IN OFFICE
ISSUE NO. 1
Topics and Trends for Municipal Leaders
meeting minutes
The Case for Comprehensive Planning
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More Drinking Water Pressure: PFOA’s
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A Municipal Engineering Christmas 8 Story Award-Winning Athletic Lighting Brings Uniformity to the Field
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Drainage Improvement Areas Can Stop A Flood of Phone Calls
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In Office LaBella Associates |
Summer 2017
LaBella Welcomes Mark Gregor “PUBLIC OFFICE IS A PUBLIC TRUST.”
WELCOME TO IN OFFICE At LaBella, one of our four core values focuses on the idea of stewardship of resources. It’s a philosphy of our firm, and we know it’s shared by the many public officials who trust our firm with their community’s assets. The responsibilities of the office you hold require stewardship of the public’s finances, safety, education, and infrastructure. The office requires difficult decisions, public scrutiny, and unimaginable foresight. Whether elected or appointed, public officials are the trustees of our communities. Nonetheless, the office you hold is only daunting if you’re in it alone. In Office is our commitment to be your partner in stewardship. Bringing LaBella’s team of experts into your office, this semi-annual publication will present our experience, our expertise, and our forecasting on the topics and trends that affect municipal projects. LaBella’s stewards come in many forms: planners, environmental scientists, civil engineers, architects, interior designers, and many other professionals that treat your resources as our own. Let us know if there’s a topic we can explore for you by contacting us at inoffice@labellapc.com.
Mark Gregor has joined LaBella Associates as Manager of Municipal Environmental Programs. Mark comes to LaBella after over 30 years with the City of Rochester. While at the City, Mark managed the Division of Environmental Quality. His responsibilities included conducting and managing environmental site investigations, remedial projects, regulatory compliance, area-wide brownfield planning, and energy, climate and sustainability planning and projects. During his tenure, Mark oversaw countless USEPA and NYSDEC Brownfield and Voluntary Cleanup Projects, NYSDOS Brownfield Opportunity Area projects, NYS Superfund cleanup projects, and cleanups with private developers. as well as secured over $30 million dollars in State and Federal grant funding. Mark earned statewide and national recognition for his work at the City. A testament to his expertise, Mark testified before the United States Senate Committee on the Environment and Public Works regarding the federal Superfund Program Completion Act. At LaBella, Mark will focus on developing new partnerships while advising on current environmental investigation and cleanup projects. Mark’s extensive experience in developing creative and sustainable environmental solutions, as well as his perspective as a former client, will enhance the services that we provide to our municipal clients. Mark holds a Bachelor of Science from the State University of New York at Geneseo, a Master of Science in Industrial Hygiene and Environmental Studies from the University of Rochester, and a Master of Public Administration from Syracuse University.
In Office LaBella Associates |
Three Things To Know About Dealing with Zombie Properties We’ve all seen them – abandoned homes sitting lazily on an otherwise well-kept neighborhood street with chipped paint, broken windows, missing shingles and overgrown gardens - telling the story of a once loved family home, lost.
These properties are costly for creditors, and in some states, including New York, some banks are required to maintain the foreclosed properties. For residents and local governments, Zombies are a nuisance. They lower property values of nearby homes and are associated with higher crime rates, health and safety concerns, and increased municipal costs. Here are three things to keep in mind when dealing with these properties: Structural assessments & Regulated Building Materials (RBM) assessments are a must. A structural condition assessment of a
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budgets. The good news is that various grants and funding opportunities are available to alleviate these costs. For example, last year, New York’s Governor Andrew Cuomo announced the availability of $100 million in grant money to address Zombie Properties in certain regions of the state.
Hot Topic
These vacant properties, otherwise known as “Zombie Properties” are foreclosed and abandoned homes or other structures that have created a slew of issues for villages, towns, and cities across the United States.
