Pursuant to § 24-0501 of the New York State Freshwater
Wetlands Act (Article 24 of the New York State Environmental Conservation
Law) the County of Cayuga shall fully undertake and exercise its regulatory
authority with regard to activities subject to regulation under the
Act in freshwater wetlands, as shown on the Freshwater Wetlands Map,
as such map may from time to time be amended, filed by the Department
of Environmental Conservation pursuant to Act, and in all areas adjacent
to any such freshwater wetlands to 100 feet from the boundary of such
wetland. Such regulatory authority shall be undertaken and exercised
in accordance with all of the procedures, concepts and definitions
set forth in Article 24 of the New York Environmental Conservation
Law and Title 23 of Article 71 of such law relating to the enforcement
of Article 24, as such law may from time to time be amended, with
the following exceptions, additions and modifications § 24-0501,
Subdivision 3, provides for a specification of any exceptions, additions
and modifications to the procedures of Article 24.
This chapter, adopted on the date set forth below, shall take
effect on the filing with the Clerk of the County of Cayuga of the
final Freshwater Wetlands Map by the New York State Department of
Environmental Conservation, pursuant to § 24-2301 of the
Freshwater Wetlands Act applicable to any of all lands within the
County of Cayuga.
The Cayuga County Legislature requires that all applications
for permits shall be presented before the Cayuga County Wetlands Commission,
which shall be the entity responsible for the careful consideration
and review of all permit applications. The Wetlands Commission shall
have the responsibility of granting, limiting or denying all permit
applications and for establishing procedures for the administration
and enforcement of the County Freshwater Wetlands Law. The Commission
shall be comprised of the Chair of the Cayuga County Planning Board
or his designee, the Commissioner of Health or his designee, the Soil
and Water Conservation District Manager, the Chair of the Cayuga County
Environmental Management Council or his designee, and a member from
each municipality in which the affected wetland is located. The Commission
shall have the full cooperation and involvement of any County agency
or department which is deemed appropriate by the Commission during
the review of an application, but shall not seek to limit the involvement
of County agencies or departments which claim or otherwise indicate
an interest in a permit application. The Commission shall seek to
establish procedures which maximize the opportunities for meaningful
involvement in the review process by all affected local governments
and for all citizens of Cayuga County which are affected by or which
have an interest in an application. The procedures developed shall
be brought before the Cayuga County Legislature for final review and
approval.