Off-Grid Living in Underhill, Vermont

I've been digging into what it actually takes to live off-grid in Underhill, Vermont, and the first thing to clear up is that Underhill is a zoned town. It's not one of those Vermont towns where you can just plunk down on raw land and do your own thing. The town's Unified Land Use & Development Regulations, adopted March 2020 by the town, set up multiple zoning districts with their own dimensional standards, and a Zoning Administrator and Development Review Board (DRB) administer them.

Zoning and dwellings. Whatever you're planning, whether it's a cabin, a tiny home, or an off-grid homestead, check it against the district you're in (there's a "Table 2.1" of district standards in the bylaw). The regulations also address accessory dwelling units and list required permits in one section and exemptions in another, but I couldn't confirm specific language on RVs or minimum dwelling sizes. That's a call-the-Zoning-Administrator question.

Building permits. The town issues its own zoning permits, and separately, Vermont's Residential Building Energy Standards (RBES) apply statewide: since July 1, 2013, new residential construction needs an RBES Certificate recorded with the Town Clerk before a Certificate of Occupancy is issued. That's a state requirement enforced locally through the recording step.

Septic and water. This is where Underhill's local rule and state rule link up directly. The town will not issue a Certificate of Occupancy until the Zoning Administrator has copies of the state wastewater and water supply permits and a certificate of compliance. So even though the actual septic and well standards come from Vermont DEC's Wastewater Management and Potable Water Supply programs, Underhill cross-checks compliance before you can legally occupy a structure. I didn't find town-specific language on composting toilets or greywater, so those default to the same state wastewater rules, and I'd confirm treatment with DEC directly.

Rainwater harvesting. Nothing town-specific turned up in my research, so this appears to fall under general state guidance rather than a local restriction, but that's not fully confirmed.

Wells. Private wells fall under the same state DEC standards, verified by the town at occupancy. Note that Jericho Underhill Water District serves parts of town, which matters if you're weighing a private well against connecting to district water.

Utilities. There's no municipal sewer in Underhill, and I found no bylaw requiring hookup to electric or water utilities. So living disconnected from the grid is workable here, as long as your water and wastewater systems get state permitted and that paperwork makes it to the Zoning Administrator.

Bottom line: Underhill welcomes off-grid-style living more than plenty of towns, but it's threaded through both local zoning permits and state DEC water/wastewater rules. Don't skip either layer.