Off-Grid Living in Westmore, Vermont

I'll be upfront: Westmore is a small, rural Vermont town, but it is NOT one of those "no zoning" towns you sometimes hear about in the Northeast Kingdom. It has an adopted Zoning Bylaw (first passed in 2000, amended in 2006 and again in 2020), and it's administered by a Zoning Administrator with a Zoning Board of Adjustment behind him. That matters a lot if you're picturing buying a back parcel and just building without paperwork.

Zoning and land use. The Town's bylaw sets a minimum lot size (40,000 square feet, per the 2000 bylaw's Table provisions) and requires a zoning permit for new structures, additions, and subdivision. This is a town-level rule that sits on top of anything the state requires, and the Zoning Administrator is the person who enforces it.

Dwellings, tiny homes, RVs. I could not confirm specific language on tiny houses or RVs in the bylaw text I reviewed. I did confirm the bylaw regulates accessory dwelling units (now handled through conditional use review) and sets setbacks near water. If you're planning a tiny home or want to live in an RV while building, call the Zoning Administrator directly and ask before you commit.

Building permits. Westmore requires a zoning permit for new construction, but I found no evidence of a separate town building code beyond what the state applies (Vermont's Residential Building Energy Standards). So the baseline is the state code, layered under the town's permit process.

Septic and wastewater. This is where Westmore's local rule really bites: the bylaw sets a 100-foot setback from a brook for subsurface wastewater systems (per both the 2000 and 2006 bylaw sections). On top of that, the state's Wastewater System and Potable Water Supply Rules, administered by Vermont DEC, govern septic design and permitting statewide, including here.

Greywater and wells. I found no Westmore-specific rules on greywater reuse or private wells beyond the general watercourse setback above. Both default to the state DEC's baseline rules, so I'd call that "varies until you check with DEC."

Rainwater harvesting. No town restriction turned up in my research; general state guidance applies, and collecting rainwater for non-potable use looks permitted.

Off-grid utilities. There's no municipal water or sewer here to begin with, so nothing forces you onto a grid you can't reach. But you'll still need a zoning permit for any new dwelling and a compliant on-site water and wastewater system, and don't forget: zoning applications need to list adjoining property owners or the town can reject them.

Bottom line: Westmore looks off-grid friendly in the sense that there's no utility hookup mandate, but its zoning bylaw is real and enforced, and its wastewater setback rule is more specific than most nearby towns. Confirm details with the Zoning Administrator before you buy or build.