Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Town of St. Johnsbury, Vermont

Town of St. Johnsbury’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Land development, including residential construction, inside St. Johnsbury town.

  • The ordinance exempts or limits specified activities and applicable statutes may also limit the requirement.
  • The permit is a zoning permit issued by the administrative officer.

  “Unless specifically exempted or to the extent limited by this ordinance or applicable statute, no land development may be commenced without a zoning permit theretofore issued by the administrative officer.”

• InspectionsRequired

  Permitted land-use and development projects inside St. Johnsbury town.

  • The inspection is part of the final certificate-of-zoning-compliance process and is initiated by the permit holder.

  “The Town must perform inspections to determine what happened after a permit is issued. This is the final step in the permitting process. It is initiated by the permit holder.”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Land or structures created, erected, changed, converted, altered, enlarged, used, or occupied after the zoning ordinance's effective date inside St. Johnsbury town.

  • A certificate of zoning compliance must be issued by the administrative officer and must state conformity with ordinance requirements and permit conditions.

  “It shall be unlawful to use or occupy or permit the use or occupancy of any land or structure, or part thereof to the extent it is created, erected, changed, converted, or wholly or partly altered or enlarged in its use or structure after the effective date of this ordinance, until a certificate of zoning compliance is issued therefore by the administrative officer stating that the use of the structure or land conforms to the requirements of this ordinance and conditions of the permit.”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside the Town of St. Johnsbury, Vermont.

  “Planning and Zoning for the town of St. Johnsbury is comprised of the Planning Commission, the Development Review Board, the Design Advisory Committee, and the Zoning Administrator.”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts inside St. Johnsbury town.

  • Official zoning maps are incorporated by reference and are available at the town office in paper and electronic form.

  “These regulations establish the following zoning districts in the Town of St. Johnsbury:”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Manufactured homes on individual lots or in manufactured-home parks inside St. Johnsbury town.

  • A home on its own lot must meet one-unit-dwelling zoning requirements, subject to the stated replacement waiver.
  • A manufactured home must meet HUD installation standards; specified certification is required before occupancy.

  “A manufactured home being placed on its own lot or within a manufactured home park must meet the HUD Standards for Manufactured Home Installation.”

• Accessory dwellingsAllowed (with conditions)

  One accessory dwelling unit in any St. Johnsbury zoning district.

  • A zoning permit is required.
  • The unit must be on an owner-occupied lot, subordinate to the primary dwelling, meet stated independent-living, parking, dimensional, and state water/wastewater requirements.

  maximum accessory dwelling unit area: <= 900 square feet (Or 30% of primary-dwelling habitable floor area, whichever is greater.)

  “The following uses are generally permitted in all zoning districts. A zoning permit is required in accordance with Section 202.01.”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Private wastewater disposal for buildings inside St. Johnsbury town located within 250 feet of town public sewer.

  • A private system is allowed only if the Board finds extreme hardship and the system meets all pertinent state rules.
  • The restriction concerns buildings located within 250 feet of public sewer.

  public sewer distance: <= 250 feet (Private wastewater installation or repair is otherwise not permitted.)

  “Installation of or repair to a private wastewater system servicing a building located within two hundred fifty (250) feet of a public sewer is not permitted unless the Board finds that connection would cause extreme hardship and the private wastewater system would meet all pertinent State rules.”

• Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

  Properties inside St. Johnsbury town that generate wastewater and abut a street, alley, or right-of-way containing town public sewer within 250 feet of the building requiring service.

  • Connection follows official notice and must occur within 45 days.
  • Private wastewater installation or repair within 250 feet is prohibited unless the Board finds extreme hardship and the private system meets pertinent state rules.

  public sewer distance: <= 250 feet (Measured from the building requiring service; connection is required after official notice.) · connection deadline: <= 45 days (After date of official notice.)

  “The owners of all houses, buildings or properties used for human occupancy, employment, recreation or other purpose situated within the Town and abutting on any street, alley or right-of-way in which there is located a public sewer of the Town, is hereby required, if wastewater is generated, to install suitable toilet facilities therein and to connect such facilities directly with the proper public sewer in accordance with the provisions of this Ordinance, within forty-five (45) days after date of official notice to do so, provided that said public sewer is within two hundred fifty (250) feet (76.2 meters) of the building(s) requiring service.”

• Agricultural exemptionConditional

  Accepted agricultural practices inside St. Johnsbury town.

  • The exemption is subject to § 427 Flood Hazard Regulations.
  • It applies to accepted agricultural practices and accepted silvicultural management practices under 24 V.S.A. § 4413(d).

  “Except as otherwise provided by Section 427, a zoning permit shall not be required for the following activities: (A) Accepted agricultural practices and accepted management practices for silviculture, in accordance with 24 V.S.A. § 4413(d).”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdivision of land inside St. Johnsbury town.

  • DRB approval may be sought in final-only or preliminary-and-final stages.

  “No land may be subdivided except with DRB approval. At its option, an applicant may seek DRB approval in one (1) (final) or two (2) stages (preliminary and final).”

• Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

  Services and permits under the St. Johnsbury Zoning and Subdivision Ordinance.

  • Fees are set from time to time by the Select Board and published on a fee schedule.
  • No action is taken before applicable fees are paid.

  “The fees for all services provided under this ordinance, including fees for permit review and issuance, hearing notice, and review, and permit recording shall be as set from time to time by the select board and published on a schedule of fees. No action shall be taken on any matter before the payment of applicable fees.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning-permit applications inside St. Johnsbury town.

  • Applications are made to the administrative officer using town forms.
  • The ordinance specifies a completed zoning application form as an application component.

  “Applications for zoning permits shall be made to the administrative officer on forms provided by the town for that purpose. A zoning permit application shall include the following: (A) Completed zoning application form.”

Rules another office applies inside Town of St. Johnsbury

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

• SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Rural (RL) Zoning District inside St. Johnsbury town.

  • Riverfront setbacks equal the district's minimum front setback; the DRB may waive some or all of that riverfront setback after public notice and hearing upon specified findings.

  minimum street setback: >= 50 feet · minimum lot-line setback: >= 50 feet

  “Lot area/unit: 2 acre min Street setback: 50 ft min”

• Building in a floodplainRequired

  New buildings, substantial improvements, and floodway land development in Special Flood Hazard Areas inside St. Johnsbury town.

  • The town must submit the application to ANR before issuing the zoning permit.
  • The permit may issue only after ANR comments are received or 30 days after the application was mailed to ANR, whichever is sooner.
  • Applicants must obtain other governmental permits required by federal or state law.

  ANR-comment waiting period: <= 30 days (A zoning permit may issue earlier upon ANR comments.)

  “A zoning permit may be issued only following receipt of comments from the ANR or the expiration of thirty (30) days from the date the application was mailed to ANR, whichever is sooner.”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside St. Johnsbury town.
• Building code adopted — Construction inside St. Johnsbury town.
• Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside St. Johnsbury town.
• Living in an RV — Long-term recreational-vehicle occupancy on private land inside St. Johnsbury town.
• Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside St. Johnsbury 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.