Off-Grid Living in Lemington, Vermont

Lemington is one of Vermont's smallest towns (population around 87), tucked up in Essex County, and it's easy to assume a place this size has no rules at all. Not true. I found that Lemington does have an adopted zoning bylaw dating to 1990, plus a town plan from 1995, administered under the state's standard municipal zoning framework (24 V.S.A. Chapter 117). That means land use here is regulated, just at a very local, small-town scale, and the full bylaw text isn't posted online, so specifics need to come straight from the town clerk's office.

Zoning and building permits. Because Lemington has enacted zoning, most construction, including a new single-family home, will need a permit issued by a local zoning administrator. Vermont doesn't impose a statewide residential building code for owner-occupied homes, so what's required here is largely a function of the town's own bylaw, which I couldn't find in full text. The town clerk's office is the practical first call.

Tiny homes, RVs, dwelling specifics. I didn't find anything in the available research addressing tiny homes or RVs specifically for Lemington. This would fall under the 1990 bylaw's dwelling provisions, and since I can't confirm the details, I'd flag this as unclear until you talk to the town.

Septic, greywater, and wells. This is where the state, not the town, runs the show. Vermont's Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) took over universal jurisdiction on wastewater systems and potable water supplies statewide back in 2007. Any new septic system, greywater system, or private well in Lemington needs a DEC Wastewater System and Potable Water Supply permit, handled through the St. Johnsbury Regional Office. No Lemington-specific exemption from this state rule turned up in my research.

Rainwater harvesting. I found no Lemington bylaw addressing this, and no state restriction on non-potable rainwater catchment, so this looks fine to pursue, though I'd still mention your plans to the town if it's tied to a larger building project.

Living off-grid generally. There's no municipal water or sewer system in a town this rural, and I didn't find any ordinance forcing utility hookups. That said, "off-grid" doesn't mean "off-permit": your well and wastewater setup still needs that state DEC permit regardless of how disconnected you intend to live.

Bottom line: Lemington's small size doesn't exempt you from Vermont's state-level wastewater and water supply permitting, and its zoning bylaw, though old and not published in full online, still governs building and land use locally. Given how much remains "not confirmed" here, I'd treat a phone call to the town clerk as step one before buying land or planning a build.