Vermont Senate Passes Bill Exempting Farms from Local Zoning Laws
The Vermont Senate has passed bill H.941, which aims to exempt farms from municipal zoning bylaws, reversing a recent state Supreme Court decision that allowed local governments to regulate agricultural practices. The legislation was driven by Senator Russ Ingalls following a legal dispute in Essex Junction involving backyard farming and cannabis cultivation. Under the new bill, farms regulated by the Vermont Agency of Agriculture Food and Markets would be exempt from local rules, as would lands used for viticulture, vegetable farming, and maple tapping. Small poultry flocks are also exempt, though the lack of a specific definition for flock size raises concerns about future legal ambiguity. Municipal bylaws will still apply to livestock operations on less than one acre. The bill now returns to the House for further consideration. In other legislative news, Governor Phil Scott vetoed a bill regarding road salt runoff protections, citing insufficient safeguards for workers, while the Senate Education Committee advanced a bill promoting voluntary school district consolidation.
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Vermont Senate Passes Bill Exempting Farms from Local Zoning Laws
The Vermont Senate has passed bill H.941, which aims to exempt farms from municipal zoning bylaws, reversing a recent state Supreme Court decision that allowed local governments to regulate agricultural practices. The legislation was driven by Senator Russ Ingalls following a legal dispute in Essex Junction involving backyard farming and cannabis cultivation. Under the new bill, farms regulated by the Vermont Agency of Agriculture Food and Markets would be exempt from local rules, as would lands used for viticulture, vegetable farming, and maple tapping. Small poultry flocks are also exempt, though the lack of a specific definition for flock size raises concerns about future legal ambiguity. Municipal bylaws will still apply to livestock operations on less than one acre. The bill now returns to the House for further consideration. In other legislative news, Governor Phil Scott vetoed a bill regarding road salt runoff protections, citing insufficient safeguards for workers, while the Senate Education Committee advanced a bill promoting voluntary school district consolidation.
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