[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Board of the
Town of Clay as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted where
applicable.]
[Adopted 8-20-2001 by L.L. No. 1-2001]
In accordance with Subdivision 3 of § 20 of the Municipal Home Rule Law, the local laws, ordinances and certain resolutions of the Town of Clay, as codified by General Code Publishers Corp., and consisting of Chapters
1 through
230, together with an Appendix, shall be known collectively as the "Code of the Town of Clay," hereafter termed the "Code." Wherever reference is made in any of the local laws, ordinances and resolutions contained in the "Code of the Town of Clay" to any other local law, ordinance or resolution appearing in said Code, such reference shall be changed to the appropriate chapter title, chapter number, article number or section number appearing in the Code as if such local law, ordinance or resolution had been formally amended to so read.
The provisions of the Code, insofar as they are substantively the same as those of local laws, ordinances and resolutions in force immediately prior to the enactment of the Code by this local law, are intended as a continuation of such local laws, ordinances and resolutions and not as new enactments, and the effectiveness of such provisions shall date from the date of adoption of the prior local law, ordinance or resolution. All such provisions are hereby continued in full force and effect and are hereby reaffirmed as to their adoption by the Town Board of the Town of Clay, and it is the intention of said Board that each such provision contained within the Code is hereby reaffirmed as it appears in said Code. Only such provisions of former local laws and ordinances as are omitted from this Code shall be deemed repealed or abrogated by the provisions of §
1-3 below.
All local laws and ordinances or parts thereof
inconsistent with the provisions contained in the Code adopted by
this local law are hereby repealed; provided, however, that such repeal
shall only be to the extent of such inconsistency, and any valid legislation
of the Town of Clay which is not in conflict with the provisions of
the Code shall be deemed to remain in full force and effect.
The repeal of local laws and ordinances provided for in §
1-3 of this local law shall not affect the following classes of local laws, ordinances, rights and obligations, which are hereby expressly saved from repeal:
A. Any right or liability established, accrued or incurred
under any legislative provision of the Town of Clay prior to the effective
date of this local law or any action or proceeding brought for the
enforcement of such right or liability.
B. Any offense or act committed or done before the effective
date of this local law in violation of any legislative provision of
the Town of Clay or any penalty, punishment or forfeiture which may
result therefrom.
C. Any prosecution, indictment, action, suit or other
proceeding pending or any judgment rendered prior to the effective
date of this local law brought pursuant to any legislative provision
of the Town of Clay.
D. Any agreement entered into or any franchise, license,
right, easement or privilege heretofore granted or conferred by the
Town of Clay.
E. Any local law or ordinance of the Town of Clay providing
for the laying out, opening, altering, widening, relocating, straightening,
establishing grade, changing name, improvement, acceptance or vacation
of any right-of-way, easement, street, road, highway, park or other
public place within the Town of Clay or any portion thereof.
F. Any local law or ordinance of the Town of Clay appropriating
money or transferring funds, promising or guaranteeing the payment
of money or authorizing the issuance and delivery of any bond of the
Town of Clay or other instruments or evidence of the Town's indebtedness.
G. Local laws or ordinances authorizing the purchase,
sale, lease or transfer of property or any lawful contract, agreement
or obligation.
H. The levy or imposition of special assessments or charges.
I. The annexation or dedication of property.
J. Any local law or ordinance relating to salaries and
compensation.
K. Any local law or ordinance amending the Zoning Map.
L. Any local law or ordinance relating to or establishing
a pension plan or pension fund for Town employees.
M. Any local law or ordinance or portion of a local law
or ordinance establishing a specific fee amount for any license, permit
or service obtained from the town.
N. Any local law adopted subsequent to 9-18-2000.
O. All traffic and vehicles legislation of the Town of
Clay.
P. All legislation regarding the Fire Prevention Board
and Fire Prevention Code of the Town of Clay.
If any clause, sentence, paragraph, section,
article, chapter or part of this local law or of any local law, ordinance
or resolution included in this Code now or through supplementation
shall be adjudged by any court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid,
such judgment shall not affect, impair or invalidate the remainder
thereof but shall be confined in its operation to the clause, sentence,
paragraph, section, article, chapter or part thereof directly involved
in the controversy in which such judgment shall have been rendered.
