Off-Grid Living in Westfield, Vermont

I've been digging into what off-grid living actually looks like in Westfield, Vermont, and the short version is: this is a zoned town, so you can't just disappear into the woods and start building without talking to the town first.

Westfield adopted a Zoning Bylaw back in 2010 and amended it as recently as March 2024. That bylaw, administered by the town's Zoning Administrator, requires a Zoning Permit before you do just about anything: new construction, structural changes, change of land use, even subdivision. The bylaw also leans on the state subdivision law (24 V.S.A. Chapter 117), so Westfield's rules and Vermont's rules work together here.

On dwellings, the 2024 amendment actually loosened things a bit, now allowing up to two single or two-household dwellings on a lot under the section covering structures on lots. But certain uses, like multiple household dwellings, short-term rentals, or home businesses, get kicked to the Development Review Board for a hearing. I did not find a specific minimum size rule for tiny houses or RVs in what I reviewed, so if that's your plan, call the Zoning Administrator directly and ask.

For building permits, Westfield's process really is the Zoning Permit; I did not find a separate municipal building code inspection layer. The Zoning Administrator, per the town's own site, can also point you toward whatever state permits apply to your situation.

Septic is where the state takes over. Vermont's Agency of Natural Resources, through the Department of Environmental Conservation, has held statewide jurisdiction over wastewater and potable water systems since 2007. That means any septic or composting toilet setup tied to a structure will likely need a state Wastewater System and Potable Water Supply permit, and Westfield's own site just refers applicants there. Greywater isn't separately addressed by the town, so it falls under that same state wastewater rule as far as I can tell, not confirmed as a distinct local rule.

Rainwater harvesting for non-potable use doesn't appear to be restricted by the town at all, though I found nothing spelling out potable indoor use either way.

Wells are a genuine local quirk here: Westfield requires its own Zoning Permit for a well, on top of whatever state DEC siting and construction rules apply. That surprised me, and it's worth flagging since not every Vermont town does this.

As for going fully off-grid utility-wise, no disconnection ban, but remember that any private water or wastewater system you build still needs both the town zoning sign-off and the state DEC permit. The village water system only covers the village itself, so most rural land in town is already handling private wells and septic anyway.

Bottom line: talk to Will Young, the Zoning Administrator, early and often.