Summer 2017
Zombie Property will determine the need for condemnation and provide necessary documentation prior to demolition or renovation. It is also likely that many older structures contain asbestos, leadbased paint, PCB’s, and other regulated building materials. Prior to demolition or any other work on the building, and once the building is deemed safe to enter, certified inspectors should complete inspection, sampling, and testing for asbestos and other hazardous materials. Any hazardous materials identified in this process will need to be addressed prior to demolition or construction. Look for grants & funding opportunities. Costs associated with the maintenance, assessment, and demolition of Zombie Properties can be problematic for municipal
Don’t forget about underground storage tanks! Many older homes were historically heated with oil furnaces and will often still have underground or basement oil tanks that were left in place when the house was converted to gas heat. These tanks pose a risk of leaks and other environmental concerns and potential issues when rebuilding on the property. When addressing the demolition or reuse of the structure itself, don’t forget about the possibility of underground storage tanks, which can either be removed or closed in place. LaBella offers full service solutions for municipalities addressing Zombie Properties. Our Planning Division is experienced in securing grants and funding to help cover the costs of the initial assessment and demolition of these properties. LaBella’s team can also provide complete structural and environmental services, bid package development and coordination, site management, and full demolition services.
In recent years numerous programs have been enacted to deal with zombie properties. Obvious essential maintenance like lawn mowing and roof repair are critical, but less visible property concerns include underground oil tanks and asbestos.
Many available programs aim to prevent deterioration. But houses that are uninhabitable require licensed assessments and remediation prior to demolition.
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In Office LaBella Associates |
Summer 2017
Feature
Your Comprehensive Plan Could Be Your Community’s Greatest Advocate Comprehensive planning is big-picture, long-range planning. Many communities avoid comprehensive planning because they don’t want to invest in a plan that they think will “just sit on a shelf.” A lack of understanding about what the plan can – and should – do compounds “comp plan aversion syndrome.”
The Future Land Use Plan is also important because while it does not have the force of law, it is the rationale for future zoning, which does.
Towns, villages, counties and even regions can engage in comprehensive planning. While these entities are naturally interested in seeing projects as opposed to planning, a good comprehensive plan helps facilitate future development because it considers all aspects of the municipality. Adopted comprehensive plans help protect community character, resources and quality of life. They attract good development proposals by articulating the kinds of projects that should be encouraged. Adopted comprehensive plans support grant applications and confer extra points over competitors that do not have plans. The plan markets communities to prospective residents because they can see how they fit into the community as it develops.
In Office LaBella Associates |
Elected officials, including County Legislators as well as state and federal representatives, are in a better position to help because they are aware of the long-term goals articulated in the plan. The planning process can be extraordinarily rewarding and can pay back for years to come. To do so, comprehensive planning addresses the Three Big Planning Questions: •
Where are we?
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Where do we want to go?
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How are we going to get there?
Here’s how it all works: Where are we? The comprehensive planning process begins with an in-depth inventory. The inventory identifies existing conditions such as population and housing characteristics, socio-economic indicators, services like schools, transportation, infrastructure, historic and cultural resources, and open space systems. Communities often learn new things about themselves during this step! During the inventory phase, existing plans and strategies that influence and impact the community are also considered. These include such documents as regional economic development and transportation plans, corridor studies, waterfront Comprehensive plans do not just benefit local government, but also myriad local groups who will find the plan’s data helpful as they write grant applications and seek funding.
