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Selectboard weighs zoning changes and whether state wastewater permits should precede building permits
Summary
Marshfield officials debated proposed zoning amendments to conform with state statute changes and disagreed over whether a state wastewater permit should be required before issuing local building permits or deferred until certificate of occupancy; VT DEC staff said permits typically take about 12 days.
Richard Baker, chair of the Marshfield Selectboard, opened a discussion of proposed zoning regulation amendments on May 19, saying most changes are necessary to comply with recent state statute updates and noting the town plan deadline has been extended through at least the end of 2026.
A central dispute among board members, the Planning Commission and residents concerned whether applicants should obtain a state wastewater permit before receiving a local building permit or only be required to provide a certification that their wastewater system is installed as designed before issuance of a certificate of occupancy. Planning Commissioner Michelle McCormick said requiring the permit up front can create delays that “might make someone miss the construction window.” Kathleen Hayes reported she contacted wastewater engineers who said permitting can take “three months to a year.”
Bruce Douglas, who runs Vermont’s water and wastewater permitting program at the Department of Environmental Conservation, told the board the program’s turnaround is usually about 12 days, though a small percentage of applications take up to 45 days when actions by the owner slow the process. He said the permit gives owners assurance about water and wastewater capacity and helps avoid siting a house in a location that would later force a much more expensive system. “The permit provides the owner with the assurance that they have water and wastewater capacity for that property before they invest in the house,” Douglas said.
Other participants cautioned that some applicants in Marshfield have built without functioning septic systems; Town Clerk Bobbi Brimblecombe said people have told the zoning administrator they were “using a bucket and dumping it over the bank on the property.” Lorraine, a meeting participant, urged stricter front‑end controls, saying “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” and noting the state’s enforcement powers are mainly fines. Chair Baker said the practical question is whether the town should require the permit first or continue to warn applicants and require proof of an installed system before occupancy.
Selectboard member Luke Lampugnale said he needed more time to decide but supported advancing the Planning Commission’s proposal to seek public comment at a public hearing. The board did not adopt a final position at the meeting and will continue discussion before scheduling the public hearing.
