Planning and Zoning Department
Contacts:
Zoning Administrator: Ryan Gumbart Office Hours: Thursdays
(802)-230-5255 | zoning@rockbf.org
Regional Planner: Halle Abuayyash (802) 376-5241 | planning@rockbf.org
Acting Administrator: Gary Fox (802-376-5425) | planning@rockbf.org
Location:
Rockingham Town Offices 3rd Floor
Schedule:
Monday - Thursday 9am - 6pm
Fridays by appointment
Planning and Zoning permits development in the Town of Rockingham. We administer the Town’s Zoning Bylaws, Subdivision Regulations, Flood Hazard Zoning Bylaws, and other local ordinances. We also partner with the citizen planners who serve on the Rockingham Planning Commission and the Rockingham Development Review Board.
Permits that can be issued by the town planner are small-scale developments such as houses, residential additions, sheds, and barns. Commercial development, large scale residential development, and land subdivision are handled by citizen planners serving on the Development Review Board.
Development applications
Applications can be downloaded here as well as on the Applications page. Fill-in form applications do not need to be signed. We accept fully electronic submissions as long as the Applicant’s full name is typed into the form!
Blank applications are available can be mailed to applicants by request. Email or call to request an application (executiveassistant@rockbf.org / (802-230-5255)
Fees are required upon submission of application and may be made online. Checks may be mailed with hard copy applications or submissions and payments can be made, in person, at the Rockingham Town Hall.
Click here to pay online
Rockingham Fee Schedule
General Zoning Application - Fill-in-Form
Subdivision Application - Fill-in-Form
Variance Application - Fill-in-Form
Sign Application - Fill-in-Form
Highway- Driveway Access Application - Fill-in-Form
Work-within-the-ROW Application - Fill-in-Form
Utilities Connection Application - Fill-in-Form
Mapping
Planning and Zoning utilize a variety of mapping databases and print maps for planning and development review.
Town of Rockingham Web GIS - Main Street Maps
State of Vermont Agency of Natural Resources Atlas
Town of Rockingham Zoning Map
Bellows Falls Village Zoning Map Rockingham Town Plan Maps
Resources
Local Hazard Mitigation Plan
Development regulations:
Zoning Bylaws
Zoning Bylaw Amendment - Gathering Spaces
Flood Hazard Bylaw
Design Review Supplement CB-7
Subdivision Regulations
Town Highway Regulations
Development Review Board Hearings - Applications
DRB Notice of Public Hearing May 8, 2024
DRB Notice of Public Hearing April 10, 2024
24.0122.Gin 22 School St - Hearing Packet
Zoning Permits
23.1228.Lem - 154 Westminster St
24.0314.McG - 4 Hall Bridge Rd 24.0314.Ada 1997 Rockingham Rd
24.0307.Sto 45 Griswold Rd
24.0204.Mas - 2 Crotty Dr.
24.0208.Wil - 18 Square 24.0201 6 Morgan St. 24.0118 92 Rockingham St 240101Ric 500 Hitchcock Rd.
24.0104.Sha 34 Upper Meadows Rd
23.1228.ZP. Fl 39 Upper Bartonsville Rd
23.1121.ZP.Wal 24 Rockingham Street
23.1116.ZP.Gon 14 Granger Street
23.0802.ZP.LaF 88 Atkinson Street
23.1105.ZP.Hin 39 Square
23.1102.ZP.Max 598 Saxtons River Road
24.1212.ZP.Twi 9 Spencer Dr
23.1019.ZP.Rug 651 Rockingham Rd DRB
23.11.20 ZP.Smi 928 Pleasant Valley Road
23.1005.zp2 63 Hall Bridge Road
2023-10-19 17 Rockingham Road 2023-10-01 119 Gaskill Road
2023-09-18 7 Maple Street SR DRB 2023-08-23 115 Rockingham St Suite 1 DRB 2023-08-22 10 Main St SR DRB 2023-08-15 24 Henry St DRB 2023-08-09 446 Missing Link Road 2023-07-27 4 Herrick’s Cover Road 2023-07-26 426 Missing Link Road 2023-07-21 669 Missing Link Road
2023-06-22 11 Old River Road 2023-06-21 857 Missing Link Road 2023-06-17 7 Atkinson Street DRB
2023-06-08 593 Saxtons River Road 2023-06-04 3 River Street DRB 2023-05-14 154 Westminster Street DRB 2023-05-11 46 Pearce Circle 2023-04-20 49 Barber Park 2023-04-12 35 Upper Bartonsville Road 2023-03-31 15 Paradise Hill 2023-03-25 21 Main St Saxtons River 2023-03-13 15 Windsor Road 2023-03-08 124 Rockingham Street DRB
2023-03-08 52 Upper Meadows Rd DRB
2023-01-03 440 Rockingham Road DRB
2022-12-16 34 Barker Street
2022-11-29 9 Meeting House Road DRB 2022-11-15 30 Industrial Drive DRB 2022-09-22 17 Henry Street DRB
2022-09-21 715 Rockingham Road 2022-09-16 16-18 Main Street DRB 2022-09-16 59 Westminster Street DRB 2022-09-15 97 Westminster Street DRB
Decisions are posted online only (as required by 24 V.S.A. § 4449). Decisions dating back to 1986 are available and can be emailed upon request. For decisions dating back to 1985 or earlier, citizens have to research those records in person at the Town Clerk’s office.