plans, etc. The comprehensive plan’s consistency with these documents is crucial to attract funding for recommended initiatives. Where are we going? The comprehensive planning process engages residents and stakeholders to develop a vision for the future. In addition to convening a steering committee to guide the plan process, public involvement includes meetings such as workshops, open houses and hearings, small group or focus group meetings, and surveys. This visioning process informs development of goals and objectives. Communities want to preserve their existing character but they also want to expand their tax bases, attract new residents, and increase the amenities they can offer their residents. Guided by the vision, goals, and objectives, the future land use plan illustrates development could take place over the course of the next 20 years. Balancing preservation and development goals, the Future Land Use Plan identifies locations for future housing, industry, commercial development, and parks and open space, and anticipates the need for future infrastructure and services. The Future Land Use Plan is also important because while it does not have the force of law, it is the rationale for future zoning, which does. With a solid Future Land Use
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Plan, zoning changes that strike that balance can be made. The Future Land Use Plan also protects the community from claims that the new zoning is capricious. As a result, it is one of the most important elements of the comprehensive plan. How are we going to get there? With a solid vision and Future Land Use Plan in hand, priority actions that will help implement the plan and realize the vision the plan outlines can be drafted. A list of recommendations for projects such as infrastructure development, studies and other measures emerges, creating a checklist for implementation. This checklist should include priority and phasing of each recommendation and identify which entity will take the lead as well as the partners for each recommendation. Costs and potential funding sources round out the check list. Communities themselves – the planning villages, towns, counties and regions –benefit from their comprehensive plans, but so do myriad local groups such as social, religious, and fraternal organizations. Each of these finds a role in the new comprehensive plan. Each will also find the information in the plan’s inventory incredibly helpful as they write grant applications and seek funding to contribute to the community’s well-being, vitality, and quality of life. (continued next page)
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In Office LaBella Associates |
Summer 2017
Groundbreaking
West Webster Fire District Station #1 The West Webster Fire District has broken ground and construction is underway for the Department’s new headquarters, Station #1. The current station, located at 1051 Gravel Road in Webster, NY, was originally built in 1966, and had been enlarged with additions in 1979 and 1993. After completing a feasibility study, a new facility was deemed necessary as the station is currently undersized for the fire, rescue, and emergency medical services that operate from it, and many of the original and repaired building systems are insufficient for the building’s functions. LaBella worked with the District to prepare a public presentation about the station’s deficiencies to inform taxpayers about the need for station replacement. The existing station was undersized in more ways than one, including clearances for the trucks in the garage (a result of modern, larger rigs) and the bunk room (which had to be used coed). Heating, cooling, roofing, and windows were also in disrepair or inefficient, an important consideration for a building that is always occupied.
Comprehensive planning, continued from page 5 Many opportunities for intermunicipal cooperation emerge from comprehensive plans, making regions stronger and attracting additional funding.
Many states, including New York, require an environmental review of the plan; communities can decide for themselves how detailed they want this review.
In New York and many other states, municipalities refer the completed plan to the county prior to adoption to ensure consistency and compatibility with county and regional goals and policies. Then the plan is presented to the public for a public hearing and adopted.
LaBella has experienced AICP certified comprehensive planning project managers in its planning division. We give communities the resources they need to develop comprehensive plans and guide them through a process that is both enriching and enjoyable.
Case Study Village of Lakewood Comprehensive Plan In 2015, the Village of Lakewood, Chautauqua County, NY, embarked on its first comprehensive plan in 40 years. Village leaders had many thoughts about what was needed in Lakewood, and through the comprehensive planning process they engaged the public in numerous ways to ensure a clear understanding of residents’ and stakeholders’ wishes. They used the plan goals and objectives to organize their thinking and prioritize actions. With these tools in hand, even before the Comprehensive Plan was complete, the Village began implementing. Here is a progress report: •
Lakewood and the Town of Busti were awarded a $100,000 grant (20% community match required) from the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation and the Environmental Facilities Corporation to fund a storm water management engineering study, addressing runoff into Chautauqua Lake, one of the community’s highest priorities.
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The Village received a $2,500 incentive award from the New York State Energy Research & Development Authority (NYSERDA), for adopting a Unified Solar Permit. It used that money to install electric vehicle charging stations. The charging stations were one of four high-impact actions needed to become a designated NYSERDA Clean Energy Community, making Lakewood eligible for a grant of up to $100,000 (no match required) for energy-related improvements.
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A New York Main Street Technical Assistance (TA) Grant application is being prepared for the Village by LaBella Associates to fund a strategy to revitalize the Village’s Chautauqua Avenue commercial district. The $20,000 grant requires a five percent ($1,000) community match. The TA study will result in design guidelines and strategies for improvement to specific commercial buildings. A New York Main Street Target Area grant application will follow the TA study. That program provides assistance to the building owners to make renovations identified in the TA study.
