[Added 12-7-2006 by L.L. No. 4-2006]
[Amended 8-1-2019]
In addition to this article, all development activities must comply with other applicable state and federal laws, including NYS SPDES General Permit.
A. 
Findings of fact. It is hereby determined that:
(1) 
Land development activities and associated increases in site impervious cover often alter the hydrologic response of local watersheds and increase stormwater runoff rates and volumes, flooding, stream channel erosion, or sediment transport and deposition;
(2) 
This stormwater runoff contributes to increased quantities of water-borne pollutants, including siltation of aquatic habitat for fish and other desirable species;
(3) 
Clearing and grading during construction tend to increase soil erosion and add to the loss of native vegetation necessary for terrestrial and aquatic habitat;
(4) 
Improper design and construction of stormwater management practices can increase the velocity of stormwater runoff, thereby increasing stream bank erosion and sedimentation;
(5) 
Impervious surfaces allow less water to percolate into the soil, thereby decreasing groundwater recharge and stream base flow;
(6) 
Substantial economic losses can result from these adverse impacts on the waters of the municipality;
(7) 
Stormwater runoff, soil erosion and nonpoint source pollution can be controlled and minimized through the regulation of stormwater runoff from land development activities;
(8) 
The regulation of stormwater runoff discharges from land development activities in order to control and minimize increases in stormwater runoff rates and volumes, soil erosion, stream channel erosion, and nonpoint source pollution associated with stormwater runoff is in the public interest and will minimize threats to public health and safety.
(9) 
Regulation of land development activities by means of performance standards governing stormwater management and site design will produce development compatible with the natural functions of a particular site or an entire watershed and thereby mitigate the adverse effects of erosion and sedimentation from development.
B. 
Purpose. The purpose of this article is to establish minimum stormwater management requirements and controls to protect and safeguard the general health, safety, and welfare of the public residing within this jurisdiction and to address the findings of fact in this section. This article seeks to meet those purposes by achieving the following objectives:
(1) 
Meet the requirements of minimum measures 4 and 5 of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) State Pollution Discharge Elimination System (SPDES) General Permit for Stormwater Discharges from Municipal Separate Stormwater Sewer Systems (MS4s) Permit, or as amended or revised;
(2) 
Require land development activities to conform to the substantive requirements of the NYS SPDES General Permit for Construction Activities General Permit, 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.
C. 
Statutory authority. In accordance with § 10 of the Municipal Home Rule Law of the State of New York, the Town Board of the Town of Wilton has the authority to enact local laws and amend local laws and for the purpose of promoting the health, safety or general welfare of the Town of Wilton and for the protection and enhancement of its physical environment. The Town of Wilton may include in any such local law provisions for the appointment of any municipal officer, employees, or independent contractor to effectuate, administer and enforce such local law.
D. 
Applicability.
(1) 
This article shall be applicable to all land development activities as defined in this chapter.
(2) 
The municipality shall designate a Stormwater Management Officer who shall accept and review all stormwater pollution prevention plans and forward such plans to the applicable municipal board. The Stormwater Management Officer may:
(a) 
Review the plans;
(b) 
Upon approval by the Town Board of the Town of Wilton, engage the services of a registered professional engineer (PE), registered landscape architect (RLA), or certified professional in erosion and sediment control (CPESC) to review the plans, specifications and related documents at a cost not to exceed a fee schedule established by said governing board; or
(c) 
Accept the certification of a PE or RLA that the plans conform to the requirements of this article.
(3) 
All land development activities subject to review and approval by the Town Board, or other designated Board, of the Town of Wilton under subdivision, site plan, and/or special use permit regulations shall be reviewed subject to the standards contained in this article.
(4) 
All land development activities not subject to review as stated in Subsection D(3) shall be required to submit a stormwater pollution prevention plan (SWPPP) to the Stormwater Management Officer, who shall approve the SWPPP if it complies with the requirements of this article.
E. 
Exemptions. The following activities may be exempt from review under this article:
(1) 
Agricultural activity as defined in this chapter.
(2) 
Silvicultural activity.
(3) 
Routine maintenance activities that disturb less than five acres and are performed to maintain the original line and grade, hydraulic capacity or original purpose of a facility, including road maintenance that does not disturb the soil, such as repaving.
