Skip to code content (skip section selection)
Compare to:
New York City Overview
The New York City Charter
The New York City Administrative Code
The Rules of the City of New York
THE RULES OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK
Title 1: Department of Buildings
Title 2: Board of Standards and Appeals
Title 3: Fire Department
Title 6: Department of Consumer and Worker Protection
Title 9: Procurement Policy Board Rules
Title 12: Franchise and Concession Review Committee
Title 15: Department of Environmental Protection
Title 16: Department of Sanitation
Title 17: Business Integrity Commission
Title 19: Department of Finance
Title 20: Tax Appeals Tribunal
Title 21: Tax Commission
Title 22: Banking Commission
Title 24: Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
Title 25: Department of Mental Health and Retardation [Repealed]
Title 28: Housing Preservation and Development
Title 29: Loft Board
Title 30: Rent Guidelines Board
Title 31: Mayor's Office of Homelessness and Single Room Occupancy
Title 34: Department of Transportation
Title 35: Taxi and Limousine Commission
Title 38: Police Department
Title 38-A: Civilian Complaint Review Board
Title 39: Department of Correction
Title 40: Board of Correction
Title 41: Department of Juvenile Justice
Title 42: Department of Probation
Title 43: Mayor
Title 44: Comptroller
Title 45: Borough Presidents
Title 46: Law Department
Title 47: Commission on Human Rights
Title 48: Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings (OATH)
Title 49: Department of Records and Information Services
Title 50: Community Assistance Unit
Title 51: City Clerk
Title 52: Campaign Finance Board*
Title 53: Conflicts of Interest Board
Title 55: Department of Citywide Administrative Services
Title 56: Department of Parks and Recreation
Title 57: Art Commission
Title 58: Department of Cultural Affairs
Title 60: Civil Service Commission
Title 61: Office of Collective Bargaining
Title 62: City Planning
Title 63: Landmarks Preservation Commission
Title 66: Department of Small Business Services
Title 67: Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications
Title 68: Human Resources Administration
Title 69: Department of Aging
Title 70: In Rem Foreclosure Release Board
Title 71: Voter Assistance Commission
Title 72: Office of Emergency Management
Title 73: Civic Engagement Commission
Title 74: Community Hiring
Loading...
§ 16-120.1 Storage, treatment, transportation and disposal of regulated medical waste, other medical waste and regulated household waste.
   a.   It shall be unlawful for any person to store, treat, transport or dispose of or to cause to be stored, treated, transported or disposed of any regulated medical waste or other medical waste except in the manner prescribed in the public health law, the environmental conservation law, or any rules or regulations promulgated pursuant thereto and the New York city health code and any regulations of the city department of health and the city department of sanitation. In addition, it shall be unlawful for any person to dispose of or to cause to be disposed of any regulated medical waste within the solid waste disposal system of the city, provided that the department may accept at its incinerators classes of regulated medical waste that were accepted at such incinerators as of June twenty-first, nineteen hundred eighty-nine if it has obtained all necessary authorizations required by law to incinerate such classes of regulated medical waste. In addition, it shall be unlawful to dispose of or to cause to be disposed of any laboratory waste or surgical waste as defined in this section, or classes of regulated medical waste that were accepted at department incinerators as of June twenty-first, nineteen hundred eighty-nine, whether or not such laboratory waste, surgical waste or other classes of regulated medical waste have been autoclaved or subjected to a similar decontamination technique other than incineration, in the landfills of the city.
