Frequently Asked Questions

Evidence and property is stored in a secure location at the Police Department and can only be accessed by a very few people. You can call the Milton Police Department between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. (Monday through Friday) at 802-893-6171.

Police Officers have 30 days to conduct an investigation and file a report. In the event the accident reports are not at the front desk, it is suggested that you call the investigating Officer or the Officer in Charge.

The State of Vermont actually brings charges. In criminal cases, the State of Vermont, through a State's Attorney, makes a decision whether to bring a charge. In some cases, the State's Attorney may bring a charge even if the victim is not cooperative or does not wish to cooperate.

We strongly recommend that you ask for the Officer’s business card, or write down the Officer’s name. If you did not get the Officer’s name, you can email the Milton Police Department's Administrative Assistant or call the Milton Police Department between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. (Monday through Friday) at 802-893-6171.

Vehicles are usually towed because they were in violation of the Town Ordinances, State Laws or were towed from a privately owned lot, at the request of a property owner/agent. In any case, the company that towed the vehicle is required to contact our communications center and report the vehicle’s registration, make, date and location from where it was towed. You can email the Milton Police Department's Administrative Assistant or call the Milton Police Department between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. (Monday through Friday) at 802-893-6171. After hours please contact 802-893-2424 for our 24-hour dispatch.

If you are required by the court to provide fingerprints to the Milton Police Department, yes. If you are required to have your fingerprints taken for employment purposes, you need to call the Chittenden County Sheriff's Department at 802-863-4322 for an appointment. Please note that neither agency provides fingerprinting for immigration purposes. If you require such a service, please contact the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services office in St. Albans.

Abuse Prevention Orders, sometimes called TROs, are issued by the Family Court. If you are trying to obtain such an order during normal business hours, you need to go to:

Family Court
32 Cherry Street
Burlington, VT

After court hours, you can contact the Milton Police Department at 893-2424 for assistance. Vermont Family Court can be contacted at 802-651-1800.

Tenant occupancy and property ownership are complex issues that are covered under Vermont Law. These issues are not covered under criminal law, and often police will respond to explain the legal issues or make referrals. Generally speaking, a tenant cannot be evicted from their property without cause. Landlords and property managers cannot deny access to the residence, electricity, heat, water, other utilities or property. You may obtain further information on the Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity website. 

Tenant occupancy and property ownership are complex issues that are covered under Vermont Law. These issues are not covered under criminal law, and often police will respond to explain the legal issues or make referrals. Generally speaking, a tenant cannot be evicted from their property without cause. Landlords and property managers cannot deny access to the residence, electricity, heat, water, other utilities or property. You may obtain further information on the Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity website. 

Learn about development review in Milton, VT. 

If you have questions about any of these applications or the process, please contact the Planning and Economic Development Department.

While the Development Review Board is ultimately responsible for the decision to approve or deny an application, many people are involved:

• Owners, applicants, engineers and surveyors read the regulations and often consult with the Planning Staff to prepare an application.
• Town Staff - including the Technical Advisory Committee comprised of Police, Fire, Rescue, and Public Works - analyze the application’s compliance with the regulations and the Development Review Planner writes a Staff Report to assist the Development Review Board by:
  • Asking questions
  • Proposing possible conditions of approval
  • Framing discretionary decisions for the DRB’s consideration
• Development Review Board members hear testimony, accept evidence, apply the regulations and rule on applications.
• Applicants and Interested Persons (as defined by 24 VSA 117§4465(b)) testify on the application.

The Unified Development Regulations are the primary ordinances used in development review and enabled by the State’s Planning Statute 24 VSA 117. Other documents, such as the Comprehensive Plan (PDF) or Public Works Specifications (PDF) may also be considered, where applicable. The application forms identify the main review criteria that will be used by staff, and the Town’s staff will review the application according to all regulations that correspond with the proposal. While the Town aims to make the expectations as predictable as possible, the complexity and uniqueness of many applications can mean that some unexpected items can only be identified and resolved during the process itself.

Many requirements are clearly defined by the regulations and must be fulfilled by the applicant unless a variance is applied for and granted. In some cases, however, the regulations are unclear or conflictual, and the Development Review Board (DRB) must exercise its discretion to faithfully interpret the wording of the regulations or resolve a discrepancy in the language. In other cases, the regulations grant the DRB wide discretion, such as the authority to grant waivers from certain provisions of the regulations or require certain improvements. The DRB always retains the authority to approve or deny an application.