(4) 
Repairs to any stormwater management practice or facility deemed necessary by the Stormwater Management Officer.
(5) 
Any part of a subdivision if a plat for the subdivision has been approved by the Town of Wilton on or before the effective date of this article, but is still subject to the regulations set forth in SPDES General Permit.
(6) 
Land development activities for which a building permit has been approved on or before the effective date of this article.
(7) 
Individual cemetery graves.
(8) 
Installation of fence, sign, telephone, and electric poles and other kinds of posts or poles.
(9) 
Emergency activity immediately necessary to protect life, property or natural resources.
(10) 
Activities of an individual engaging in home gardening by growing flowers, vegetable and other plants primarily for use by that person and his or her family.
(11) 
Landscaping and horticultural activities in connection with an existing structure.
A. 
Stormwater pollution prevention plan requirement. No application for approval of a land development activity shall be reviewed until the appropriate board has received a stormwater pollution prevention plan (SWPPP) prepared in accordance with the specifications in this article. (See § 129-205E, Exemptions.)
B. 
Contents of stormwater pollution prevention plans.
(1) 
All SWPPPs shall provide the following background information and erosion and sediment controls:
(a) 
Background information about the scope of the project, including location, type and size of project;
(b) 
Site map/construction drawing(s) for the project, including a general location map at a scale that shows the relationship of the site to water resources. At a minimum, the site map should show the total site area; all improvements; areas of disturbance; areas that will not be disturbed; existing vegetation; on-site and adjacent off-site surface water(s); wetlands and drainage patterns that could be affected by the construction activity; existing and final slopes; locations of off-site material, waste, borrow or equipment storage areas; and location(s) of the stormwater discharges(s); site maps shall be at a scale no smaller than one inch equals 50 feet;
(c) 
Description of the soil(s) present at the site;
(d) 
Construction phasing plan describing the intended sequence of construction activities, including clearing and grubbing, excavation and grading, utility and infrastructure installation and any other activity at the site that results in soil disturbance, and the total disturbed acreage of each phase. A site plan shall be at a scale that shows sufficient detail to illustrate the project phasing. Consistent with the New York Standards and Specifications for Erosion and Sediment Control, not more than five acres shall be disturbed at any one time unless approved by the NYSDEC Regional Office pursuant to GP-02-01 and pursuant to an approved site plan;
(e) 
Description of the pollution prevention measures that will be used to control litter, construction chemicals and construction debris from becoming a pollutant source in stormwater runoff;
(f) 
Description of construction and waste materials expected to be stored on site with updates as appropriate, and a description of controls to reduce pollutants from these materials, including storage practices to minimize exposure of the materials to stormwater, and spill prevention and response;
(g) 
Temporary and permanent structural and vegetative measures to be used for soil stabilization, runoff control and sediment control for each stage of the project, from initial land clearing and grubbing to project closeout;
(h) 
A site map/construction drawing(s) specifying the location(s), size(s) and length(s) of each erosion and sediment control practice;
(i) 
Dimensions, material specifications and installation details for all erosion and sediment control practices, including the siting and sizing of any temporary sediment basins according to the NY Standards and Specifications for Erosion and Sediment Control;
(j) 
Temporary practices that will be converted to permanent control measures;
(k) 
Implementation schedule for staging temporary erosion and sediment control practices, including the timing of initial placement and duration that each practice should remain in place;
(l) 
Maintenance schedule to ensure continuous and effective operation of the erosion and sediment control practice;
(m) 
Name(s) of the receiving water(s);
(n) 
Delineation of SWPPP implementation responsibilities for each part of the site;
(o) 
Description of structural practices designed to divert flows from exposed soils, store flows, or otherwise limit runoff and the discharge of pollutants from exposed areas of the site to the degree attainable; and
(p) 
Any existing data that describes the stormwater runoff at the site.
(2) 
Land development activities as defined in this article and meeting Condition A, B, or C below shall also include water quantity and water quality controls (postconstruction stormwater runoff controls) as set forth in Subsection B(3) below, as applicable:
(a) 
Condition A: stormwater runoff from land development activities discharging a pollutant of concern to either an impaired water identified on the Department's 303(d) list of impaired waters or a total maximum daily load (TMDL) designated watershed for which pollutants in stormwater have been identified as a source of the impairment.
