Off-Grid Living in Johnson, Vermont

Johnson, Vermont is one of the more interesting towns I've looked at for off-grid purposes, mostly because of what it doesn't have: a zoning bylaw. Per the Lamoille County Planning Commission, Johnson "currently does not have zoning and subdivision regulations." That's a real statement from the regional planning body, not a loophole I'm guessing at.

What Johnson does have is a Form Based Code (FBC), which applies mainly to the Village area, plus a separate Flood Plain Zoning Regulation for mapped flood hazard zones. Important nuance from the town's own community profile: the FBC "does not govern land use or use within structures." It's about building form and placement in the Village, not about what you can do with your land or how you live in your house. So outside the Village FBC districts and outside flood hazard zones, there's no town-level zoning ordinance restricting raw-land occupancy, tiny homes, RVs, or dwelling types. I couldn't find any Johnson document that specifically addresses tiny homes or RV living town-wide, so treat that as an open question rather than a green light, especially if you're inside the Village.

Building permits follow the same split: no zoning-based permit system outside the FBC district, an FBC permit needed for Village-area development, and a separate Flood Plain Zoning permit process (with its own administrator) if you're in a flood hazard area. The town also runs a handful of other ordinances (dilapidated buildings, solid waste, noise, and so on) worth checking with the Town Clerk's office.

Where Johnson has zero wiggle room is water and waste, because that's not a town matter at all, it's the State of Vermont's. Since July 1, 2007, Vermont's Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has held universal jurisdiction over wastewater systems and potable water supplies statewide, including new construction, septic, greywater systems, and wells. Johnson's 2006 Municipal Plan even lists deferring to state wastewater/water rules as a Select Board item, meaning there's no separate town septic office duplicating this. If you're installing a septic system, a greywater system, or a well, you're dealing with DEC, not the Town of Johnson.

Rainwater harvesting is the one area with no ordinance at any level that I found, town or state, so it looks straightforwardly permitted, though I'd still confirm nothing's changed.

On utilities, Johnson has no bylaw forcing you to hook up to electric or municipal water/sewer. The Village itself operates its own electric, water, and sewer systems within its boundaries, which by implication means land outside the Village isn't obligated to connect. Any on-site system you build still needs that state DEC permit.

Bottom line: Johnson's unzoned status makes it genuinely appealing for off-grid living, but "unzoned" doesn't mean "unregulated." The state controls your septic, well, and greywater setup no matter where in town you are, and if you're anywhere near the Village or a flood zone, local rules kick back in. Always verify current status with the Town Administrator's office before you buy or build.