The review process is as following:

1. Application Submitted
2. Application Deemed Complete by Staff
3. Application Placed on Development Review Board Schedule and Applicant Notified
4. Community “Heads Up”: Warning or Notice
5. Staff Report Written, Mailed to Applicants, Posted Online
6. Development Review Board Hearing Held
7. Written Decision Issued
8. If Approved, Applicant Satisfies all Applicable Conditions
9. Applicant Applies for Zoning Permit and/or Submits Plat for Signature and Recording
10. Zoning Permit Issued, Construction Begins
11. Once Project is Complete a Certificate of Occupancy/Compliance Applied for and Issued if the Site Passes Inspection

Applicants can often save time and money by working with the Planning Department prior to submitting an application. We value the opportunity to discuss how your goals fit into the Town's Regulations.

View the application forms and fees. Forms are also available in the Planning Office. An applicant can submit two applications for a single project for concurrent review. The applications must be submitted together and be able to be heard at the same meeting.

Applications must be deemed complete by the Development Review Planner a minimum of 31 days prior to a Development Review Board meeting. Applications are generally first come-first serve, and an application can only be placed on the agenda if there is space available. Please coordinate your application submission with the Development Review Planner to ensure enough time.

The law recognizes that land use decisions have far-reaching and long-lasting consequences on the natural, built, social and economic environment of our community. The action of one neighbor can positively or negatively affect the property of a another neighbor, and individual development choices, added together, collectively shape how we live, work, consume, play and move around in our community. In other words, they shape our community. We are here to help you navigate this legal process efficiently and approachable.

• The Development Review Board (DRB) meets twice monthly and normally reviews 3 to 4 applications per meeting, depending upon their complexity.
• Complete applications are placed on the Development Review Board’s agenda on a first-come, first serve basis. Contact the Planning Office for availability.
• All applications must be submitted roughly four weeks prior to the meeting date and deemed complete prior to the deadline in order to meet the legal requirements and the timeline for the Development Review Technical Advisory Committee. Coordinate your submission with the Planning Department.
• Staff reports are mailed to the applicants the Friday prior to the meeting, and the DRB’s packet is placed online the Monday before the hearing.
• After the DRB hearing, the Board has 45 days to issue a written decision (24 VSA §4464). Decisions are generally signed at the next DRB meeting.
• The DRB’s decision can be appealed to the Environmental Division of the Vermont Superior Court by the applicant or interested persons within 30 days of issuance (10 VSA §8504). An approval always lists conditions of approval that must be addressed/met.
• Once all conditions have been met and the appeal period is over, Plats can be signed by the DRB Chair and recorded, and/or Zoning Permits Applications can be submitted. Once a Zoning Permit has been issued there is an additional 15 day appeal period (24 VSA §4449).
• Once constructions is complete, a Certificate of Occupancy and inspection is required to close out the project and clear the title in the land records.

Please note that only certain people can participate in a Development Review Board (DRB) hearing. Unlike other public meetings, the DRB is not required by law to allow general public input (1VSA312(h)) during a hearing. Only those individuals with “interested person status,” as defined in 24 VSA 117§4465(b), may participate in hearings. Adjoining property owners are always considered interested persons, and receive notification of the hearing by mail. If you require a reasonable accommodation according to the ADA in order to be able to participate, please notify the Planning and Economic Development Office or Town Manager’s Office.

View Development Review Board (DRB) agendas and packets. Plans are not made available for public viewing during the hearing. The public can see what the DRB sees prior to the meeting. The full contents of application files are open to public inspection during office hours, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

When you arrive at the meeting, you must first sign in to the meeting at the door. All those testifying must take an oath to tell the truth and sign another hearing sheet prior to testifying. If you legibly sign this sheet, the Planning Staff will mail you a copy of the written decision.

The Development Review Board (DRB) Chair will then read a summary of the project and read the numbered items in the Staff Report, allowing comments from the applicant and anyone else who may wish to speak on that topic. The Staff Report frames questions, conditions and discretionary decisions for the DRB’s consideration and Applicant’s response. Applicant must, at this time, testify on the items and state if they agree or disagree. After the items have all been read, the DRB Chair will generally ask if there are any further comments. If you speak, you must state your name for the record and all comments must be directed to the DRB. Once all testimony and evidence has been heard, the hearing will either be closed or recessed to be continued at a later meeting. No further evidence or testimony may be given after a hearing has been closed.

The Development Review Board (DRB) may vote to approve an application in Open Meeting, or they may opt to enter Deliberative Session (a private session permitted by 1 VSA 312) to further discuss the application and evidence prior to voting on a decision.