The new facility will be ready for its first alarm in Fall 2018.
In Office LaBella Associates |
Summer 2017
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In the News
More Drinking Water Pressure: PFOAs Are An Emerging Contaminant
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ollowing the spotlight thrown on the issues in Flint, Michigan, many communities around the US are taking action to address potential lead contamination in their drinking water. Unfortunately, PFOAs (Perfluorooctanoic Acid) represent another threat to the safety of our drinking water that demands attention and education. PFOAs are a manmade chemical used to make a variety of products heat resistant and repel grease and stains. PFOAs are water soluble, accumulate in the blood stream (rather than fat), and have a long list of ill effects, including cancer, birth defects, and liver and immune effects. While phased out of household products in 2006, they were used in a variety of household and commercial products. As such, they may be present in older products in homes, and in water supplies. PFOAs have been identified in water resources due to releases from manufacturing sites, industrial sites, fire/ crash training facilities, and industrial or municipal waste sites (e.g. old town dumps). Exposure to humans has also been attributed to food, food packaging, consumer products, household dust, and drinking water. Between 1999 and 2012 PFOA was detected in the blood serum of 99% of the United States general population (U.S. EPA Office of Water. May 2016). Although PFOA related substances are being phased out of production and manufacturing in the United States, historic releases to the environment have been identified as a concern by the EPA and NYSDEC. Under NYSDEC Part 375, the NYSDEC has been authorized to pursue the investigation and clean-up of PFOAs. What action should municipalities take? National research completed by the United States Department of Defense (DOD) identified approximately 600 fire/crash/training facilities that have the potential for contamination with PFA compounds due to historic use of certain firefighting foams (ERSON-14-02, October 25, 2012). Municipalities that have operated former “town dumps” (landfils) and/ or fire training facilities may have cause for concern, especially rural municipalities with private drinking wells. Being pro-active in researching applicable former uses is a necessary first step.
Municipalities with former “town dumps” or fire training facilities should be alert for ptoential PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid) contamination.
Currently, there are no federal regulations under the Safe Drinking Water Act or national recommended ambient water quality criteria under the Clean Water Act for PFOAs. In May 2016 the EPA issued a lifetime drinking water Health Advisory. EPA Health Advisories provide information on contaminants that can cause human health effects and are known or anticipated to occur in drinking water. In order to protect the public, including the most sensitive populations, with a margin of protection from a lifetime exposure, the EPA health advisory for PFOA and PFOS combined is 70 parts per trillion. It should be noted that the EPA’s health advisories are non-enforceable and non-regulatory. The exposure level provided by the EPA is meant to provide technical information to state agencies and other public health officials on health effects, analytical methodologies, and treatment technologies associated with drinking water contamination. Historical research and groundwater and drinking water investigation can identify if there is a potential issue. The EPA has identified PFOA related substances as an emerging contaminant that is extremely persistent and resistant to the typical environmental degradation processes. Current remediation options for PFOAs are limited and filtration via activated carbon is the only proven remedial option. However, research is ongoing to assess additional remedial technologies. To discuss the rise of PFOA’s with one of our environmental consultants, or for a list of sources for this article to do further reading yourself, contact us at inoffice@labellapc.com.
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In Office LaBella Associates |
Summer 2017
Profiles in Partnership
All I Got For Christmas Was a Frantic Email LaBella was on hand to help the Town of Irondequoit triage emergency needs on Christmas Day. It was a morning like any other. LaBella Project Manager Mike Shaffron woke, walked his dogs, and then checked his email. But the date was December 25th, 2016, and what he opened that morning was not a joyous surprise. Instead, Town of Irondequoit Commissioner of Public Works Robert Kiley sent Mike an urgent email with news of a fire at the Town’s DPW building. The fire had started Christmas Eve, and that morning Bob Kiley was facing a total loss of his facility. Mike quickly joined Bob at the site, where concerns were mounting over the nearby communications tower. Were the tower’s stabilizing guy wires impacted by the fire? Was collapse imminent? Working quickly on Christmas Day, Mike and Bob were joined by representatives from the tower manufacturer, who determined that the tower would stand, but the wires would need to be replaced within the week. Water and electrical service was also a concern, and as Town Engineer LaBella worked with Irondequoit’s staff to make an emergency repair plan. Since the fire, LaBella has designed a temporary DPW, now under construction, that will house the Town’s snow plows for the winter season. Site options for a new, permanent replacement facility are being studied.