   b.   For purposes of this section, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
      1.   Regulated medical waste means any waste that is generated in the diagnosis, treatment or immunization of human beings or animals, in research pertaining thereto, or in the production or testing of biologicals, when listed as follows, provided, however, that regulated medical waste shall not include any hazardous waste identified or listed pursuant to section 27-0903 of the environmental conservation law or any household waste as defined in regulations promulgated under such section:
         i.   cultures and stocks of infectious agents and associated biologicals, including cultures from medical and pathological laboratories, cultures and stocks of infectious agents from research and industrial laboratories, wastes from the production of biologicals, discarded live and attenuated vaccines, and culture dishes and devices used to transfer, inoculate, and mix cultures;
         ii.   human pathological wastes, including tissues, organs, body parts and body fluids that are removed during surgery or autopsy or other medical procedures, and specimens of body fluids and their containers;
         iii.   waste human blood and products of blood, including serum, plasma, and other blood components and their containers;
         iv.   sharps that have been used in animal or human patient care or in medical, research, or industrial laboratories, including hypodermic needles, syringes, pasteur pipettes, broken glassware and scalpel blades, blood vials, test tubes, needles with attached tubing, and such unused sharps that have been discarded;
         v.   contaminated animal carcasses, body parts, and bedding of animals that were known to have been exposed to infectious agents during research, production of biologicals, or testing of pharmaceuticals;
         vi.   wastes from surgery or autopsy that were in contact with infectious agents, including soiled dressings, sponges, drapes, lavage tubes, drainage sets, underpads, and surgical gloves;
         vii.   laboratory wastes from medical, pathological, pharmaceutical, or other research, commercial, or industrial laboratories that were in contact with infectious agents, including slides and cover slips, disposable gloves, laboratory coats and aprons;
         viii.   dialysis wastes that were in contact with the blood of patients undergoing hemodialysis or renal dialysis, including contaminated disposable equipment and supplies such as tubing, filters, disposable sheets, towels, gloves, aprons and laboratory coats;
         ix.   biological waste and discarded materials contaminated with blood, excretion, exudates or secretion from human beings or animals who are isolated to protect others from highly communicable diseases;
         x.   any other waste material designated by the administrator of the United States environmental protection agency as a regulated medical waste under the provisions of the medical waste tracking act of 1988, 42 U.S.C. § 6992, et seq., and the regulations promulgated pursuant thereto; and
         xi.   any other waste material included in the list of regulated medical wastes established in regulations promulgated by the state commissioner of environmental conservation pursuant to section 27-1502 of the environmental conservation law. For purposes of this paragraph, "infectious agents" shall be limited to those organisms that cause disease or an adverse health impact to humans.
      2.   Laboratory waste means all matter that is discarded from clinical, pathological or research laboratory areas at which activities are required to be conducted or supervised by persons licensed by the city or state to provide health, medical, pharmaceutical or laboratory services.
      3.   Other medical waste means laboratory waste and surgical waste as defined in paragraphs two and six of this subdivision.
      4.   Person means any individual, partnership, company, corporation, association, firm, organization, or any other group of individuals, or any officer or employee or agent thereof, provided that person shall not mean any individual who generates regulated household waste, and provided further that where a person authorized by law to transport regulated medical waste transports waste pursuant to an agreement with a generator of regulated medical waste or other medical waste, such person shall not be considered an agent of such generator for purposes of this paragraph.
      5.   Regulated household waste means any item that may cause punctures or cuts that is used in the administration of medication and is disposed of with residential solid waste, including but not limited to intravenous tubing and syringes with needles attached. Regulated household waste shall not include such items generated by persons licensed by the city or state to provide health, medical, pharmaceutical or laboratory services at facilities where such services are performed, but shall include any such items generated in the course of home health care.
      6.   Surgical waste means all materials discarded from surgical procedures and includes, but is not limited to, disposable gowns, shoe covers, masks, headcovers, gloves and sponges.
   c.   No solid waste of any person required to be licensed by the city or state to provide health, medical, pharmaceutical or laboratory services shall be collected or received by the department for disposal unless such person has executed a certification that to the best of his or her knowledge or belief such waste does not contain any material for which such disposal is unlawful.
   d.   The commissioner in conjunction with the commissioner of health and mental hygiene shall promulgate and implement regulations, consistent with the laws of this state, governing the safe disposal of regulated household waste. Any violation of such regulations shall be punishable only by a civil penalty of not less than fifty dollars nor more than two hundred fifty dollars.
