[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Board of the Town of Goshen 1-12-2017 by L.L. No. 1-2017. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Building construction — See Ch. 49.
Sewers — See Ch. 79.
Stormwater management and erosion and sediment control — See Ch. 80C.
Subdivision of land — See Ch. 83.
Water — See Ch. 93.
The purpose of this chapter is to provide for the health, safety, and general welfare of the citizens of the Town of Goshen through the regulation of nonstormwater discharges to the municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4) to the maximum extent practicable as required by federal and state law. This chapter establishes methods for controlling the introduction of pollutants into the Town of Goshen's MS4 in order to comply with requirements of the State Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (SPDES) General Permit for Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems and to meet Town objectives to protect the environment. The objectives of this chapter are:
A. 
To meet the requirements of the SPDES General Permit for Stormwater Discharges from MS4s, Permit No. GP-0-15-003, or as amended or revised;
B. 
To regulate the contribution of pollutants to the MS4 since such systems are not designed to accept, process or discharge nonstormwater wastes;
C. 
To prohibit illicit connections, activities and discharges to the MS4;
D. 
To establish legal authority to carry out all inspection, surveillance and monitoring procedures necessary to ensure compliance with this chapter; and
E. 
To promote public awareness of the hazards involved in the improper discharge of trash, yard waste, lawn chemicals, pet waste, wastewater, grease, oil, petroleum products, cleaning products, paint products, hazardous waste, sediment and other pollutants into the MS4.
Whenever used in this chapter, unless a different meaning is stated in a definition applicable to only a portion of this chapter, the following terms will have the meanings set forth below:
BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES (BMPs)
Schedules of activities, prohibitions of practices, general good housekeeping practices, pollution prevention and educational practices, maintenance procedures, and other management practices to prevent or reduce the discharge of pollutants directly or indirectly to stormwater, receiving waters, or stormwater conveyance systems. BMPs also include treatment practices, operating procedures, and practices to control site runoff, spillage or leaks, sludge or water disposal, or drainage from raw materials storage.
CLEAN WATER ACT
The Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. § 1251 et seq.), and any subsequent amendments thereto.
CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY
Activities requiring authorization under the SPDES permit for stormwater discharges from construction activity, GP-0-15-002, as amended or revised. These activities include construction projects resulting in land disturbance of one or more acres. Such activities include, but are not limited to, clearing and grubbing, grading, excavating, and demolition.
DEPARTMENT
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
Any material, including any substance, waste, or combination thereof, which, because of its quantity, concentration, or physical, chemical, or infectious characteristics, may cause, or significantly contribute to, a substantial present or potential hazard to human health, safety, property, or the environment when improperly treated, stored, transported, disposed of, or otherwise managed.
ILLICIT CONNECTIONS
Any drain or conveyance, whether on the surface or subsurface, which allows an illegal discharge to enter the MS4, including but not limited to:
A. 
Any conveyances which allow any nonstormwater discharge, including treated or untreated sewage, process wastewater, and wash water, to enter the MS4, and any connections to the storm drain system from indoor drains and sinks, regardless of whether said drain or connection had been previously allowed, permitted, or approved by an authorized enforcement agency; or
B. 
Any drain or conveyance connected from a commercial or industrial land use to the MS4, which has not been documented in plans, maps, or equivalent records and approved by an authorized enforcement agency.
ILLICIT DISCHARGE
Any direct or indirect nonstormwater discharge to the MS4, except as exempted in § 66-6A(1) of this chapter.
INDIVIDUAL SEWAGE TREATMENT SYSTEM
A facility serving one or more parcels of land or residential households, or a private, commercial or institutional facility, that treats sewage or other liquid wastes for discharge into the groundwaters of New York State, except where a permit for such facility is required under the applicable provisions of Article 17 of the Environmental Conservation Law.
INDUSTRIAL ACTIVITY
Activities requiring the SPDES permit for discharges from industrial activities, except construction, GP-0-12-001, as amended or revised.
LAND DEVELOPMENT 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 development activities may take place at different times on different schedules.
MUNICIPAL SEPARATE STORM SEWER SYSTEM
A conveyance or system of conveyances (including roads with drainage systems, municipal streets, catch basins, curbs, gutters, ditches, man-made channels, or storm drains):
A. 
Owned or operated by the Town of Goshen;
B. 
Designed or used for collecting or conveying stormwater;
C. 
