Off-Grid Living in Woodbury, Vermont

I've been digging into what off-grid living actually looks like in Woodbury, Vermont, and the short version is: Woodbury is zoned, and both the town and the state have a say before you can build or occupy anything.

Zoning. Woodbury adopted its own Zoning Ordinance back in 1973, under Vermont's Planning and Development Act (24 VSA Chapter 117), and the town's regional planning commission lists a 2006 version currently on file. That ordinance is explicit: no land, building, or structure can be occupied or used unless it's in compliance, and the Zoning Administrator is required to review permit applications strictly. So if you're picturing quietly parking on raw land off the grid in Woodbury, know that a zoning permit is the town's baseline requirement.

Dwellings, tiny homes, RVs. I couldn't find Woodbury-specific language addressing tiny homes, yurts, or RVs as dwellings. The state does reference "yurts, yomes, cabins" in its wastewater permit guidance, but that's a state list, not a town zoning rule. This one is genuinely unclear at the local level, so call Woodbury's Zoning Administrator before you commit to a structure type.

Building permits. Woodbury requires a zoning permit from its Administrative Officer before construction begins. I didn't find evidence of a separate municipal building code layered on top of that; the zoning permit process appears to be the town's main mechanism.

Septic and composting toilets. This is state-controlled. Vermont's Department of Environmental Conservation has held universal jurisdiction over wastewater and potable water systems since 2007, covering everything from single-family homes to cabins and yurts. Woodbury's own ordinance cross-references state health rules for these systems, so expect to deal with DEC regardless of what the town says.

Greywater. Same story, no town-specific bylaw, but it falls under DEC's Wastewater System and Potable Water Supply Rules (authority: 10 VSA Chapter 64). Handled at the state level through the regional DEC office.

Rainwater harvesting. I found no Woodbury restriction here, and state guidance treats non-potable rainwater collection as generally permitted. Still, always worth confirming nothing local has changed.

Wells. New private wells need a state permit through DEC's Water Supply Program, whether or not there's a matching town ordinance. Woodbury doesn't appear to add its own well rules on top.

Utility disconnection. Woodbury is rural, over 85% forested, with no sign of municipal water or sewer to hook into, so living off-grid utility-wise isn't unusual there. But you still need the town zoning permit and the state wastewater/water permits before you can legally occupy a home.

Bottom line: Woodbury layers its own zoning permit requirement on top of Vermont's statewide wastewater and water supply rules. Confirm specifics with both the Zoning Administrator and DEC before you build.