   e.   Any person who generates any quantity of regulated medical waste shall file with the commissioner a copy of any annual reports or additional reports required to be submitted by such person to the commissioner of environmental conservation pursuant to paragraph d of subdivision one of section 27-1510 of the environmental conservation law or paragraph (d) of subdivision two of section 1389-bb of the public health law. Such reports shall be filed with the commissioner within fifteen days of submission to the commissioner of environmental conservation.
   f.   Any person who generates regulated medical waste or other medical waste shall file with the department a "solid waste removal plan." Such plan shall include at a minimum:
      1.   the name, address and telephone number of the person or facility generating such waste;
      2.   the name, address, telephone number and permit number(s) of the transporter of such waste;
      3.   the name, address and telephone number of the disposal site(s) for such waste;
      4.   an estimate of the quantity of such waste produced and disposed of monthly; and
      5.   any other information required by regulation of the commissioner or the commissioner of health and mental hygiene. An amended plan shall be filed within fifteen days of the time when any information in a plan that is filed with the department changes, or when the commissioner or the commissioner of health requires by regulation additional information.
   g.   The commissioner of sanitation or health and mental hygiene or an authorized agent of such commissioner may enter upon public or private property for the purpose of conducting inspections or investigations necessary for the exercise of the powers or the performance of the duties of such commissioners pursuant to this section, including the inspection of documents or records relating to the storage, treatment, transportation or disposal of regulated medical waste or other medical waste required to be maintained by local, state or federal law, provided that such commissioner or agent may not inspect records containing medical information privileged under the laws of this state without all authorizations required by such laws, and that such commissioner or agent shall make reasonable efforts not to interfere with patient care activities. Such entry may be made without a warrant during regular and usual business hours upon property used for nonresidential purposes, including but not limited to the provision of health, medical, pharmaceutical or laboratory services, provided that such use is related to the generation, storage or disposal of regulated medical waste, or at other times upon such property in response to any immediate threat to the health or safety of one or more individuals, or of the public, that arises from the generation, storage or disposal of regulated medical waste upon such property. Warrantless inspection or investigation pursuant to this subdivision shall extend only to: (i) waste storage areas; (ii) documents or records relating to storage, treatment, transportation or disposal of regulated medical waste, including documents or records required to be maintained by local, state or federal law; (iii) bags and containers for the disposal of regulated medical waste; (iv) documents or records identifying the number and origin of specimens of human tissues, organs and fluids that constitute regulated medical waste, other than records containing medical information privileged under the laws of this state; and (v) any other inspection or investigation necessary to respond to an immediate threat to the health or safety of one or more individuals, or of the public, arising from generation, storage or disposal of regulated medical waste upon such property. Refusal to permit entry pursuant to this subdivision, where the commissioner of sanitation or health and mental hygiene or an authorized agent of such commissioner has obtained a warrant for such entry or is authorized by this subdivision to inspect or investigate without a warrant, shall be a misdemeanor punishable by not more than thirty days imprisonment, or by a fine of not more than one hundred dollars or both.
   h.   1.   In addition to any other enforcement procedures authorized by law, the commissioner, with the written approval of the commissioner of health and mental hygiene, shall be authorized to order in writing that premises on which activity in violation of this section is occurring be closed if the commissioner finds that continuing activity on such premises would result in generation, storage or disposal of regulated medical waste or other medical waste in a manner posing an imminent threat to the public health or safety, provided that no facility licensed, permitted or certificated pursuant to article twenty-eight of the public health law or part thereof or facility providing inpatient services or part thereof may be closed pursuant to this subdivision. Such premises may be opened at any time by any person otherwise lawfully entitled to enter such premises in response to an immediate threat to the health or safety of one or more individuals, or of the public. For the purpose of this subdivision, the determination whether an imminent threat to the public health or safety exists shall be based on factors that include but are not limited to: (i) the quantity of regulated medical waste, the generation, storage or disposal of which is in violation of this section; (ii) the types of such regulated medical waste; and (iii) the risk of harm to the public or the environment.