The Town of Irondequoit’s Department of Public Works Garage was lost in a Christmas fire. LaBella is working with the Town on both temporary and permanent replacement facilities.
As Town Engineer for the past 7 years, LaBella’s job is to treat the town’s facilities like our own. There’s no doubt that if he had to do it again, Mike would still open that email on Christmas Morning. As for the town, Commisioner Kiley said, “Rather than spend time with his family on a cold, snowy Christmas morning, Mike was on site with me surveying the damage and helping to formulate a plan. I spent my Christmas 2016 with Mike Schaffron, and I was extremely grateful to have him there.”
In Processs
Gloversville Downtown Development Strategy Shared With Public The City of Gloversville held an Open House in late June to outline some of the concepts for the Gloversville Downtown Revitalization. LaBella Associates is the lead consultant on the project. In partnership with InSite Architecture, Planning Division Director Ed Flynn led the Open
House to unveil redevelopment concepts for the City. Information at the event included stages of Downtown Revitalization which takes six to 10 years to reach critical mass and includes things such as events, housing, retail, and offices. The workshop served as a chance for the public, city, and county government and business community to communicate with the consultant team.
The plan is to build a consistent vision on Downtown Revitalization Efforts; identify opportunities, constraints and issues; provide data to investors; and initiate a downtown rebranding program among others.
Planning Division Director Ed Flynn shares plans with the public in Gloversville, NY.
In Office LaBella Associates |
Summer 2017
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LaBella Local
LaBella Opens Albany Office and Adds Municipal Engineering to Buffalo Office
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ovus Engineering and Bagdon Environmental, headquartered in Delmar, NY, joined LaBella Associates this spring! Offering mechanical, electrical, plumbing, energy and environmental services, the Novus/Bagdon team will form our new office in the Capital Region. In Buffalo, we welcomed Mayor Byron Brown to celebrate the completion of our office expansion. We doubled the size of our workspace to acommondate our growing staff, including the addition of three cvil/ municipal engineers. The civil team, led by Ken Strell, joins our existing planning, environmental, architecture and MEP team in serving WNY municipalities. “From the cleanup of brownfield sites in the Northland Corridor and reconstruction of Seneca Street west of Larkinville, to the renovation of the auditorium at the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library, LaBella’s highly visible work is helping to make our neighborhoods citywide more productive, vibrant and beautiful,” said Mayor Brown.
Public Safety
The command center and multi-purpose room is designed to serve as a critical incident command post, but also hosts press conferences, trainings and ceremonies.
Town of Greece Opens New Police Station With planning and development in the works for over two decades, a new police headquarters facility became a reality for the Town of Greece in the spring of 2017. Driven by the much needed replacement of the Town’s existing precinct #1 headquarters building, a repurposed waste water treatment facility, the Town’s goal was reached through the construction of an efficient and safe police headquarters building proper for the Greece Police Department to conduct professional police work well into the 21st century. The new Gerald D. Phelan Police Headquarters was designed to accommodate the Police Department’s 100 sworn personnel who patrol and protect 42 square miles of land, and serve a population of approximately 100,000 Town of Greece citizens. This was accomplished through the programing of 27,000 square feet and the development of a two story steel & masonry structure with police services including Administration, Booking & Road Patrol, Evidence & Property Processing and Storage, Criminal Investigation Department, and Civil Staff Services.
