Off-Grid Living in Hartland, Vermont

Hartland, Vermont is one of the more interesting off-grid options in the state simply because of what's missing: a zoning bylaw. I want to be careful not to oversell that, though. Unzoned doesn't mean unregulated, and it doesn't mean "anything goes." Let me walk through what I found researching Hartland's rules, state by state, dimension by dimension.

Zoning. Hartland has no zoning ordinance on the books. The town relies on its town plan, a policy document, to guide development rather than a binding bylaw. A regional planning official told local media the plan's language is mostly "may/might" rather than "shall," which is about as non-binding as it gets. That said, the Planning Commission is actively drafting a Unified Development Bylaw with the Two Rivers Ottauquechee Regional Commission, so this could change. And regardless of local zoning, Vermont's statewide Act 250 review still applies to qualifying subdivisions and developments. If you're buying land in Hartland, check where that bylaw process stands before you assume the current openness will last.

Dwellings, tiny homes, RVs. I couldn't confirm any Hartland minimum-size or occupancy rule for tiny homes or RVs. With no zoning bylaw, there's nothing published that I found addressing it. Call the Town Manager's office or Planning Commission directly to ask about current practice.

Building permits. Hartland's own ordinance list doesn't include a general building code. The one construction-related permit I found is for sewage disposal systems, issued locally by the Town Health Officer.

Septic. This is genuinely regulated, just not by the town alone. The Health Officer issues the local construction permit application, but the substantive design and siting rules, and the real permit, come from the State of Vermont through its Wastewater System and Potable Water Supply Rules program (the Regional Office Program).

Greywater. No Hartland-specific ordinance exists that I found. This falls under the same state wastewater rules as septic. Vermont's guidance says you can replace a septic tank or pipes without a permit, but you need to contact the state Division before touching a leachfield.

Rainwater harvesting. No town restriction found, and state baseline rules generally allow non-potable rainwater use.

Wells. No Hartland-specific well ordinance. Well construction, siting, and testing run through Vermont's Drinking Water and Groundwater Protection Division alongside the wastewater permitting program.

Off-grid utilities. Hartland's published ordinances, covering things like flood hazard, driveways, road maintenance, and septic permits, contain nothing requiring hookup to municipal power, water, or sewer. State permitting still governs whatever on-site systems you install.

Bottom line: Hartland's lack of zoning gives you real flexibility on land use and structure type, but septic, wells, and greywater are firmly state-regulated no matter what the town does. Confirm everything directly, especially since the bylaw situation is in flux.