Written decisions are not final until signed by the Chair of the Development Review Board. Decisions are mailed to owners and applicants by certified mail within 45 days of the meeting. Those who have signed in on the hearing sheet will be mailed the decision via regular mail, or by email if requested. The decision outlines: the facts and findings presented at the hearing, conclusions drawn, and conditions of approval (if approved). The Applicant must work with Planning Staff to make any necessary revisions and satisfy All Applicable Conditions of Approval before being eligible to file a plat and/or apply for a zoning permit.

All decisions of the DRB can be appealed by interested persons to the Environmental Division of the Superior Court within 30 days according to 10 VSA §8504. Participation at the hearing is generally prerequisite to the right to a subsequent appeal. Cases heard by the Environmental Division of the Superior Court are heard de novo, or as if they are being considered for the first time.

State Statute (24 VSA §4464) guides how the Planning Office makes applicants, interested parties and the public aware of the hearing. The type of application determines the process used, some applications must be “warned,” while others must be “noticed.”

• Warned applications require a minimum of 15-days notice.
• Noticed applications require a minimum of 7-days notice.

All single-family houses are allowed, per Vermont law, to have one accessory dwelling unit (ADU) on their property. The dwelling unit can be attached to the principal structure (the house), located in an accessory structure, or detached. However, the landowner must obtain a zoning permit and meet the following requirements:

1.     The ADU must have provisions for independent living, such as sleeping, food preparation, and sanitation.

2.     The ADU can be up to 900 square feet or 30% of the total habitable floor area of the house prior to creation of the ADU, whichever is greater.

3.     The ADU cannot contain more than 2 bedrooms.

4.     The ADU must meet applicable dimensional standards for the zoning district.

5.     The ADU must meet parking requirements for residential uses.

6.     The ADU must share a driveway with the house.

7.     The landowner must obtain a town or state water/wastewater permit for the ADU.

8.     The landowner must live in the house or the ADU.

In many cases, permits are required if you are building a porch, deck or patio. See the below flow chart to see if a permit is required for your project.

In some cases, you will need a zoning permit to put up solar panels. The diagram below explains whether or not you need a permit:

Most swimming pools require a zoning permit. The chart below will explain whether or not you need one for you property.

For some fences, you will need a zoning permit. 

Some sheds are exempt from permitting; others are not.

There are three different classifications of home businesses in Milton's Unified Development Regulations: home office, home occupation, and home business.

Yes, a Zoning Permit is required for most signs. See Section 3015 of the Unified Development Regulations (PDF) for information regarding signs. Please contact the Zoning Administrator for any questions regarding signs.

Zoning Permits expire two years from the approval date. A Zoning Permit can be renewed for an additional year for an additional fee. If a renewal is required, contact the Department of Planning & Zoning prior to the permit’s expiration.

A Certificate of Compliance is required for each approved Zoning Permit. Once submitted, the Zoning Administrator will perform an inspection of the construction ensuring the project meets the requirements of the Zoning Permit. If the Certificate of Compliance is approved, Staff will contact you via phone to return to the Town Office to file the certificate with the Town Clerk and pay applicable fees.

Although the issuance of a Letter of Compliance is common in some Vermont towns, the Town of Milton does not partake in this practice. The Town of Milton requires that a Certificate of Compliance be completed for each approved Zoning Permit. If you have a specific permit number, Staff can check to see if a Certificate of Compliance has been issued.

The fees for a zoning permit vary depending on your project. Please see the Zoning Fee Schedule (PDF) for information.

The Impact Fees are listed in the fee schedule. Commercial and industrial development are not subject to an impact fee. The Impact Fees are due upon Certificate of Occupancy Application. See the Impact Fee Ordinance (PDF) for additional information regarding Impact Fees.

The Town of Milton does not require a Zoning Permit for interior improvements within a single family home. However, if your property is in the Special Flood Hazard District, you may need a Zoning Permit for some interior changes. Please contact the Planning and Economic Development office for further information.

Planned Unit Developments, Minor and Major Conventional Subdivisions, Conditional Uses, Variances, Site Plans, and Appeals are some types of development that require review by the DRB.  See our Application Forms and Fees page for specific application fees. To learn more about the DRB, visit the DRB's page.

Registration and payment (via credit/debit card) for programs and activities can be completed online with our new online registration portal. Alternatively you may complete a Program Registration Form and submit with check via postal mail, or with check/cash to the Milton Recreation office. Checks should be made payable to the Town of Milton. An after-hours drop box is located at the front entrance of the Milton Municipal Building.

