Town of Islip

The Town of Islip enacted a Stormwater Ordinance to establish minimum stormwater management requirements and controls to protect and safeguard the general health, safety, and welfare of the public residing within the Town. The ordinance seeks to meet those purposes by achieving the following objectives:

1. Meet the requirements of minimum measures 4 and 5 of the SPDES General Permit for Stormwater Discharges from Municipal Separate Stormwater Sewer Systems (MS4s), Permit No. GP-02-02 or as amended or revised;
2. Require land development activities to conform to the substantive requirements of the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation State Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (SPDES) General Permit for Construction Activities GP-02-01 or as amended or revised;
3. 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;
4. Minimize increases in pollution caused by stormwater runoff from land development activities which would otherwise degrade local water quality;
5. Minimize the total annual volume of stormwater runoff which flows from any specific site during and following development to the maximum extent practicable; and
6. 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.

STORMWATER ORDINANCE

(2) Stormwater management practice inspections. The Town Engineer is responsible for conducting inspections of stormwater management practices (SMPs). All applicants are required to submit “as built” plans for any stormwater management practices located on-site after final construction is completed. The plan must show the final design specifications for all stormwater management facilities and must be certified by a professional engineer.

(3) Inspection of stormwater facilities after project completion. Inspection programs shall be established 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.

(4) Submission of reports. The Town Engineer may require monitoring and reporting from entities subject to this law as are necessary to determine compliance with this law.

(5) Right-of-entry for inspection. When any new stormwater management facility is installed on private property or when any new connection is made between private property and the public stormwater system, the landowner shall grant to the Town of Islip the right to enter the property at reasonable times and in a reasonable manner for the purpose of inspection as specified in Subsection A(3), Inspection of stormwater facilities after project completion above.

Performance guarantees.

(1) Construction completion guarantee. In order to ensure the full and faithful completion of all land development activities related to compliance with all conditions set forth by the Town of Islip in its approval of the stormwater pollution prevention plan, the Town of Islip may require the applicant or developer to provide, prior to construction, a performance bond, cash escrow, or irrevocable letter of credit from an appropriate financial or surety institution which guarantees satisfactory completion of the project and names the Town of Islip as the beneficiary. The security shall be in an amount to be determined by the Town of Islip based on submission of final design plans, with reference to actual construction and landscaping costs. The performance guarantee shall remain in force until the surety is released from liability by the Town of Islip, provided that such period shall not be less than one year from the date of final acceptance or such other certification that the facility(ies) has(have) been constructed in accordance with the approved plans and specifications and that a one-year inspection has been conducted and the facilities have been found to be acceptable to the Town of Islip. Per-annum interest on cash escrow deposits shall be reinvested in the account until the surety is released from liability.

(2) Maintenance guarantee. Where stormwater management and erosion and sediment control facilities are to be operated and maintained by the developer or by a corporation that owns or manages a commercial or industrial facility, the developer, prior to construction, may be required to provide the Town of Islip with an irrevocable letter of credit from an approved financial institution or surety to ensure proper operation and maintenance of all stormwater management and erosion control facilities, both during and after construction and until the facilities are removed from operation. If the developer or landowner fails to properly operate and maintain stormwater management and erosion and sediment control facilities, the Town of Islip may draw upon the account to cover the costs of proper operation and maintenance, including engineering and inspection costs.

(3) Recordkeeping. The Town of Islip may require entities subject to this law to maintain records demonstrating compliance with this law.

Enforcement and penalties.

(1) Notice of violation. When the Town of Islip determines that a land development activity is not being carried out in accordance with the requirements of this local law, it may issue a written notice of violation to the landowner. The notice of violation shall contain:

(a) The name and address of the landowner, developer or applicant;

(b) The address, when available, or a description of the building, structure or land upon which the violation is occurring;

(c) A statement specifying the nature of the violation;

(d) A description of the remedial measures necessary to bring the land development activity into compliance with this local law and a time schedule for the completion of such remedial action;

(e) A statement of the penalty or penalties that shall or may be assessed against the person to whom the notice of violation is directed;

(f) A statement that the determination of violation may be appealed to the municipality by filing a written notice of appeal within 15 days of service of notice of violation.

(2) Stop-work orders. The Town of Islip may issue a stop-work order for violations of this law. Persons receiving a stop-work order shall be required to halt all land development activities, except those activities that address the violations leading to the stop-work order. The stop-work order shall be in effect until the Town of Islip confirms that the land development activity is in compliance and the violation has been satisfactorily addressed. Failure to address a stop-work order in a timely manner may result in civil, criminal, or monetary penalties in accordance with the enforcement measures authorized in this local law.

(3) Violations. Any land development activity that is commenced or is conducted contrary to this local law may be restrained by injunction or otherwise abated in a manner provided by law.

(4) Penalties. In addition to or as an alternative to any penalty provided herein or by law, any person who violates the provisions of this local law shall be guilty of a violation punishable by a fine not exceeding $1,000 or imprisonment for a period not to exceed six months, or both for conviction of a first offense; for conviction of a second offense, both of which were committed within a period of five years, punishable by a fine not less than $350 nor more than $2,000 or imprisonment for a period not to exceed six months, or both; and upon conviction for a third or subsequent offense, all of which were committed within a period of five years, punishable by a fine not less than $700 nor more $5,000 or imprisonment for a period not to exceed six months, or both. However, for the purposes of conferring jurisdiction upon courts and judicial officers generally, violations of this local law shall be deemed misdemeanors and for such purpose only all provisions of law relating to misdemeanors shall apply to such violations. Each week’s continued violation shall constitute a separate additional violation.

(5) Withholding of certificate of occupancy. If any building or land development activity is installed or conducted in violation of this local law, the Town Engineer may prevent the occupancy of said building or land.

(6) Restoration of lands. Any violator may be required to restore land to its undisturbed condition. In the event that restoration is not undertaken within a reasonable time after notice, the Town of Islip may take necessary corrective action, the cost of which shall become a lien upon the property until paid.

Links:

Islip Stormwater Ordinance