      2.   Issuance of an order pursuant to this subdivision may occur prior to a hearing and determination whether a violation of the provisions of this section has occurred and whether there exists an imminent threat to the public health or safety, or during such hearing, or up to two business days after the conclusion of such hearing, provided that: (i) where such issuance occurs prior to such hearing and determination, such hearing shall be held within two business days of such issuance and such determination shall be rendered within twenty-four hours of the conclusion of such hearing; (ii) where such issuance occurs during such hearing, such determination shall be rendered within twenty-four hours of the conclusion of such hearing; and (iii) where such issuance occurs after the conclusion of such hearing but prior to such determination, such determination shall be made within twenty-four hours of such issuance. Any order issued pursuant to this subdivision may continue in effect after a finding of violation and imminent threat until the commissioner permits such premises to be opened pursuant to paragraph five of this subdivision.
      3.   Orders of the commissioner issued pursuant to this subdivision shall be posted at the premises on which the activity in violation of this subdivision has occurred.
      4.   Immediately upon the posting of an order issued pursuant to this subdivision, officers and employees of the department and officers of the New York city police department shall be authorized to act upon and enforce such order.
      5.   Where premises have been closed by order of the commissioner issued pursuant to this subdivision, the owner or lessee of such premises, or the authorized agent thereof, may at any time submit to the commissioner: (i) a written affirmation that such owner or lessee is in compliance with the provisions of this section and will maintain such compliance; and (ii) where such premises are used in the generation of waste for transport of which a legally authorized regulated medical waste transporter is required by law, proof of legal authorization to transport such waste or proof of agreement with a legally authorized regulated medical waste transporter to have such waste transported, or proof that such waste is lawfully treated on such premises so as not to require such authorization or agreement. Upon receipt of such affirmation and proof, the commissioner shall within one business day either permit such premises to be opened or issue a written determination that such owner or lessee is not in compliance with or has not instituted procedures sufficient to remain in compliance with the provisions of this section, or that such proof of legal authorization or agreement is insufficient.
      6.   It shall be a misdemeanor for any person or other individual to open or cause to be opened any premises closed in accordance with an order of the commissioner, except in response to an immediate threat to the health or safety of one or more individuals, or of the public.
   i.   1.   For the purpose of this subdivision, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
         i.   "Abandonment" means the intentional relinquishment or forsaking of all possession or control of any substance.
         ii.   "Disposal" means the discharge, deposit, injection, dumping, spilling, leaking or placing of any substance so that such substance or any related constituent thereof may enter the environment, or the abandonment of any substance.
         iii.   "Environment" means any water, water vapor, any land including land surface or subsurface air, fish, wildlife, biota and all other natural resources.
         iv.   "Intentionally, knowingly, recklessly and criminal negligence" shall have the same meanings as defined in section 15.05 of the penal law.
      2.   i.   Any person who violates any provisions of this section other than subdivision d shall be guilty of a violation and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by a fine not to exceed five thousand dollars per day of violation, or by imprisonment for a term of not more than fifteen days, or by both such fine and imprisonment.
         ii.   Any person who intentionally, knowingly or recklessly violates any provisions of this section other than subdivision d shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof, shall for a first conviction be punished by a fine not to exceed fifteen thousand dollars per day of violation or by imprisonment for a term of not more than ninety days, or both such fine and imprisonment. If the conviction is for an offense committed after a first conviction of such person under this subparagraph, within the preceding five years, punishment shall be by a fine not to exceed fifty thousand dollars per day of violation, or by imprisonment for not more than one year or by both such fine and imprisonment.
      3.   Any person who with criminal negligence engages in conduct in violation of this section other than subdivision d which causes the release to the environment of regulated medical waste shall be guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not more than fifteen thousand dollars or by imprisonment for not more than ninety days or by both such fine and imprisonment.
      4.   Any person who recklessly or knowingly engages in conduct in violation of this section other than subdivision d which causes the release to the environment of regulated medical waste shall be guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not more than fifty thousand dollars or by imprisonment for not more than one year or both such fine and imprisonment.