(b) 
Condition B: stormwater runoff from land development activities disturbing five or more acres.
(c) 
Condition C: stormwater runoff from land development activity disturbing between one and five acres of land during the course of the project, exclusive of the construction of single-family residences and construction activities at agricultural properties.
(3) 
SWPPP requirements for Conditions A, B, and C:
(a) 
All information in § 129-206B(1) of this article;
(b) 
Description of each postconstruction stormwater management practice;
(c) 
Site map/construction drawing(s) showing the specific location(s) and size(s) of each postconstruction stormwater management practice;
(d) 
Hydrologic and hydraulic analysis for all structural components of the stormwater management system for the water quality volume, stream channel protection volume, overbank flood control, and extreme flood control storm events as defined in this article;
(e) 
Comparison of postdevelopment stormwater runoff conditions with predevelopment conditions;
(f) 
Dimensions, material specifications and installation details for each postconstruction stormwater management practice;
(g) 
Maintenance schedule to ensure continuous and effective operation of each postconstruction stormwater management practice;
(h) 
In any case where the Town of Wilton will not take ownership of the stormwater facility, maintenance easements to ensure access to all stormwater management practices at the site for the purpose of inspection and repair. Easements shall be recorded on the plan and shall remain in effect with transfer of title to the property;
(i) 
Inspection and maintenance agreement binding on all subsequent landowners served by the on-site stormwater management measures in accordance with § 129-208 of this article.
C. 
Plan certification. The SWPPP shall be prepared by a RLA, CPESC or PE and must be signed by the professional preparing the plan, who shall certify that the design of all stormwater management practices meet the requirements in this article.
D. 
Other environmental permits. The applicant shall assure that all other applicable environmental permits have been or will be acquired for the land development activity prior to approval of the final stormwater design plan.
E. 
Contractor certification.
(1) 
Each contractor and subcontractor identified in the SWPPP who will be involved in soil disturbance and/or stormwater management practice installation shall sign and date a copy of the following certification statement before undertaking any land development activity: "I certify under penalty of law that I understand and agree to comply with the terms and conditions of the stormwater pollution prevention plan. I also understand that it is unlawful for any person to cause or contribute to a violation of water quality standards."
(2) 
The certification must include the name and title of the person providing the signature, address and telephone number of the contracting firm; the address (or other identifying description) of the site; and the date the certification is made.
(3) 
The certification statement(s) shall become part of the SWPPP for the land development activity.
F. 
A copy of the SWPPP shall be retained at the site of the land development activity during construction from the date of initiation of construction activities to the date of final stabilization.
All land development activities shall be subject to the following performance and design criteria:
A. 
Technical standards. For the purpose of this article, the following documents shall serve as the official guides and specifications for stormwater management. Stormwater management practices that are designed and constructed in accordance with these technical documents shall be presumed to meet the standards imposed by this article:
(1) 
The New York State Stormwater Management Design Manual (New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, most current version or its successor, hereafter referred to as the "Design Manual").
(2) 
New York Standards and Specifications for Erosion and Sediment Control, (Empire State Chapter of the Soil and Water Conservation Society, August 2004, most current version or its successor, hereafter referred to as the "Erosion Control Manual").
B. 
Water quality standards. Any land development activity shall not cause an increase in turbidity that will result in substantial visible contrast to natural conditions in surface waters of the State of New York.
A. 
Maintenance during construction.
(1) 
The applicant or developer of the land development activity shall at all times properly operate and maintain all facilities and systems of treatment and control (and related appurtenances) which are installed or used by the applicant or developer to achieve compliance with the conditions of this article. Sediment shall be removed from sediment traps or sediment ponds whenever their design capacity has been reduced by 50%.
(2) 
The applicant or developer or their representative shall be on site at all times when construction or grading activity takes place and shall inspect and document the effectiveness of all erosion and sediment control practices. Inspection reports shall be completed every seven days and within 24 hours of any storm event producing 0.5 inch of precipitation or more. Quarterly reports must also be prepared. The quarterly reports shall be delivered to the Stormwater Management Officer. All inspection reports and quarterly reports shall be copied to the site logbook.