Which is not a combined sewer; and
D. 
Which is not part of a publicly owned treatment works (POTW) as defined in 40 CFR 122.2.
MUNICIPALITY
The Town of Goshen, New York.
NONSTORMWATER DISCHARGE
Any discharge to the MS4 that is not composed entirely of stormwater.
PERSON
Any individual, association, organization, partnership, firm, corporation or other entity recognized by law and acting as either the owner or as the owner's agent.
POLLUTANT
Anything which causes or contributes to pollution. Pollutants may include, but are not limited to, dredged spoil, filter backwash, sold waste, incinerator residue, treated or untreated sewage, garbage, sewage sludge, munitions, chemical wastes, biological materials, radioactive materials, heat, wrecked or discarded equipment, rock, sand and industrial, municipal, agricultural waste and ballast discharged into water, which may cause or might reasonably be expected to cause pollution of the waters of the state in contravention of the standards.
PREMISES
Any building, lot, parcel of land, or portion of land, whether improved or unimproved, including adjacent sidewalks and parking strips.
SPDES GENERAL PERMIT FOR CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES GP-0-15-002
A permit under the New York State Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (SPDES) issued to developers of construction activities to regulate disturbance of one or more acres of land.
SPDES GENERAL PERMIT FOR STORMWATER DISCHARGES FROM MUNICIPAL SEPARATE STORMWATER SEWER SYSTEMS GP-0-15-003
A permit under the New York State Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (SPDES) issued to municipalities to regulate discharges from municipal separate storm sewers for compliance with EPA-established water quality standards and/or to specify stormwater control standards.
SPECIAL CONDITIONS
A. 
Discharge compliance with water quality standards. The condition that applies where a municipality has been notified that the discharge of stormwater authorized under their MS4 permit may have caused or has the reasonable potential to cause or contribute to the violation of an applicable water quality standard. Under this condition, the municipality must take all necessary actions to ensure future discharges do not cause or contribute to a violation of water quality standards.
B. 
303(d) listed waters. The condition in the Town's MS4 permit that applies where the MS4 discharges to a 303(d) listed water. Under this condition the stormwater management program must ensure no increase of the listed pollutant of concern to the 303(d) listed water.
C. 
Total maximum daily load (TMDL) strategy. The condition in the Town's MS4 permit where a TMDL, including requirements for control of stormwater discharges, has been approved by EPA for a water body or watershed into which the MS4 discharges. If the discharge from the MS4 did not meet the TMDL stormwater allocations prior to September 10, 2003, the municipality was required to modify its stormwater management program to ensure that reduction of the pollutant of concern specified in the TMDL is achieved.
D. 
The condition in the Town's MS4 permit that applies if a TMDL is approved in the future by the EPA for any waterbody or watershed into which an MS4 discharges. Under this condition the municipality must review the applicable TMDL to see if it includes requirements for control of stormwater discharges. If an MS4 is not meeting the TMDL stormwater allocations, the municipality must, within six months of the TMDL's approval, modify its stormwater management program to ensure that reduction of the pollutant of concern specified in the TMDL is achieved.
STORM DRAINAGE SYSTEM
Publicly owned facilities by which stormwater is collected and/or conveyed, including, but not limited to, any roads with drainage systems, municipal streets, gutters, curbs, inlets, piped storm drains, pumping facilities, retention and detention basins, natural and human-made or altered drainage channels, reservoirs, and other drainage structures.
STORMWATER
Any rainwater, surface flow, surface runoff, snowmelt and drainage consisting entirely of water from any form of natural precipitation, and resulting from such precipitation.
STORMWATER MANAGEMENT OFFICER (SMO)
An employee or officer designated by the Town of Goshen to enforce this chapter. The SMO may also be designated by the Town of Goshen to accept and review stormwater pollution prevention plans, forward the plans to the applicable municipal board and inspect stormwater management practices.
STORMWATER POLLUTION PREVENTION PLAN (SWPPP)
A plan for controlling stormwater runoff and pollutants from a site during and after construction activities.
TOTAL MAXIMUM DAILY LOAD (TMDL)
The maximum amount of a pollutant to be allowed to be released into a waterbody so as not to impair uses of the water, allocated among the sources of that pollutant.
WASTEWATER
Any water or other liquid, other than uncontaminated stormwater, discharged from a facility.
WATERCOURSE
A permanent or intermittent stream or other body of water, either natural or man-made, which gathers or carries surface water.
