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

Town of Baltimore’s own rules

• Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

  Land inside Baltimore town's limits; the town's own Unified Bylaws (zoning and subdivision) apply.

  • Bylaws are the adopted ACCD copy dated August 5, 2009; later amendments were not located in this research pass.
  • Zoning permits are issued by the zoning administrator under the bylaws.

  “for the purposes of these bylaws, one rural residential district shall encompass the entire land area of the town of baltimore.”

• Zoning districtsPublished

  Land inside Baltimore town's limits

  • Bylaws state one Rural Residential District covers the entire town, so no zoning map is needed.

  “since there is only one district in baltimore, no zoning map is needed.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  Lots in Baltimore town's Rural Residential District (the only zoning district, covering the entire town)

  • Minimum lot area per dwelling unit is also 3 acres.
  • Minimum road frontage is 100 feet.
  • Access to a public road or approved right-of-way is governed by Section 4.1.

  minimum lot size: 3 acres · minimum lot area per dwelling unit: 3 acres · minimum road frontage: 100 feet

  “minimum lot area per dwelling unit minimum lot size minimum road frontage minimum front setback minimum side setback minimum rear setback maximum building height 8-5-2009 3 acres 3 acres 100 feet 100 feet from row (or 125’ from road centerline) 50 feet 50 feet 35 feet”

• SetbacksSpecified

  Lots in Baltimore town's Rural Residential District

  • Front setback is 100 feet from the right-of-way, or 125 feet from road centerline.
  • Accessory structures other than fences and signs must conform to the appropriate setback requirements (Section 3.2).

  minimum front setback: >= 100 feet (from right-of-way; 125 feet from road centerline) · minimum side setback: >= 50 feet · minimum rear setback: >= 50 feet

  “minimum lot area per dwelling unit minimum lot size minimum road frontage minimum front setback minimum side setback minimum rear setback maximum building height 8-5-2009 3 acres 3 acres 100 feet 100 feet from row (or 125’ from road centerline) 50 feet 50 feet 35 feet”

• Building heightSpecified

  Structures in Baltimore town's Rural Residential District

  • Height limitations are also addressed in Section 4.4 of the bylaws, which was not separately opened.

  maximum building height: <= 35 feet

  “minimum lot area per dwelling unit minimum lot size minimum road frontage minimum front setback minimum side setback minimum rear setback maximum building height 8-5-2009 3 acres 3 acres 100 feet 100 feet from row (or 125’ from road centerline) 50 feet 50 feet 35 feet”

• Living in an RVLimited

  Recreational vehicles (campers, travel trailers) on private land in Baltimore town

  • Storage on the owner's premises is allowed.
  • Dwelling use beyond one month at a time requires zoning board of adjustment approval.

  continuous dwelling use without approval: <= 1 month (longer use requires zoning board of adjustment approval)

  “they may not be used for dwelling purposes for more than one (1) month at a time without approval of the zoning board of adjustment.”

• Camping on your landLimited

  Camping with recreational vehicles on private land in Baltimore town; tent camping not separately addressed

  • Camper or travel trailer use as a dwelling is limited to one month at a time unless the zoning board of adjustment approves a longer period.
  • Tent camping and campgrounds were not separately located in the bylaws reviewed.

  continuous camper dwelling use without approval: <= 1 month (longer use requires zoning board of adjustment approval)

  “they may not be used for dwelling purposes for more than one (1) month at a time without approval of the zoning board of adjustment.”

• Manufactured homesAllowed

  Mobile homes on individual lots in Baltimore town

  • Zoning permit required.
  • Mobile home parks are a separate conditional use (Section 3.9) requiring 10,000 sq ft per mobile home and 30 ft separation.

  “mobile homes are allowed on lots as single-family dwelling units. a zoning permit shall be required.”