B. 
Stormwater management facility ownership. Proposed or future stormwater management facilities shall be dedicated to the Town of Wilton, or its designee, provided such facilities meet all the requirements of this article and § 109-35 of this Code and include adequate and perpetual access and sufficient area, by fee simple methods for stormwater management areas, and through dedication of roads, for inspection and regular maintenance.
C. 
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 article. 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 article.
(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 in accordance with § 129-207B.
D. 
Maintenance agreements. In such a case where the Town of Wilton shall not be the owner of stormwater management facilities, the following shall apply. The Town of Wilton 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 attached schedule, entitled "Sample Stormwater Control Facility Maintenance Agreement."[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Said schedule is included at the end of this chapter.
A. 
Severability. If the provisions of any section, subsection, paragraph, subdivision or clause of this article shall be judged invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, such order of judgment shall not affect or invalidate the remainder of any section, subsection, paragraph, subdivision or clause of this article.
B. 
Effective date. This article shall be effective upon filing with the office of the Secretary of State.
A. 
Construction inspection.
(1) 
Erosion and sediment control inspection.
(a) 
The Town of Wilton Stormwater Management Officer may require such inspections as necessary to determine compliance with this article and may either approve that portion of the work completed or notify the applicant wherein the work fails to comply with the requirements of this article and the stormwater pollution prevention plan (SWPPP) as approved. To obtain inspections, the applicant shall notify the Town of Wilton enforcement official at least 48 hours before any of the following as required by the Stormwater Management Officer:
[1] 
Start of construction;
[2] 
Installation of sediment and erosion control measures;
[3] 
Completion of site clearing;
[4] 
Completion of rough grading;
[5] 
Completion of final grading;
[6] 
Close of the construction season;
[7] 
Completion of final landscaping;
[8] 
Successful establishment of landscaping in public areas.
(b) 
If any violations are found, the applicant and developer shall be notified in writing of the nature of the violation and the required corrective actions. No further work shall be conducted except for site stabilization until any violations are corrected and all work previously completed has received approval by the Stormwater Management Officer.
(2) 
Stormwater management practice inspections. The Town of Wilton Stormwater Management Officer, or a designated qualified consultant (must be a PE, RLA, or CPESC), 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 PE or RLA.
(3) 
Inspection of stormwater facilities after project completion. In cases where the Town of Wilton shall not be the owner of stormwater management facilities, the following shall apply. 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. Inspections may be performed by local government staff, or the local government may designate an inspector required to be a PE, RLA, or CPESC. The designated inspector is required to submit a report of his or her findings to the local government.
(4) 
Submission of reports. The Town of Wilton Stormwater Management Officer may require monitoring and reporting from entities subject to this article as are necessary to determine compliance with this article.
(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 Wilton 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).
B. 
Performance guarantee.
(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 Wilton in its approval of the stormwater pollution prevention plan, the Town of Wilton will require the applicant or developer to provide, prior to construction, the relevant fee per stormwater management area as stated in § 63-15E of the Town of Wilton Code.
[Amended 7-3-2008]
(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 Wilton 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 Wilton may draw upon the account to cover the costs of proper operation and maintenance, including engineering and inspection costs.
(3) 
Recordkeeping. The Town of Wilton may require entities subject to this article to maintain records demonstrating compliance with this article.
C. 
Enforcement and penalties.
(1) 
Notice of violation. When the Town of Wilton determines that a land development activity is not being carried out in accordance with the requirements of this article, 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 article 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 Wilton may issue a stop-work order for violations of this article. 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 Wilton 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 article.
(3) 
Violations. Any land development activity that is commenced or is conducted contrary to this article 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 article shall be guilty of a violation punishable by a fine not exceeding $350 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 $700 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 than $1,000 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 article 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 article, the Stormwater Management Officer 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 Wilton may take necessary corrective action, the cost of which shall become a lien upon the property until paid.
D. 
Fees for services. The Town of Wilton may require any person undertaking land development activities regulated by this article to pay reasonable costs at prevailing rates for review of SWPPPs, inspections, or SMP maintenance performed by the Town of Wilton or performed by a third party for the Town of Wilton. See Chapter 63 of the Town of Wilton Code for the current fee schedule.