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In Office LaBella Associates |
Summer 2017
Town Recreation
LaBella’s Athletic Field Lighting Recognized by Illuminating Engineering Society
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thletic field lighting plays an important role in competition, as well as athlete and spectator safety. Our recent work for the Town of Pittsford’s Thornell Farm Park was recently recognized for excellence in exterior lighting. The lighting accompanied a new synthetic turf field, three new natural grass fields, tennis courts, parking, pavilions, walkways, and restrooms. The project was designed with digital lighting control, allowing the Town of Pittsford to react to cancelled or post-poned games from a cell phone. Successfully lighting an athletic field requires engineers to consider both spill light and glare. Spill light is when the light “spills” beyond the footprint of what is intended to be illuminated. It’s a nuisance to neighboring homes. Glare must be considered for both athletes and spectators - both need to be able to see the ball when it’s in the air. Raising the height of the light fixtures addresses both problems. For the Town of Pittsford, we used forty foot poles at the tennis courts, and eighty foot poles at the soccer/lacrosse field. Selecting fixtures with internal louvers and external baffles also minimizes spill light and glare. The result: uniform lighting across the entire playing surface.
The Town of Pittsford’s Thornell Farm Park is efficiently and uniformly lit by LaBella’s awardwinning exterior lighting design.
Grants
Restore NY Communities Intiative Announces Its Fifth .Round
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here is more good news for communities that are looking to revitalize commercial, industrial and mixed use properties.
For further infromation on applying for funding, contact our Planning Team at 585.295.6285.
Governor Cuomo announced on August 17, 2017 that the fifth round of Restore NY Communities Initiative will begin this fall. The Restore NY program, which encourages development and neighborhood growth, provides local governments with financial assistance to support economic development and
“revitalize” neighborhoods and urban centers across the state. This fifth round will have $80 million (versus $40 million in 2016) in funding available for eligible communities. Cities, towns and villages are eligible to apply for funding to support projects that include demolition, deconstruction, rehabilitation, or reconstruction of vacant, abandoned, condemned, and surplus properties. On September 15th, application and related materials will become available online. The intent to apply deadline is Friday, October 13, 2017, and applications are due by Friday, December 15, 2017.
In Office LaBella Associates |
Summer 2017
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Learn More
Flooded with Stormwater Calls? Consider a Drainage Improvement Area Sound familiar? Your office is fielding numerous calls about drainage issues on residential properties. Investigation reveals that the failed drainage infrastructure is the responsibility of a homeowner who assumes the problem is the Town’s. The homewoner doesn’t have the right equipment, know-how, or financial means to keep engineered drainage infrastructure in working order. But you don’t have the budget or legal standing to assume maintenance in all developed areas. For our long time client, the Town of Victor, a Drainage Improvement Area (DIA) was the answer. Recognizing that property owners still expect the Town to assist with drainage (even when under no legal obligation to do so), and desiring to avoid costly drainage “emergencies” impacting multiple properties, the DIA presents a mechanism for the Town to step in.
UNDERLYING THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE DIA IS THE BELIEF THAT PROPERLY FUNCTIONING STORMWATER MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS BENEFIT ALL THAT LIVE, WORK, MANUFACTURE, CONDUCT COMMERCE, AND RECREATE IN THE TOWN.
Simply put, the DIA allows the Town to perform maintenance and improvements on drainage infrastructure without assuming ownership or liability from the property owner. However, the Town is not obligated to do so, allowing officials the ability to determine if and when they’ll step in. DIA’s are funded as part of the Town’s tax, and future DIA’s will be established for new residential subdivisions as part of the approval process. The Town will manage all DIA’s administratively as one program. Criteria for a DIA has been established, but in summary, DIA’s will be zoned residential and have engineered (rather than natural) drainage infrastructure that impacts multiple property owners. Intrigued? Email us at inoffice@ labellapc.com and we can send you a technical overview and answer any questions.
The town can assist with repairs like reestablishment of design grades within ponds or swales, repairing outlet structures, or cleaning and flushing closed drainage systems. Simple maintenance like leaf raking will still fall to the property owner.
The Town of Greece’s New Police Station, page 9
LEARN MORE: visit our website for more information
ph. 877.626.6606
www.labellapc.com/municipal
inoffice@labellapc.com