499-aaa. Definitions. When used in this title, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
1. "Applicant" shall mean (a) with respect to an eligible building held in the cooperative or condominium form of ownership, the board of managers of a condominium or the board of directors of a cooperative apartment corporation, or (b) with respect to any other eligible building, the owner of such building.
2. "Application for tax abatement" shall mean an application for a green roof tax abatement pursuant to section four hundred ninety-nine-ccc of this title.
3. "Architect" shall mean a person licensed and registered to practice the profession of architecture under the education law.
4. "Compliance period" shall mean the tax year in which a tax abatement is taken.
5. "Department of finance" shall mean the department of finance of a city having a population of one million or more persons.
6. "Designated agency" shall mean one or more agencies or departments of a city having a population of one million or more persons that are designated by the mayor of such city to exercise the functions, powers and duties of a designated agency pursuant to this title.
7. "Eligible building" shall mean a class one, class two or class four real property, as defined in subdivision one of section eighteen hundred two of this chapter, located within a city having a population of one million or more persons. No building shall be eligible for more than one tax abatement pursuant to this title.
8. "Eligible rooftop space" shall mean the total space available on an eligible building to support a green roof, as certified by an engineer or architect or other certified or licensed professional whom a designated agency designates by rule.
9. "Engineer" shall mean a person licensed and registered to practice the profession of engineering under the education law.
10. "Green roof" shall mean an addition to a roof of an eligible building that covers at least fifty percent of such building's eligible rooftop space and includes (a) a weatherproof and waterproof roofing membrane layer that complies with local construction and fire codes, (b) a root barrier layer, (c) an insulation layer that complies with the Energy Conservation Construction Code of New York state and local construction and fire codes, (d) a drainage layer that complies with local construction and fire codes and is designed so the drains can be inspected and cleaned, (e) a growth medium, including natural or simulated soil, with a depth of at least two inches, (f) if the depth of the growth medium is less than three inches, an independent water holding layer that is designed to prevent the rapid drying of the growth medium, such as a non-woven fabric, pad or foam mat or controlled flow roof drain, unless the green roof is certified not to need regular irrigation to maintain live plants, and (g) a vegetation layer, at least eighty percent of which must be covered by live plants such as (i) sedum or equally drought resistant and hardy plant species, (ii) native plant species, and/or (iii) agricultural plant species.
Last modified: February 3, 2019