This chapter shall apply to all water entering the MS4 generated on any developed and undeveloped lands, unless explicitly exempted by the Stormwater Management Officer.
The Town shall designate a Stormwater Management Officer (SMO) who shall administer, implement, and enforce the provisions of this chapter. Such powers granted or duties imposed upon the authorized enforcement official may be delegated, in writing, by the SMO as may be authorized by the Town. The SMO may review plans, engage the services of a registered professional engineer to review plans, specifications and related documents with the cost paid through an escrow, or accept the certification of a licensed professional that plans/remediation conform to the requirements of this chapter.
The provisions of this chapter are hereby declared to be severable. If any provision, clause, sentence, or paragraph of this chapter or the application thereof to any person, establishment, or circumstances shall be held invalid, such invalidity shall not affect the other provisions or application of this chapter.
A. 
Prohibition of illegal discharges. No person shall discharge or cause to be discharged into the MS4 any materials other than stormwater, including, but not limited to, pollutants or waters containing any pollutants that cause or contribute to a violation of applicable water quality standards, except as provided in Subsection A(1) below.
(1) 
The following discharges are exempt from discharge prohibitions established by this chapter, unless the Town or Department has determined them to be substantial contributors of pollutants: water line flushing or other potable water sources, landscape irrigation or lawn watering, existing diverted stream flows, rising groundwater, uncontaminated groundwater infiltration to storm drains, uncontaminated pumped groundwater, foundation or footing drains (not including active groundwater dewatering systems), crawl space or basement sump pumps, air-conditioning condensation, irrigation water, springs, noncommercial washing of vehicles, natural riparian habitat or wetland flows, swimming pools (if dechlorinated), residential street wash water, water from firefighting activities, and any other water source not containing pollutants. Such exempt discharges shall be made in accordance with an appropriate plan for reducing pollutants.
(2) 
Discharges approved in writing by the Stormwater Management Officer as being necessary to protect life or property from imminent harm or damage, provided that such approval shall not be construed to constitute compliance with other applicable laws and requirements, and further provided that such discharges may be permitted for a specified time period and under such conditions as the SMO may deem appropriate to protect such life and property while reasonably maintaining the purpose and intent of this chapter.
(3) 
Dye testing in compliance with applicable state and local laws is an allowable discharge, but requires a verbal notification to the Stormwater Management Officer prior to the time of the test.
(4) 
The prohibition shall not apply to any nonstormwater discharge permitted under an SPDES permit, waiver, or waste discharge order issued to the discharger and administered under the authority of the Department, provided that the discharger is in full compliance with all requirements of the permit, waiver, or order and other applicable laws and regulations, and provided that written approval has been granted for any discharge to the MS4.
B. 
Prohibition of illicit connections.
(1) 
The construction, use, maintenance or continued existence of illicit connections to the MS4 is prohibited.
(2) 
This prohibition expressly includes, without limitation, illicit connections made in the past, regardless of whether the connection was permissible under law or practices applicable or prevailing at the time of connection.
(3) 
A person is considered to be in violation of this chapter if the person connects a line conveying sewage to the Town's MS4 or allows such a connection to continue.
A. 
Activities that are subject to the requirements of this section are those types of activities that:
(1) 
Cause or contribute to a violation of the Town's MS4 SPDES permit; or
(2) 
Cause or contribute to the Town being subject to the special conditions as defined in § 66-2.
B. 
Upon notification to a person that he or she is engaged in activities that cause or contribute to violations of the Town's MS4 SPDES permit authorization, that person shall take all reasonable actions to correct such activities such that he or she no longer causes or contributes to violations of the Town's MS4 SPDES permit authorization.
Best management practices. Where the SMO has identified illicit discharges as defined in § 66-2, or activities contaminating stormwater as defined in § 66-7, the Town may require implementation of best management practices (BMPs) to control those illicit discharges and activities.
A. 
The owner or operator of a commercial or industrial establishment shall provide, at their own expense, reasonable protection from accidental discharge of prohibited materials or other wastes into the MS4 through the use of these structural and nonstructural BMPs.
B. 
Any person responsible for a property or premises, which is, or may be, the source of an illicit discharge or an activity contaminating stormwater may be required to implement, at said person's expense, additional structural and nonstructural BMPs to prevent the further discharge of pollutants to the MS4.
C. 
