Excavation Contractor in Rensselaerville, NY

Stony Till and Wet Ground Under Rensselaerville

The USDA soil survey maps much of the town in Wellsboro, Morris and Lackawanna soils. All three formed in stony glacial till from red sandstone and shale. Each has a dense layer called a fragipan, and water moves through it slowly.

In Morris soils, that dense layer starts just 10 to 22 inches down. Around the hamlet, the survey maps Chautauqua soils, with water perched 18 to 24 inches down from November to April. Across much of the town, the water table can rise within 2 feet of the surface. In some spots, bedrock lies within 20 inches of the surface.

On ground like this, yards puddle after snowmelt and driveways go soft. French drains and ditches give that water a planned path off the lot. FEMA's current flood maps for the town date from March 2015, and most land sits outside the mapped zones. Inside a mapped zone, fill or excavation needs a floodplain development permit from the town building inspector.

Does a New Driveway in Rensselaerville Need a Permit?

Yes, if it connects to a town road. Under the town's 2022 driveway law, building a new driveway or changing an old one takes a Driveway Permit first. The Highway Superintendent issues it, and the law counts farm and logging roads as driveways too.

The superintendent visits the site and sets the minimum culvert pipe size. The pipe must be at least 20 feet long, and the owner buys it. Town highway workers set the pipe, and the owner pays the town for that work. The owner also gives the superintendent at least 24 hours notice before construction starts.

Our gravel driveway work builds the drive behind that pipe. Where the drive crosses the road shoulder, it may not sit higher than the shoulder. Drainage along the drive must keep water off the shoulder, and the town may require check dams against erosion. On a new home, the certificate of occupancy waits on the superintendent's written approval of the drive.

Town roads can also be posted for weight. When a road is posted, the town's law bars vehicles of 6 tons or more until the signs come down. That can hold up a stone delivery, so ask the highway department before a job is scheduled.

Steep Slopes, Wetlands and Septic Rules in Town

The town's zoning law bars development on slopes steeper than 15 percent. Clearing or site prep on a 15 percent slope or steeper needs an approved erosion and sedimentation control plan. So does any project that disturbs an acre or more. Clearing for crops or pasture is exempt from both, and the town Planning Board or zoning officer reviews the plans.

Regulated wetlands get a 100-foot undisturbed setback, and other identified wetlands get a 100-foot buffer. No clear cutting is allowed within 100 feet of a stream or wetland. An acre or more of disturbed soil also brings in the state's construction stormwater permit.

Septic approval here comes from the Albany County Department of Health. The town building inspector needs that approval before signing off on a new home. A licensed engineer or architect designs a new system, and we do the septic system installation to that plan. Around Crystal Lake, most lots date from the 1930s to the 1960s, and the zoning law calls most undersized.

Second Homes and Winter Roads Around the Hamlets

The 2020 Census counted 1,826 people and 1,272 homes in the town. Of those homes, 367 were held for seasonal, recreational or occasional use. About one home in four was built before 1940, per the Census Bureau's survey.

Our property maintenance for second homes keeps up gravel drives and ditches for owners who live out of the area. We talk a problem through by phone and send photos before and after the work.

The town keeps up more than 77 miles of town road, and its snow plan calls many of them steep. Town plows usually start after about 2 inches of snow. The plan asks residents to keep cars off town roads during and just after a storm. Snow plowing for driveways and private roads is part of our winter work here.