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

Town of Barnet’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Land development inside Barnet town, including construction, reconstruction, structural alteration, relocation, enlargement, and division of a parcel.

  • No zoning permit is required for fences, hedges, or walls not over six feet if stated flood-flow and corner-visibility conditions are met.
  • Accessory structures not exceeding 50 square feet are exempt unless in the Special Flood Hazard Area.
  • Other exemptions listed in Section 202.02 also apply.

  small accessory-structure floor area exemption threshold: <= 50 square feet (Not exempt in the Special Flood Hazard Area)

  “No person shall commence any land development (as defined by these Bylaws) without a permit issued by the administrative officer.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land development inside Barnet town, Caledonia County, Vermont.

  • Uses and development remain subject to the applicable zoning district and state requirements.

  “there are hereby established zoning regulations for the Town of Barnet, Vermont, which are set forth in the text and a set of maps that are a constituent of these regulations.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts established by Barnet's zoning bylaws and Official Zoning Map.

  • The Official Zoning Map is a constituent part of the regulations.
  • Uses not designated permitted or conditional are prohibited in the relevant district unless exempt under Section 103.

  “The location and the boundaries of zoning districts are established as shown on the Official Zoning Map, which shall be in the custody of the Town Clerk and is adopted by reference as a part of these zoning bylaws.”

• Living in an RVLimited

  Travel trailers, camping trailers, pick-up coaches, and motor homes on public or private property inside Barnet town.

  • Parking or storage on the owner's property without a permit must be at least six feet from a property line and may not be occupied more than 60 days in a calendar year.
  • Longer occupancy must meet requirements for a single-family dwelling.
  • RV gatherings have separate limits of up to ten RVs and 16 total days in one calendar year, plus sanitation and traffic conditions.

  maximum unpermitted occupancy: <= 60 days per calendar year (Longer occupancy must meet single-family-dwelling requirements) · minimum property-line distance: >= 6 feet (Owner-property parking or storage without permit)

  “Any travel trailer occupied by a person for longer than 60 days in a calendar year shall meet the requirements for a single-family dwelling.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Sewage disposal for development regulated by Barnet zoning.

  • Sewage and other effluents must be disposed of in accordance with state law and must not become a public-health hazard.

  “All sewage and other effluents shall be disposed of in accordance with state law, so as not to become a hazard to the public health.”

• Agricultural exemptionConditional

  Accepted silvicultural practices, required agricultural practices, and qualifying farm structures inside Barnet town.

  • The exemption excludes a dwelling for human habitation.
  • Qualifying farmers must notify the Town in writing and submit the specified sketch showing setbacks.
  • State Secretary of Agriculture approval is required for setback variances or waivers.

  “no local zoning permit shall be required for accepted silvicultural practices, as defined by the Commissioner of Forests, Parks and Recreation, including practices which are in compliance with the acceptable Management Practices for Maintaining Water Quality on Logging Jobs in Vermont; or for required agricultural practices, including the construction of farm structures, as defined by 10 V.S.A., Section 6001(22), but excluding a dwelling for human habitation; provided that:”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Division of a parcel into two or more parcels inside Barnet town.

  • A zoning permit issued by the administrative officer is required before land development commences.
  • Other state permits may be required.

  “Development is defined as the division of a parcel into two or more parcels, the construction, reconstruction, conversion, structural alteration, relocation, or enlargement of any building or other structure, or of any mining, excavation or landfill, and any change in the use of any building or other structure, or land, or extension of use of land.”

• Driveway accessLimited

  A Barnet site-plan application involving access to a State highway.

  • The application must include the Vermont Agency of Transportation's letter of intent confirming review and preparedness to issue an access permit, including proposed conditions.

  “whenever a proposed site plan involves access to a State highway, the application for site plan approval shall include a letter of intent from the Agency of Transportation confirming that the Agency has reviewed the proposed site plan and is prepared to issue an access permit under 19 V.S.A. § 1111, and setting out any conditions that the Agency proposes to attach to the Section 1111 permit.”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  Development in Barnet's designated Special Flood Hazard Areas.

  • Conditional-use, nonconforming-use, variance, or waiver approvals required by the flood regulations must precede the administrative permit.
  • All necessary state and federal permits must be received before work begins.
  • Certain prohibited development includes new residential or nonresidential structures, including manufactured homes.

  “A permit is required from the administrative officer for all development in all areas defined in Section 413.03. Development that requires conditional use approval, non-conforming use approval, or a variance or waiver from the Board of Adjustment under these flood hazard regulations, must have such approvals prior to the issuance of a permit by the AO.”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Barnet zoning permits and recording fees.

  • The Select Board sets the fee.
  • Late filing fees are twice the original fee.

  late filing fee multiplier: 2 times original fee (All zoning permits)

  “The fee for zoning permits and recording fees shall be set by the Select Board. Late filing fees for all zoning permits shall be two times the original fee.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Applications for Barnet zoning permits.

  • The applicant must submit a sketch or plan and required supporting information.
  • The applicant retains responsibility to identify and obtain relevant state permits.
  • A complete application not acted upon or referred within 30 days is deemed issued on the 31st day.

  administrative-officer action period: <= 30 days (Complete application; issuance or referral required)

  “In applying to the administrative officer for a zoning permit, the applicant shall submit a sketch or plan indicating the shape, size, height, and location of any structure to be erected, altered, moved, and of any structure already on that lot in relation to all property and right-of-way lines.”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Barnet

Town of Barnet does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

• Owner-builder exemptionConditional

  RBES compliance for owner-built residential construction inside Barnet town.

  • The owner must be the builder.
  • The construction must be used as the owner's dwelling.
  • The owner must direct details of installation of noncompliant materials.
  • Before a sale agreement, the owner must provide the specified written disclosure; the certificate must be recorded and sent to the Department of Public Service within 30 days after sale.

  “Residential construction by an owner, if all of the following apply: (A) The owner of the residential construction is the builder, as defined under this section. (B) The residential construction is used as a dwelling by the owner.”

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Residential construction inside Barnet town, including one-family, two-family, and multifamily housing three stories or less.

  • RBES applies to residential construction as defined by 30 V.S.A. § 51.
  • Statutory exemptions include certain low-energy-use buildings, federally regulated manufactured homes, and buildings neither heated nor cooled.

  “Residential construction shall be in compliance with the standards adopted by the Commissioner of Public Service in accordance with subsection (c) of this section.”

Still unanswered

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

• Inspections — Residential construction inside Barnet town.
• Certificate of occupancy — Residential construction and occupancy inside Barnet town.
• Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside Barnet town.
• Lot coverage — Lots inside Barnet town.
• Camping on your land — Temporary tent or camping occupancy on private land inside Barnet 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.