Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Town of Leicester, Vermont

Town of Leicester’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Nonexempt construction or alteration of a structure, land development, changes of use, and subdivisions inside Leicester town.

  • The rule excludes activities noted in § 3.0.2 and activities specifically exempted in the Vermont Municipal and Regional Planning and Development Act.
  • Conditional uses, multi-lot subdivisions, commercial development, seasonal-to-year-round conversions, and applications requiring site-plan review require DRB review and approval before a zoning permit issues.

  permit type: zoning permit (Except as noted in § 3.0.2 or specifically exempted in the Act.)

  “Except as noted in Section 3.0.2 of these Regulations or as specifically exempted in the Act, a Zoning Permit issued by the Zoning Administrator as provided for in 24 V.S.A. § 4449 is required before commencing any land development; change of use of a structure; construction or alteration of a structure or subdivision.”

• InspectionsLimited

  Development subject to Leicester's Unified Development Regulations.

  • The Zoning Administrator may inspect structures or land before permit issuance to verify a site-plan application and may make other inspections necessary to enforce the regulations.

  “Make Inspections. Inspect structures or land of the development before the permit is issued to ensure site plan application is accurate as it relates to the development project and make other inspections as necessary to carry out his/her duties in the enforcement of this regulation.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land development and uses within Leicester town, Addison County, Vermont.

  • The regulations govern all land development and uses within the Town of Leicester.
  • Uses or land development not permitted by the regulations are deemed prohibited.

  “The Town of Leicester hereby establishes Zoning Regulations, Subdivision Regulations and Flood Hazard Regulations. These Regulations shall be known and cited as the “Town of Leicester Unified Development Regulations” and referred to herein as “these Regulations”.”

• Living in an RVLimited

  Camper, truck-trailer, and recreational-vehicle use on private property inside Leicester town.

  • If parked on private property for more than 45 days, the camper or truck trailer must meet district setback standards, be parked behind the principal building's front face unless site conditions prohibit it, and be the only trailer or camper on the parcel.
  • A camper parked under this exception may not be occupied more than 90 days in 365 consecutive days and must have documented human-waste disposal.
  • Occupation for more than 90 days must meet district camp or dwelling requirements.

  private-property parking threshold: > 45 days · maximum occupancy: <= 90 days in 365 consecutive days (Unless it meets camp or dwelling requirements of the zoning district.)

  “If a camper or truck trailer is parked on private property for more than 45 days, it must meet the setback standards of the district, and be parked behind the front face of the principal building (unless site conditions prohibit such parking). There may be only one trailer or camper on the parcel.”

• Camping on your landProhibited

  New commercial camping areas inside Leicester town.

  • One existing campground may continue as a nonconforming use.
  • The listed camping-area standards apply to that existing campground and to changes to its business.

  “Commercial camping areas are no longer permitted uses within the Town of Leicester. However, one campground currently exists and will continue to exist as a non-conforming use.”

• Manufactured homesAllowed (with conditions)

  Mobile homes and other prefabricated housing inside Leicester town.

  • Mobile homes are considered single-family dwellings and must meet requirements for single-family dwellings in their district.
  • Exceptions identified by the regulation are approved mobile-home parks, sales establishments, and temporary structures.

  “Mobile homes will be considered single-family dwellings and must meet the requirements for single-family dwellings in the district in which they are located, except when located in an approved mobile home park, sales establishment, or allowed as a temporary structure.”

• Accessory dwellingsAllowed (with conditions)

  Accessory dwelling units inside Leicester town where single-family dwellings are permitted, or in an owner-occupied legally existing single-family principal dwelling.

  • The unit must be an efficiency or one-bedroom apartment.
  • The apartment may not exceed 30 percent of principal-dwelling habitable floor area or 600 square feet, whichever is larger.
  • Only one accessory dwelling unit is permitted for each primary dwelling structure.
  • Off-road parking for two vehicles and a copy of the State potable-water and wastewater permit are required.

  maximum apartment area: <= 30 percent of principal dwelling habitable floor area (Or 600 square feet, whichever is larger.) · accessory dwelling units per primary dwelling structure: 1

  “Accessory dwelling units that meet the standards below will be a Permitted Use in all districts where single-family dwellings are Permitted Uses or in any owner-occupied single- family principal dwelling legally in existence as of the effective date of these Regulations.”

