It is hereby determined that:
A. Land disturbance 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 non-point source pollution can
be controlled and minimized through the regulation of stormwater runoff
from land disturbance activities;
H. The regulation of stormwater runoff discharges from land disturbance
activities in order to control and minimize increases in stormwater
runoff rates and volumes, soil erosion, stream channel erosion, and
non-point source pollution associated with stormwater runoff is in
the public interest and will minimize threats to public health and
safety;
I. Regulation of land disturbance 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;
J. The boundaries of the City's Municipal Separate Sewer System
(MS4) is defined as the entire City of Saratoga Springs, and all lands
within its corporate limits.
In accordance with Article
10 of the Municipal Home Rule Law of the State of New York, the City Council of Saratoga Springs has the authority to enact local laws and amend local laws and for the purpose of promoting the health, safety or general welfare of the City of Saratoga Springs and for the protection and enhancement of its physical environment. The City Council of Saratoga Springs may include in any such local law provisions for the appointment of any municipal officer, employees, or independent contractor to effectuate, administer and enforce such local law.
The purpose of this chapter is to establish minimum stormwater
management requirements and controls to protect and safeguard the
general health, safety, and welfare of the public residing with in
this jurisdiction and to address the findings of fact in 242-1 hereof.
This chapter seeks to meet those purposes by achieving the following
objectives:
A. Meet the requirements of Minimum Control Measures 4 and 5 of the
SPDES General Permit for Stormwater Discharges from Municipal Separate
Stormwater Sewer Systems (MS4s), Permit No. GP-0-10-002 or as amended
or revised;
B. Require land disturbance 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 GP-0-10-001 or as amended or revised;
C. Minimize increases in stormwater runoff from land disturbance 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 disturbance 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 non-point
source pollution, wherever possible, through stormwater management
practices and to ensure that these management practices are properly
maintained and eliminate threats to public safety.
The following activities may be exempt from review under this
chapter.
A. Agricultural activity as defined in this chapter.
B. Silvicultural activity except that land areas, log haul roads, and
the removal of stumps are subject to this chapter.
C. Routine maintenance activities that disturb less than one acre 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 received
final approval from the Planning Board on or before the effective
date of this chapter.
F. Land development activities for which a building permit has been
approved on or before the effective date of this chapter.
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.
All land disturbance 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) New York State Stormwater Management Design Manual (New York State
Department of Environmental Conservation), 2010, most current version
or its successor, hereafter referred to as the Design Manual).
(2) New York State 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).
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 this chapter and the SWPPP shall be prepared by a licensed professional.
C. Water quality standards. Any land disturbance 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.
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.
AGRICULTURAL ACTIVITY
The activity of an active farm including grazing and watering
livestock, irrigating crops, harvesting crops, and using land for
growing agricultural products, but shall not include the operation
of a dude ranch or similar operation, or the construction of new structures
associated with agricultural activities.
APPLICANT
A property owner or agent of a property owner who has filed
an application for a land disturbance activity.
BUILDING
Any structure, either temporary or permanent, having walls
and a roof, designed for the shelter of any person, animal, or property,
and occupying more than 100 square feet of area.
CHANNEL
A natural or artificial watercourse with a definite bed and
banks that conducts continuously or periodically flowing water.
CLEARING
Any activity that removes the vegetative surface cover. This
can include, but is not limited to, logging equipment operation, the
cutting and skidding of trees, stump removal and/or brush root removal.
DEDICATION
The deliberate appropriation of property by its owner for
general public use, subject to acceptance by the City.
DEPARTMENT
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.
DESIGN MANUAL
The New York State Stormwater Management Design Manual, most
recent version including applicable updates that serve as the official
guide for stormwater management principles, methods and practices.
DEVELOPER
A person who undertakes land development activities.
EROSION CONTROL MANUAL
The most recent version of the "New York State Standards
and Specifications for Erosion and Sediment Control" manual, commonly
known as the "Blue Book."
GRADING
Excavation or fill of material, including the resulting conditions
thereof.
IMPERVIOUS COVER
Those impermeable surfaces, improvements and structures that
cannot effectively infiltrate rainfall, snow melt and water (e.g.,
building rooftops, pavement, sidewalks, driveways, etc.). This includes,
but is not limited to, paved, concrete and gravel surfaces.
INDUSTRIAL STORMWATER PERMIT
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.
INFILTRATION
The process of percolating stormwater into the subsoil.
JURISDICTIONAL WETLAND
An area that is inundated or saturated by surface water or
groundwater at a frequency and duration sufficient to support a prevalence
of vegetation typically adapted for life in saturated soil conditions,
commonly known as hydrophytic vegetation.
LAND DISTURBANCE ACTIVITY
Any activity including clearing, grading, excavating, filling,
demolishing or stock piling that results in soil disturbance. Includes
land development activity and construction activity.
LANDOWNER
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.
MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT
A legally recorded document that acts as a property deed
restriction, and which provides for long-term maintenance of stormwater
management practices.
NON-POINT SOURCE POLLUTION
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.
NONRESIDENTIAL ACTIVITIES
Any activity not included within definition of residential
activity (for purposes of establishing SWPPP requirements only).
PHASING
Clearing a parcel of land in distinct pieces or parts, with
the stabilization of each piece completed before the clearing of the
next.
POLLUTANT OF CONCERN
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 disturbance
activity.
RECHARGE
The replenishment of underground water reserves.
RESIDENTIAL ACTIVITY
Activities related to the development of living quarters
for single-family or two-family dwelling units (for purposes of establishing
SWPPP requirements only).
SENSITIVE AREAS
Cold water fisheries, shellfish beds, swimming beaches, groundwater
recharge areas, water supply reservoirs, habitats for threatened,
endangered or special concern species.
STABILIZATION
The use of practices that prevent exposed soil from eroding.
STOP-WORK ORDER
An order issued which requires that all construction activity
on a site be stopped.
STORMWATER
Rainwater, surface runoff, snowmelt and drainage.
STORMWATER HOTSPOT
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.
STORMWATER MANAGEMENT
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.
STORMWATER MANAGEMENT FACILITY
One or a series of stormwater management practices installed,
stabilized and operating for the purpose of controlling stormwater
runoff.
STORMWATER MANAGEMENT OFFICER
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.
STORMWATER MANAGEMENT PRACTICES (SMPs)
Measures, either structural or nonstructural, that are determined
to be the most effective, practical means of preventing flood damage
and preventing or reducing point source or non-point source pollution
inputs to stormwater runoff and water bodies.
SURFACE WATERS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK
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.
WATERCOURSE
A permanent or intermittent stream or other body of water,
either natural or man-made, which gathers or carries surface water.
WATERWAY
A channel that directs surface runoff to a watercourse or
to the public storm drain.