[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Trustees of the Village
of Malone 10-13-2011 by L.L. No. 1-2011. Amendments noted where applicable.]
This chapter will be known as the "Village of Malone Waterfront
Consistency Review Law."
A.
This chapter is adopted under the authority of the Municipal Home
Rule Law and the Waterfront Revitalization of Waterfront areas and
Inland Waterways Act of the State of New York (Article 42 of the Executive
Law).
B.
The purpose of this chapter is to provide a framework for agencies
of the Village of Malone to incorporate the policies and purposes
contained in the Town and Village of Malone Local Waterfront Revitalization
Program (LWRP) when reviewing applications for actions or direct agency
actions within the waterfront area; and to assure that such actions
and direct actions by Village agencies are consistent with the LWRP
policies and purposes.
C.
It is the intention of the Village of Malone that the preservation,
enhancement and utilization of the unique waterfront area of the Village
takes place in a coordinated and comprehensive manner to ensure a
proper balance between protection of natural resources and the need
to accommodate limited population growth and economic development.
Accordingly, this chapter is intended to achieve such a balance, permitting
the beneficial use of coastal resources while preventing loss and
degradation of living coastal resources and wildlife; diminution of
open space areas or public access to the waterfront; disruption of
natural coastal processes; impairment of scenic, cultural or historical
resources; losses due to flooding, erosion and sedimentation; impairment
of water quality; or permanent adverse changes to ecological systems.
D.
The substantive provisions of this chapter shall only apply when
there is in existence a Town and Village of Malone Local Waterfront
Revitalization Program which has been adopted in accordance with Article
42 of the Executive Law of the State of New York.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
Include all the following, except minor actions:
Projects or physical activities, such as construction or any
other activities that may affect natural, man-made or other resources
in the waterfront area or the environment by changing the use, appearance
or condition of any resource or structure, that:
Agency planning and policymaking activities that may affect
the environment and commit the agency to a definite course of future
decisions;
Adoption of agency rules, regulations and procedures, including
local laws, codes, ordinances, executive orders and resolutions that
may affect coastal resources or the environment; and
Any combination of the above.
Any Board, agency, department, office, other body, or officer
of the Village of Malone.
That the action will fully comply with the LWRP policy standards,
conditions and objectives and, whenever practicable, will advance
one or more of them.
Actions planned and proposed for implementation by an agency,
such as, but not limited to a capital project, rule making, procedure
making and policy making.
All conditions, circumstances and influences surrounding
and affecting the development of living organisms or other resources
in the waterfront area.
A form used in determining the environmental significance
or nonsignificance of actions in accordance with the State Environmental
Quality Review Act (SEQRA).
The Local Waterfront Revitalization Program of the Village
of Malone, approved by the Secretary of State pursuant to the Waterfront
Revitalization of Waterfront areas and Inland Waterways Act (Executive
Law, Article 42), a copy of which is on file in the Office of the
Clerk of the Village of Malone.
Include the following actions, which are not subject to review
under this chapter:
Maintenance or repair involving no substantial changes in an
existing structure or facility;
Replacement, rehabilitation or reconstruction of a structure
or facility, in kind, on the same site, including upgrading buildings
to meet building or fire codes, except for structures in areas designated
by the Coastal Erosion Hazard Area (CEHA) law where structures may
not be replaced, rehabilitated or reconstructed without a permit;
Repaving or widening of existing paved highways not involving
the addition of new travel lanes;
Street openings and right-of-way openings for the purpose of
repair or maintenance of existing utility facilities;
Maintenance of existing landscaping or natural growth, except
where threatened or endangered species of plants or animals are affected,
or within Significant Coastal Fish and Wildlife Habitat areas;
Granting of individual setback and lot line variances, except
in relation to a regulated natural feature, a bulkhead or other shoreline
defense structure;
Minor temporary uses of land having negligible or no permanent
impact on coastal resources or the environment;
Installation of traffic control devices on existing streets,
roads and highways;
Mapping of existing roads, streets, highways, natural resources,
land uses and ownership patterns;
Information collection including basic data collection and research,
water quality and pollution studies, traffic counts, engineering studies,
surveys, subsurface investigations and soils studies that do not commit
the agency to undertake, fund or approve any action;
Official acts of a ministerial nature involving no exercise
of discretion, including building where issuance is predicated solely
on the applicant's compliance or noncompliance with the relevant
local building code;
Routine or continuing agency administration and management,
not including new programs or major reordering of priorities that
may affect the environment;
Conducting concurrent environmental, engineering, economic,
feasibility and other studies and preliminary planning and budgetary
processes necessary to the formulation of a proposal for action, provided
those activities do not commit the agency to commence, engage in or
approve such action;
Collective bargaining activities;
