Off-Grid Living in Burke, Vermont

I've been digging into what it actually takes to live off-grid in Burke, Vermont, up in the Northeast Kingdom, and the short version is: this is a zoned town, so you can't just buy land and do whatever you want on it. Here's what I found, organized by the level of government that actually controls each piece.

Zoning is local, and Burke has it. The Town of Burke adopted its Zoning Bylaw back in 1976 under Vermont's Chapter 117 planning statute, and it's been amended several times, most recently around 2023. That means any new building or structure over a small size, or a change in land use, has to go through the town's Administrative Officer (also called the Zoning Administrator) before you build. This isn't a rural free-for-all; Burke reviews development.

Tiny homes, camps, and RVs get their own category. Burke's bylaw carves out "camps" with no permanent foundation under a certain small size as an exempt use, and a more recent "Accessory Campsite" amendment allows similar small structures with limits on occupancy and a rule against building anything meant for sleeping, cooking, or storage beyond that footprint. If you're thinking about a small off-grid cabin or a seasonal camp, this is the category to ask the Zoning Administrator about directly, because the details matter a lot here.

Building permits are a town matter, not a state building code. Vermont doesn't have a statewide residential building code that applies here, so Burke's own zoning permit process, run through the Administrative Officer, is what governs construction.

Septic, composting toilets, and wells are the state's territory, not the town's. Since 2007, Vermont's Department of Environmental Conservation has held universal jurisdiction over wastewater and water supply permitting statewide. That means any new home needing a septic system, a well, or even a composting or incinerating toilet needs a state Wastewater System and Potable Water Supply Permit. There is a narrow exception: a primitive camp using a waterless toilet may not need this permit, but the moment you add any soil-based wastewater system, the state permit requirement kicks back in.

Greywater falls under that same state wastewater rulebook as a non-conventional system; I didn't find any Burke-specific greywater rule layered on top.

Rainwater harvesting looks to be permitted, I couldn't find a Burke-specific restriction, but I also couldn't confirm whether the zoning bylaw touches on catchment infrastructure setbacks, so double-check with the town.

Living unconnected from utilities appears to be workable here. Burke doesn't have municipal water or sewer covering most of the town, and I found no ordinance forcing a hookup. But you still need the state water/wastewater permit regardless of how off-grid your setup is.

Bottom line: Burke welcomes small camps and off-grid-style living, but everything runs through the Zoning Administrator locally and the state DEC for water and waste. Confirm specifics before you build anything.