Pursuant to the provisions of Article 34 of the New York State Environmental Conservation Law and § 10 of the Municipal Home Rule Law, the (Village) of West Hampton Dunes, County of Suffolk, State of New York, hereby enacts by Local Law No. 5 of 1995 this chapter.
This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "Village of West Hampton Dunes Coastal Erosion Hazard Area Management Law."
This chapter shall take effect 20 calendar days from the effective date of enactment, which is the date of this chapter's adoption and filing pursuant to Section 27 of the Municipal Home Rule Law, or the date of filing the official maps, whichever is later.
The Village of West Hampton Dunes hereby assumes the responsibility and authority to implement and administer a coastal erosion management program within its jurisdiction pursuant to Article 34 of New York State Environmental Conservation Law. In addition, it is the purpose of this chapter to:
A. 
Establish standards and procedures for minimizing and preventing damage to structures from coastal flooding and erosion and to protect natural protective features and other natural resources.
B. 
Regulate in coastal areas subject to coastal flooding and erosion, land use and development activities so as to minimize or prevent damage or destruction to man-made property, natural protective features, other natural resources, and to protect human life.
C. 
Regulate new construction or placement of structures in order to place them a safe distance from areas of active erosion and the impacts on coastal storms to ensure that these structures are not prematurely destroyed or damaged due to improper siting, as well as to prevent damage to natural protective features and other natural resources.
D. 
Restrict public investment in services, facilities, or activities which are likely to encourage new permanent development in erosion hazard areas.
E. 
Regulate the construction of erosion protection structures in coastal areas subject to serious erosion to assure that when the construction of erosion protection structures is justified, their construction and cooperation will minimize or prevent damage or destruction to man-made property, private property, natural protective features, and other natural resources.
The Village of West Hampton Dunes finds that the coastal erosion hazard area:
A. 
Is prone to erosion from action of the Atlantic Ocean. Such erosion may be caused by the action of waves, currents running along the shore, wind-driven water, hurricanes and human intervention. Such areas are also prone to erosion caused by the wind, runoff of rain water along the surface of the land, or groundwater seepage, as well as by human activities such as construction, navigation and certain forms of recreation.
B. 
Experiences coastal erosion which causes extensive damage to publicly and privately owned property and to natural resources as well as endangers human lives. When this occurs, individuals and private businesses may suffer significant economic return. Large public expenditures may also be necessitated for the removal of debris and damaged structures and replacement of essential public facilities and services.
C. 
Experiences erosion-related problems that are often contributed to by man's building without considering the potential for damage to property, by undertaking activities which destroy natural protective features such as dunes or vegetation, by building structures intended for erosion prevention which may exacerbate erosion conditions on adjacent or nearby property, and by water action produced by wakes from boats.
D. 
Is the subject of programs which foster erosion protection structures, either with private or public funds, which are costly, often only partially effective over time, and may even be harmful to adjacent or nearby properties. In some sections of the Village, major erosion protection structures of great length would be required to effectively reduce future damages due to erosion.
E. 
Is an integral part of the economy, environment, and social fabric of the Village of West Hampton Dunes.
The following terms used in this chapter have the meaning indicated, unless the context clearly requires otherwise:
ADMINISTRATOR
The local official responsible for administering and enforcing this chapter. The powers and duties of this position are more fully described in § 200-29.
BEACH
The zone of unconsolidated earth that extends landward from the mean low-water line to the waterward toe of a dune. Where no dune or bluff exists landward of a beach, the landward limit of a beach is 100 feet landward from the place where there is a marked change in material or physiographic form or from the line of permanent vegetation, whichever is most waterward. Shorelands subject to seasonal or more frequent overwash or inundation are considered to be beaches.[1]
BLUFF
Any bank or cliff with a precipitous or steeply sloped face adjoining a beach or body of water. The waterward limit of the bluff is the landward limit of its waterward natural protective feature. Where no beach is present, the waterward limit of a bluff is mean low water. The landward limit is 25 feet landward of the point of inflection on the top of the bluff. (The point of inflection is that point along the top of the bluff where the trend of the land slope changes to begin its descent to the shoreline.)
COASTAL EROSION HAZARD AREA MAP
The final map and any amendments thereof issued by the Commissioner of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, which delineates boundaries of coastal erosion hazard areas subject to regulation under this chapter.
COASTLINE and COASTAL WATERS
The lands adjacent to the Village's coastal waters is the coastline. Coastal waters are the Atlantic Ocean, and Moriches Bay and their connecting water bodies, bays, harbors, shallows, and marshes.
DEBRIS LINE
A linear accumulation of waterborne debris deposited on a beach by a storm induced high water or by wave action.
DUNE
A ridge or hill of loose, windblown, or artificially placed earth the principal component of which is sand.
EROSION
The loss or displacement of land along the coastline due to the action of waves, currents, wind-driven water, waterborne ice, or other impacts of storms. It also means the loss or displacement of land due to the action of wind, runoff of surface waters, or groundwaters, or groundwater seepage.
EROSION HAZARD AREA
An area of the coastline which is a structural hazard area or a natural protective feature area.
EROSION PROTECTION STRUCTURE
A structure specifically designed to reduce or prevent erosion such as a groin, jetty, revetment, breakwater, or artificial beach nourishment project.
EXISTING STRUCTURE
A structure and appurtenances in existence or one where construction has commenced or one where construction has not begun but for which a building permit has been issued prior to July 18, 1995, which is the effective date of this chapter.