A copy of the Code, in loose-leaf form, has
been filed in the office of the Town Clerk of the Town of Clay and
shall remain there for use and examination by the public until final
action is taken on this local law; and, if this local law shall be
adopted, such copy shall be certified by the Town Clerk of the Town
of Clay by impressing thereon the Seal of the Town, and such certified
copy shall remain on file in the office of said Town Clerk to be made
available to persons desiring to examine the same during all times
while said Code is in effect. The enactment and publication of this
local law, coupled with the availability of a copy of the Code for
inspection by the public, shall be deemed, held and considered to
be due and legal publication of all provisions of the Code for all
purposes.
Any and all additions, deletions, amendments
or supplements to any of the local laws, ordinances and resolutions
known collectively as the "Code of the Town of Clay" or any new local
laws, ordinances or resolutions, when enacted or adopted in such form
as to indicate the intention of the Town Board to be a part thereof,
shall be deemed to be incorporated into such Code so that reference
to the Code shall be understood and intended to include such additions,
deletions, amendments or supplements. Whenever such additions, deletions,
amendments or supplements to the Code shall be enacted or adopted,
they shall thereafter be printed and, as provided hereunder, inserted
in the loose-leaf book containing said Code as amendments and supplements
thereto. Nothing contained in this local law shall affect the status
of any local law, ordinance or resolution contained herein, and such
local laws, ordinances or resolutions may be amended, deleted or changed
from time to time as the Town Board deems desirable.
It shall be the duty of the Town Clerk to keep
up-to-date the certified copy of the book containing the Code of the
Town of Clay required to be filed in the office of the Town Clerk
for use by the public. All changes in said Code and all local laws,
ordinances and resolutions adopted by the Town Board subsequent to
the enactment of this local law in such form as to indicate the intention
of said Board to be a part of said Code shall, when finally enacted
or adopted, be included therein by temporary attachment of copies
of such changes, local laws, ordinances or resolutions until such
changes, local laws, ordinances or resolutions are printed as supplements
to said Code book, at which time such supplements shall be inserted
therein.
Copies of the Code, or any chapter or portion
of it, may be purchased from the Town Clerk, or an authorized agent
of the Clerk, upon the payment of a fee to be set by resolution of
the Town Board. The Clerk may also arrange for procedures for the
periodic supplementation of the Code.
Any person who, without authorization from the
Town Clerk, changes or amends, by additions or deletions, any part
or portion of the Code of the Town of Clay or who alters or tampers
with such Code in any manner whatsoever which will cause the legislation
of the Town of Clay to be misrepresented thereby or who violates any
other provision of this local law shall be guilty of an offense and
shall, upon conviction thereof, be subject to a fine of not more than
$250 or imprisonment for a term of not more than 15 days, or both.
A. In compiling and preparing the local laws, ordinances and resolutions for publication as the Code of the Town of Clay, no changes in the meaning or intent of such local laws, ordinances and resolutions have been made, except as provided for in Subsection
B hereof. In addition, certain grammatical changes and other minor nonsubstantive changes were made in one or more of said pieces of legislation. It is the intention of the Town Board that all such changes be adopted as part of the Code as if the local laws, ordinances and resolutions had been previously formally amended to read as such.
B. In addition, the amendments and/or additions as set
forth in Schedule A attached hereto and made a part hereof are made
herewith, to become effective upon the effective date of this local
law. (Chapter and section number references are to the local laws,
ordinances and resolutions as they have been renumbered and appear
in the Code.)
C. Nomenclature.
(1) Throughout the Code:
(a) References to the "Police Department" or "Police Chief"
are revised to read "Division of Police."
(b) References to the "Board of Appeals" are revised to
read "Zoning Board of Appeals."
(c) References to the "Superintendent of Highways" are
revised to read "Highway Superintendent."