• Accessory dwellingsLimited

  Accessory dwelling on a lot with one single-family dwelling in Baltimore town

  • Permitted throughout town where single-family dwellings are permitted; a zoning permit is required.
  • Must meet setback and dimensional requirements, or not increase any nonconformity.
  • Off-street parking must be shown adequate for both dwellings.
  • A water and/or wastewater permit from the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources may be required before construction; the zoning application must include an ANR project review sheet.
  • Permit must state the unit is an accessory structure to the primary residence; it must stay in common ownership and may not be subdivided or sold separately.

  accessory dwelling floor area: <= 30 percent of principal dwelling floor area

  “accessory dwellings are permitted throughout town where single-family dwellings are permitted. a zoning permit shall be required.”

• Agricultural exemptionConditional

  Agricultural structures (not dwellings) on land in Baltimore town

  • The owner must notify the zoning administrator in writing before construction.
  • The bylaws also say the structure must abide by setbacks approved by the Secretary of Agriculture, Food and Markets under 24 V.S.A. § 4413(d).

  “written notification of proposed construction of agricultural structures shall be provided to the zoning administrator by the property owner. no zoning permit shall be required.”

• Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

  Subdivisions and boundary adjustments of land in Baltimore town

  • Subdivision applications go to the planning commission under Article 7 and must include the Table 7.2 information.
  • Subdivision layout must avoid flood hazard areas and must address wildlife habitat and historic resources.

  “4. subdivision. applications for subdivisions shall include the information as specified in table 7.2 and as required by the planning commission depending upon the scope and location of the proposed subdivision.”

• Driveway accessRequired

  Driveways and access to public highways in Baltimore town

  • Access to a public road requires frontage or a permanent easement or right-of-way at least 49.5 feet wide, with planning commission or zoning board approval where applicable (Section 4.1(a)).
  • Driveways are subject to the Baltimore road ordinance (Section 4.1(c)), which was not located.

  “(b) a written permit for access to a public highway is required from the baltimore selectboard.”

• Permit processPartial

  Zoning permits issued by Baltimore town's zoning administrator

  • The bylaws give a 30-day decision timeline for complete zoning applications.
  • Only the zoning permit step is described; building permits, inspections and fee schedule were not located.

  zoning decision timeline: <= 30 days (from receipt of a complete application)

  “within thirty (30) days of receipt of a complete application, including all application materials, fees, the zoning administrator shall act to either issue or deny a zoning permit in writing”

Rules another office applies inside Town of Baltimore

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

• Who permits septicState (with conditions)

  New wastewater systems on land inside Baltimore town; the Vermont DEC permit applies inside the town

  • Permit is required for new construction of a wastewater system.
  • Baltimore's bylaws also refer to Vermont ANR water and wastewater permits for accessory dwellings.

  “building a new water supply or wastewater system: a permit is required for new construction.”

• Septic permitRequired

  New wastewater (septic) systems built inside Baltimore town

  • Construction may proceed only after the state Wastewater System and Potable Water Supply permit is issued.
  • Routine repair or replacement may be exempt; the FAQ says a permit is needed when a system is modified or replaced.

  “modifying or replacing an existing system: if you update an existing water or wastewater system, you will need a permit.”

• Well permitRequired

  New potable water supply (well) systems built inside Baltimore town

  • Same Wastewater System and Potable Water Supply permit as the septic case; a permit is required for new construction of a water supply.

  “building a new water supply or wastewater system: a permit is required for new construction.”

Still unanswered

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

• Building permit — General building construction permits in Baltimore town
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption from permits in Baltimore town
• Building code adopted — Building code adoption in Baltimore town
• Inspections — Building inspections in Baltimore town
• Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy certificates in Baltimore 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.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Town of Baltimore means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

• Water Crystal Quest Filter any source — well, rain, or creek — to drinking-clean.
• Power Bluetti Solar generators and home battery backup for living off the grid.
• Septic Soil percolation test kit Run your own perc test before paying an engineer — the first thing a septic office asks about.
• Water Well water test kit Bacteria, nitrates, hardness — know what the well on a parcel is really pumping.

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