      5.   In addition to any other penalties provided under paragraph one of this subdivision or any other provisions of law, any violation of the provisions of this section other than subdivision d shall be punishable by a civil penalty of not less than twenty-five hundred dollars nor more than ten thousand dollars for the first violation, not less than five thousand dollars nor more than ten thousand dollars for the second violation, and ten thousand dollars for the third and any subsequent violation. Civil penalties shall be recovered in a civil action brought in the name of the commissioner or in a proceeding before the environmental control board. For the purposes of this paragraph, each bag or container of solid waste with a capacity of not larger than one cubic yard shall constitute a separate violation of this section.
      6.   Notwithstanding paragraphs one, two, three, four and five of this subdivision, failure to file an annual or additional report pursuant to subdivision e of this section or failure to file a solid waste removal plan or an amended plan pursuant to subdivision f of this section shall be punishable only by a civil penalty of not less than fifty dollars nor more than two hundred fifty dollars if such report or plan is filed within thirty days of the filing deadlines set forth in such subdivisions.
      7.   Any affirmative defense available under title forty-four of article twenty-seven of the environmental conservation law shall be available in any prosecution or proceeding pursuant to this section that alleges a violation of title fifteen of article twenty-seven of the environmental conservation law or any rules or regulations promulgated pursuant thereto.
   j.   The commissioner shall promulgate and implement regulations providing that where an individual furnishes information that, in the opinion of the commissioner, results in a conviction or the imposition of a fine or civil penalty for a violation of any provision of this section, the commissioner shall offer as a reward to said individual, out of unexpended appropriations therefor:
      i.   fifty percent of any fine or penalty collected; or
      ii.   five hundred dollars when a prison sentence but no fine or civil penalty is imposed.
   k.   The commissioner shall suspend the use of the city's solid waste disposal system by any person licensed by the city or state to provide health, medical, pharmaceutical or laboratory services upon whom a notice of violation of this section has been served pending a hearing on and a finding as to liability for the violation. Such hearing shall be held within two business days after such suspension and a finding as to liability for the violation shall be made within twenty-four hours of the conclusion of such hearing. If a violation has been found, the commissioner shall continue such suspension for, in the case of a first occurrence, not less than one week, in the case of a second occurrence, committed within an eighteen month period, not less than one month and, in the case of a third and each subsequent occurrence, committed within an eighteen month period, not less than three months. In calculating such eighteen month period any period of suspension shall be excluded. For purposes of this subdivision any solid waste introduced into the solid waste disposal system of the city under one certification executed pursuant to subdivision c of this section shall constitute an occurrence.
   l.   In addition to the department, the department of health and mental hygiene shall enforce the provisions of this section, other than subdivisions h, j, and k of this section. This section shall not be construed to restrict in any manner the regulatory or enforcement authority conferred upon any agency of the city by any other provision of state or local law.
Editor's note: For related unconsolidated provisions, see Appendix A at L.L. 1995/076.
§ 16-120.2 Refuse compacting systems; multiple dwellings after May twentieth, nineteen hundred sixty-eight.
   (a)   Definitions. When used in this section:
      "Refuse compacting system" means any machine or system of machines capable of reducing refuse by means other than burning so that such refuse is reduced by a volume to be determined by the commissioner and is suitable for collection by the department.
   (b)   All multiple dwellings erected after May twentieth, nineteen hundred sixty-eight that are four or more stories in height and occupied by twelve or more dwelling units, or that are "class B" multiple dwellings as defined by the multiple dwelling law shall be provided with a refuse compacting system constructed in conformity with all applicable laws and rules.
   (c)   On and after the effective date of the local law that added this section, any refuse compacting system that is required to be installed in a multiple dwelling pursuant to subdivision a of this section shall be utilized to compact all refuse that is not required to be source separated for other purposes pursuant to any provision of this title or any rules promulgated by the department in such multiple dwelling before such refuse is placed outside for collection by the department. Such refuse compacting system shall be maintained in good working condition and operated in accordance with the rules of the department and in conformity with all other applicable laws and rules.
