Planning and Zoning

QUICK LINKS:
NEW All about City Plan 2024 - our update to the City's Comprehensive Plan click here
NEW Proposed amendments to the Land Development Regulation click here
Searchable Archive of Permits, Development Review Materials & Decisions, and more click here
Zoning Certificates of Compliance Click here 
Development Review Board, Planning Commission, other meeting Agendas & Packets
DRB Application Status & Table of Recently-Issued Zoning Permits Click Here

Mapping Resources:
Interactive Tax Parcel, Zoning, and Official Map Data Viewer: Click Here
Natural Resources Regulations Data Viewer: Click Here

Latest News:
Solar PV Requirement for new Commercial Buildings adopted by City Council June 5, 2023
The City Council adopted amendments to the City's Land Development Regulations on June 5, 2023 that require the installation of Solar Photovoltaic Panels (or their equivalent) on all new buildings that were or are required to include a Solar Ready Zone as defined in Appendix CA of the Vermont Commercial Building Energy Standards. This applies to new commercial buildings, new mixed use buildings, and new residential buildings of four (4) or more stories submitting a zoning permit for construction as of May 11, 2023. For more information, see the amended Regulations or contact us at planning@southburlingtonvt.gov or (802) 846-4106.

School Impact Fees to take effect July 1, 2023
This past winter the City Council adopted an amendment to the Impact Fee Ordinance, establishing a School Impact Fee. The School Impact Fee applies to all new homes, and existing homes adding bedrooms. The Ordinance will be phased in. Any zoning permit application submitted on or after July 1, 2023 will be assessed one-half of the fee identified in the Ordinance. Applications submitted on or after January 1, 2024 will be assed the full fee. For more information, review the Ordinance and contact us at planning@southburlingtonvt.gov or (802) 846-4106.

Council Adopts Renewable Heating and Hot Water Ordinance for New Buildings.
The City Council adopted an ordinance requiring that new buildings' heating and hot water systems use renewable or carbon-free energy sources. The Ordinance takes effect for permits submitted on or after February 15, 2023. Review the Frequently Asked Questions [v 1-2 updated 2-13-23] for common questions, and use the Heating / Hot Water System Self-Certification Form to accompany applications.

Climate Action Plan Adopted October 3, 2022. The City Council adopted the community's first-ever Climate Action Plan. Visit the project page to learn more and participate in the Climate Action Plan Task Force's meetings!

Accessing the Planning & Zoning Department
In the continued effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19, we highly encourage contact via email for questions. See our list of Planning & Zoning FAQ's for the most commonly asked questions. We strongly encourage scheduling phone or videoconference appointments with Planning staff if you would like to discuss your project in-depth.

Our forms and fees can be found here.
How-To Guides for our most common permits. Please submit permit applications through email.  We offer a variety of payment options: check by mail (address on our forms), drop off at the City Hall dropbox, and online credit card payment. We can confirm fees and provide guidance on your best option, just let us know if you have any questions. If you would rather drop-off any items, including payment, there is a drop box located right outside the main doors of City Hall.  

Please do not hesitate to contact staff for a phone or teleconference meeting. Our department number is (802) 846-4106 and our department email is planning@southburlingtonvt.gov.  And here is a link to our staff directory. 

Permit applications:
Please visit our permitting page for various applications listed below. Email and electronic payment is preferred, but we can also accept via US mail.

• Zoning Permit Applications (Must be signed by property owner.  If you are the property owner, please be sure to authorize as both as the Owner and as the Applicant). Note: in order to aid with social distancing, for the time being, we will accept an email from the owner / applicant as proof of authorization in lieu of an actual signature.
• Certificate of Compliance (please be sure to fill-in the name on deed, property address & date)
• Sign Permits – Permanent
  
• Backyard Chicken Application
• Applications For Development Review: All plans must be provided as individual sheets and named to include sheet number and last revised date. No hard copy submissions are required.

   

Development Review Applications & Forms: Note: many Development Review applications require a pre-application conference.  Please call our office at (802) 846-4106 prior to submission. Application forms for all types of development review are available online.

Searchable Permit & Development Review Database 
The City has undertaken a significant project to digitize our records over the past year. We are pleased to be able to offer permitting, development review, and permit research online. 

You may view zoning permits and development review documents using our Searchable Archive . Click here for our User Guide. The Archive contains records of Development Review Board (and their predecessor, the Zoning Board of Appeals) decisions and supplemental materials from the 1960s forward, zoning permits (starting with most recent, presently available back to 2005), permanent sign permits and infrastructure and landscape bonds. Note: at times the system can reach its maximum number of users. When this happens, you are sent to a login screen. Simply come back to this page and try again in a few minutes if this happens. Thank you for your patience

Planning & Planning Studies
The City has a multitude of projects ongoing. Some key resources:

• Library of Completed Studies. The City maintains a library of prior transportation, natural resource, and land use projects. Please visit these.
• Contact us. Staff will be working, in part, remotely. We are happy to set up phone or videoconference meetings to continue to gather input on specific projects, as well as your broad ideas for the future. Contact Director of Planning & Zoning Paul Conner at pconner@sburl.com. You can also contact us by phone at (802) 846-4106. In the event we are working remotely, we will be checking voicemail and get back in touch with you. Email is encouraged if possible, however.

Vision & Goals

The City's 2016 Comprehensive Plan lays out four principal goals for the community:
Here and Into the Future, South Burlington is...

• Affordable and Community Strong - creating a robust sense of place and opportunity for our residents and visitors.
• Walkable - Bicycle and pedestrian friendly with safe transportation infrastructure.
• Green & Clean - Emphasizing sustainability for long-term viability of a clean and green South Burlington
• Opportunity Oriented - Being a supportive and engaged member of the larger regional and statewide community.

Beneath each of these goals, of course, are several sub-goals addressing affordability, strong neighborhoods, quality services & infrastructure, energy, natural resources, and economic development. We invite you to take a look at the City's Comprehensive Plan, to see where South Burlington is focused as a community.

Planning & Development Review
The Department's work falls, generally, into two areas: 

• Long Range Planning: land use & transportation plans, preparing the City's Land Development Regulations, natural resources work, etc... [related links: Planning Commission, Bicycle & Pedestrian Committee, Comprehensive Plan, Ongoing Projects, Completed Projects]
• Development Review & Permitting: review of proposed development, signs, and permits for construction of all types [related links: Development Review Board, Permit Application Forms, Land Development Regulations, FAQs]