[Added 12-11-2007 by L.L. No. 12-2007]
It is hereby determined that:
A. 
Land development activities and associated increases in site impervious cover often alter the hydrologic response of local watersheds and increase stormwater runoff rates and volumes, flooding, stream channel erosion, or sediment transport and deposition;
B. 
This stormwater runoff contributes to increased quantities of waterborne pollutants, including siltation of aquatic habitat for fish and other desirable species;
C. 
Clearing and grading during construction tends to increase soil erosion and add to the loss of native vegetation necessary for terrestrial and aquatic habitat;
D. 
Improper design and construction of stormwater management practices can increase the velocity of stormwater runoff, thereby increasing stream bank erosion and sedimentation;
E. 
Impervious surfaces allow less water to percolate into the soil, thereby decreasing groundwater recharge and stream base flow;
F. 
Substantial economic losses can result from these adverse impacts on the waters of the municipality;
G. 
Stormwater runoff, soil erosion and nonpoint source pollution can be controlled and minimized through the regulation of stormwater runoff from land development activities;
H. 
The regulation of stormwater runoff discharges from land development activities in order to control and minimize increases in stormwater runoff rates and volumes, soil erosion, stream, channel erosion, and nonpoint source pollution associated with stormwater runoff is in the public interest and will minimize threats to public health and safety.
I. 
Regulation of land development activities by means of performance standards governing stormwater management and site design will produce development compatible with the natural functions of a particular site or an entire watershed and thereby mitigate the adverse effects of erosion and sedimentation from development.
The purpose of this article and Article XVII of Chapter 43, Zoning, 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 § 56-174 hereof. This article and Article XVII of Chapter 43, Zoning, seeks to meet those purposes by achieving the following objectives:
A. 
Meet the requirements of minimum measures 4 and 5 of the SPDES General Permit for Stormwater Discharges from Municipal Separate Stormwater Sewer Systems (MS4s), Permit No. GP-02-02, or as amended or revised;
B. 
Require land development activities to conform to the substantive requirements of the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation State Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (SPDES) General Permit for Construction Activities GP-02-01 or as amended or revised;
C. 
Minimize increases in stormwater runoff from land development activities in order to reduce flooding, siltation, increases in stream temperature, and streambank erosion and maintain the integrity of stream channels;
D. 
Minimize increases in pollution caused by stormwater runoff from land development activities which would otherwise degrade local water quality;
E. 
Minimize the total annual volume of stormwater runoff which flows from any specific site during and following development to the maximum extent practicable; and
F. 
Reduce stormwater runoff rates and volumes, soil erosion and nonpoint source pollution, wherever possible, through stormwater management practices and to ensure that these management practices are properly maintained and eliminate threats to public safety.
This article and Article XVII of Chapter 43, Zoning, shall be applicable to all land development activities as defined in Article XVII of Chapter 43, Zoning.
A. 
The municipality shall designate a Stormwater Management Officer who shall accept and review all stormwater pollution prevention plans and forward such plans to the applicable municipal board. The Stormwater Management Officer may review the plans; upon approval by the City Council engage the services of a registered professional engineer to review the plans, specifications and related documents, at a cost not to exceed a fee schedule established by said governing board; or accept the certification of a licensed professional that the plans conform to the requirements of this article and Article XVII of Chapter 43, Zoning.
B. 
All land development activities subject to review and approval by the Planning Board of the City of Yonkers under (subdivision, site plan, and/or special permit) regulations shall be reviewed subject to the standards contained in this article and Article XVII of Chapter 43, Zoning.
C. 
All land development activities not subject to review as stated in § 56-176B shall be required to submit a stormwater pollution prevention plan (SWPPP) to the Stormwater Management Officer, who shall approve the SWPPP if it complies with the requirements of this article and Article XVII of Chapter 43, Zoning.
The following activities may be exempt from review under this article and Article XVII of Chapter 43, Zoning:
A. 
Agricultural activity as deemed in this article and Article XVII of Chapter 43, Zoning.
B. 
