Vermont law under 24 V.S.A. 4413 limits municipal zoning authority over accepted agricultural and silvicultural practices, preserving farming statewide.
Vermont municipalities have limited authority to zone agricultural and silvicultural activities under 24 V.S.A. 4413(d). Local bylaws cannot regulate accepted agricultural practices that comply with Required Agricultural Practices issued by the Vermont Agency of Agriculture. Towns may impose setback requirements for farm structures from adjoining property lines as long as they do not effectively prohibit farming. Site plan review is permitted only for new structures over a threshold size. Coupled with Right to Farm protections in 12 V.S.A. 5753, this framework limits local interference with established farms while allowing reasonable health and safety regulations.
Local zoning ordinances exceeding statutory authority over farming may be invalidated by the Environmental Court upon farmer challenge.
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 agricultural zoning protection rules stack up against other locations.
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