As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
AGRICULTURAL ACTIVITY
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.
APPLICANT
A property owner or agent of a property owner who has filed
an application for a land disturbance activity.
CHANNEL
A natural or artificial watercourse with a definite bed and
banks that conducts continuously or periodically flowing water.
CLEARING
Any activity which removes the vegetative surface cover.
DEDICATION
The deliberate appropriation of property by its owner for
general public use.
DESIGNATED AGENT
Individual(s) directed by the Town of Mendon to conduct site
inspections and/or perform other municipal duties.
EARTHWORK
Construction activities, including clearing, grading, excavating,
soil disturbance or placement of fill, that result in land disturbance.
FEE IN LIEU
A payment of money in place of meeting all or part of the
stormwater performance standards required by this chapter.
FINAL STABILIZATION
All soil-disturbing activities at the site have been completed
and a uniform perennial vegetative cover with density of 80% has been
established or equivalent measures such as the use of mulches or geotextiles
have been employed on all unpaved areas and areas not covered by permanent
structures.
GRADING
Excavation or fill of material, including the resulting conditions
thereof.
HOTSPOT
An area where land use or activities generate highly contaminated
runoff, with concentrations of pollutants in excess of those typically
found in stormwater.
IMPERVIOUS COVER
Those surfaces that cannot effectively infiltrate rainfall
(e.g., building rooftops, pavement, sidewalks, driveways, etc.).
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
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 disturbance activities may take place at different times on different
schedules.
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.
LETTER OF CREDIT
A document issued by a bank which guarantees the payment
of a customer's drafts for a specified period and up to a specified
amount.
LICENSED/CERTIFIED PROFESSIONAL
A person currently licensed to practice engineering in New
York State, a registered landscape architect or a certified professional
in erosion and sediment control (CPESC).
MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT
A legally recorded document that acts as a property deed
restriction and which provides for long-term maintenance of stormwater
management practices.
NEW YORK STATE STORMWATER MANAGEMENT DESIGN MANUAL
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.
OFF-SITE FACILITY
A stormwater management measure located outside the subject
property boundary.
PERFORMANCE BOND
A bond underwritten by a surety in the contract amount to
guarantee that the contractor will perform the required work according
to the contract specifications.
PHASING
Clearing a parcel of land in distinct sections, with the
stabilization of each section before the clearing of the next.
QUALIFIED PROFESSIONAL
A person knowledgeable in the principles and practices of
erosion and sediment controls, such as a licensed professional engineer,
registered landscape architect, certified professional in erosion
and sediment control (CPESC), or soil scientist.
RECHARGE
The replenishment of underground water reserves.
REDEVELOPMENT
Reconstruction or modification to any existing, previously
developed land, such as residential, commercial, industrial, institutional
or road/highway, which involves soil disturbance. "Redevelopment"
is distinguished from "development" or "new development" in that "new
development" refers to construction on land where there had not been
previous construction. Redevelopment specifically applies to construction
areas with impervious surface.
RESPONSIBLE INDIVIDUAL
As related to inspection of construction site erosion controls,
any person with an in-depth understanding of the principles and practices
of erosion and sediment control, stormwater management and the proper
procedures and techniques for the installation and maintenance of
erosion and sediment control features.
SILVICULTURAL ACTIVITY
Activities that control the establishment, growth, composition,
health and quality of forests and woodlands.
SITE
A parcel of land, or a contiguous combination thereof, where
grading work is performed as a single unified operation.
SITE PLAN APPROVAL
The examination and subsequent authorization to proceed with
a project based upon a drawing prepared to specifications and containing
necessary elements which show the arrangement, layout and design of
the proposed use of a single parcel of land as shown on said plan.
STABILIZATION
The use of practices that prevent exposed soil from eroding.
START OF CONSTRUCTION
The first land disturbance activity associated with a development,
including land preparation such as clearing, grading and filling;
installation of streets and walkways; excavation for basements, footings,
piers or foundations; erection of temporary forms; and installation
of accessory buildings such as garages.
STOP-WORK ORDER
An order issued which requires that all construction activity
on a site be stopped.
STORMWATER MANAGEMENT
The use of structural or nonstructural practices that are
designed to reduce stormwater runoff pollutant loads, discharge volumes,
and/or peak flow discharge rates.
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 RUNOFF
The flow on the surface of the ground, resulting from precipitation.
STORMWATER TREATMENT PRACTICES
Measures, either structural or nonstructural, that are determined
to be the most effective, practical means of preventing or reducing
point source or nonpoint 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.
WATER QUALITY STANDARD VIOLATION
An increase in turbidity that will result in substantial
visible contrast to natural conditions in surface waters of the State
of New York.
WATERWAY
A channel that directs surface runoff to a watercourse or
to the public storm drain.
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."