   (d)   Any person who violates the requirements of this section shall be liable for a civil penalty of two hundred fifty dollars for the first offense, five hundred dollars for the second offense committed within any twelve-month period and one thousand dollars for the third and any subsequent offense committed within any twelve-month period. For purposes of this section, the second and any subsequent violation shall only occur after notice of the first violation has been properly served and an opportunity to cure such violation has been provided to the violator, provided that such opportunity to cure shall not exceed thirty days. Such penalties may be recovered in a civil action brought in the name of the commissioner or in a proceeding before the environmental control board.
(L.L. 2015/038, 5/6/2015, eff. 5/6/2016)
§ 16-121 Obstructing tracks.
   a.   It shall be unlawful for any person to throw, place or pile, or assist others in throwing, placing or piling any snow, ice or other impediment or obstruction to the running of cars upon the tracks of any railroad company, or in the space between the rails thereof or in the space between the tracks and a line distant three feet outside of such rails or any ashes, garbage, paper, dust, wood, metal or other rubbish, refuse, junk or other offensive material whatsoever on any part of any railroad right of way.
   b.   Violations. Any person who shall violate any provision of this section, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by a fine of not less than one hundred dollars nor more than five hundred dollars or imprisonment for ninety days or both.
§ 16-122 Vehicles and other movable property.
   a.   Legislative intent. The need for this legislation is indicated by the ever increasing number of abandoned cars in the city of New York. The purpose of this section is to punish those persons who abandon and/or remove component parts of motor vehicles in public streets. It is not the intent to prohibit or preclude any person in lawful possession of a vehicle from making lawful repairs or removing any component part for the purpose of making such lawful repairs to a motor vehicle on a public street.
   b.   It shall be unlawful for any person, such person's agent or employee to leave, or to suffer or permit to be left, any box, barrel, bale of merchandise or other movable property whether or not owned by such person, upon any marginal or public street or any public place, or to erect or cause to be erected thereon any shed, building or other obstruction.
   c.   It shall be unlawful for any person, such person's agent or employee to leave, or suffer or permit to be left, any motor vehicle, not otherwise lawfully parked, whether or not owned by such person, in any marginal or public street, or any public place. The owner or driver of a disabled vehicle shall be allowed a reasonable time, not exceeding three hours, in which to remove said vehicle.
   d.   Any person convicted of a violation of the provisions of subdivision b or c of this section shall be punished by a fine of not less than fifty dollars nor more than two hundred fifty dollars, imprisonment for not more than ten days, or both.
   e.   It shall be unlawful for any person, such person's agent or employee, to abandon, or to suffer or permit to be abandoned any motor vehicle, whether or not owned by such person, in any marginal or public street, or any public place.
   f.   It shall be unlawful for any person to dismantle, or to remove any component part of any motor vehicle in any marginal or public street or any public area.
   g.   Any person convicted of a violation of the provisions of subdivision e or f of this section shall be punished by a fine of not less than one hundred dollars, or imprisonment for not more than one year.
   h.   Any person violating the provisions of subdivision b or c of this section shall be liable and responsible for a civil penalty of not less than twenty-five dollars nor more than one hundred dollars.
   i.   In the instance where the notice of violation, appearance ticket or summons is issued for breach of the provisions of this section and sets forth thereon civil penalties only, such process shall be returnable to the environmental control board, which shall have the power to impose the civil penalties hereinabove provided in subdivision h of this section.
   j.   In the event that a violator fails to answer such notice of violation, appearance ticket or summons within the time provided therefor by the rules and regulations of the environmental control board, he or she shall become liable for additional penalties. The additional penalties shall not exceed fifty dollars for each violation.
§ 16-123 Removal of snow, ice and dirt from sidewalks; property owners' duties.
   a.   Every owner, lessee, tenant, occupant, or other person, having charge of any building or lot of ground in the city, abutting upon any street where the sidewalk is paved, shall, within four hours after the snow ceases to fall, or after the deposit of any dirt or other material upon such sidewalk, remove the snow or ice, dirt, or other material from the sidewalk and gutter, the time between nine post meridian and seven ante meridian not being included in the above period of four hours. Such removal shall be made before the removal of snow or ice from the roadway by the commissioner or subject to the regulations of such commissioner. In the boroughs of Queens and Staten Island, any owner, lessee, tenant or occupant or other person who has charge of any ground abutting upon any paved street or public place, for a linear distance of five hundred feet or more, shall be considered to have complied with this section, if such person shall have begun to remove the snow or ice from the sidewalk and gutter before the expiration of such four hours and shall continue and complete such removal within a reasonable time.
