[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Board of the Town of Greenburgh 3-27-1991 by L.L. No. 15-1991. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Flood damage prevention — See Ch. 220.
Wetlands and watercoursess — See Ch. 280.
Public Works Department — See Ch. 620.
The purpose of this chapter is to regulate the construction of drains, culverts, pipes, ditches, sluices and other channels for the passage of water, to regulate the filling, diverting or other altering of existing streams and watercourses and to remedy those conditions presently existing which constitute a flood hazard, in order to protect the property within the Town from floods, freshets and high waters.
The following words and terms used in this chapter shall have the meanings indicated:
FLOW
The natural or artificial flow, intensity or quality of flow of waters or drainage.
OBSTRUCTION
Any dams, diversions, construction of any kind, deposits of debris, fill, sand, stone or other material of any kind.
WATERCOURSE
Any stream flowing in a defined bed or channel, with banks and sides, not necessarily running all of the time, but fed from other and more permanent sources than mere surface water, any ditch, culvert, pipe, sluices, drainage system or other channel for the passage of water.
No person, firm or corporation shall do any of the following without first having obtained a permit from the Department of Public Works:
A. 
Place, deposit or permit to be placed or deposited any obstruction into any watercourse.
B. 
Construct or place any ditch, pipe, culvert or artificial watercourse of any kind or nature which shall collect and direct the flow of natural surface waters or drainage from paved surfaces, structures, roads or improvements, directly into any watercourse.
C. 
Obstruct or otherwise change or alter the flow through any watercourse.
A. 
Each application for a permit shall be made to the Commissioner of Public Works on forms supplied by him and shall include but not be limited to the following:
(1) 
The name and address of the applicant.
(2) 
The name and address of the property owner.
(3) 
Runoff computations using the Rational Method.
(4) 
The upstream watershed area.
(5) 
A rainfall intensity of not less than a ten-year return frequency.
(6) 
Appropriate coefficients to determine the size of any channel sections, pipes or waterway openings associated with such proposed diversion or filling.
B. 
A survey and site plan prepared by a licensed engineer, along with topographical information, shall accompany the application and shall be given to the Town Engineer for review. In certain cases, however, the Town Engineer may waive this requirement when the proposed construction or alteration does not significantly affect an existing watercourse.
C. 
Any proposal for obstructing a watercourse shall include plans for any bridges, culverts, stormwater or pipe drains of any nature or description which may be required to be constructed.
D. 
For each application submitted, the applicant shall pay an application fee to be set by the Town Board by resolution.
A. 
Notice of an existing obstruction or other alteration of the flow through, across or to any watercourse which causes the inundation of real property, buildings or other premises or, in the opinion of the Commissioner, constitutes an undue burden upon the drainage system or hampers the proper present or future course of development of the drainage system or constitutes or in the reasonably foreseeable future will constitute a danger or hazard to the well-being, safety or general welfare of the residents of the Town or any property located therein shall be served on the owner or someone of the owner's executors, legal representatives, agents, lessees or any other person having a vested or contingent interest in the property on which the obstruction or other alteration of the flow is situated, either personally or by certified mail sent to the last known address of the owner or someone of the owner's executors, legal representatives, agents, lessees or any other person having a vested interest in the same. Said notice shall contain a statement describing the obstruction or other alteration and an order requiring the same to be removed or corrected. If service is made by certified mail, a copy of the notice shall be posted on the premises. The notice shall provide for the removal or correction of the obstruction or other alteration within 14 days after receipt of the notice, subject to appeal to the Town Board within said 14 days.
B. 
In the event that the owner or someone of the owner's executors, legal representatives, agents, lessees or any other person having a vested or contingent interest in the property fails or refuses to remove or correct the obstruction or other alteration, the Town Board may remove the obstruction or other alteration after holding a hearing. Notice of the hearing shall be served on the owner or someone of the owner's executors, legal representatives, agents, lessees or any other person having a vested or contingent interest in the property either personally or by certified mail. If service is made by certified mail, a copy of the notice shall be posted on the premises.
C. 
The costs and expenses incurred by the Town in connection with the proceedings set forth in this chapter, including the cost of actually removing or correcting said obstruction or other alteration, shall be assessed against the land on which the obstruction or other alteration is located in addition to any penalties which may be levied as provided in § 270-6 below.
D. 
Exceptions.
(1) 
The provisions of §§ 270-3 and 270-5 of this chapter shall not apply to work done pursuant to the authority of an agency of the Town, the County of Westchester, the State of New York or the United States of America.
(2) 
The provisions of § 270-4 of this chapter shall not apply to any person, firm or corporation authorized pursuant to an approved and filed subdivision map, building permit or special permit carrying site development plan approval of the Town Engineer, Planning Board or Building Inspector.
A. 
Any violation of the provisions of this chapter shall, upon conviction, be punishable by a fine of not more than $500 and/or imprisonment not to exceed three months. Each day the violation continues shall constitute a separate offense.
B. 
A second and subsequent conviction for the same offense shall be punishable by a fine of not more than $1,000 and/or imprisonment not to exceed six months. Each day the violation continues shall constitute a separate offense.