In Syracuse, permeable resin-bound surfacing can be designed as a stormwater practice when it is built as porous pavement: a porous surface over an open-graded stone reservoir that infiltrates or drains slowly through an underdrain. The city sits in the Onondaga Lake watershed, which New York's construction permit lists for enhanced phosphorus removal, and Onondaga County's Save the Rain program has funded porous pavement on private land in the past.
That history helps when talking to reviewers, but it applies to a full porous pavement build-up, not a coating. A resin-bound overlay on an existing slab lets rain through the top layer, then sheds it off the hard surface below, so it should not be counted as stormwater control.
Onondaga Lake rules and the Save the Rain legacy
NYSDEC's construction general permit, GP-0-25-001, covers disturbances of an acre or more and names the Onondaga Lake watershed in its Appendix C as requiring enhanced phosphorus removal. In those watersheds the state Design Manual sizes the water quality volume to the 1-year, 24-hour storm. The permit's impaired-waters list also shows nutrient listings for Ley Creek, Onondaga Creek and minor tributaries to the lake.
Save the Rain is Onondaga County's program to reduce pollution reaching Onondaga Lake and its tributaries, using green and gray infrastructure. Its Green Improvement Fund paid for green infrastructure, including porous pavement, on commercial, business and nonprofit properties in parts of the Clinton, Harbor Brook and Midland combined sewersheds, based on the volume each project captures. The fund is not accepting applications at present, so do not plan a project around it.
Snow, clay and the lake: design considerations
Syracuse winters bring heavy lake-effect snow, long freeze-thaw seasons and steady salting. The Design Manual prohibits sand and other winter traction materials on porous pavement and bars its use at stormwater hotspots, so plowing and deicing plans belong in the design. A separate place to pile plowed snow keeps grit off the surface.
Soils around the valley range from glacial till and lake clays to better-drained deposits on some slopes, and older city blocks often sit on fill. Test pits will settle the design: the manual sets a floor of half an inch per hour for soil infiltration, calls for underdrains where the rate falls under 2 inches per hour, and keeps the stone bed 2 feet above seasonal high groundwater or bedrock. Sizing to the 1-year, 24-hour storm typically means a deeper open-graded stone reservoir, set by the engineer, under Rock Crete or another permeable base.
Where a permeable section fits in Syracuse
- Commercial and nonprofit lots in the combined sewersheds, where Save the Rain has already shown porous pavement can work.
- Campus walks and plazas on the university and hospital hill, where winter footing matters.
- Downtown and Armory Square courtyards and rear lots in adaptive reuse projects.
- Church, school and community properties replacing worn asphalt.
- Residential driveways and patios on the city's older blocks, kept on private property.
Fueling and vehicle service areas stay out; the state manual excludes hotspots from porous pavement.
Who reviews it, and what Resin Rock provides
The City's Stormwater Management and Erosion Control Ordinance (General Ordinance #53) applies to projects that disturb 10,000 square feet or more, involve more than 300 cubic yards of excavation or fill, or involve slopes over 15 percent, and the Department of Engineering reviews the SWPPP or drainage report. Onondaga County is involved where work connects to county sewers. Projects of an acre or more also need state permit coverage, and those that must include post-construction practices, such as commercial, institutional and multifamily projects, must size them for enhanced phosphorus removal. Bring infiltration tests, a phosphorus or water quality volume calculation where required, a winter maintenance plan, and documentation for the resin-bound surface course.
For Syracuse projects, Resin Rock provides the binder, aggregate blends, trims and Rock Crete, and the technical data sheets reviewers ask for. We never install; we introduce owners to an approved installer and train Central New York contractors through installer training. Grants, credits and acceptance are decided by the agencies involved.
Before you specify permeable resin-bound in Syracuse
- Check whether disturbance reaches one acre and triggers phosphorus treatment.
- Size the stone reservoir to the 1-year, 24-hour storm where required.
- Test infiltration; lake clays usually need an underdrain.
- Show a snow storage area and a no-sand winter plan.
- Keep fueling and service areas off the permeable section.
- Confirm current Save the Rain funding status before budgeting.
Common questions about permeable resin-bound in Syracuse
Can I get a Save the Rain grant for permeable paving?
Not right now. The Green Improvement Fund, which has funded porous pavement and other green infrastructure on commercial, business and nonprofit properties in parts of three combined sewersheds, is not currently accepting applications. Check the Save the Rain site for any future rounds before assuming funding.
Why does phosphorus matter for a parking lot in Syracuse?
The state construction permit lists the Onondaga Lake watershed for enhanced phosphorus removal. For projects that must include post-construction practices under the permit, the water quality volume is based on the 1-year, 24-hour storm, which is larger than the standard design storm. A porous pavement reservoir can provide some of that treatment if the reviewer accepts it.
Will lake-effect snow clog a permeable surface?
Snow itself is not the problem; sand and grit are. The state manual prohibits sand and winter traction materials on porous pavement. Plow with suitable equipment, store snow off the surface, and plan spring vacuum cleaning. Follow the product data sheets and your installer's maintenance guidance.
Official sources for Syracuse
- Onondaga County Save the Rain
- Save the Rain Green Improvement Fund
- NYSDEC Stormwater Permit for Construction Activity (GP-0-25-001)
- New York State Stormwater Management Design Manual (July 31, 2024)
Local rules change. We last checked these sources in October 2026. Confirm current requirements with the reviewing agency before you design, and treat this page as a starting point, not engineering or permitting advice.