Compliance with all terms and conditions of a valid SPDES permit authorizing the discharge of stormwater associated with industrial activity, to the extent practicable, shall be deemed compliance with the provisions of this section.
D. 
These BMPs shall be part of a stormwater pollution prevention plan (SWPPP) as necessary for compliance with requirements of the SPDES permit.
A. 
Suspension due to illicit discharges in emergency situations. The Stormwater Management Officer may, without prior notice, suspend MS4 discharge access to a person when such suspension is necessary to stop an actual or threatened discharge which presents or may present imminent and substantial danger to the environment, or to the health or welfare of persons, or to the MS4. If the violator fails to comply with a suspension order issued in an emergency, the SMO may take such steps as deemed necessary to prevent or minimize damage to the MS4 or to minimize danger to persons.
B. 
Suspension due to the detection of illicit discharge. Any person discharging to the MS4 in violation of this chapter may have their MS4 access terminated if such termination would abate or reduce an illicit discharge. The SMO will notify a violator, in writing, of the proposed termination of its MS4 access and the reasons therefor. The violator may petition the SMO for a reconsideration and hearing. Access may be granted by the SMO if he or she finds that the illicit discharge has ceased and the discharger has taken steps to prevent its recurrence. Access may be denied if the SMO determines, in writing, that the illicit discharge has not ceased or is likely to recur.
C. 
A person commits an offense if the person reinstates MS4 access to premises terminated pursuant to this section without the prior approval of the SMO.
Any person subject to an industrial or construction activity SPDES stormwater discharge permit shall comply with all provisions of such permit. Proof of compliance with said permit may be required in a form acceptable to the Town and/or SMO prior to the allowing of discharges to the MS4.
A. 
Applicability. This section applies to all facilities that the SMO must inspect to enforce any provision of this chapter, or whenever the authorized enforcement agency has cause to believe that there exists, or potentially exists, in or upon any premises any condition which constitutes a violation of this chapter.
B. 
Access to facilities.
(1) 
The SMO shall be permitted to enter and inspect facilities subject to regulation under this Chapter as often as may be necessary to determine compliance with this Chapter. If a discharger has security measures in force which require proper identification and clearance before entry into its premises, the discharger shall make the necessary arrangements to allow access to the SMO and/or representatives of the authorized enforcement agency.
(2) 
Facility operators shall allow the SMO ready access to all parts of the premises for the purposes of inspection, sampling, examination and copying of records as may be required to implement this chapter or that must be kept under the conditions of an SPDES permit to discharge stormwater, and the performance of any additional duties as defined by state and federal law.
(3) 
The Town shall have the right to set up on any permitted facility subject to this chapter such devices as are necessary in the opinion of the authorized enforcement agency and/or SMO to conduct monitoring and/or sampling of the facility's stormwater discharge.
(4) 
The Town has the right to require facilities subject to this chapter to install monitoring equipment as is reasonably necessary to determine compliance with this chapter. The facility's sampling and monitoring equipment shall be maintained at all times in a safe and proper operating condition by the discharger at its own expense. All devices used to measure stormwater flow and quality shall be calibrated to ensure their accuracy.
(5) 
Any temporary or permanent obstruction to safe and easy access to the facility to be inspected and/or sampled shall be promptly removed by the operator at the written or oral request of the SMO and shall not be replaced. The costs of clearing such access shall be borne by the operator.
(6) 
Unreasonable delays in allowing the Town and/or SMO access to a facility subject to this chapter is a violation of this chapter. A person who is the operator of a facility subject to this chapter commits an offense if the person denies the Town reasonable access to the facility for the purpose of conducting any activity authorized or required by this chapter.
(7) 
If the SMO has been refused access to any part of the premises from which stormwater is discharged, and he/she is able to demonstrate probable cause to believe that there may be a violation of this Chapter, or that there is a need to inspect and/or sample as part of a routine inspection and sampling program designed to verify compliance with this Chapter or any order issued hereunder, or to protect the overall public health, safety, and welfare of the community, then the SMO and/or authorized enforcement agency may seek issuance of a search warrant from any court of competent jurisdiction.
Every person owning property through which a watercourse passes, or such person's lessee, shall keep and maintain that part of the watercourse within the property free of trash, debris, excessive vegetation, and other obstacles that would pollute, contaminate, or significantly retard the flow of water through the watercourse. In addition, the owner or lessee shall maintain existing, privately owned structures within or adjacent to a watercourse so that such structures will not become a hazard to the use, function, or physical integrity of the watercourse.
