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

Town of Stannard’s own rules

• Building permitRequired

  Land or building development, including site preparation, inside Stannard town.

  • Exempt development in Table 1.1 is excluded.
  • Required approvals must be obtained before development begins.

  “No land or building development, including site preparation work, may commence unless a zoning permit has been issued by the Zoning Administrator as provided for in the Act [§§4448, 4449] and these regulations.”

• InspectionsLimited

  Development needing a Stannard certificate of occupancy.

  • The regulation says the Zoning Administrator may inspect; it does not state that an inspection is mandatory in every case.

  “The Zoning Administrator may inspect the premises to document that completed work conforms to municipal permits and approvals.”

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Land or structures inside Stannard town for which a zoning permit has been issued.

  • Application follows completion of required improvements but precedes occupancy or use.
  • Applicant must demonstrate all necessary municipal permits and approvals and, where relevant, state water and wastewater approval.

  “A certificate of occupancy issued by the Zoning Administrator is required prior to the occupancy or use of land or a structure, in whole or in part, for which a zoning permit has been issued, in accordance with the Act [§4449].”

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land within Stannard town, Caledonia County, Vermont.

  • The cited bylaw divides the town into Village, Rural, Forest, and Floodplain Overlay districts.

  “For the purposes of these regulations, the Town of Stannard is divided into the following zoning districts, in accordance with the Act [§4414(1)]: - Village District (VIL) - Rural District (RUR) - Forest District (FOR) - Floodplain Overlay District (FPO)”

• Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning districts inside Stannard town.

  • District boundaries are shown on the adopted Stannard Zoning Map.
  • Overlay standards apply concurrently with underlying-district standards, with the more restrictive standard controlling.

  “For the purposes of these regulations, the Town of Stannard is divided into the following zoning districts, in accordance with the Act [§4414(1)]: - Village District (VIL) - Rural District (RUR) - Forest District (FOR) - Floodplain Overlay District (FPO)”

• Living in an RVTemporary only (with conditions)

  Campers, including recreational vehicles, on public or private property inside Stannard town.

  • Up to two campers may be parked by an owner subject to setbacks.
  • A camper may not be used as permanent living quarters, connected to an on-site wastewater system, or occupied more than 120 days in one year except by family members or guests.
  • Longer use, immovable siting, or wastewater connection causes the camper to be treated as an accessory or single-family dwelling.

  maximum temporary occupancy: <= 120 days in any one-year period (by anyone other than family members or guests)

  “A camper or other temporary shelter shall not be used as permanent living quarters, shall not be hooked up to an on-site wastewater system, and shall not be occupied as temporary living quarters for more than 120 days in any one-year period, by anyone other than family members or guests.”

• Camping on your landLimited

  Temporary shelters, including tents, tepees, and yurts, on public or private property inside Stannard town.

  • Outside an approved campground or sales establishment, temporary shelter use must meet Section 4.4.
  • Temporary living occupancy is limited to 120 days in any one-year period for persons other than family members or guests.

  maximum temporary occupancy: <= 120 days in any one-year period (by anyone other than family members or guests)

  “It shall be unlawful for any person to park a camper (e.g., recreational vehicle, travel trailer, motor home) or erect other temporary shelters (e.g., tent, tepee, yurt) on any public or private property outside of an approved campground or sales establishment, except in accordance with these regulations:”

• Accessory dwellingsAllowed (with conditions)

  Accessory dwellings to single-family dwellings inside Stannard town where accessory dwellings are allowed by Article II.

  • A zoning permit is required.
  • Owner or family member must occupy either dwelling.
  • Wastewater capacity must serve both dwellings.
  • Unit may not exceed 30% of the existing single-family dwelling's total habitable floor area.
  • Setback, coverage, and parking requirements apply, including one additional parking space.

  maximum accessory-dwelling floor area: <= 30 percent of existing total habitable floor area (single-family dwelling)

  “The owner of a single family dwelling, following the issuance of a zoning permit, may establish accessory dwelling as defined in Section 8.2 of these regulations provided there is compliance with all of the following:”

• Agricultural exemptionAvailable

  Accepted agricultural or silvicultural practices inside Stannard town.

  • Practice must be defined by the Vermont Secretary of Agriculture, Food and Markets or Commissioner of Forests, Parks and Recreation under the cited state laws.

  “In accordance with the Act [§4413(d)], nothing in these regulations shall restrict accepted agricultural or silvicultural practices as such practices are defined by the Secretary of Agriculture, Food and Markets or the Commissioner of Forests, Parks and Recreation, respectively, under state law [10 VSA §§1021(f), 1259(f); 6 VSA, §4810].”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdivision of land inside Stannard town.

  • Approval is required before sale or lease of part of an existing lot, shared infrastructure/site improvements, zoning-permit application for a subdivided lot, or filing a plat or deed for a newly created lot.
  • The bylaw separately lists exemptions.

  “In accordance with the Act [§4418], approval by the Development Review Board under these regulations is required for any subdivision of land, prior to:”

• Driveway accessLimited

  Accesses and driveways onto town roads inside Stannard town.

  • Curb cuts and driveways must meet the Stannard Driveway Ordinance specifications.
  • Access must be at least 150 feet from intersections involving two or more town roads.
  • A pre-existing lot without required public-road frontage needs Development Review Board access approval.

  minimum distance from town-road intersection: >= 150 feet (intersection involving two or more town roads)

  “All accesses onto town roads (curb cuts) and driveways shall meet the following standards: (1) Accesses (curb cuts) and driveways shall meet Stannard Driveway Ordinance design and construction specifications. (2) Accesses shall be located at least 150 feet from any intersection involving two or more town roads.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning-permit applications for development inside Stannard town.

  • Application uses town forms, plot plan drawn to scale, and Select Board-established fee.
  • Development Review Board application materials and fees must be submitted concurrently when Board review is required.
  • State-referral applications cannot receive a permit until a state response or 30 days after referral, whichever occurs sooner.

  state referral wait: <= 30 days (permit may issue after response, if sooner)

  “The application for a zoning permit must be submitted to the Zoning Administrator on forms provided by the town, along with a plot plan, drawn to scale, and application fees established by the Standard Selectboard.”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Stannard

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

• Building code adoptedPartial

  New residential construction, additions, alterations, renovations, and repairs inside Stannard town.

  • This confirms statewide residential energy standards, not a comprehensive municipal building-safety code.

  “The 2020 and 2024 RBES apply to all new residential construction, including additions, alterations, renovations, and repairs.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Village District residential and other uses, unless a particular use has another standard.

  • Table 2.1 says its district standards apply unless otherwise specified for a particular use.

  minimum lot area: 3 acres (Village District; unless otherwise specified for a particular use)

  “(D) District Dimensional Standards (unless otherwise specified for a particular use):”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Village District uses, unless otherwise specified for a particular use.

  • Surface-water and wetland setbacks vary under Section 3.12.

  front yard from road right-of-way: 25 feet · side yards from side property lines: 25 feet · rear yard from rear property line: 50 feet

  “Front Yard (from road right-of-way) 25 feet [...] Side Yards (from side property lines) 25 feet [...] Rear Yard (from rear property line) 50 feet”

• Building heightSpecified

  Village District uses, unless otherwise specified for a particular use.

  • Table directs readers to Section 3.5 for height standards.

  maximum height: 39 feet (Village District; see Section 3.5)

  “Maximum Height (see Section 3.5) 39 feet”

Still unanswered

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

• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residences inside Stannard town.
• Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside Stannard town.
• Lot coverage — Lots inside Stannard town.
• Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Stannard town.
• Manufactured homes — Manufactured-home occupancy inside Stannard 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.