Burlington Code Chapter 21 requires property owners to maintain premises free from rodent infestation. Owners must eliminate harborage, secure trash, and address conditions that attract rats or mice on their property.
Burlington Code of Ordinances Chapter 21 (Health and Sanitation) directs property owners and tenants to maintain their premises free of rodent infestation and conditions that promote it. This includes securing trash containers with tight-fitting lids, sealing structural openings, removing food waste promptly, and addressing harborage like clutter and untrimmed vegetation. The Burlington Code Enforcement Office and Vermont Department of Health respond to complaints. Persistent infestations may trigger required professional pest control treatment. Properties next to food service establishments and Lake Champlain waterfront receive heightened attention due to higher rodent attractant risk.
Failure to abate rodent harborage after notice results in code enforcement orders, civil fines, and potentially municipal abatement at the owner's expense.
See how Burlington's rodent control rules stack up against other locations.
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