This chapter shall be known and may be referred
to as the "Rochester Coastal Erosion Hazard Area Law."
The City of Rochester hereby assumes the responsibility
to implement and administer a coastal erosion management program within
its boundaries pursuant to Article 34 of New York State Environmental
Conservation Law. To this end, this chapter is enacted to.
A. Establish standards and procedures for minimizing
and preventing damage to structures from coastal flooding and erosion
and to protect natural protective features and other natural resources.
B. Regulate in coastal areas subject to coastal flooding
and erosion, land use and development activities so as to minimize
or prevent damage or destruction to man-made property, natural protective
features or other natural resources and to protect human life.
C. Regulate new construction or placement of structures
in order to place them a safe distance from areas of active erosion
and the impacts of coastal storms to ensure that these structures
are not prematurely destroyed or damaged due to improper siting, as
well as to prevent damage to natural protective features and other
natural resources.
D. Restrict public investment in services, facilities
or activities which are likely to encourage new permanent development
in erosion hazard areas.
E. Regulate the construction of erosion protection structures
in coastal areas subject to serious erosion, to assure that when the
construction of erosion protection structures is justified, their
construction and operation will minimize or prevent damage or destruction
to man-made property, private and public property, natural protective
features and other natural resources.
It is hereby determined that the Coastal Erosion
Hazard Area:
A. Is prone to erosion from action of Lake Ontario. Such
erosion may be caused by the action of waves, currents running along
the shore and wind-driven water and ice. Such areas are also prone
to erosion caused by the wind, runoff of rainwater along the surface
of the land or groundwater seepage, as well as by human activities
such as construction, navigation and certain forms of recreation.
B. Experiences coastal erosion which causes extensive
damage to publicly- and privately-owned properties and to natural
resources as well as endangering human lives. When this occurs, individuals
and private businesses suffer significant economic losses, as do the
City of Rochester and the state economies, either directly through
property damage or indirectly through loss of economic return. Large
public expenditures may also be necessitated for the removal of debris
and damaged structures and replacement of essential public facilities
and services.
C. Experiences erosion-related problems that are often
contributed to by man's building without considering the potential
for damage to property, by undertaking activities which destroy natural
protective features such as dunes or vegetation, by building structures
intended for erosion-prevention which may exacerbate erosion conditions
on adjacent or nearby property and by water action produced by wakes
from boats.
D. Is the subject of programs which foster erosion protection
structures, either with private or public funds, which are costly,
often only partially effective over time and may even be harmful to
adjacent or nearby properties. In some instances major erosion protection
structures of great length would be required to effectively reduce
future damages due to erosion.
When used in this chapter, the following terms
shall have the meanings herein ascribed to them, unless the context
clearly requires otherwise:
ADMINISTRATOR
The Commissioner of Neighborhood and Business Development
of the City of Rochester.
[Amended 6-16-2009 by Ord. No. 2009-179]
BEACH
The zone of unconsolidated earth that extends landward from
the mean low water line to the waterward toe of a dune or bluff, whichever
is most waterward. Where no dune or bluff exists landward of a beach,
the landward limit of a beach is 100 feet landward from the place
where there is a marked change in material or physiographic form or
from the line of permanent vegetation, whichever is most waterward.
Shorelands subject to seasonal or more frequent overwash or inundation
are considered to be beaches.
BLUFF
Any bank or cliff with a precipitous or steeply sloped face
adjoining a beach or a body of water. The waterward limit of a bluff
is the landward limit of its waterward natural protective feature.
Where no beach is present, the waterward limit of a bluff is mean
low water. The landward limit is 25 feet landward of the receding
edge or, in those where there is no discernible line of active erosion,
25 feet landward of the point of inflection on the top of the bluff.
(The point of inflection is that point along the top of the bluff
where the trend of the land slope changes to begin its descent to
the shoreline).
COASTAL EROSION HAZARD AREA MAP
The final map and any amendments thereof issued by the Commissioner
of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, which
delineates boundaries of Coastal Erosion Hazard Areas subject to regulation
under this chapter.
COASTLINE and COASTAL WATERS
The lands adjacent to the City of Rochester's coastal waters
are the coastline. Coastal waters are Lake Erie, Lake Ontario, St.
Lawrence River, the Niagara River and the connecting water bodies,
bays, harbors, shallows and marshes.
DEBRIS LINE
A linear accumulation of waterborne debris deposited on a
beach by storm-induced high water or by wave action.
DUNE
A ridge or hill of loose, windblown or artificially placed
earth the principal component of which is sand.
EROSION
The loss or displacement of land along the coastline due
to the action of waves, currents, wind-driven water, waterborne ice
or other impacts of storms. It also means the loss or displacement
of land due to the action of wind, runoff of surface waters or groundwaters
or groundwater seepage.
EROSION HAZARD AREA
An area of the coastline which is a structural hazard area
or a natural protective feature area.
EROSION PROTECTION STRUCTURE
A structure specifically designed to reduce or prevent erosion
such as a groin, jetty, revetment, breakwater or artificial beach
nourishment project.
EXISTING STRUCTURE
A structure and all appurtenances in existence or one where
construction has commenced or one where construction has not begun
but for which a building permit has been issued prior to the effective
date of this chapter.
GRADING
A redistribution of sand or other unconsolidated earth to
effect a change in profile.
