Landscaping in West Nyack, NY
West Nyack lots near the Hackensack River and the Palisades Center drain poorly and flood in big storms. We install drainage that outlets properly, raise low patios, and set fences on posts that survive saturated soil.
Working in West Nyack
West Nyack is a hamlet in the Town of Clarkstown with about 3,650 residents on 2.9 square miles, with Route 59 and the Palisades Center at its commercial core. It grew up around the West Shore Railroad station and the Nyack Water Works and took the name West Nyack in 1891. Residential streets spread out from there into lower ground along the Hackensack River.
The river is the main factor in outdoor work here. The town describes flooding along the Hackensack in West Nyack as a problem for more than 30 years, and the old Klein Avenue levee was overtopped by storms many times, most recently Superstorm Sandy. The town's levee improvement project was built in part so homes could be taken out of the flood plain or have their flood designation changed.
On low ground like this, a drain is only as good as its outlet. Patios and walks need to sit high enough and slope away from the house, fence posts need footings that hold in wet soil, and grading has to send water somewhere that still drains when the river and storm system are full. We look at where the water actually goes on your lot before we design anything.
What we build in West Nyack
Drainage with a working outlet
Many West Nyack yard drains fail because they empty into ground that is already saturated. We trace the existing line, find an outlet with real fall, and rebuild the pipe to reach it, using solid pipe for roof water and perforated pipe only where the soil can take it. If the outlet is the street, we get the town road opening permit first.
Drainage & ExcavationRaised patio off the wet ground
A patio set at lawn level on low ground holds water after every storm. We raise the finished surface on a deeper compacted base, hold the edge with a seating wall of 4 feet or less, and pitch the surrounding grade away from both the patio and the house.
Hardscape & LightingWalkway and step lighting
Paths from the driveway to the back door get dark early in winter. We set low-voltage LED fixtures along walks and steps, run the low-voltage cable in shallow trenches, and have a licensed electrician install the transformer and any outlet it needs.
Hardscape & LightingFence posts that hold in wet soil
Posts in saturated ground heave and lean within a few seasons. We dig below frost, set a layer of stone in the bottom of each hole, and set the posts in concrete, keeping solid panels within Clarkstown's height and setback rules.
Fencing & PrivacyLawn repair after high water
When water sits on a lawn for days, it leaves silt, debris, and dead turf. We clear the surface, regrade low spots, and reseed or lay sod so the yard recovers before summer heat sets in.
Seasonal & SpecialtyClearing out flood-damaged contents
After a basement or garage floods, the soaked carpet, furniture, and boxes need to come out quickly. We carry it out, load it, and haul it away, and clear storm debris from the yard on the same visit.
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 West Nyack
Permits and rules in West Nyack
West Nyack is unincorporated, so the Town of Clarkstown Building Department at Town Hall in New City handles permits. Clarkstown does not require a permit for a fence, but the zoning code still limits height: a solid fence or freestanding wall can be up to 4 1/2 feet along a lot line, a taller solid fence must be set back two thirds of its height, and an open fence can be up to 6 feet along any lot line. Fences at street corners must also meet the town's intersection rules.
A building permit is required to put up or alter a structure, and the town lists installing a storm drainage line among the plumbing work that needs a permit. Any cut into a town street, road, or sidewalk for any purpose, including a driveway connection, needs a permit from the Superintendent of Highways, backed by a cash deposit or bond of at least $1,000 that is returned after the restoration passes inspection. We handle that application whenever a drain or driveway reaches the road.
The zoning code limits development on residential slopes between 30% and 50% and bars land disturbance on anything steeper. Near the river, lots may be in the mapped flood zone, and streams on the Rockland County Official Map fall under the Rockland County Drainage Agency for work within 100 feet. We check the flood and stream maps for your lot and plan the work to comply.
When to schedule work in West Nyack
Clarkstown collects curbside yard waste from March through October. Brush and branches must be tied in bundles no longer than 5 feet and no heavier than 50 pounds, and bagged yard waste goes in biodegradable bags, not plastic. In the fall the town runs a loose leaf pickup with a route map updated daily, and leaves must be piled on the lawn, never in the street or over a storm drain.
Drainage and patio work is best scheduled from late spring through early fall, after the spring high water has dropped and the trenches will stay open. We avoid digging in the days right after a big storm, when the low ground is at its wettest. Snow removal and salting run all winter, and we keep piles off drains so meltwater has somewhere to go.
All services in West Nyack
Guides for West Nyack homeowners
- Yard drainage in Rockland County. Most wet yards in Rockland come down to clay soil, a bad grade, and roof water with nowhere to go.
- 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.
- Regrading a yard to slope away from the house. When the ground next to a house is flat or tilts toward the foundation, rain runs to the wall and soaks in beside it.
Nearby
We also work in Blauvelt, Valley Cottage, Nanuet, Nyack, Pearl River, Orangeburg, Congers, New City, and across Rockland County.
Questions
Do I need a permit for a fence in West Nyack?
No. Clarkstown does not require a fence permit, but the zoning code still limits height and setback. We build to those limits.
How tall can my fence be in Clarkstown?
A solid fence can be 4 1/2 feet along a lot line, or taller if set back two thirds of its height. An open fence can be up to 6 feet on any lot line.
Can my yard drain connect to the street?
Only with a permit from the Clarkstown Superintendent of Highways for any cut into a town road or sidewalk. The town holds a deposit of at least $1,000 until the restoration is approved, and we file the application.
Is my West Nyack lot in the flood plain?
Some lots near the Hackensack River are. The FEMA map and your survey will show it, and the town's levee work was designed to change the status of some homes. We check before we design.
Can a patio be built on a lot that stays wet?
Yes, if it is raised and drained. We set it on a deeper stone base, hold the edge with a low wall, and slope the ground away from it.
Can you remove flood-damaged items from my basement?
Yes. We carry out and haul away wet furniture, carpet, and boxes, and clear yard debris on the same trip.
Where should I put leaves for the town pickup?
Pile them on your lawn at the edge of the property, not in the street, at a bus stop, near a hydrant, or over a storm drain. We leave them placed that way after a cleanup.
Why does my yard hold water even after it stops raining?
On low ground the soil fills up and the water has nowhere to drain. A pipe with steady fall to a working outlet, plus regrading, is usually the fix.
Something to haul away first? See junk removal in West Nyack.
Have a project in West Nyack? 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
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If it is urgent, call or text (845) 367-4123.