The next election is:

• Tuesday, August 11, 2026 - State Primary

Any person may register to vote in the town of his or her residence who, on Election Day:

1.  is a citizen of the United States;
2.  is a resident of the state of Vermont (and a resident of the town in which you apply to be added to the checklist);
3.  has taken, or has previously taken, the Voter’s Oath (formerly called the “Freeman’s Oath”); and
4. is 18 years of age or more.

Any person meeting the requirements above who will be 18 on or before the date of a general election may register and vote in the primary election immediately preceding that general election. See 17 V.S.A. § 2121.

For purposes of voter registration, the Vermont Statutes define residency as follows:

“Resident” shall mean a person who is domiciled in the town as evidenced by an intent to maintain a principal dwelling place in the town indefinitely and to return there if temporarily absent, coupled with an act or acts consistent with that intent. 17 V.S.A. § 2122(b).

You can check your voter registration status by:

1.  Visiting the Vermont Voter Portal, or
2.  Contacting your Town Clerk.

The Vermont Voter Portal (formerly known as My Voter Page) is an online resource that allows every Vermont resident to login and have access to a voter-specific web page where you can:

• Register to vote
• Check your voter registration status
• Request an absentee ballot and track its status
• Update your voter registration details
• View a sample ballot
• Find your polling place
• and much more...

All Milton residents vote at the Municipal Building located at 43 Bombardier Road.  On election days, polls are open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Back in April 2022, Milton was divided into three voting districts (House Districts) - "Grand Isle-Chittenden", "Chittenden-Franklin" and "Chittenden-25".  The voting districts are essential in State elections as they determine legislative representation (House of Representatives).  Follow this link to access maps to see which district you belong to.

• Chittenden-Franklin (CHI-FRA) is the largest district and votes in the Community Room
• The Grand Isle-Chittenden (GI-CHI) and Chittenden-25 (CHI-25) districts are much smaller and both vote in the Library Room

Please note that these voting districts are only used for State elections in August and November.  We do not use separate districts for local elections (Annual Town Meeting) or the Presidential Primary.  In March, all voters will be directed into the Community Room.

Before an election, sample ballots can be found posted:

• at the Town Clerk's Office (on the lobby bulletin board)
• in the lobby of the Post Office
• the bulletin board at Kinney Drugs
• on the town website
• on the Vermont Voter Portal

For local elections (Annual Town Meeting, etc.) ballots are prepared and available 20 days before the election.

For Statewide elections (Presidential Primary in March, State Primary in August & General Election in November), ballots are prepared and available 45 days before the election. 

Ballots will be mailed upon request for most elections (Annual Town Meeting, Presidential Primary, Statewide Primary, etc) 

Ballots are automatically mailed out to all registered voters for General Elections only (held every November of even numbered years).  This was a change in Vermont election law that passed in 2021.

Voters can request an early/absentee ballot a few different ways:

• Online at Vermont Voter Portal
• Call the Town Clerk’s Office at 802-893-4111
• Email the Town Clerk
• Print the request form and return it to the Town Clerk’s Office by mail or drop box
• In-person at the Town Clerk’s Office

Any registered voter can request (and track the status of) an early/absentee/mail-in ballot by accessing the Vermont Voter Portal.

You may also request an early/absentee/mail-in ballot through a direct request to the Town Clerk via phone, email, mail, or in-person during office hours.  You can download/print the Vermont absentee ballot request form (PDF). A single form may be used to make requests for absentee ballots for local, primary, and general elections during one single calendar year, if the “mail to” address is the same for those elections.  Please note that a new request must be made each year.

Early/absentee/mail-in ballots should be returned (by mail, in-person or 24-hour drop box) to the Town Clerk’s office as soon as you complete it or brought to the polling place before 7:00 p.m. on the day of the election, in order to be counted.  Please note that post marks are not accepted.

For other questions regarding absentee/early voting, check the Secretary of State’s Absentee Voting FAQ by clicking here.

Before Election Day:

• Mail to Town of Milton PO Box 18 Milton, VT 05468*
• Drop box outside the front entrance of the Municipal Building located at 43 Bombardier Road, Milton
• Hand deliver to the Town Clerks Office at 43 Bombardier Road during normal office hours

*Please allow at least 7 - 10 days for mail delivery.

On Election Day:

• Hand deliver to an election official or into the drop box, before 7:00 p.m.
• If you change your mind and decide to vote in person, you must bring your ballot with you (completed or still blank), check-in, complete ballot in voting booth (if blank) and feed into vote tabulator.