Planning Commission
This Plan is being updated this year
The Rockingham Planning Commission had a good working draft of a town plan in 2019 and 2020. Then the pandemic came and we took a hiatus from planning. We resumed work in 2021 and expect to have a draft plan ready for public review in 2022.
Upcoming Planning Commission Meetings
January 18, 2024 February 1, 2024 February 15, 2024 February 29, 2024
March 28, 2024
April 25, 2024
May 30, 2024
June 27, 2024
The Rockingham Planning Commission is an up to nine member board of volunteers who are appointed by the Rockingham Selectboard. The Planning Commission authors the Town Plan and the Land Development Regulations (i.e., Zoning Bylaws, Subdivision Regulations, and Flood Hazard Area Zoning Bylaws). Currently, the Planning Commission is writing a new 8-year Town Plan - We encourage you to read the draft here:
2024 Draft Town Plan - in process
Planning Commission meetings are open to the public. Meetings start at 6:00 p.m. on the last Thursday of each month. We encourage residents to attend and provide input.
The volunteers and their term appointments: through June 30
Deborah Wright - Chair (July 1, 2022-June 30, 2025)
John Dunbar (July 1, 2023 - June 30, 2026)
Jana Bryan (July 1, 2023-June 30, 2026)
Jim Mullen (July 1, 2023-June 30, 2024)
Guy Payne (July 1, 2021-June 30, 2024)
Taylor Pichette (July 1, 2023-June 30, 2026)
Dalila Hall (July 1, 2023-June 30, 2026)
Development Review Board (DRB)
The Rockingham Development Review Board is a quasi-judicial body comprised of seven residents, 5 regular members and up to two alternates. The Board is appointed by the Rockingham Selectboard and authorized to act under Vermont Statute 24 VSA Chapter 117 § 4460, which outlines their scope of authority and administrative responsibilities.
The Development Review Board has the sole responsibility of reviewing and taking action on proposals for land development. This includes the issuance of Subdivision Permits, Zoning Permits, Zoning Variances, and and hearing appeals of decisions of the Town's Zoning Administrator.
All meetings will be conducted on a mix of video and in-person.
Submit early!
Late Thursday or Friday morning property abutter notices are mailed, newspaper advertisements placed for next week’s publication, agenda posted in public places, and the municipal website updated. While the website is immediate, mailings and newspaper advertisements lag by several days. People typically learn about an application right before or on the 15-day deadline. There is no flexibility to extend deadlines for late applications, incomplete applications, or applications requiring additional information.
Upcoming Development Review Board (DRB) Meetings Permits Applications Due: DRB Hearing January 24, 2024 February 14, 2024 February 21, 2024 March 13, 2024 March 20, 2024 April 10, 2024 April 17, 2024 May 8, 2024 May 22, 2024 June 12, 2024 June 19, 2024 July 10, 2024 July 24, 2024 August 14, 2024 August 21, 2024 September 11, 2024 September 18, 2024 October 9, 2024 October 23, 2024 November 13, 2024 November 13, 2024 December 11, 2024
State law requires a minimum 15 day public notice period. An aggressive timeline for staff to review, process, and advertise applications is necessary.
The volunteers and their term appointments:
Patrick Moyna (2021-2024)
Thaddeus Guild (2020-2023)
Kathleen Martin (2023-2026)
Archie Gleason (2021-2024)
Travis Kemp (2021-2024)
Rockingham Health & Animal Control Office
Public Health officers:
Public Health Officers are Town of Rockingham staff granted legal authority by the State of Vermont to investigate and address public health hazards. Rockingham Health Officers perform building and property inspections to detect violations and address those public health risks. Health hazards are any conditions having the potential to harm human health. Public health hazards are any condition with the potential to impact a greater number of people. A health hazard can be confined to one private property and fail to meet a public threshold standard. The Town of Rockingham Public Health Officers are only enabled to enforce rules outlined in State Law. A copy of the law can be viewed by clicking here. Public health inquiries are always treated with confidentiality to protect person(s) making the public health complaint. The Health Office is located on the 3rd Floor of the Town Hall. Office hours are 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. If you have complaints, please call, email, text, or visit our offices during business hours.
The Animal Control Officer
The Animal Control Officer is responsible for Rockingham's Animal Enforcement as regulated under state law 24 V.S.A. § 4451, and all applicable Town & Village ordinances. Call or email the Animal Control Officer, if you have issues with a rabid or hostile dog, with lost or loose dogs, or livestock, and for any concerns about the abuse or neglect of dogs, or livestock. The Animal Control Officer is appointed by the Rockingham Selectboard on an annual basis.
COVID-19 Winter Indoor Air Guidance for Public and Private Sectors
Contact Information
Contact:
Town Health Officer Shaun McGinnis
802.376-5561 | bffire@rockbf.org
Diana Jones, Animal Control Officer
802.376.2511 | dianajones339@gmail.com
Appointments:
Call, text, or email the contacts above
Locations: Rockingham Town Offices and BF Fire Department
Schedule: Monday through Thursday 8am - 5pm
