This shall be known as the "Town of Bolton Stormwater Management
Ordinance."
The Town of Bolton finds that uncontrolled drainage and runoff
associated with land development has a significant impact upon the
health, safety and welfare of the community for the following reasons:
A. Stormwater can carry pollutants into receiving water bodies and degrade
water quality.
B. The increase in nutrients in stormwater runoff accelerates eutrophication
of receiving waters.
C. Improper design and construction of drainage facilities can increase
the velocity of runoff thereby increasing stream bank erosion and
sedimentation.
D. Construction requiring land clearing and the alteration of natural
topography tends to increase erosion.
E. Siltation of water bodies resulting from increased erosion decreases
the capacity of the water bodies to hold and transport water, interferes
with navigation, and harms flora and fauna.
F. Impervious surfaces increase the volume and rate of stormwater runoff
and allow less water to percolate into the soil, thereby decreasing
groundwater recharge and stream baseflow.
G. Improperly managed stormwater runoff can increase the incidence of
flooding and the level of floods which occur, endangering property
and human life.
H. Substantial economic losses can result from these adverse impacts
on the waters of the municipality.
I. Many problems can be avoided if sound stormwater runoff management
practices are in effect.
The effective date of this chapter shall be June 1, 2021.
Article 9 of the Town Law or Article 7 of the Village Law and
Environmental Conservation Law § 43-0112.
The purpose of this chapter is to protect and safeguard the
general health, safety, and welfare of the public residing in or visiting
the town by preserving and protecting the quality of the ground- and
surface waters. This chapter has the following specific objectives:
A. To prevent any increase in stormwater runoff from any development
in order to reduce flooding, siltation, and streambank erosion.
B. To prevent any increase in pollution caused by stormwater runoff
from development which would otherwise degrade the quality of water
in Lake George and its tributaries and render it unfit for human consumption,
interfere with water-based recreation or adversely affect aquatic
life; and
C. To prevent any increase in the total annual volume of surface water
runoff which flows from any specific site during and following development
over that which prevailed prior to development.
General applicability. This chapter shall apply to all building, construction, land clearing and subdivision of land within the town, both public and private, except development which is expressly exempt pursuant to §
125-8I of this chapter. Permits and approvals required by this chapter are incorporated into the site plan, land use or zoning approvals issued under separate provisions of the town's land use program.
A stormwater permit shall include, at a minimum, provisions
for the future maintenance of the site, consistent with the following:
A. Applicability. Where it is deemed necessary by the municipality,
prior to issuance of a permit for any project, the project sponsor
shall provide for arrangements for the future maintenance of stormwater
control measures subject to the approval of the town. This may include,
but not be limited to, the following:
(1) Approval of the bylaws and/or certificate of incorporation of a transportation
corporation or homeowners association; posting of a performance bond;
placing of funds on deposit; and
(2) A stormwater management maintenance agreement between the owner(s) of the site and the town consistent with the terms and conditions of
Schedule E entitled "Sample Stormwater Control Facility Maintenance Agreement."
B. Purpose. Stormwater management maintenance arrangements shall be
those necessary to ensure that stormwater control measures are maintained
in working condition throughout the life of the project.
C. Notice. Notice of the stormwater management maintenance agreement
shall be recorded in the office of the County Clerk or its terms shall
be incorporated into covenants appearing in the deed, declarations
of covenants and restrictions or other such documents to ensure that
record notice of its terms is provided to future owners of the site.
It shall also be included in the offering plan, if any, for the project.
D. Initial maintenance security. When deemed necessary by the municipality,
the project owner(s) or sponsor shall establish a maintenance security
in the form of a bond, letter of credit, escrow account, or other
acceptable security, for the purpose of building, rebuilding, maintaining
or repairing the stormwater control facilities. Terms for any maintenance
security shall cover the time period beginning at the commencement
of land disturbance and extend no less than two years following the
approved completion of construction. Longer durations may be required
when deemed necessary.
In the case of any violation or threatened violation of any
provisions hereof, or the terms and conditions imposed by any permit,
approval, variance or order issued pursuant to the provisions hereof,
in addition to other penalties and remedies herein provided, the Town
may institute any appropriate action or proceedings against the owner
of the premises and/or any other responsible person to prevent such
unlawful erection, structural alteration, reconstruction, occupancy,
moving and/or use, to restrain, correct or abate such violation, to
prevent or restrain the occupancy of such building, structure or land,
to compel compliance with the provisions hereof and any permit, approval,
variance, order or directive issued pursuant to it, and to prevent,
restrain, correct or abate any illegal act, conduct, business or use
in or about such premises. The alternative or additional remedy specified
herein may be taken in addition to a proceeding for criminal sanctions
or civil penalties. The Town Board may negotiate appropriate remediation
and restoration measures by entering into an enforceable settlement
agreement or consent order with any violator and/or owner, which may
include payment by the violator and/or owner of a monetary penalty
which may include exemplary or punitive damages, plus recovery of
actual costs incurred by the Town in connection with the enforcement
proceeding, including actual attorneys' fees, disbursements and,
in appropriate cases, reimbursements for the actual costs to be incurred
in rectifying any circumstance or condition necessary to restore the
premises into compliance, all and any of which may, if not voluntarily
paid by the violator and/or owner, constitute the basis of a lien
charge attachable to the premises as a special assessment or charge
assessable and collectable on the tax bill associated with the subject
premises.
Processing and review of any application pursuant to the provisions
hereof may be suspended and the application deemed incomplete with
written notice to the applicant if a stop-work order has been issued
by the Zoning Administrator or agent, other written notice of an alleged
violation has been delivered to the property owner or applicant, or
a criminal or civil criminal action commenced against the property
owner, applicant or other responsible person for alleged violations
of law related to the activity for which the permit is sought or for
alleged violation of the provisions hereof related to the site. Such
suspension of application processing may remain in effect pending
final resolution of any enforcement action by an order of court or
by a negotiated settlement of the pending violations between the responsible
parties and the Town Board. In any appropriate case, the Zoning Administrator
or agent, Planning Board or Zoning Board of Appeals, in their respective
roles as reviewing authorities, may suspend review of an application.
Any permit, variance or approval granted under the provisions
hereof which is based upon or is granted in reliance upon any material
misrepresentation, or failure to make a material fact or circumstance
known, by or on behalf of an applicant, shall be void. This section
shall not be construed to diminish the penalties and remedies available
to the Town under any enforcement provisions hereof.