[Adopted 2-11-2004 by L.L. No. 1-2004]
This article is entitled the "Town of Cochecton Sidewalk, Snow
and Ice Removal Law."
Article 9 of the Town Law and Article 2 of the Municipal Home
Rule Law, in part, authorize a Town to enact laws, ordinances, rules
or regulations requiring the owner and occupant of premises abutting
on any street where a sidewalk has been laid to keep the sidewalk
in front of such premises free and clear from snow, ice, dirt and
other obstructions and, upon default thereof, provide for the removal
thereof at the expense of the owners of such abutting premises and
that such charge shall become a lien upon the premises benefited thereby
until paid and also to provide penalties for failure to comply with
this article.
The landowner of any property abutting any street, highway or
road in the Town and the occupant of any premises where a sidewalk
has been installed are required to keep the sidewalk bordering the
property or premises free and clear of snow, ice, dirt or other obstructions
within a reasonable period of time after an obstruction is created.
In the event that any snow, ice, dirt or other obstruction cannot
be removed without damaging the sidewalk, the use of salt and/or sand
is permitted to the extent required to correct the situation.
If any landowner or occupant fails to keep his property or premises free and clear of snow, ice, dirt or any other obstruction as set forth in §
210-3, the Town may, at its option, perform removal and bill the costs to the landowner. Any work performed pursuant to this section shall be a lien upon the property benefited thereby until paid.
The adjacent landowner of any property in the Town improved
by installation of a sidewalk or, if the owner is not in possession,
the occupant of any premises adjacent to a sidewalk shall be liable
for any injury or damage caused by reason of omission, failure or
negligence to keep and maintain the sidewalk traversing the property
free and clear of snow, ice, dirt or other obstructions within a reasonable
period of time after an obstruction is created and, in addition, shall
also be liable to the Town of Cochecton to the extent that the said
Town is required by law or by any court to respond in damages to any
injured party.
[Adopted 12-12-2012 by L.L. No. 1-2012]
This article is enacted pursuant to the New York State Constitution,
Article IX, § 2(c)(6); New York Vehicle and Traffic Law
§ 1660; New York Municipal Home Rule Law § 10;
New York Statute of Local Governments § 10; New York Highway
Law §§ 320 and 326; and New York Town Law § 130.
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the
meanings set forth herein:
BASELINE TRAFFIC
Recurring ambient traffic presented on an annualized basis.
It includes typical daily activities on Town highways (hereinafter
defined) such as passenger vehicles, school buses, delivery vehicles,
garbage trucks, and normal commuter and business traffic. Baseline
traffic is the cause of normal wear and tear for which a Town highway
is constructed. Baseline traffic does not include heavy traffic occurring
on a temporary basis for such things as construction activities (hereinafter
defined).
CONCENTRATED TRAFFIC
Traffic intended to travel upon or traveling upon Town highways
to or from the site of construction activity which:
A.
Is not baseline traffic; and
B.
Will exceed the predetermined normal wear-and-tear thresholds
of one or more Town highways or segments of Town highways.
CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY
Any activity occurring or to occur in or outside of the Town
that results in land disturbance or the improvement of a parcel. Evidence
of construction activity includes, without limitation, those activities
which are also being undertaken subject to:
A.
Federal permits and approvals, including, without limitation,
approvals subject to the National Environmental Policy Act and activities
subject to the following nationwide permits as amended and issued
by the United States Army Corps of Engineers: Permit 8 (oil and gas
structures), Permit 12 (utility line activities), Permit 13 (bank
stabilization), Permit 16 (return water from upland contained disposal
areas), Permit 17 (hydropower projects), Permit 21 (surface coal mining
operations), Permit 29 (residential developments), Permit 33 (temporary
construction, access, and dewatering), Permit 38 (cleanup of hazardous
and toxic waste), Permit 39 (commercial and institutional developments),
and Permit 44 (mining activities); or
B.
State permits and approvals, including, without limitation,
highway work permits; waste transporter permits; SPDES general permit
for stormwater discharges from construction activity and other SPDES
discharge permits; oil, natural gas, and solution mining permits and
other mining permits; overweight/oversize vehicle permits; authority
to transport property (except household goods); divisible load overweight
permit; special hauling trip and annual oversize/overweight loads
permits; LCV/tandem trailers permits; and special hauling permits;
or
C.
Local permits and approvals, if applicable, including, without
limitation, aquifer protection permits, sludge disposal permits, mining
permits, gravel mining permits, permits for well in aquifer area,
overweight/oversize vehicle permits, special use permits, zoning changes,
and site plan approval.
PERSON
Any person, persons, corporation, partnership, limited-liability
company, or other entity.
PROGRAM MANUAL
Road Protection Program Manual, Version 2.0, dated February
2012, prepared by Delta Engineers, Architects & Land Surveyors,
P.C., a copy of which is on file and available at the Town offices
located at 74 Smales Road, Lake Huntington, New York 12752.
TECHNICAL MANUAL
Road Protection Program Manual, Version 2.0, dated February
2012, prepared by Delta Engineers, Architects & Land Surveyors,
P.C., a copy of which is on file and available at the Town offices
located at 74 Smales Road, Lake Huntington, New York 12752.
TOWN HIGHWAY
Those roads and highways and related appurtenances of the
Town which are owned or maintained by the Town or otherwise exist
as Town highways by dedication or use, including without limitation
roadways, shoulder, guide rails, bridges, tunnels, culverts, sluices,
ditches, swales, sidewalks, or any utilities or improvements therein,
thereon, or thereunder.
This article shall apply to any person who, individually or
in concert with another person, intends to undertake construction
activity that will result in concentrated traffic on Town highways.
From time to time, updates to the program manual and the technical
manual may be published. The Town Board may from time to time update
or replace any manual referenced in this article by adopting a local
law referencing such new or updated manual, and thereafter, the new
or updated manual shall be binding on all persons subject to this
article.
Fees shall be required as set forth in the Town of Cochecton
and Lake Huntington Sewer District Schedule of Fees (as supplemented).
The Town Board may provide by resolution additional and further fees
relating to applications, approvals, inspections, and enforcement
under this article.
The Town Board may, by resolution, except an applicant from
the requirements of this article, provided that the Town Board makes
a finding that the Town highways to be used by the applicant will
be adequately protected, and any damage to Town highways will be adequately
repaired by virtue of the requirements or conditions imposed upon
the applicant in connection with any federal, state, or local permit
or approval, including without limitation mitigation measures imposed
under the National Environmental Policy Act or the State Environmental
Quality Review Act.
The time periods prescribed herein in which the Town Board,
the Town Highway Superintendent, other Town official or the Town's
engineering consultant shall act are not of the essence and shall
not be construed as imposing a limitation on the time to act.