Landscaping in Suffern, NY
Suffern sits at the foot of the Ramapos, and lots on the mountain side get runoff from above every storm. French drains, swales, and culverts are the usual first job. The village and the town of Ramapo both have permit rules we know.
Working in Suffern
Suffern is a village of about 2.1 square miles in the Town of Ramapo, incorporated in 1796 at the base of the Ramapo Mountains. The Ramapo River valley opens up here, and Route 17, the Thruway, and the rail line all run through it. The downtown streets have older houses on tight lots, and at the 2000 census the village averaged about 2,280 housing units per square mile.
USDA maps show a mix of ground in Suffern. Parts of the valley are Riverhead soil, formed in sandy water-sorted material over layers of sand and gravel, and it drains quickly. Other parts are mapped as smoothed fill where land was cut and leveled for roads and buildings. On Riverhead ground a dry well is often a workable outlet for roof water, and we confirm it with a perc test before we size one.
The Mahwah River flows south through Suffern and joins the Ramapo River just past the state line in Mahwah, New Jersey, and the Squires Gate section of the village has seen significant flooding in heavy rain. Lots below the mountain slopes take runoff from above as well. Drainage here has to steer water around the house and away from the low spots without adding to what the river already carries.
What we build in Suffern
Interceptor drain below a slope
When water comes down the hill and reaches the house on the uphill side, the fix starts above the house. We cut a stone-filled trench with perforated pipe across the slope to catch the water, then carry it in solid pipe around the house to an outlet on the downhill side.
Drainage & ExcavationDry well for roof water
Where a perc test shows the sandy valley soil takes water, a dry well can handle the roof. We size it to the roof area feeding it, put a catch basin ahead of it to hold back grit and leaves, and run the downspouts to it in solid pipe.
Drainage & ExcavationFence within village height limits
Suffern allows fences and walls up to 4 feet in a required front yard and 6 feet in the other required yards. We lay out the fence from the survey, keep it within those heights, and face the finished side toward the neighbor or the street, as the village code requires.
Fencing & PrivacyWalkway and steps in a historic district
Properties in a village historic district need a certificate of appropriateness from the Planning Board before visible changes to fences, steps, or paving. We prepare the plan and material samples for that review, then build the walk or steps on a compacted base once it is approved.
Hardscape & LightingSnow plowing and salting
Suffern requires a village permit for every vehicle that plows snow in the village, renewed each year from October 1. Village code also bars pushing snow onto sidewalks, streets, or storm drains, and piling it 3 feet or higher within 10 feet of a corner, so we plan where the snow goes on each property before the first storm.
Seasonal & SpecialtyYard and storm debris cleanup
Heavy storms bring down limbs and damage fences and sheds. We clear the debris, load it ourselves, and get the yard ready for repairs or a new fence.
Junk RemovalText a few photos of the area or send the form. We come out, walk it with you, and send a written scope and a fixed price.
Before you build in Suffern
Permits and rules in Suffern
Suffern is an incorporated village, so permits go to the Village of Suffern Building Department on the top floor of Village Hall at 61 Washington Avenue, not to the Town of Ramapo. A building permit is required to build, alter, or relocate a structure, and the application needs a plot plan drawn to scale. When a building permit is approved, the applicant has to notify the adjoining owners and the owners across the street by certified mail within 10 days.
Village zoning allows fences and walls, including retaining walls, in required yards up to 4 feet high in the front yard and 6 feet in the others, with the finished side facing the neighbor or the street. Electric, barbed wire, and razor wire fences are not allowed in residential areas. On a corner, nothing can block the sight line inside the triangle 25 feet back from the intersection. We confirm with the Building Department whether a particular fence or wall needs its own building permit before we order materials.
The Department of Public Works issues separate permits for tree removal, for any disturbance in the village right of way such as the curb, sidewalk, roadway, or the grass strip along the street, and for snow plowing. A right of way permit needs a sketch of the work and three business days' notice before digging. The village also limits building on residential slopes over 30 percent, so on mountain-side lots we start from a survey.
When to schedule work in Suffern
Where a lot sits on the sandy valley soil, the ground drains quickly and drainage and hardscape work can often start earlier in spring. Lots against the mountain stay wet longer, and on those we schedule excavation for summer and early fall. Plow permits run October 1 through September 30, so snow contracts should be set up by October.
The village collects loose leaves at the curb from October 15 through December 15, and bagged leaves are collected during that period too. After December 15, only bagged leaves are picked up. Leaves must be raked to the curb and kept out of the roadway, where they block storm drains, so we schedule fall cleanups in November and have the piles out before the loose leaf season ends.
All services in Suffern
Guides for Suffern homeowners
- Retaining wall permits and engineering. In most New York and New Jersey towns, a retaining wall over 4 feet needs an engineered design and a permit, and walls under that limit can still need one if they hold up a driveway or a slope.
- Hudson Valley seasonal yard checklist. The lower Hudson Valley gets hard winters, wet springs, and a long leaf season, and a yard that is checked at the right times avoids most of the expensive repairs.
- Downspout drainage options: where roof water should go. Most wet basements and soggy foundation beds we look at in Rockland and Bergen start at a downspout that empties within a foot or two of the wall.
- Fall cleanup and town leaf pickup in Rockland and Bergen. A fall cleanup clears leaves and debris, puts beds to rest for winter, and sets the lawn up for spring.
Nearby
We also work in Hillburn, Sloatsburg, Monsey, Nanuet, Pomona, Pearl River, New City, West Nyack, and across Rockland County.
Questions
Who issues permits in Suffern, the village or the Town of Ramapo?
Inside the village it is the Village of Suffern Building Department at Village Hall. Tree removal, right of way, and snow plow permits come from the village DPW.
How tall can a fence be in Suffern?
Up to 4 feet in a required front yard and 6 feet in the other required yards. The finished side has to face the neighbor or the street.
Do I need a permit to dig in the grass strip by the street?
Yes. The DPW requires a right of way disturbance permit for work in the curb, sidewalk, roadway, or grass area along the street, with three business days' notice before work starts.
Will a dry well work on my Suffern lot?
It can on the sandy valley soils mapped in parts of the village. We do a perc test first and only install one if the soil takes water fast enough.
When are loose leaves collected in Suffern?
From October 15 through December 15. After that, the village only takes bagged leaves.
Does my snow plow contractor need a permit in Suffern?
Yes. Every vehicle that plows in the village needs a village permit, valid October 1 through September 30, and snow cannot be pushed onto sidewalks, streets, or storm drains.
My house is in a historic district. Can I replace the front steps?
Yes, after the Planning Board issues a certificate of appropriateness for visible changes to steps, fences, or paving. We prepare the plan for that review.
Will my neighbors be notified about my project?
If the work needs a building permit, the village requires the applicant to notify adjoining owners and those across the street by certified mail within 10 days of approval.
Something to haul away first? See junk removal in Suffern.
Have a project in Suffern? Tell us about it.
Three quick steps. We call you back to set up a free on-site estimate, usually the same day.
- Call or text(845) 367-4123
- Emailgeneral@landtechenterprise.com
- Based inPomona, NY
Got it. We will call you shortly.
If it is urgent, call or text (845) 367-4123.