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Permitting and Inspections
Permitting & Inspections
645 Pine Street, Ste. A
PO Box 849
Burlington, VT 05402-0849
Phone: (802) 863-0442
FAX: (802) 652-4221
Burlington Department of Permitting & Inspections - supporting peaceful enjoyment in a safe environment for Burlington citizens
The Department of Permitting & Inspections is operating on a very limited basis at least through April 15, 2020. Until then, the Department will perform services to close existing permits and to perform emergency inspections. The extent of this limited operation may be extended. Information will be posted when available. The best way to contact stafff during this time span is by way of email. Email addresses are noted on the Personnel Page.
Primary Services to the public include:
- Minimum housing code enforcement includes maintaining an annual apartment registry of approximately 10,000 rental dwelling units, billing and collecting rental unit registration fees, inspecting rental housing units, enforcing minimum housing standards, issuing certificates of compliance to landlords, and funding tenant and landlord advocacy services
- Zoning administration, including issuance of zoning permits, certificates of occupancy, and enforcement.
- Trades administration, including issuance of construction permits (building, mechanical, plumbing, and electrical) and related certificates of occupancy.
- Vacant building enforcement includes maintaining a registry of vacant buildings and issuing permits for those buildings, inspecting these buildings on at least a quarterly basis and enforcing vacant building standards, and collecting vacant building permit fees
- Health enforcement includes initiating public health actions as designated deputy health officers and ensuring compliance with thepesticide ordinance
See http://www.codepublishing.com/vt/burlington for links to the ordinances administered and enforced by the Department of Permitting & Inspections.
The office's main responsibility is to administer and enforce the Minimum Housing Ordinance (Burlington Code of Ordinances (BCO), Chapter 18), the Zoning Ordinance (BCO, App. A), the Building Code (BCO, Chapters 8, 12, 13, 18, 21, 25, & 27), the Vacant Building Ordinance (BCO, Chapter 8, Art. 3), Health ordinances and to issue Public Health Orders (BCO Chapter 17)
The department is designated as the enforcement agency for several ordinances, including BCO sec 17-9 (Pesticide applications), BCO sec 21-5 (Signs in the greenbelt), and BCO ch. 26 (Stormwater control).
In addition, Permitting & Inspections works with: the Burlington Electric Department on residential rental housing time-of-sale inspections - see http://www.burlingtonelectric.com/time-of-sale-energy-efficiency-ordinance - (BCO 18-500); the Department of Public Works on illegal dumping of solid waste (BCO ch.s 14 & 27); the Department of Parks & Recreation on maintenance of greenbelts (City Charter, sec 211, 212); the Police Department on illegal yard parking and nuisance abatement (BCO sec 1-9, 20-55, 21-19).