(2) Throughout Chapter 81, Article
I, Building Code Enforcement, references to the "State Building Construction Code" are updated to read "State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code," except in § 81-3, which refers to the town's original acceptance of the State Building Construction Code in 1954.
(3) Throughout Chapter
191, Snowmobiles, references to the "Parks and Recreation Law" and the "Office of Parks and Recreation" are updated to read "Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Law" and the "Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation," respectively.
(4) Throughout Chapter
200, Subdivision of Land, references to the "Master Plan" are updated to read "Comprehensive Plan."
The provisions of this local law are hereby made Article
I of Chapter
1 of the Code of the Town of Clay, such local law to be entitled "General Provisions, Article
I, Adoption of Code," and the sections of this local law shall be numbered §§
1-1 to
1-13, inclusive.
This local law shall take effect immediately
upon filing with the Secretary of State of the State of New York.
[Adopted 5-1-1978 as Ch. 1, Secs. 1.2, 1.3, 1.8, 1.9, 1.10,
1.12 and 1.15, of the 1978 Code]
A. Specific terms. When used in this Code, unless otherwise
expressly stated or unless the context or subject matter otherwise
requires, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
ASSESSOR
The Assessor of the Town of Clay in the County of Onondaga
and State of New York.
ATTORNEY or TOWN ATTORNEY
The Town Attorney of the Town of Clay in the County of Onondaga
and State of New York or an Attorney or firm of Attorneys retained
by the Town Board to render legal advice and assistance.
BOARD OF ETHICS
The Board of Ethics of the Town of Clay appointed pursuant to §
22-9 of this Municipal Code.
BUDGET OFFICER
The Commissioner of Finance of the Town of Clay while performing the functions of a Budget Officer pursuant to §
14-5 of this Municipal Code and the laws of the State of New York.
BUILDING INSPECTOR
The Building Inspector of the Town of Clay who is in charge
of the Bureau of Permit Inspection within the Department of Planning
and Development.
CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER
The Town officer or employee appointed to assist the Commissioner of Planning and Development in the enforcement of Chapter
230, Zoning, of the Town of Clay and other related provisions of this Municipal Code.
[Amended 8-20-2001 by L.L. No. 1-2001]
COMMISSIONER OF FINANCE
The Commissioner of Finance of the Town of Clay appointed pursuant to Chapter
14, Article
I, of this Municipal Code and who is also designated to serve as the Town Comptroller and the Budget Officer of the Town of Clay.
COMMISSIONER OF PUBLIC SAFETY
The Commissioner of Public Safety of the Town of Clay appointed pursuant to Chapter
14, Article
IV, of this Municipal Code who is responsible for the supervision of the Department of Public Safety including the coordination of volunteer Fire Departments and the Fire Prevention Board.
[Amended 7-20-2009 by L.L. No. 3-2009]
COMMISSIONER OF RECREATION AND HUMAN RESOURCES
The Commissioner of Recreation and Human Resources of the Town of Clay appointed pursuant to Chapter
14, Article
II, of this Municipal Code and responsible for the supervision of the Department of Recreation and Human Resources.
COMPTROLLER or TOWN COMPTROLLER
The Commissioner of Finance of the Town of Clay while performing the functions of a Town Comptroller as authorized by §
14-5 of this Municipal Code and the Laws of the State of New York.
CONSTABLE or TOWN CONSTABLE
A Constable of the Town of Clay in the County of Onondaga
and State of New York or a civil officer performing the functions
of a constable in civil actions and proceedings only.
COORDINATOR OF ADVISORY BOARDS
The Coordinator of Advisory Boards of the Town of Clay responsible
within the Department of Recreation and Human Resources for coordinating
the efforts of the Advisory Boards appointed pursuant thereto.
COUNCILMAN
A Councilman of the Town of Clay in the County of Onondaga
and State of New York.
COUNTY
The County of Onondaga in the State of New York.
COUNTY CLERK
The County Clerk of the County of Onondaga in the State of
New York.
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE
The Department of Finance of the Town of Clay established by Chapter
14, Article
I, of this Municipal Code.