Milton's election results can be found on the town website and posted in the Town Clerk's Office lobby immediately following an election.

Here is a complete list of Milton's elected officials (PDF).

You can also browse Vermont Statewide Elected Officials and search for Local Legislators.

If you are a legally registered voter and interested in running for local office in the Town of Milton, you must submit a Local Office Nominating Petition (PDF) form and Consent of Candidate (PDF) form to the Town Clerk.  These forms are available at the town office or can be downloaded from the links above.

The Local Office Nominating Petition and Consent forms must be filed with the Town Clerk no later than 5:00 pm on the sixth Monday preceding the election (January 25, 2027).

The petition must be signed by at least 30 registered voters (Milton voters). The petition must clearly indicate the office and term length on the petition prior to circulating it for signatures, and the candidate's name must appear on the petition exactly as it appears on the voter checklist.  Nominating petitions may contain the name of only one candidate.

The candidate's name will appear on the ballot exactly as it listed on the Consent of Candidate form.

For more information about running for office, please see the Vermont Secretary of State’s website.

Check for answers to other frequently asked questions on the Secretary of State's website:

• Election Day FAQs
• Absentee/Early Voting FAQs
• Voter Registration FAQs

Or feel free to contact or your Town Clerk.

During normal business hours (8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.) hazardous road conditions can be reported to the DPW Office or Town Manager’s Office by calling 893‐6655. Outside of normal working hours, please call Police Dispatch at 893‐2424.

Starting December 1st, an overnight winter parking ban will be in effect for all Town streets between the hours of 12:00 A.M and 8:00 A.M. This ban is strictly enforced. Vehicles violating the ban may be ticketed or towed if found to be interfering with snow removal operations.

It is important to note that the Town does not have a bare roads policy, and follows the practice of “Safe Roads at Safe Speeds.” During night‐time hours, and at temperatures below 18°F, salt used for road de‐icing will be less effective. To increase the salt’s effectiveness, magnesium chloride or other deicing agents may be added at colder temperatures. During extended cold weather, it is not uncommon to see snow packed roads for several days.

The plowing, shoveling, or blowing of snow into or across any Town road is prohibited by State Law. Doing so creates unsafe travel conditions. Even small amounts of snow, freezing in the roadway, can cause loss of control or damage to a vehicle.

The only items allowed in the Town ROW are driveways and mailboxes. Castles, forts, tunnels and other similar structures are not allowed in roadside snow banks. Basketball hoops, landscape fencing and features, rubbish and recycling containers do not belong in the ROW. These items pose a significant hazard to the safety of our residents as well as our snowplow drivers and equipment. The Town is not responsible for any such items in the ROW which may be damaged.

Mailboxes can be damaged by snow plowing operations for various reasons, such as poor visibility, the mailbox being buried in a snow bank, the sheer weight/volume of the snow being plowed, or the door of the mailbox being left open and sticking out into the road. The damage is not deliberate and in most cases unavoidable. While mailboxes have a blanket authorization to be located within the ROW, the responsibility to maintain, repair or replace mailboxes lies with the property owner. If a properly installed and maintained mailbox (according to DPW Specifications) is physically struck by the Town’s plow truck, a generic USPS Post Office approved mailbox will be provided at no cost to the property owner.

The first snowplowing priority is our major connectors and Class 2 highways. These are: Westford Road, Everest Road, Sanderson Road, Bear Trap Road, West Milton Road, Middle Road, North Road, East Road, Middle Road, Manley Road, Main Street and Lake Road. Snow and ice removal efforts during major storm events will be concentrated on these highways. The second snowplowing priority are minor collector streets such as Barnum Street, Herrick Avenue, Poor Farm Road, Woodcrest Circle and Hobbs Road. The third priorities are developments, dead end streets, dirt roads and cul‐de‐sacs. Efficiency of truck movements are designed into our plow routes. It typically take six to seven hours to complete two removal trips depending on the severity of the storm.

Sidewalks are cleared after streets have been plowed, to avoid repeat trips. The Town does not plow all sidewalks, only those contiguous to the town core. Depending on the severity of a storm, it usually takes about 8 hours to plow the entire sidewalk route.

No. State regulations require sand piles mixed with salt to be covered, and Milton does not have the infrastructure to keep its sand pile covered. Salt and sand are mixed on an as-needed basis.

Yes. A small sand pile is available to residents and is located near the entrance to the Highway Garage at 15 Ice House Road (next to the dam). Residents are limited to one 5‐gallon pail per storm event. Use by and/or for commercial properties, snow plowing businesses, or property managers is prohibited.