Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Village of Swanton, Vermont

Village of Swanton’s own rules

• Certificate of occupancyRequired

  Buildings or structures constructed after July 1, 1998 for which a zoning permit has been issued, inside Swanton

  • Excludes accessory structures associated with a residential use
  • In the flood hazard overlay district, occupancy of land or structures created, changed or altered requires a certificate
  • Issued by the administrative officer (zoning administrator)

  “a certificate of occupancy issued by the administrative officer shall be required prior to the use or occupancy of any building or structure, or part thereof, excluding accessory structures associated with a residential use, constructed after july 1, 1998 for which a zoning permit has been issued.”

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside Swanton village (Franklin County); a single joint set of regulations adopted by the Swanton Town Selectboard and Swanton Village Trustees covers both the Town and the Village

  • Regulations are joint for the Town and Village of Swanton
  • A 2026 amendment process was noted in search results but not opened; the March 10, 2021 text was used

  “there are hereby established zoning and subdivision regulations for the town and village of swanton.”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Zoning districts in Swanton village and town (R1, R3, R5, CB, NC, NCL, IND, CLI, TSA, SG, RC, SR, S2, FHO and NASO overlays)

  • Official zoning map is held in the town clerk's office and is the final authority

  “for the purposes of these regulations, the town and village of swanton are divided into the following zoning districts as described in the accompanying tables (tables 2.1 - 2.15)”

• Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Residential (R5) district inside Swanton village, depends on water/sewer service

  • Minimum lot size varies by service: on-site water and sewer 1 acre; municipal water and sewer 1/4 acre; municipal water or sewer 1/2 acre

  minimum lot size, on-site water & sewer: 1 acre · minimum lot size, municipal water & sewer: 0.25 acre · minimum lot size, municipal water or sewer: 0.5 acre

  “on-site water & sewer 1 acre 100 feet 100 feet 35 feet 20 feet 35 feet 20% 35 feet or 2½ stories municipal water & sewer ¼ acre 70 feet 70 feet 35 feet 15 feet 20 feet 30% 35 feet or 2½ stories municipal water or sewer ½ acre 75 feet 75 feet 35 feet 20 feet 35 feet 25% 35 feet or 2½ stories”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Agricultural/Residential (R1) district in Swanton

    “minimum lot size: minimum lot frontage: minimum lot depth: 1 acre 200 feet 200 feet buildings and structures setback, front setback, side setback, rear setback for specified accessory maximum building coverage: maximum height: 50 feet 50 feet 50 feet table 2.17 15% 35 feet or 2 ½ stories”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Agricultural/Residential (R1) district in Swanton

  • Accessory structure setbacks are in Table 2.17 (not reviewed)

  front setback: 50 feet · side setback: 50 feet · rear setback: 50 feet

  “minimum lot size: minimum lot frontage: minimum lot depth: 1 acre 200 feet 200 feet buildings and structures setback, front setback, side setback, rear setback for specified accessory maximum building coverage: maximum height: 50 feet 50 feet 50 feet table 2.17 15% 35 feet or 2 ½ stories”

• Lot coverageDistrict specific (with conditions)

  Residential (R5) district inside Swanton village, varies by water/sewer service

  • Maximum building coverage 20% on-site water & sewer; 30% municipal water & sewer; 25% municipal water or sewer

  max coverage, on-site: <= 20 percent · max coverage, municipal water & sewer: <= 30 percent · max coverage, municipal water or sewer: <= 25 percent

  “on-site water & sewer 1 acre 100 feet 100 feet 35 feet 20 feet 35 feet 20% 35 feet or 2½ stories municipal water & sewer ¼ acre 70 feet 70 feet 35 feet 15 feet 20 feet 30% 35 feet or 2½ stories municipal water or sewer ½ acre 75 feet 75 feet 35 feet 20 feet 35 feet 25% 35 feet or 2½ stories”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Agricultural/Residential (R1) district in Swanton

