Off-Grid Living in Tunbridge, Vermont

I've been digging into Tunbridge, Vermont for anyone thinking about building or living off-grid there, and the short version is: this is about as light-touch as land use gets in Vermont, but "light-touch locally" doesn't mean "unregulated." Here's what I found.

Zoning: there isn't any. Tunbridge's own Town Plan says flatly that the town has no zoning bylaw and isn't proposing one. That means most ordinary land use, building a home, putting up outbuildings, homesteading a parcel, doesn't require a local land-use permit. The one exception is the floodprone part of town, which is covered by a flood-hazard regulation administered locally (the Selectboard/Floodplain Administrator). Larger projects, like commercial development on a lot over an acre or subdivisions creating six or more lots, trigger the state's Act 250 review instead of a town process. Because there's no zoning, I couldn't find any town rule on tiny homes, RVs, or minimum dwelling size, if you're planning something unconventional, call the Town Office to see how it's handled in practice.

Building codes are a mixed picture. Tunbridge doesn't appear to run a general municipal building permit program, consistent with having no zoning. But that doesn't mean "anything goes": Vermont's statewide Residential Building Energy Standards apply everywhere in the state regardless of local zoning, so your build still has to meet that state energy code. I saw one commercial listing claim there's a town building permit process, but I couldn't confirm that against any official town or state source, so treat that claim skeptically and just ask the Town Office directly.

Septic, greywater, and wells are entirely state-level here. Tunbridge has no local health or sanitation ordinance that I could find (though it does have an appointed Health Officer). Septic systems, composting or incinerating toilets, and greywater reuse are all governed by Vermont's Agency of Natural Resources / DEC under its statewide Wastewater System and Potable Water Supply Rules. Private wells fall under DEC's separate drinking-water and groundwater program for siting, construction, and testing. None of this runs through the town office; it's a state permitting relationship no matter which Vermont town you're in.

Rainwater harvesting doesn't appear to be restricted by any town rule, and general state guidance governs non-potable catchment use.

Living off-grid, disconnected from utilities, is genuinely permitted here: there's no municipal water or sewer system in Tunbridge to begin with, and with no zoning bylaw, there's no local mandate to hook into electric or other utilities. You'll still need to get your septic/well systems through the state DEC process, off-grid doesn't mean off-permit for wastewater and drinking water.

Bottom line: Tunbridge is unusually permissive at the town level, but Vermont's state agencies (DEC for water/wastewater, and the statewide energy code) still have real authority over your build. Confirm specifics with the Town Office and DEC before you commit to a plan.