Notwithstanding other requirements of law, as soon as any person responsible for a facility or operation or responsible for emergency response for a facility or operation has information of any known or suspected release of materials which are resulting or may result in illegal discharges or pollutants discharging into the MS4, said person shall take all necessary steps to ensure the discovery, containment, and cleanup of such release. In the event of such a release of hazardous materials, said person shall immediately notify emergency response agencies of the occurrence via emergency dispatch services. In the event of a release of nonhazardous materials, said person shall notify the SMO, in person or by phone or facsimile, no later than the next business day. Notifications in person or by phone shall be confirmed by written notice addressed and mailed to the SMO within three business days of the phone notice. If the discharge of prohibited materials emanates from a commercial or industrial establishment, the owner or operator of such establishment shall also retain an on-site written record of the discharge and the actions taken to prevent its recurrence. Such records shall be retained for at least three years.
A. 
Notice of violation.
(1) 
Whenever the SMO finds that a person has violated a prohibition or failed to meet a requirement of this chapter, he or she shall order compliance by written notice of violation to the responsible person. Such notice may require, without limitation:
(a) 
The performance of monitoring, analyses, and reporting;
(b) 
The elimination of illicit connections or discharges;
(c) 
That violating discharges, practices, or operations shall cease and desist;
(d) 
The abatement or remediation of stormwater pollution or contamination hazards and the restoration of any affected property;
(e) 
Payment of a fine; and
(f) 
The implementation of source control or treatment BMPs.
(2) 
If abatement of a violation and/or restoration of affected property is required, the notice shall set forth a deadline within which such remediation or restoration must be completed. Said notice shall further advise that, should the violator fail to remediate or restore within the established deadline, the work will be done by a designated governmental agency or a contractor and the expense thereof shall be charged to the violator.
B. 
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 to exceed six months, or both, for a 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 six months, 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 six months, 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.
Any person receiving a notice of violation may appeal the determination of the SMO to the Town Board within 15 days of its issuance, which shall hear the appeal within 30 days after the filing of the appeal; and within five days of making its decision, the Town Board shall file its decision in the office of the Town Clerk and mail a copy of its decision by certified mail to the discharger.
If the violation has not been corrected pursuant to the requirements set forth in the notice of violation or, in the event of an appeal, within 15 days of the decision of the Town Board upholding the decision of the SMO, then representatives of the Town shall be permitted to enter upon the subject private property and are authorized to take any and all measures necessary to abate the violation and/or restore the property. It shall be unlawful for any person, owner, agent or person in possession of any premises to refuse to allow the Town or its designated contractor to enter upon the premises for the purposes set forth above.
Within 30 days after abatement of the violation, the owner of the property will be notified of the cost of abatement, including administrative costs. If the amount due is not paid within 30 days, or within a timely manner as determined by the decision of the Town Board, the charges shall become a special assessment against the property and shall constitute a lien on the property for the amount of the assessment.
It shall be unlawful for any person to violate any provision or fail to comply with any of the requirements of this chapter. If a person has violated or continues to violate the provisions of this Chapter, the SMO may petition for a preliminary or permanent injunction restraining the person from activities which would create further violations or compelling the person to perform abatement or remediation of the violation.
In lieu of enforcement proceedings, penalties and remedies authorized by this chapter, upon the recommendation of the Town Attorney and concurrence of the SMO, the Town may impose upon a violator alternative remedies in such cases where the violation was unintentional, the violator has no history of previous violations, the environmental damage was minimal, the violator acted quickly to remedy the violation or the violator cooperated in the investigation and resolution of the violation. Such alternative remedies may consist of one or more of the following (this list is not meant to be all-inclusive): storm drain stenciling or storm drain marking, attendance at compliance workshops, or river, stream or creek cleanup activities.
In addition to the enforcement processes and penalties provided, any condition caused or permitted to exist in violation of any of the provisions of this chapter is a threat to public health, safety, and welfare, and is declared and deemed a nuisance, and may be summarily abated or restored at the violator's expense and/or a civil action to abate, enjoin, or otherwise compel the cessation of such nuisance may be taken.
The remedies listed in this chapter are not exclusive of any other remedies available under any applicable federal, state or local law and it is within the discretion of the authorized enforcement agency to seek cumulative remedies.