• Septic permitRequired

  An accessory dwelling unit proposed inside Leicester town.

  • The State potable-water and wastewater permit must accompany the application for the local zoning permit.
  • The accessory dwelling unit must meet all § 5.1 standards.

  required document: copy of state Potable Water and Wastewater permit (Accessory dwelling unit zoning-permit application.)

  “A copy of the state Potable Water and Wastewater permit for the accessory apartment accompanies the application for a zoning permit.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Occupied campers, truck trailers, and recreational vehicles on private property inside Leicester town.

  • Any occupied camper, truck trailer, or recreational vehicle must have an acceptable documented method of disposing of human wastes either on or off the property.
  • Occupancy beyond 90 days must meet camp or dwelling requirements of the zoning district.

  maximum occupancy before district camp-or-dwelling requirements apply: > 90 days in 365 consecutive days

  “A camper so parked will not be occupied more than ninety (90) days in 365 consecutive days. A camper occupied for any length of time must have an acceptable documented method of disposing of human wastes either on or off the property.”

• Agricultural exemptionAvailable (with conditions)

  Agricultural and silvicultural uses inside Leicester town.

  • The regulations identify agricultural and silvicultural uses as exempt either by Planning Commission design or State statute.
  • Even when exempt, certain uses including most structures require notice to the Zoning Administrator to verify the exemption and setbacks.

  ““Exempt uses” are allowed within each district and are exempt from these Regulations, either by design of the Town of Leicester Planning Commission (the “Planning Commission”), like small sheds, or by state statute, like hunting, agricultural and silvicultural uses.”

• Driveway accessRequired

  Access to town roads and State highways from property inside Leicester town.

  • Access to town roads requires a Select Board permit.
  • Access to State highways requires a VTrans permit.

  “ACCESS: The point at which a parcel intersects with and accesses a town road, state highway or public waters. Access to town roads shall require a permit from the Select Board. Access to state highways shall require a permit from VTrans.”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  Development within Leicester's Flood Hazard Overlay Area.

  • Only uses permitted in the overlay area may proceed.
  • Proposed development requires conditional-use review and approval.
  • For a conditional-use application, the Zoning Administrator or DRB Clerk must deliver or mail a copy to the Agency of Natural Resources and either 30 days must elapse or the Agency must comment.

  “Development within the Flood Hazard Overlay Area shall only be allowed for those uses permitted within the Flood Hazard Overlay Area as described in Section 2.4.7 of these Regulations after review and approval of the proposed development following the requirements of a Conditional Use Review as required in Sections 3.4-3.48 of these Regulations.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Applications for Leicester zoning permits.

  • Applicants must file a complete application on a Planning Commission-approved form with the Zoning Administrator.
  • The Zoning Administrator may approve, approve pending documentation of required state or local permits, or deny an application.
  • The Zoning Administrator must act within 30 days after submission of a complete application.

  administrator action deadline: <= 30 days after complete application submission (Failure to act for more than 30 days on an application the Zoning Administrator may review results in deemed approval.)

  “Any person desiring to undertake any activity requiring a Zoning Permit, not exempt pursuant to Section 3.0.2 of these Regulations, shall complete an application for a Zoning Permit on a form approved by the Planning Commission and submit it with all required information to the Zoning Administrator.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Town of Leicester or Addison County directly.

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside Leicester town.
• Building code adopted — Building-code adoption for construction inside Leicester town.
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy of buildings inside Leicester town.
• Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside Leicester town.
• Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Leicester town.

Each answer was extracted from an official source and independently re-checked against that source by a second reviewer. That is an evidence check, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the authority before you buy or build.