MAJOR ADDITION
An addition to a structure resulting in a 25% or greater
increase in the ground area coverage of the structure other than an
erosion protection structure or a pier, dock or wharf. The increase
will be calculated as the ground area coverage to be added, including
any additions previously constructed under a coastal erosion management
permit, divided by the ground area coverage of the existing structure
as defined herein.
MEAN LOW WATER
The approximate average low water level for a given body
of water at a given location, determined by reference to hydrological
information concerning water levels or other appropriate tests.
MOVABLE STRUCTURE
A structure designed and constructed to be readily relocated
with minimum disruption of the intended use. Mobile homes and structures
built on skids or piles and not having a permanent foundation are
examples of movable structures.
NATURAL PROTECTIVE FEATURE AREA
A land and/or water area containing natural protective features,
the alteration of which might reduce or destroy the protection afforded
other lands against erosion or high water or lower the reserve of
sand or other natural materials available to replenish storm losses
through natural processes.
NEARSHORE AREA
Those lands under water beginning at the mean low water line
and extending waterward in a direction perpendicular to the shoreline
to a point where mean low water depth is 15 feet or to a horizontal
distance of 1,000 feet from the mean low water line, whichever is
greater.
NORMAL MAINTENANCE
Periodic replacement or repair of same-kind structural elements
or protective coatings which do not change the size, design or function
of a functioning structure. A functioning structure is one which is
fully performing as originally designed at the time that normal maintenance
is scheduled to begin. Normal maintenance of a structure does not
require a coastal erosion management permit.
PERSON
Any individual, public or private corporation, political
subdivision, government agency, public government district, partnership,
association, firm, trust, estate or any other legal entity whatsoever.
PRIMARY DUNE
The most waterward major dune where there are two or more
parallel lines within a coastal area. Where there is only one dune
present, it is the primary one. Occasionally, one or more relatively
small dune formations exist waterward of the primary dune. These smaller
formations will be considered to be part of the primary dune for the
purposes of this chapter. The waterward limit of a primary dune is
the landward limit of its fronting beach. The landward limit of the
primary dune is 25 feet landward of its landward toe.
RECEDING EDGE
The most landward line of active erosion or, in cases where
there is no discernible line of active erosion, the most waterward
line of permanent vegetation.
RECESSION RATE
The rate, expressed in feet per year, at which an eroding
shoreline moves landward.
REGULATED ACTIVITY
The construction, modification, restoration or placement
of a structure or major addition to a structure or any action or use
of land which materially alters the condition of land, including grading,
excavating, dumping, mining, dredging, filling or other disturbance
of soil.
RESTORATION
The reconstruction without modification of a structure, the
cost of which equals or exceeds 50% of the estimated full replacement
cost of the structure at the time of restoration. Modifications, however,
may be allowed if they do not exceed pre-existing size limits and
are intended to mitigate impacts to natural protective features and
other natural resources.
SECONDARY DUNE
The major dune immediately landward of the primary dune.
The waterward limit of a secondary dune is the landward limit of its
fronting primary dune. The landward limit of a secondary dune is 25
feet landward of its landward toe.
SIGNIFICANT FISH AND WILDLIFE HABITAT
Those habitats which are essential to the survival of a large
portion of a particular fish or wildlife population, support rare
or endangered species, are found at a very low frequency within a
geographic area, support fish or wildlife populations having significant
commercial or recreational value or that would be difficult or impossible
to replace.
STRUCTURE HAZARD AREAS
Those shorelands located landward of natural protective features
and having shorelines receding at a long-term average recession rate
of one foot or more per year. The inland boundary of a structural
hazard area is calculated by starting at the landward limit of the
fronting natural protective feature and measuring along a line perpendicular
to the shoreline a horizontal distance landward which is 40 times
the long-term average annual recession rate.
STRUCTURE
Any object constructed, installed or placed in, on, or under
land or water, including but not limited to a building, permanent
shed, deck, in-ground and aboveground pool, garage, mobile home, road,
public service distribution, transmission or collection system, tanks,
docks, piers, wharf, groins, jetties, sea walls, bulkheads, breakwaters,
revetments, artificial beach nourishment or any addition to or alteration
of the same.
TOE
The lowest surface point on a slope face of a dune or bluff.
UNREGULATED ACTIVITY
Activities which are not regulated by this chapter, including
but not limited to elevated walkways or stairways constructed solely
for pedestrian use and built by an individual property owner for the
limited purpose of providing noncommercial access to the beach; docks,
piers, wharves or structures built on floats, columns, open timber
piles or other similar openwork supports with a top surface area of
less than 200 square feet or which are removed in the fall of each
year; normal beach grooming or cleanup; maintenance of structures
when normal and customary and/or in compliance with an approved maintenance
program; planting vegetation and sand fencing so as to stabilize or
entrap sand in primary dune and secondary dune areas in order to maintain
or increase the height and width of dunes; routine agricultural operations
including cultivation or harvesting, and the implementation of practices
recommended in a soil and water conservation plan as defined in § 3(12)
of the Soil and Water Conservation Districts Law; provided, however,
that agricultural operations and implementation of practices will
not be construed to include any activities that involve the construction
or placement of a structure.
VEGETATION
Plant life capable of surviving and successfully reproducing
in the area or region and which is compatible with the environment
of the Coastal Erosion Hazard Area.