Glen Cove, NY Environmental Rules: Erosion Control (2026)
Key Facts
- Enforcing agency
- City Stormwater Management Officer (SMO)
- Inspection frequency
- Every 7 days, plus within 24 hrs of 0.5" rain
- SWPPP trigger
- 1 to 5+ acres disturbed, or impaired-water discharge
- First-offense fine
- Up to $350 or 6 months jail
- Repeat-offense fine
- $700 to $1,000 within 5 years
- Recordkeeping duty
- 7 years after facility removal
Summary
Glen Cove's stormwater management chapter requires site-specific erosion and sediment controls on any land-disturbing project meeting Condition A, B or C thresholds, from one-acre disturbances to five-plus-acre developments. The City's Stormwater Management Officer (SMO) enforces design standards drawn from state technical manuals and inspects active sites on a fixed schedule tied to construction progress and rainfall.
For the purpose of this chapter, 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 chapter: ... New York State Standards and Specifications for Erosion and Sediment Control (Empire State Chapter of the Soil and Water Conservation Society, 2005, most current version or its successor, hereafter referred to as the “Erosion Control Manual”). ... No land development or redevelopment activity shall cause an increase in turbidity that will result in substantial visible contrast to natural conditions in surface waters of the State of New York. ... For land development or redevelopment activities as defined in § 237-6 of this chapter and meeting Condition A, B or C in § 237-8B of this chapter, the applicant shall have a qualified professional conduct site inspections and document the effectiveness of all erosion and sediment control practices every seven days and within 24 hours of any storm event producing 0.5 inch of precipitation or more.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 5003439; v76 updated 2026-08-26; through 08-26-2026).
Full Breakdown
Chapter 237, Article V of the Glen Cove City Code sets the performance and design criteria for construction-site erosion and sediment control. Under § 237-13, the New York State Stormwater Management Design Manual and the New York State Standards and Specifications for Erosion and Sediment Control (the 2005 Erosion Control Manual published by the Empire State Chapter of the Soil and Water Conservation Society) serve as the official guides; a project built to those manuals is presumed compliant. Section 237-8 sets three trigger conditions requiring a full stormwater pollution prevention plan (SWPPP): Condition A covers any discharge to an impaired waterbody or TMDL-designated watershed, Condition B covers disturbance of five acres or more, and Condition C covers disturbance of one to five acres outside single-family homes and farms.
5 inch of rain or more, with reports kept in an on-site log book. Section 237-15 bars any land-disturbing activity from raising turbidity enough to create substantial visible contrast to natural conditions in state surface waters. Because Glen Cove sits on a working harbor with a documented industrial history, its Stormwater Management Officer also coordinates with the SEQRA review that applies to the underlying site-plan or subdivision approval. Sediment traps and ponds must be cleaned once capacity drops by half, and the SMO can order a stop-work order under § 237-29 for noncompliance.
Violations & Fines
A first offense under § 237-31 carries a fine up to $350 or up to six months in jail, or both. A second offense within five years runs $350 to $700; a third or later offense within five years runs $700 to $1,000, with jail time possible each time. Each week a violation continues is a separate offense, and the SMO can withhold a certificate of occupancy or seek an injunction under §§ 237-32 and 237-30.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Glen Cove require an erosion control plan for home construction?
How often are Glen Cove construction sites inspected for erosion control?
What happens if a Glen Cove builder violates the erosion control chapter?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Glen Cove
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