Environmental Rules in Clay, NY (2026)
5 verified environmental rules for Clay, New York, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Stormwater Management
The Town of Clay bars discharging anything but stormwater into its municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4) under Town Code § 186-6A, adopted by Local Law No. 1-2008 to meet the state's SPDES stormwater permit for the town's drains, catch basins and ditches.
Clay, NY Stormwater Discharge Rules
Some RestrictionsTown of Clay Code § 186-6A
A. Prohibition of illegal discharges. No person shall discharge or cause to be discharged into the MS4 any materials other than stormwater except as provided in § 186-6A(1). The commencement, conduct or continuance of any illegal discharge to the MS4 is prohibited, except as described as follows:
Erosion Control
The Town of Clay regulates erosion and sediment control through Code Section 230-20D, added in 2008 to implement the state's SPDES stormwater permits. Any land development activity disturbing an acre or more, or a smaller phase of a larger common plan, must have a stormwater pollution prevention plan (SWPPP) reviewed by the Stormwater Management Officer or the Planning Board before work begins.
Clay Erosion & Sediment Control Standards
Some RestrictionsTown of Clay Code Section 230-20D
Stormwater management and erosion and sediment control. ... Applicability. (a) This subsection shall be applicable to all land development activities as defined in ... LAND DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITY Construction activity including clearing, grading, excavating, soil disturbance or placement of fill that results in land disturbance of equal to or greater than one acre or activities disturbing less th...
Flood Zones
The Town of Clay requires a floodplain development permit before any construction, filling, or excavation in a mapped area of special flood hazard. The Planning and Development Department, acting as local administrator under Town Code Chapter 112, reviews applications, which must include scaled plans, structure locations, and drainage details. Violators face fines up to $250 or 15 days in jail, with each day of noncompliance a separate offense.
Clay NY Floodplain Development Permit
Some RestrictionsTown of Clay Code § 112-12
§ 112-12. Floodplain development permit. A. Purpose. ... A floodplain development permit is hereby established for all construction and other development to be undertaken in areas of special flood hazard in this community for the purpose of protecting its citizens from increased flood hazards and insuring that new development is constructed in a manner that minimizes its exposure to flooding. I...
Boat Dock Permits
On the narrow Route 31 riverfront lots zoned LuR, Limited Use for Riverfront, Clay's Zoning Code caps accessory structures to a boat dock, a waterfront deck, a single-car garage and one small accessory building, and requires 40 feet of yard depth from the mean water level at the river shore.
Clay NY Riverfront Boat Dock Zoning
Some RestrictionsTown of Clay Code § 230-13
J. LuR Limited Use for Riverfront (formerly T-3). ... Uses permitted: ... (c) Accessory structures limited to: boat dock, waterfront deck, single-car garage and one accessory building not to exceed 100 square feet. ... Lot sizes and yards. Every lot shall meet the following minimum requirements: (a) Yard depth from mean water level at river shore: 40 feet.
Flood Elevation Requirements
New and substantially improved homes in the Town of Clay's mapped flood zones must have their lowest floor, including any basement, built at least two feet above the base flood elevation. Where FEMA hasn't set a base flood elevation for Zone A, the floor must instead sit at least three feet above the highest adjacent grade.
Clay NY Base Flood Elevation Freeboard
Some RestrictionsTown of Clay Code § 112-17
§ 112-17. Residential structures. A. Elevation. The following standards apply to new and substantially improved residential structures located in areas of special flood hazard, in addition to the requirements in § 112-15A, Subdivision proposals, and § 112-15B, Encroachments, and § 112-16, Standards for all structures. (1) Within Zones A1-A30, AE and AH and also Zone A if base flood elevation da...