Investments by or on behalf of agencies or pension or retirement
systems, or refinancing existing debt;
Inspections and licensing activities relating to the qualifications
of individuals or businesses to engage in their business or profession;
Purchase or sale of furnishings, equipment or supplies, including
surplus government property, other than the following: land, radioactive
material, pesticides, herbicides, storage of road de-icing substances,
or other hazardous materials;
Adoption of regulations, policies, procedures and local legislative
decisions in connection with any action on this list;
Engaging in review of any part of an application to determine
compliance with technical requirements, provided that no such determination
entitles or permits the project sponsor to commence the action unless
and until all requirements of this chapter have been fulfilled;
Civil or criminal enforcement proceedings, whether administrative
or judicial, including a particular course of action specifically
required to be undertaken pursuant to a judgment or order, or the
exercise of prosecutorial discretion;
Adoption of a moratorium on land development or construction;
Interpreting an existing code, rule or regulation;
Designation of local landmarks or their inclusion within historic
districts;
Emergency actions that are immediately necessary on a limited
and temporary basis for the protection or preservation of life, health,
property or natural resources, provided that such actions are directly
related to the emergency and are performed to cause the least change
or disturbance, practicable under the circumstances, to coastal resources
or the environment. Any decision to fund, approve or directly undertake
other activities after the emergency has expired is fully subject
to the review procedures of this chapter;
Local legislative decisions such as rezoning where the Village
Board determines the action will not be approved.
That portion of New York State coastal waters and adjacent
shorelands as defined in Article 42 of the Executive Law which is
located within the boundaries of the Village of Malone, as shown on
the waterfront area map on file in the office of the Secretary of
State and as delineated in the Town and Village of Malone Local Waterfront
Revitalization Program (LWRP).
The form, a sample of which is appended to this chapter,[1] used by an agency to assist in determining the consistency
of an action with the Local Waterfront Revitalization Program.
[1]
Editor's Note: Said form is on file in the Village offices.
A.
The Village of Malone Waterfront Advisory Council (Council) shall
be responsible for coordinating review of actions in the Village's
waterfront area for consistency with the LWRP, and will advise, assist
and make consistency recommendations to other Village agencies in
the implementation of the LWRP, its policies and projects, including
physical, legislative, regulatory, administrative and other actions
included in the program.
B.
The Council shall coordinate with the New York State Department of
State regarding consistency review of actions by federal agencies
and with state agencies regarding consistency review of their actions.
C.
The Council shall assist the Village Board in making applications
for funding from state, federal, or other sources to finance projects
under the LWRP.
D.
The Council shall perform other functions regarding the waterfront
area and direct such actions or projects as the Village Board may
deem appropriate, to implement the LWRP.
A.
Whenever a proposed action is located within the Village's waterfront area, each Village agency shall, prior to approving, funding or undertaking the action, make a determination that it is consistent with the LWRP policy standards summarized in Subsection H herein. No action in the waterfront area shall be approved, funded or undertaken by that agency without such a determination.
B.
Whenever a Village agency receives an application for approval or
funding of an action, or as early as possible in the agency's
formulation of a direct action to be located in the waterfront area,
the agency shall refer a copy of the completed WAF to the Council
within 10 days of its receipt and prior to making its determination,
shall consider the recommendation of the Council with reference to
the consistency of the proposed action. The WAF shall be completed
by the applicant.
C.
After referral from an agency, the Council shall consider whether the proposed action is consistent with the LWRP policy standards set forth in Subsection H herein. The Council shall require the applicant to submit all completed applications, WAFs, EAFs, and any other information deemed necessary to its consistency recommendation.
(1)
The Council shall render its written recommendation to the agency
within 60 days following referral of the WAF from the agency, unless
extended by mutual agreement of the Council and the applicant or in
the case of a direct action, the agency. The Council's recommendation
shall indicate whether the proposed action is consistent with or inconsistent
with one or more of the LWRP policy standards and shall elaborate
in writing the basis for its opinion. The Council shall, along with
a consistency recommendation, make any suggestions to the agency concerning
modification of the proposed action, including the imposition of conditions,
to make it consistent with LWRP policy standards or to greater advance
them.
(2)
In the event that the Council's recommendation is not forthcoming
within the specified time, the agency shall make its consistency decision
without the benefit of the Council's recommendation.
D.
If an action requires approval of more than one Village agency, decisionmaking
will be coordinated between the agencies to determine which agency
will conduct the final consistency review, and that agency will thereafter
act as designated consistency review agency for the specific action
being reviewed. Only one WAF per action will be prepared. If the agencies
cannot agree, the Village Board shall designate the consistency review
agency.