GRADING
A redistribution of sand or other unconsolidated earth to effect a change in profile.
MAJOR ADDITION
An addition to a structure resulting in a twenty-five-percent or greater increase in the ground area coverage of the structure other than an erosion protection structure or a pier, dock, or wharf. The increase will be calculated as the ground area coverage to be added, including any additions previously constructed under a coastal erosion management permit, divided by the ground area coverage of the existing structure as defined in the definition of "existing structure."
MEAN LOW WATER
The approximate average low-water level for a given body of water at a given location, determined by reference to hydrological information concerning water levels or other appropriate tests.
MODIFICATION
A change in size, design or function.
MOVABLE STRUCTURE
A structure designed and constructed to be readily located with minimum disruption of the intended use. Mobile homes and structures built on skids or piles and not having a permanent foundation are examples of movable structures.
NATURAL PROTECTIVE FEATURE
A nearby shore area, beach, bluff, primary dune, secondary dune, or marsh, and their vegetation.
NATURAL PROTECTIVE FEATURE AREA
A land and/or water area containing natural protective features, the alteration of which might reduce or destroy the protection afforded other lands against erosion or high water, or lower the reserve of sand or other natural materials available to replenish storm losses through natural processes.
NEARSHORE AREA
Those lands under water beginning at the mean low-water line and extending waterward in a direction perpendicular to the shoreline to a point where mean low-water depth is 15 feet, or to horizontal distance of 1,000 feet from the mean low-water line, whichever is greater.
NORMAL MAINTENANCE
Periodic replacement or repair of same kind structural elements of protective coatings which do not change the size, design or function of a functioning structure. A functioning structure is one which is fully performing as originally designed at the time that normal maintenance is scheduled to begin. Normal maintenance of a structure does not require a coastal erosion management permit.
PERSON
Any individual, public or private corporation, political subdivision, government agency, public improvement district, partnership, association, firm, trust, estate, or any other legal entity whatsoever.
PRIMARY DUNE
The most waterward major dune where there are two or more parallel dunes within a coastal area. Where there is only one dune present, it is the primary one. Occasionally one or more relatively small dune formations exist waterward of the primary dune. These smaller formations will be considered to be part of the primary dune for the purposes of this chapter. The waterward limit of a primary dune is the landward limit of its fronting beach. The landward limit of the primary dune is 25 feet landward of its landward toe.
RECEDING EDGE
The most landward line of active erosion, or in cases where there is no discernible line of active erosion, it is the most waterward line of permanent vegetation.
RECESSION RATE
The rate, expressed in feet per year, at which an eroding shoreline moves landward.
REGULATED ACTIVITY
The construction, modification, restoration or placement of a structure, or major addition to a structure, or any action or use of land which materially alters the condition of land, including grading, excavating, dumping, mining, dredging, filling, or other disturbance of soil.
RESTORATION
The reconstruction without modification of a structure, the cost of which equals or exceeds 50% of the estimated full replacement cost of the structure at the time of restoration. Modifications, however, may be allowed if they do not exceed preexisting size limits and are intended to mitigate impacts to natural protective features and other natural resources.
SECONDARY DUNE
The major dune immediately landward of the primary dune. The waterward limit of a secondary dune is the landward limit of its fronting primary dune. The landward limit of a secondary dune is 25 feet landward of its landward toe.
SIGNIFICANT FISH AND WILDLIFE HABITAT
Those habitats which are essential to the survival of a large portion of a particular fish or wildlife population; support rare or endangered species; are found at a very low frequency within a geographic area; support fish or wildlife populations having significant commercial or recreational value; or that would be difficult or impossible to replace.
STRUCTURAL HAZARD AREA
Those shorelands located landward of natural protective features and having shorelines receding at a long-term average recession rate of one foot or more per year. The inland boundary of a structural hazard area is calculated by starting at the landward limit of the fronting natural protective feature and measuring along a line perpendicular to the shoreline a horizontal distance landward which is 40 times the long-term average annual recession rate.
STRUCTURE
Any object constructed, installed or placed in, on, or under land or water, including but not limited to a building; permanent shed; deck; in-ground and aboveground pool; garage; mobile home; road; public service distribution, transmission, or collection system; tanks; docks; piers; wharf; groins; jetties; seawalls; bulkheads; breakwaters; revetments; artificial beach nourishment; or any addition to or alteration of the same.
TOE
The lowest surface point on a slope face of a dune or bluff.
UNREGULATED ACTIVITY
Excepted activities which are not regulated by this chapter include but are not limited to elevated walkways or stairways constructed solely for pedestrian use and built by an individual property owner for the limited purpose of providing noncommercial access to the beach, docks, piers, wharves, or structures built on floats, columns, open timber piles, or other similar openwork supports with a top surface area of less than 200 square feet, or which are removed in the fall of each year; normal beach grooming or cleanup; maintenance of structures when normal and customary and/or in compliance with an approved maintenance program; planting vegetation and sand fencing so as to stabilize or entrap sand in primary dune and secondary dune areas, in order to maintain or increase the height and width of dunes; routing agricultural operations, including cultivation or harvesting; and the implementation of practices recommended in a soil and water conservation plan as defined in § 3(12) of the Soil and Water Conservation Districts Law; provided, however, that agricultural operations and implementation of practices will not be construed to include any activity that involves the construction or placement of a structure.
VEGETATION
Plant life capable of surviving and successfully reproducing in the area or region and which is compatible with the environment of the coastal erosion hazard area.
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).