Off-Grid Living in Killington, Vermont

I've been digging into what off-grid living actually looks like in Killington, Vermont, and the short version is: this is a zoned town with real permitting requirements, layered on top of a state that takes wastewater and water supply seriously. It's doable, but you're working with two levels of authority, not one.

Zoning is real here. Killington isn't one of those unzoned Vermont towns you sometimes hear about. Its Zoning Bylaws, originally adopted in 1979 and amended most recently in 2024, divide the town into districts like Forest Reserve and Valley, each with its own permitted uses. The town is also finalizing new Land Development Regulations that would consolidate zoning and subdivision rules, so if you're planning anything, check whether that update has taken effect. Any land development needs a permit from the Zoning Administrator, per the Town's Planning and Zoning office.

Dwellings, tiny homes, and RVs get scrutinized. The bylaws define things like "travel trailer" in a way that treats them as temporary lodging, not permanent housing, and they get specific about what counts as livable space (attics can't be bedrooms; lofts used as bedrooms count toward a dwelling's capacity). I didn't find a standalone rule spelling out whether you can live in an RV or tiny home year-round, so this is one to confirm directly with the Zoning Administrator before you commit to a plan.

Building permits run through zoning, not a separate building code office. Vermont doesn't have a statewide residential building code for owner-occupied single-family homes, so in Killington, the zoning permit process (again, through the Zoning Administrator) is the operative local control. I did not find evidence of a separate town building code or building inspector title.

Septic, greywater, and wells are state matters. Vermont's Department of Environmental Conservation, through its Wastewater System and Potable Water Supply Program, issues the permits for septic systems, non-public water supplies, and by extension private wells. Killington falls under the Rutland Regional Office. I found no separate Killington ordinance regulating greywater reuse or wells beyond this state framework.

Rainwater harvesting doesn't appear to be restricted by the town; I found no Killington-specific ordinance addressing it, so it's reasonably treated as permitted under general state guidance.

Living off municipal utilities is allowed. The bylaws describe "areas served by municipal sewer and water" fairly narrowly, which implies most of Killington's land sits outside that service area, meaning private wells and septic systems (properly permitted through the state) are the normal path, not a workaround. There's no blanket ban on going off-grid.

Bottom line: pair a Killington zoning permit with the right Vermont DEC wastewater/water permits, and off-grid living here is a state-and-town paperwork exercise, not a legal impossibility. Confirm any gray areas, especially tiny homes and RVs as permanent residences, directly with the Zoning Administrator before you build or move in.