   b.   In case the snow and ice on the sidewalk shall be frozen so hard that it cannot be removed without injury to the pavement, the owner, lessee, tenant, occupant or other person having charge of any building or lot of ground as aforesaid, may, within the time specified in the preceding subdivision, cause the sidewalk abutting on such premises to be strewed with ashes, sand, sawdust, or some similar suitable material, and shall, as soon thereafter as the weather shall permit, thoroughly clean such sidewalks.
   c.   [Reserved.]
   d.   Whenever any owner, lessee, tenant, occupant, or other person having charge of any building or lot of ground, abutting upon any street or public place where the sidewalk is paved, shall fail to comply with the provisions of this section, the commissioner may cause such removal to be made.
   e.   The expense of such removal as to each particular lot of ground shall be ascertained and certified by the commissioner to the comptroller, who shall pay the same in the same manner as the expense of removing snow from the streets is paid. Upon the payment of such expense, the comptroller shall deliver a certificate thereof to the council and the amount of such expense shall be added to and made to form a part of the annual taxes of the next ensuing fiscal year against such property, and the same shall be collected in and with and as part of the annual taxes for such fiscal year. The corporation counsel is directed and may sue for and recover the amount of such expense.
   f.   This section shall not be regarded as interfering with the owner of any lots throwing into the roadway of the streets any snow or ice which may be removed from the sidewalk or gutter directly in front of such lot.
   g.   The term "lot" as used in this section shall include a space not to exceed twenty-five feet in width fronting the street upon which the violation is charged to have been permitted, committed or omitted.
   h.   Any person violating the provisions of subdivisions (a) or (b) of this section shall be liable and responsible for a civil penalty of not less than ten dollars nor more than one hundred fifty dollars for the first violation, except that for a second violation of subdivision (a) or (b) within any twelve-month period such person shall be liable for a civil penalty of not less than one hundred fifty dollars nor more than two hundred fifty dollars and for a third or subsequent violation of subdivision (a) or (b) within any twelve-month period such person shall be liable for a civil penalty of not less than two hundred fifty dollars nor more than three hundred fifty dollars.
   i.   In the instance where the notice of violation, appearance ticket or summons is issued for breach of the provisions of this section and sets forth thereon civil penalties only, such process shall be returnable to the environmental control board, which shall have the power to impose the civil penalties hereinabove provided in subdivision h of this section.
   j.   In the event that a violator fails to answer such notice of violation, appearance ticket or summons within the time provided therefor by the rules and regulations of the environmental control board, he or she shall become liable for additional penalties. The additional penalties shall not exceed three hundred fifty dollars for each violation.
(Am. L.L. 2016/149, 12/6/2016, eff. 3/6/2017)
§ 16-124 Removal of snow and ice from the streets.
The commissioner, immediately after every snowfall or the formation of ice on the streets, shall forthwith cause the removal of the same, and shall keep all streets clean and free from obstruction.
§ 16-124.1 Borough-based snow plowing and removal plans.
   a.   The following terms shall have the following meanings for purposes of this section:
      (1)   The term "bus shelter" shall mean a location that has a cover or ceiling and is intended to be used as shelter for individuals waiting to board a New York city transit authority vehicle, and shall include three feet on any open side of such shelter and to the curb on all portions of the sidewalk covered under this provision.
      (2)   The term "bus stop" shall mean a location that is not a bus shelter, designated by signage for New York city transit authority vehicles to pick up or discharge passengers, which location includes five feet of the sidewalk and the gutter immediately adjacent to the curb for the portion of such curb.
      (3)   The term "curb cut" shall have the same meaning as defined in section 27-480 of the code.
      (4)   The term "pedestrian median" shall mean a direct path between curb cuts on a median strip dividing a roadway or, where no curb cuts exist on such a median strip, the portion of the median strip designed to be traversed by pedestrians in order to cross the roadway that such median strip divides.
