Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Town of Westmore, Vermont
Town of Westmore is a town in Orleans County, Vermont. Town of Westmore adopts its own zoning, so inside its limits Town of Westmore’s rules apply, not the county’s. 10 rules below are quoted from official sources and independently re-checked, most recently on October 29, 2026. Rules for unincorporated land are on the Orleans County page.
Answers from the rulebook for Town of Westmore
Town of Westmore’s own rules
Building permitRequired
Land development (new construction and other development) inside Westmore town. The permit is a town zoning permit, not a building-code permit.
Zoning permit issued by the administrative officer after the application, fee, plot plan or survey (if required), and any planning commission or Board of Adjustment approvals are obtained (Sec. 602).
Other state and federal approvals still apply (Sec. 201), including for onsite wastewater and potable water systems.
“No land development [...] may be commenced without a permit”
Local zoningPresent (with conditions)
All land inside Westmore town's limits. Westmore town administers its own zoning bylaw; the copy was found on the regional development association's site and listed on the town's page.
Land development requires a zoning permit from the town administrative officer (Sec. 602).
Uses are permitted or conditional as listed in Table 201; uses not listed are prohibited under the bylaw's purpose statement.
“there is hereby established a zoning bylaw for the Town of Westmore”
Building heightSpecified
All structures inside Westmore town, except structures for agricultural purposes
Where a structure is within 3 feet of the maximum height, an elevation survey is required, and a licensed surveyor must certify height after rough framing (Sec. 305).
“all structures shall not exceed a height of 35 feet”
Manufactured homesAllowed
Mobile homes, modular housing and prefabricated housing inside Westmore town
Must meet the same zoning requirements as single-family dwellings.
Does not include recreational vehicles or travel trailers.
“must be considered a single-family dwelling”
Accessory dwellingsAllowed
An accessory dwelling unit within or appurtenant to an owner-occupied single-family dwelling inside Westmore town
Property has sufficient wastewater capacity.
Unit does not exceed 30 percent of the total habitable floor area of the single-family dwelling.
Applicable setback, coverage and parking requirements are met.
Structure is located outside a flood hazard area.
Conditional use approval is required for a new accessory structure built after enactment, an increase in height or floor area of the existing dwelling, an increase in parking dimensions, or conversion of a structure that does not meet setbacks.
unit floor area: <= 30 percent of habitable floor area
“an accessory dwelling unit that is located within or appurtenant to an owner-occupied, singlefamily dwelling shall be a permitted use.”
Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)
Subdivision and development of land inside Westmore town
Subdivision or development must conform to the bylaw and 24 V.S.A. section 4449 (Sec. 201).
Lots must have frontage on a public road or public waters, or access by a permanent 20-foot easement or right-of-way with planning commission approval (Sec. 303.1).
“No subdivision or development of land may commence without a zoning permit”
Driveway accessLimited
Driveways connecting to public roads in Westmore town
Driveway (curb cut) applications must be approved by the selectboard.
Access driveways must be at least 100 feet from the center point of the nearest intersection, but the selectboard may deviate for road safety or where no safety hazard exists (Sec. 303.2).
distance from nearest intersection center point: >= 100 feet (selectboard may deviate)
“located at least 100 feet from the center point”
Building in a floodplainRequired
Development inside the special flood hazard area mapped under Sec. 314.3 in Westmore town
Some work needs only an administrative permit; other work needs conditional use review by the Board of Adjustment first.
Adjacent communities and the Vermont DEC must be notified before a permit is issued for watercourse alteration.
Any state or federal permits must be received before work begins.
Storage or junk yards, new fill (except to elevate structures), and critical facilities are prohibited in the special flood hazard area.
“A permit is required [...] for all development”
Permit feesVariable (with conditions)
Zoning permit fees in Westmore town
Fee is set by the selectboard and may be on a sliding scale based on the cost of the land development; the fee must accompany the application.
The published fee schedule was not located in the bylaw.
“the fee for zoning permits shall be established by the selectboard.”
Permit processPartial
Zoning permit process in Westmore town
Application is made to the administrative officer on town forms; the administrative officer must confirm conformance before issuing a permit.
Permits for development requiring conditional use, variance or nonconforming use approval require those approvals first.
Permits become effective 15 days after issuance (Sec. 202).
“Applications for zoning permits shall be made to the Administrative Officer”
Still unanswered
We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Town of Westmore or Orleans County directly.
Owner-builder exemption — Whether an owner-builder exemption exists for permits in Westmore town
Building code adopted — Whether Westmore town adopts a building code inside its limits
Inspections — Whether a building inspection is required for construction inside Westmore town
Certificate of occupancy — Whether a certificate of occupancy is required before occupying a new home inside Westmore town
Minimum dwelling size — Minimum floor area for a dwelling inside Westmore town
9 more unanswered
Lot coverage
Tiny homes
Septic permit
Septic inspection
Off-grid sanitation
Well permit
Mandatory utility hookup
Agricultural exemption
Short-term rentals
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.
Unanswered questions are usually a sign that Town of Westmore publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Orleans County’s page lists the county offices to call.
Off-grid gear
Going off-grid in Town of Westmore means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:
