shall be
removed from sediment traps or sediment ponds whenever their design
capacity has been reduced by 50%.
(2)
For land development activities as defined in § 329-6 of this article and meeting Condition A, B or C in § 329-7B(2), 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.
B.
Maintenance easements. 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 Town of
Kingston to ensure that the facility is maintained in proper working
condition to meet design standards and any other provisions established
by this chapter. The easement shall be recorded by the grantor in
the office of the County Clerk after approval by the counsel for the
Town of Kingston.
C.
Maintenance after construction. The owner or operator of permanent
stormwater management practices installed in accordance with this
chapter shall ensure they are operated and maintained to achieve the
goals of this chapter. Proper operation and maintenance also includes,
as a minimum, the following:
(1)
A preventive/corrective maintenance program for all critical facilities
and systems of treatment and control (or related appurtenances) which
are installed or used by the owner or operator to achieve the goals
of this chapter.
(2)
Written procedures for operation and maintenance and training new
maintenance personnel.
D.
Maintenance agreements. The Town of Kingston 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 final plan approval.
The maintenance agreement shall be consistent with the terms and conditions
of Schedule A of this chapter entitled "Sample Stormwater Control
Facility Maintenance Agreement."[1] The Town of Kingston, 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 chapter and includes adequate and perpetual access
and sufficient area, by easement or otherwise, for inspection and
regular maintenance.
[1]
Editor's Note: Schedule A is included at the end of this chapter.