E.
Upon receipt of the Council's recommendation, the agency shall consider whether the proposed action is consistent with the LWRP policy standards summarized in Subsection H herein. The agency shall consider the consistency recommendation of the Council, the WAF and other relevant information in making its written determination of consistency. No approval or decision shall be rendered for an action in the waterfront area without a written determination of consistency having first been rendered by a Village agency.
(1)
The Zoning Board of Appeals is the designated agency for the determination
of consistency for variance applications subject to this chapter.
The Zoning Board of Appeals shall consider the written consistency
recommendation of the Council in the event and at the time it makes
a decision to grant such a variance and shall impose appropriate conditions
on the variance to make the activity consistent with the objectives
of this chapter.
F.
Where an EIS is being prepared or required, the draft EIS must identify applicable LWRP policies standards in Subsection H and include a thorough discussion of the effects of the proposed action on such policy standards.
G.
In the event the Council's recommendation is that the action
is inconsistent with the LWRP, and the agency makes a contrary determination
of consistency, the agency shall elaborate in writing the basis for
its disagreement with the recommendation and state the manner and
extent to which the action is consistent with the LWRP policy standards.
H.
Actions to be undertaken within the waterfront area shall be evaluated
for consistency in accordance with the following summary of LWRP policy
standards, which are derived from and further explained and described
in Section III (Policies) of the Village of Malone LWRP, a copy of
which is on file in the Village Clerk's office and available
for inspection during normal business hours. Agencies which undertake
direct actions must also consult with Section IV (Proposed Uses and
Projects), in making their consistency determination. The action must
be consistent with the policies to:
(1)
Foster a pattern of development in the waterfront area that enhances
the community character, preserves open space, makes efficient use
of infrastructure, makes beneficial use of a waterfront location and
minimizes adverse effects of development. (Policy 1)
(2)
Preserve historic resources of the waterfront area. (Policy 2)
(3)
Enhance visual quality and protect scenic resources throughout the
waterfront area. (Policy 3)
(4)
Minimize loss of life, structure and natural resources from flooding
and erosion. (Policy 4)
(5)
Protect and improve water quality and supply. (Policy 5)
(6)
Protect and restore the quality and function of the ecosystem. (Policy
6)
(7)
Protect and improve air quality in the waterfront area. (Policy 7)
(8)
Minimize environmental degradation in the waterfront area from solid
waste and hazardous substances and wastes. (Policy 8)
(9)
Provide for public access to, and recreational use of the waterway,
public lands, and public resources of the waterfront. (Policy 9)
(10)
Protect water-dependent uses and promote the siting of new water-dependent
uses in suitable locations. (Policy 10)
(11)
Promote sustainable use of living freshwater resources. (Policy 11)
(12)
Protect agricultural lands. (Policy 12)
(13)
Promote appropriate use and development of energy and mineral resources.
(Policy 13)
I.
The Village shall maintain a file for each action made the subject
of a consistency determination, including any recommendations received
from the Planning Board. Such files shall be made available for public
inspection upon request. The duration for retention should follow
standards for New York State records retention.
No action within the Malone waterfront area which is subject
to review under this chapter shall proceed until a written determination
has been issued from a Village agency that the action is consistent
with the Village's LWRP policy standards. In the event that an
activity is being performed in violation of this chapter or any conditions
imposed thereunder, the Village Attorney, Code Enforcement Officer,
or any other authorized official of the Village shall issue a stop-work
order and all work shall immediately cease. No further work or activity
shall be undertaken on the project so long as a stop-work order is
in effect. The Village Attorney and the Code Enforcement Officer shall
be responsible for enforcing this chapter.
A.
A person who violates any of the provisions of, or who fails to comply
with any condition imposed by, this chapter shall have committed a
violation, punishable by a fine not exceeding $250 for a conviction
of a first offense and punishable by a fine of $500 for a conviction
of a second or subsequent offense. For the purpose of conferring jurisdiction
upon courts and judicial officers, each week of continuing violation
shall constitute a separate additional violation.
B.
The Village Attorney or any other party authorized by the Village
is directed to institute any and all actions and proceedings necessary
to enforce this chapter. Any civil penalty shall be in addition to
and not in lieu of any criminal prosecution and penalty.
The provisions of this chapter are severable. If any provision
of this chapter is found invalid, such finding shall not affect the
validity of this chapter as a whole or any part or provision hereof
other than the provision so found to be invalid.
This chapter shall take effect immediately upon its filing in
the office of the Secretary of State in accordance with Section 27
of the Municipal Home Rule Law.
