Burlington Zoning Intelligence
Zoning, permitted uses, and development potential for Burlington, Vermont. 19 districts with their permitted uses and building controls.
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Zoning districts are shown at zoom 15 and closer. Zoom out for the Burlington city outline and street context.
How is Burlington zoned?
Burlington regulates land through 19 zoning districts, and the Recreation Conservation And Open Space family is the largest, covering roughly 2,764 acres across three variants: conservation, open green space and agriculture.
Splitting open space by whether it is conservation, green space or agricultural is a careful distinction for a city of this size, and together the three exceed the largest residential district.
The Form District designations are the growth framework: Downtown Center at roughly 86 acres and Downtown Core at about 74. Numbering them 5 and 6 within a form district series suggests a transect-style gradient applied to the centre.
The Neighborhood Activity Center districts name specific places: a general version at roughly 60 acres, a Riverside version at about 62 and a Cambrian Rise version at roughly 22. Naming two specific areas within one activity center family is fine-grained.
The Enterprise districts name their sector: Light Manufacturing at roughly 283 acres and Agricultural Processing And Energy at about 66. Naming agricultural processing and energy together in one employment district is uncommon.
A Downtown Waterfront Public Trust district covers roughly 38 acres, naming a legal doctrine in the district identity.
An Urban Reserve district covers roughly 53 acres. This is pre-development intelligence, not legal advice - verify with the local planning department before acquisition.
Burlington, Vermont Zoning Districts: What Do They Mean?
Zoning districts are areas regulated by specific laws that determine land use, building types, and development rules. Each district below shows its zone type. Burlington's ordinance does not state permitted uses as citywide flags, so they are read from each district's own table rather than summarised here.
| Zone Code | Zone Type | Area |
|---|---|---|
RL Residential Low Intensity | - | 2,146.4 ac |
RCO-C Recreation Conservation And Open Space | - | 1,079.4 ac |
RCO-RG Recreation Conservation And Open Green Space | - | 951.8 ac |
RCO-A Recreation Conservation And Open Space Agriculture | - | 733.5 ac |
What are the building controls in Burlington?
Setback, height, FAR, lot area, and density controls enforced across Burlington zoning districts.
- Building height
- Coverage
- Density
- FAR
- Front setback
- Lot
- Lot width
- Multi
- Pervious
- Rear setback
- Side setback
Other Vermont cities
Burlington zoning: frequently asked questions
- How is open space classified in Burlington?
- Through three variants of the Recreation Conservation And Open Space family covering roughly 2,764 acres: conservation, open green space and agriculture. Together they exceed the largest residential district.
- What are the Form Districts?
- Downtown Center at roughly 86 acres and Downtown Core at about 74, numbered 5 and 6 within a form district series suggesting a transect-style gradient applied to the centre.
- What are the Neighborhood Activity Center districts?
- A general version at roughly 60 acres, a Riverside version at about 62 and a Cambrian Rise version at roughly 22, naming two specific areas within one activity center family.
- What are the Enterprise districts?
- Districts naming their sector: Enterprise Light Manufacturing at roughly 283 acres and Enterprise Agricultural Processing And Energy at about 66. Naming agricultural processing and energy together is uncommon.
- What is the Downtown Waterfront Public Trust district?
- A district covering roughly 38 acres naming a legal doctrine in its identity, marking waterfront land held under public trust obligations.
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Book a demo →Zoning data is pre-development intelligence, not legal advice. Verify with the Burlington planning department before acquisition or design.