[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Trustees of the Village
of Altamont 6-7-2016 by L.L. No. 1-2016. Amendments noted where applicable.]
It is hereby determined and found as follows:
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 baseflow;
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 chapter 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 § 308-1 hereof. This chapter 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 New York State 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 chapter is enacted pursuant to § 10 of the Municipal
Home Rule Law.
B.
The municipality shall designate a Stormwater Management Officer
who shall accept and review all stormwater pollution prevention plans
and forward such plans to the Village Zoning Board of Appeals. The
Village Zoning Board of Appeals may engage the services of a registered
professional engineer to review the plans, specifications, and related
documents or accept the certification of a licensed professional that
the plans conform to the requirements of this chapter.
[Amended 4-5-2022 by L.L. No. 1-2022]
C.
All activities subject to review and approval by the Village Zoning
Board of Appeals shall be reviewed subject to the standards contained
in this chapter.
[Amended 4-5-2022 by L.L. No. 1-2022]
D.
All land development activities not subject to review as stated in § 308-4C 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 chapter. The Stormwater Management Officer may request that the Village Board retain the services of a licensed professional engineer to assist him or her in the review of the SWPPP with the cost of such engineering review to be borne by the applicant.
The following activities may be exempt from review under this
chapter.
B.
Silvicultural activity, except that landing areas and log haul roads
are subject to this chapter.
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 Village Zoning Board of Appeals on or before the effective
date of this chapter.
[Amended 4-5-2022 by L.L. No. 1-2022]
F.
Land development activities for which a building permit has been
approved on or before the effective date of this chapter.
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.
A.
Erosion and sediment control inspection.
(1)
The Village of Altamont Stormwater Management Officer may require
such inspections as necessary to determine compliance with this chapter
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 chapter and the stormwater pollution prevention plan (SWPPP)
as approved. To obtain inspections, the applicant shall notify the
Stormwater Management Officer 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 Village 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 professional engineer.
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.
D.
Submission of reports. The Village Stormwater Management Officer
may require monitoring and reporting from entities subject to this
chapter as are necessary to determine compliance with this chapter.
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 Village 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 guarantee. In order to ensure the full and
faithful completion of all land development activities related to
compliance with all conditions set forth by the Village in its approval
of the stormwater pollution prevention plan, the Village Board 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 Village as the beneficiary.
The security shall be in an amount to be determined by the Village
Board upon recommendation from the Zoning Board of Appeals based on
submission of final design plans, with reference to actual construction
and landscaping costs. The performance guarantee shall remain in force
until the surety, applicant, or developer is released from liability
by the Village. The Village Board shall not provide such a release
from liability until one year from the date of final acceptance or
such other certification that the development activities 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 Village. Per annum interest
on cash escrow deposits shall be reinvested in the account until such
release from liability.
[Amended 4-5-2022 by L.L. No. 1-2022]
B.
Maintenance guarantee. 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 Village with financial security 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 Village may draw
upon posted financial security to cover the costs of proper operation
and maintenance, including engineering and inspection costs.
C.
Recordkeeping. The Village may require entities subject to this chapter
to maintain records demonstrating compliance with this chapter.
A.
Notice of violation. When the Village determines that a land development
activity is not being carried out in accordance with the requirements
of this chapter, it may issue a written notice of violation to the
landowner. 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 chapter and a time
schedule for the completion of such remedial action;
(5)
A statement of the penalty or penalties that 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 Village may issue a stop-work order for violations
of this chapter. 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 Village 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 chapter.
C.
Violations. Any land development activity that is commenced or is
conducted contrary to this chapter 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 chapter
shall be guilty of a violation punishable by a fine not exceeding
$350 or imprisonment for a period not in excess of 15 days, or both
for conviction of a first offense; for conviction of a second offense
both of which were committed within a period of five years, punishable
by a fine not less than $350 nor more than $700 or imprisonment for
a period not to exceed 30 days, or both; and upon conviction for a
third or subsequent offense all of which were committed within a period
of five years, punishable by a fine not less than $700 nor more than
$1,000 or imprisonment for a period not to exceed 60 days, or both.
However, for the purposes of conferring jurisdiction upon courts and
judicial officers generally, violations of this chapter shall be deemed
misdemeanors and for such purpose only all provisions of law relating
to misdemeanors shall apply to such violations. Each week's continued
violation shall constitute a separate additional violation.
E.
Withholding of certificate of occupancy. If any building or land
development activity is installed or conducted in violation of this
chapter, 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 Village may
take necessary corrective action, the cost of which shall become a
lien upon the property until paid.
The Village may require any person undertaking land development
activities regulated by this chapter to pay reasonable costs at prevailing
rates for review of SWPPPs, inspections, or SMP maintenance performed
by the Village or performed by a third party for the Village.