    “minimum lot size: minimum lot frontage: minimum lot depth: 1 acre 200 feet 200 feet buildings and structures setback, front setback, side setback, rear setback for specified accessory maximum building coverage: maximum height: 50 feet 50 feet 50 feet table 2.17 15% 35 feet or 2 ½ stories”

• Building heightSpecified

  Agricultural/Residential (R1) district in Swanton

  • Section 3.6 height requirements (exceptions) not reviewed

  maximum height: 35 feet or 2 1/2 stories

  “minimum lot size: minimum lot frontage: minimum lot depth: 1 acre 200 feet 200 feet buildings and structures setback, front setback, side setback, rear setback for specified accessory maximum building coverage: maximum height: 50 feet 50 feet 50 feet table 2.17 15% 35 feet or 2 ½ stories”

  One more reviewed finding on this topic

  • Specified — Residential (R5) district inside Swanton village

    “on-site water & sewer 1 acre 100 feet 100 feet 35 feet 20 feet 35 feet 20% 35 feet or 2½ stories municipal water & sewer ¼ acre 70 feet 70 feet 35 feet 15 feet 20 feet 30% 35 feet or 2½ stories municipal water or sewer ½ acre 75 feet 75 feet 35 feet 20 feet 35 feet 25% 35 feet or 2½ stories”

• Living in an RVLimited

  Camper or RV placed on a lot in Swanton for occasional recreational use

  • One camper or temporary shelter per lot
  • Must meet lot area and setback requirements of the district
  • Not used more than 120 days in any one year period
  • Sewage standard in clause (4) not fully reviewed

  maximum use per year: <= 120 days

  “a single camper, recreational vehicle, travel trailer, tent, fishing shanty, primitive hunting camp not exceeding 400 square feet, or other similar temporary shelter may be placed on a legally designated lot in the same ownership for occasional recreational use in accordance with the following standards:”

• Camping on your landLimited

  Tent or other temporary shelter on a lot in Swanton for occasional recreational use

  • One camper or temporary shelter per lot
  • Must meet lot area and setback requirements of the district
  • Not used more than 120 days in any one year period

  maximum use per year: <= 120 days

  “a single camper, recreational vehicle, travel trailer, tent, fishing shanty, primitive hunting camp not exceeding 400 square feet, or other similar temporary shelter may be placed on a legally designated lot in the same ownership for occasional recreational use in accordance with the following standards:”

• Accessory dwellingsLimited

  Accessory dwelling unit to a single-family dwelling in Swanton (2021 regulations)

  • Must be efficiency or one-bedroom, within or appurtenant to an owner-occupied single-family dwelling
  • Property must have sufficient wastewater capacity
  • Unit may not exceed 30 percent of habitable floor area of the single-family dwelling
  • Additional listed requirements (3) onward not reviewed; state law changes (e.g. 2023 Act 47) not verified against this text

  maximum ADU share of habitable floor area: <= 30 percent

  “the administrative officer may permit one accessory dwelling unit to a single-family dwelling provided it meets the requirements of this section.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdivision of land inside Swanton (Article 6 and 7: sketch, preliminary for major subdivisions of four or more lots, final plan; Development Review Board)

  • Waiver authority in section 6.2 not reviewed

  “there are hereby established zoning and subdivision regulations for the town and village of swanton.”

• Permit processPublished (with conditions)

  Zoning permits for land development inside Swanton, issued by the zoning administrator

  • Some development is exempt under section 9.1(a)
  • Conditional use, site plan and other approvals go to the Development Review Board

  “zoning permit [§4449] all land development, as defined in article 10, including signs,, conversions and changes of use, unless specifically exempted from these regulations under section 9.1 zoning administrator section 9.1”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Village of Swanton or Franklin County directly.

• Building permit — Building permits inside Swanton village (distinct from zoning permit)
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside Swanton village
• Building code adopted — Building code inside Swanton village
• Inspections — Building inspections inside Swanton village
• Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size inside Swanton village

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.