Silvicultural activity, except that landing areas and log haul roads are subject to this article and Article XVII of Chapter 43, Zoning.
C. 
Routine maintenance activities that disturb less than five acres and are performed to maintain the original line and grade, hydraulic capacity or original purpose of a facility.
D. 
Repairs to any stormwater management practice or facility deemed necessary by the Stormwater Management Officer.
E. 
Any part of a subdivision if a plat for the subdivision has been approved by the City of Yonkers on or before the effective date of this article and Article XVII of Chapter 43, Zoning.
F. 
Land development activities for which a building permit has been approved on or before the effective date of this article and Article XVII of Chapter 43, Zoning.
G. 
Cemetery graves.
H. 
Installation of fence, sign, telephone, and electric poles and other kinds of posts or poles.
I. 
Emergency activity immediately necessary to protect life, property or natural resources.
J. 
Activities of an individual engaging in home gardening by growing flowers, vegetable and other plants primarily for use by that person and his or her family.
K. 
Landscaping and horticultural activities in connection with an existing structure.
[1]
Editor's Note: The provisions of §§ 56-178 through 56-181, concerning amendments to the Zoning Law, are included in the Code as Art. XVII, Stormwater Control, of Ch. 43, Zoning.
If the provisions of any article, section, subsection, paragraph, subdivision or clause of this article and Article XVII of Chapter 43, Zoning, shall be judged invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, such order of judgment shall not affect or invalidate the remainder of any article, section, subsection, paragraph, subdivision or clause of this article and Article XVII of Chapter 43, Zoning.
The Subdivision Regulations of the City of Yonkers are hereby amended by adding the following to the information requirements.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See § 46-6, Stormwater pollution prevention plans, of Ch. 46, Realty Subdivisions.
The site plan review regulations of the City of Yonkers are hereby amended by adding the following to the information requirements.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See § 43-117, Stormwater pollution prevention plans, of Ch. 43, Zoning, Art. IX, Site Plan Review.
A stormwater pollution prevention plan consistent with the requirements of §§ 56-174 through 56-181 of this article shall be required. The SWPPP shall meet the performance and design criteria and standards in this article and Article XVII of Chapter 43, Zoning. The approved erosion control permit shall be consistent with the provisions of this article and Article XVII of Chapter 43, Zoning.
A. 
Erosion and sediment control inspection.
(1) 
The City of Yonkers Stormwater Management Officer may require such inspections as necessary to determine compliance with this article and Article XVII of Chapter 43, Zoning, and may either approve that portion of the work completed or notify the applicant wherein the work fails to comply with the requirements of this article and Article XVII of Chapter 43, Zoning, and the stormwater pollution prevention plan (SWPPP) as approved. To obtain inspections, the applicant shall notify the City of Yonkers enforcement official at least 48 hours before any of the following as required by the Stormwater Management Officer:
(a) 
Start of construction.
(b) 
Installation of sediment and erosion control measures.
(c) 
Completion of site clearing.
(d) 
Completion of rough grading.
(e) 
Completion of final grading.
(f) 
Close of the construction season.
(g) 
Completion of final landscaping.
(h) 
Successful establishment of landscaping in public areas.
(2) 
If any violations are found, the applicant and developer shall be notified, in writing, of the nature of the violation and the required corrective actions. No further work shall be conducted except for site stabilization until any violations are corrected and all work previously completed has received approval by the Stormwater Management Officer.
B. 
Stormwater management practice inspections. The City of Yonkers Stormwater Management Officer is responsible for conducting inspections of stormwater management practices (SMPs). All applicants are required to submit as-built plans for any stormwater management practices 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 licensed professional engineer registered with the State of New York.
C. 