      (5)   The term "primary street" shall mean a street that is determined by the department to be of the first priority for purposes of snow plowing and/or removal.
      (6)   The term "snow event" shall mean any snowfall equal to or in excess of six inches within a period of twenty-four hours in any of the five boroughs based on the department of sanitation's measurements.
   b.   Beginning on November fifteenth, 2011, and on every November fifteenth thereafter, the commissioner shall submit to the council and make available to the public on the city's website a snow plowing and removal plan for each borough that shall include, but not be limited to, the following:
      (1)   The address of each department garage and other department facility within the borough identified by district or section and the number of uniformed department employees assigned to each such garage or facility for purposes of addressing snow conditions;
      (2)   An inventory by district of department-owned snow management equipment and resources and a city-wide inventory of other city-owned snow management equipment and resources that could, if available, be used during a snow event, as determined by city officials and the agency, office, agencies or offices responsible for the deployment of such city-owned snow management equipment and resources;
      (3)   (i) Definitions of each of the priority designation categories, including criteria for making such designations and any changes to the previous year's priority designation category and the reasons for such changes; and (ii) a link to a website on which a map of each community district with the priority designation categories for each street in such district is viewable;
      (4)   How the department plans to address the following types of tasks during a snow event: (i) plowing and/or removal of snow and ice from streets within each borough; (ii) plowing and/or removal of snow and ice from curb cuts and pedestrian medians at intersections on primary streets; (iii) plowing and/or removal of snow and ice from crosswalks, sidewalks adjacent to parks and bus stops; and (iv) dispersal of salt, sand or other material applied to roads in icy or snowy conditions; and
      (5)   The commissioner shall designate and identify the following: (i) the borough chief or chiefs who will be responsible for the implementation of the applicable borough-specific snow plan; (ii) department personnel who will report to the office of emergency management on a city-wide basis during snow events and who will be directly responsible for communicating with such office and the department; and (iii) personnel from the department's customer service and government relations offices who will communicate on a borough-by-borough basis with council members, community boards and the borough presidents in order to provide, receive and respond to information from such elected officials and community boards regarding snow event conditions.
   c.   Beginning on October first, two thousand eleven, and every October first thereafter, the commissioner shall submit a draft snow plowing and removal plan for each borough for comment to the council members, community boards and borough president from that borough. Amendments to the draft plan shall be included in the final snow plowing and removal plan for each borough to be issued no later than November fifteenth of each year pursuant to this section.
§ 16-125 Dumping snow and ice from piers.
The commissioner may cause or authorize snow and ice to be dumped into the waters of the port of New York, between the piers near the inshore ends.
§ 16-126 Snow removal; employees and equipment.
   a.   In case of a snowfall or other emergency, the commissioner may employ and hire temporarily as many persons, vehicles, machinery and equipment as shall be rendered necessary by such emergency, forthwith reporting, in the case of a snowfall, the number of such persons, vehicles, machinery and equipment and in the case of any other emergency such action with the full particulars thereof to the mayor, but in the case of a snowfall no such person, vehicles, machinery or equipment shall be so hired or employed for a longer period than seven days and in the case of any other emergency for a longer period than three days.
   b.   All such employees shall be employed directly by the department and not through contractors or other persons, unless the commissioner shall determine that this requirement must for proper action in a particular instance be dispensed with.
   c.   The services of any person employed, and of vehicles, machinery and equipment hired pursuant to this section, shall be paid for in full and directly by the department, at such times as may be prescribed by the commissioner.
   d.   In all emergency work performed by laborers in the removal of snow where workers are engaged by the hour or day by a contractor employed for the purpose, such work shall be paid for directly to those individuals employed on it, in the currency of the United States and not by check or ticket. Every contractor engaged in the removal of snow shall be required to stipulate with the commissioner or others empowered to enter into contracts for that purpose, as the case may be, to observe the provisions of this subdivision, a violation of which shall be deemed to abrogate any such contract.
Loading...