FEMA flood zone rules in Burlington, VT — also called floodplain regulations or special flood hazard area (SFHA) rules — determine flood insurance requirements and elevation standards for new construction.
Development in Burlington's mapped FEMA floodplain along Lake Champlain and the Winooski River requires a floodplain permit, elevation certification, and compliance with Vermont's river corridor protection rules under VT 10 V.S.A. §754.
The Comprehensive Development Ordinance (CDO) Article 4 incorporates FEMA flood hazard area regulations: residential structures must have lowest floor at or above base flood elevation plus one foot freeboard, and non-residential buildings must elevate or floodproof. The CDO also adopts state river corridor maps that restrict new structures within mapped erosion hazard zones around the Winooski River. Substantial improvements to existing structures trigger full compliance.
Permit denial, mandatory removal, and loss of NFIP flood insurance eligibility.
Burlington, VT
Burlington Code of Ordinances §21-13 sets citywide quiet hours from 10:00 PM to 7:00 AM, during which noise plainly audible between apartments or houses is d...
Burlington, VT
Burlington's Comprehensive Development Ordinance limits fences in the First Lot Layer (front yard) to 4 feet and fences in Second and Third Lot Layers (side ...
Burlington, VT
Burlington Comprehensive Development Ordinance (CDO) Article 5 treats storage sheds as accessory structures incidental to a residential use. Sheds may encroa...
Burlington, VT
Burlington's short-term rental ordinance (Chapter 18, adopted 2022) requires hosts to disclose at registration the number of vehicles used by residents and g...
Burlington, VT
Burlington short-term rental hosts must comply with citywide noise rules in Burlington Code of Ordinances Chapter 21, Section 21-13. Quiet hours run 10:00 p....
Burlington, VT
Residential swimming pool barriers in Burlington are governed by the Vermont Fire and Building Safety Code, adopted by the Vermont Division of Fire Safety un...
See how Burlington's flood zones rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.