Inspection of stormwater facilities after project completion. Inspection programs shall be established on any reasonable basis, including but not limited to routine inspections; random inspections; inspections based upon complaints or other notice of possible violations; inspection of drainage basins or areas identified as higher than typical sources of sediment or other contaminants or pollutants; inspections of businesses or industries of a type associated with higher than usual discharges of contaminants or pollutants or with discharges of a type which are more likely than the typical discharge to cause violations of state or federal water or sediment quality standards or the SPDES stormwater permit; and joint inspections with other agencies inspecting under environmental or safety laws. Inspections may include, but are not limited to, reviewing maintenance and repair records; sampling discharges, surface water, groundwater, and material or water in drainage control facilities; and evaluating the condition of drainage control facilities and other stormwater management practices. Any person who conducts an inspection of the site, whether a City employee or a professional engineer, must submit a report of his or her findings to the City.
D. 
Submission of reports. The City of Yonkers Stormwater Management Officer may require monitoring and reporting from entities subject to this article and Article XVII of Chapter 43, Zoning, as are necessary to determine compliance with this article and Article XVII of Chapter 43, Zoning.
E. 
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 stormwater system, the landowner shall grant to the City of Yonkers the right to enter the property at reasonable times and in a reasonable manner for the purpose of inspection as specified in Subsection C.
A. 
Construction completion guaranty. 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 of Yonkers in its approval of the stormwater pollution prevention plan, the City of Yonkers 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 of Yonkers as the beneficiary. The security shall be in an amount to be determined by the City of Yonkers based on submission of final design plans, with reference to actual construction and landscaping costs. The performance guaranty shall remain in force until the surety is released from liability by the City of Yonkers, 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 of Yonkers. Per-annum interest on cash escrow deposits shall be reinvested in the account until the surety is released from liability.
B. 
Maintenance guaranty. 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 of Yonkers 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 of Yonkers may draw upon the account to cover the costs of proper operation and maintenance, including engineering and inspection costs.
C. 
Recordkeeping. The City of Yonkers may require entities subject to this article and Article XVII of Chapter 43, Zoning, to maintain records demonstrating compliance with this article and Article XVII of Chapter 43, Zoning.
A. 
Notice of violation. When the City of Yonkers determines that a land development activity is not being carried out in accordance with the requirements of this article and Article XVII of Chapter 43, Zoning, it may issue a written notice of violation to the landowner. This article and Article XVII of Chapter 43, Zoning, may be enforced by any police officer, fire fighter, sanitation enforcement officer, or any officer or employee of the Building Department or Engineering Department. The notice of violation shall contain:
(1) 
The name and address of the landowner, developer or applicant;
(2) 
The address when available or a description of the building, structure or land upon which the violation is occurring;
(3) 
A statement specifying the nature of the violation;
(4) 
A description of the remedial measures necessary to bring the land development activity into compliance with this article and Article XVII of Chapter 43, Zoning and a time schedule for the completion of such remedial action;
(5) 
A statement of the penalty or penalties that shall or may be assessed against the person to whom the notice of violation is directed;
(6) 
A statement that the determination of violation may be appealed to the municipality by filing a written notice of appeal within 15 days of service of notice of violation.
B. 
Stop-work orders. The City of Yonkers may issue a stop-work order for violations of this article and Article XVII of Chapter 43, Zoning. 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 of Yonkers 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 and Article XVII of Chapter 43, Zoning.
C. 
Violations. Any land development activity that is commenced or is conducted contrary to this article and Article XVII of Chapter 43, Zoning, may be restrained by injunction or otherwise abated in a manner provided by law.
D. 
Penalties. In addition to or as an alternative to any penalty provided herein or by law, any person who violates the provisions of this article and Article XVII of Chapter 43, Zoning, shall be guilty of a Class I offense.
E. 
Withholding of certificate of occupancy. If any building or land development activity is installed or conducted in violation of this article and Article XVII of Chapter 43, Zoning, the Stormwater Management Officer may prevent the occupancy of said building or land.
F. 
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 of Yonkers may take necessary corrective action, the cost of which shall become a lien upon the property until paid.
The City of Yonkers may require any person undertaking land development activities regulated by this article and Article XVII of Chapter 43, Zoning, to pay reasonable costs at prevailing rates for review of SWPPPs, inspections, or SMP maintenance performed by the City of Yonkers or performed by a third party for the City of Yonkers.