Burlington has no California-style defensible-space ordinance, but Chapter 19 and property-maintenance rules require owners to keep dry brush and combustibles away from structures and to maintain hydrant access for the Fire Department.
Vermont's wildfire risk is comparatively low and Burlington does not impose mandatory vegetation-clearance distances around homes the way wildland-interface jurisdictions do. The city instead relies on Chapter 19 fire-prevention provisions and Chapter 14 code-compliance authority to address specific hazards: piles of dry brush against wood siding, blocked exits, blocked fire hydrants, or clogged dryer-vent and chimney conditions. Burlington Fire and Code Enforcement can order property owners to clear hazards when complaints arise. Owners with wooded lots near Centennial Woods, Rock Point, or the Intervale are encouraged to follow VT Fish and Wildlife landscaping guidance to reduce ignition risk.
Fire-prevention orders under Ch. 19; nuisance and code-compliance citations under Ch. 14 if hazardous conditions are not corrected.
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 brush clearance rules stack up against other locations.
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