ENFORCEMENT OFFICER
The officer or employee designated by appropriate authority
to be in charge of and responsible for the enforcement of the provisions
of a specific chapter of this Municipal Code, or rules or regulations
or a part thereof for which he is so designated.
FIRE CHIEF
Any of the Fire Chiefs of any volunteer fire company which
has contracted with the Town to render service in any fire district
or area of the Town of Clay in the County of Onondaga and State of
New York.
FIRE DEPARTMENT
Any of the volunteer Fire Companies under contract to render
services in the Town of Clay in the County of Onondaga and State of
New York.
FIRE PREVENTION BOARD
The Fire Prevention Board of the Town of Clay established
pursuant to former Chapter 112 of the 1978 Municipal Code.
HEALTH OFFICER
The duly appointed local Health Officer who is authorized
to exercise all the functions and duties of a Health Officer of the
Town of Clay in the County of Onondaga and State of New York.
MUNICIPALITY
The Town of Clay in the County of Onondaga and State of New
York.
OWNER
A person who has the legal title, alone or with others, or
exercises dominion or control over property, both real and personal.
PERSON
One or more persons of either sex, natural persons, corporations,
partnerships, associations, joint stock companies, societies and all
other entities capable of being sued.
PLANNING BOARD
The Planning Board of the Town of Clay in the County of Onondaga
and State of New York.
STATE
The State of New York.
TENANT
A person occupying real property under an oral or written
lease or who is in possession of real property under the actual or
tacit consent of the owner. Whenever a person, not the owner, occupies
real property, it shall be presumed that he occupies same as a tenant.
TOWN BOARD OR BOARD
The Town Board of the Town of Clay in the County of Onondaga
and State of New York.
TOWN CLERK OR CLERK
The Town Clerk of the Town of Clay in the County of Onondaga
and State of New York.
TOWN JUSTICE
A Town Justice of the Town of Clay in the County of Onondaga
and State of New York.
B. Other words. All other words used in this Code and
not otherwise specifically defined shall be construed in the manner
that they are normally used unless the context or subject matter requires
otherwise; but words that have acquired a technical meaning in law
and are so used shall be construed and understood in accordance with
such meaning.
A. Words used in the present tense include the future
tense.
B. The singular number includes the plural.
C. A word importing the masculine gender only shall also
be construed to include females, corporations, partnerships, associations,
joint stock companies, societies and all other entities capable of
being sued.
Any material contained in brackets shall not
be deemed to be a part of this Code. Such material contained therein
is intended to show the adoption date, effective date and comments
on any changes. Likewise, any commentaries, footnotes, cross references,
citations of authority or other annotations shall not be deemed a
part of this Code but are inserted editorially solely to assist in
the use and interpretation of this Code.
Wherever the requirements of any provisions
of this Municipal Code or portion thereof are at variance with the
requirements of any other lawfully adopted rule, regulation, ordinance,
local law, other enactment or other part of this Municipal Code, the
most restrictive, or that imposing the higher standards, shall govern
unless a contrary intent is expressly stated.
Unless otherwise specifically provided, the
violation of any chapter, rule or regulation or any specific provision
or provisions thereof adopted by the Town Board as a part of this
Code shall be deemed a violation against such chapter, rule, regulation,
or provisions of this Code punishable by a fine not to exceed $250
or imprisonment of not more than 15 days, or both such fine and imprisonment;
provided, however, that for the purpose of conferring jurisdiction
upon courts and judicial officers generally, such violation shall
be deemed a misdemeanor and for such purpose only all provisions of
law relating to misdemeanors shall apply to such violation.
A. Wherever any officer of the Town is granted certain
powers or duties or is designated as the enforcement officer of a
specific chapter or portion thereof, it shall also be construed to
include the deputies, assistants and representatives of such officer
as may be designated, delegated or authorized by such officer to exercise
such powers or duties.
B. While acting within the scope of their employment,
it shall be presumed that all acts performed by such deputies, assistants
and representatives were duly delegated and authorized.
The provisions of this Code shall be liberally
construed in order to effectuate the purposes for which this Code
and the ordinances contained herein are enacted.