City of Syracuse

The City of Syracuse, New York has enacted stormwater management and erosion & sediment control ordinances in order to comply with state and federal regulations, to establish minimum stormwater management requirements and controls and to protect and safeguard the general health, safety, and welfare of the public residing within the City’s jurisdiction. The ordinances will minimize increases in stormwater runoff from land development activities in order to reduce flooding, siltation, increases in stream temperature, and streambank erosion and maintain the integrity of stream channels. The ordinances also aim to minimize increases in pollution caused by stormwater runoff from land development activities which would otherwise degrade local water, minimize the total annual volume of stormwater runoff which flows from any specific site during and following development to the maximum extent practicable, and reduce stormwater runoff rates and volumes, soil erosion and nonpoint source pollution, wherever possible, through stormwater management practices and to ensure that these management practices are properly maintained and eliminate threats to public safety.

Maintenance Easement(s)

Prior to the issuance of any approval that has a stormwater management facility as one of the requirements, the applicant or developer must execute a maintenance easement agreement that shall be binding on all subsequent landowners served by the stormwater management facility. The easement shall provide for access to the facility at reasonable times for periodic inspection by the City of Syracuse to ensure that the facility is maintained in proper working condition to meet design standards and any other provisions established by this Chapter. The easement shall be recorded by the grantor in the office of the County Clerk after approval by the Corporation Counsel.

Maintenance After Construction

The owner or operator of permanent stormwater management practices installed in accordance with this article shall be operated and maintained to achieve the goals of this Chapter. Proper operation and maintenance also includes as a minimum, the following:

1. A preventive/corrective maintenance program for all critical facilities and systems of treatment and control (or related appurtenances) which are installed or used by the owner or operator to achieve the goals of this Chapter.
2. Written procedures for operation and maintenance and training new maintenance personnel.
3. Discharges from the SMPs shall not exceed design criteria or cause or contribute to water quality standard violations.

Maintenance Agreement

The City of Syracuse shall approve a formal maintenance agreement for stormwater management facilities binding on all subsequent landowners and recorded in the office of the County Clerk as a deed restriction on the property prior to final plan approval. The maintenance agreement shall be consistent with the terms and conditions of the section of this ordinance entitled Sample Stormwater Control Facility Maintenance Agreement.

Inspection Review and Enforcement

After completion of the project inspection programs shall be established to be performed either by the City of by an independent inspector holding either a professional engineer’s license or a certificate as a Certified Professional in Erosion and Sediment Control, retained by the permit holder, on any reasonable basis, including but not limited to: routine inspections; random inspections; inspections based upon complaints or other notice of possible violations; inspection of drainage basins or areas identified as higher than typical sources of sediment or other contaminants or pollutants; inspections of businesses or industries of a type associated with higher than usual discharges of contaminants or pollutants or with discharges of a type which are more likely than the typical discharge to cause violations of state or federal water or sediment quality standards or the SPDES stormwater permit; and joint inspections with other agencies inspecting under environmental or safety laws. Inspections may include, but are not limited to: reviewing maintenance and repair records; sampling discharges, surface water, groundwater, and material or water in drainage control facilities; and evaluating the condition of drainage control facilities and other stormwater management practices. Reports of said inspections shall be submitted to the City.

LINK:

Syracuse Stormwater Management and Erosion and Sediment Control

Syracuse Stormwater Management BMP Facilities Maintenance Agreement