Winooski building department

In Winooski, building and zoning permits are handled by the Planning & Zoning Department at City Hall. The department reviews projects against the city’s Unified Land Use and Development Regulations. Code Enforcement, which is run by the Fire Marshal’s office, handles building-code, minimum-housing, and rental inspections. Unlike many small Vermont towns, Winooski issues its own building permits with their own fees, separate from zoning permits. Applicants must still coordinate any state permits with the Vermont Division of Fire Safety.

Which application to use

The city publishes two main forms:

• Combined Permit Application – Zoning/Building (FY 2025). This form is required for any exterior work or interior modification to a property. It covers building, zoning, and public-infrastructure work in a single package, and all four pages must be returned.
• Building Permit Application. This form is for building-only work. Check boxes on it cover demolition, exterior or interior renovations, new construction, repair or replacement, water and wastewater, electrical, plumbing, roofing, and window replacement or installation. State permits are required for new construction, electrical, and plumbing.

On the combined form, decks and patios, accessory structures, change of use, signs, swimming pools, and subdivisions, PUDs, or site plans are listed as zoning permits. Demolition, renovations, new construction, and water/wastewater work are “multi-departmental.” Both forms require you to acknowledge that egress windows must meet NFPA 101 (2015) 24.2.2.3.3 minimum dimensions, regardless of how the manufacturer labels the window. Window applications are not processed without that acknowledgment. See the window replacement guide for background.

A separate Property File Review application is used to request a property file review and Bianchi report ($100, or $150 for a rush under 5 business days).

Submittal requirements

Section 6.10 of the Unified Land Use and Development Regulations requires every application to include the fee plus:

1. A statement describing the existing and intended use of the land and structures, and any structural changes
2. A sketch plan, at least 8.5” x 11” and drawn to scale, showing:
   • Lot dimensions
   • Footprint and height of existing and proposed structures
   • Curb cuts, driveways, and parking
   • Easements, rights-of-way, and utilities
   • Setbacks from boundaries, road rights-of-way, surface waters, and wetlands
   • Water and wastewater connections

The applicant checklist says applications will not be accepted without a signature, site plan, fee payment, description of work, and permit type. Sign permits also need photos or renderings. Fees are non-refundable whether the application is approved or denied. The city recommends meeting with the Zoning Administrator before applying.

Submit completed applications by email to the Director of City Planning, Ravi Venkataraman ([email protected]), or by mail to City of Winooski, c/o Planning and Zoning, 27 West Allen Street. Plan for processing time plus a 17 to 30 day appeal period after approval.

Fees (Chapter 28, effective March 19, 2026)

Building permit fees are based on the cost of construction:

Cost of construction	Residential	Commercial
Fence, porch, or roof maintenance (residential only)	$35	—
Up to $15,000	$75	$75
$15,001–$30,000	$100 + $0.10/sq ft	$100 + $0.12/sq ft
$30,001–$80,000	$150 + $0.10/sq ft	$150 + $0.12/sq ft
$80,001–$175,000	$250 + $0.10/sq ft	$250 + $0.12/sq ft
$175,001–$325,000	$500 + $0.10/sq ft	$500 + $0.12/sq ft
Over $325,000	$750 + $0.10/sq ft	$750 + $0.12/sq ft

Zoning permits are charged separately. New construction and additions cost $100 plus $0.10/sq ft for single-unit or duplex homes, $0.12 for multi-unit, $0.15 for non-residential, and $0.25 for mixed-use or Gateway (form-based code) projects. A deck or patio, accessory structure, pool, new sign, or change of use costs $75. Every zoning permit adds the $15 state recording fee. Other fees:

• Demolition permit: $100
• Development Review Board warning fee: $350, plus a review fee of $150 (residential) or $175 (non-residential)
• Right-of-way permit: $75
• Water service permit: $75
• Sanitary or stormwater permit: $75

Inspections and code enforcement

Code Enforcement handles building-code and health inspections and the rental programs:

• Fire Marshal/Battalion Chief John Spittle: (802) 540-1413
• Assistant Fire Marshal Erika Bailey: (802) 540-1442
• Public Safety Admin Kris Gaudette: (802) 540-1472

Owners of rental units must file a registry application every year and pay $115 per unit, due April 1, to obtain a four-year Certificate of Fitness under Minimum Housing Standards. Time-of-sale or out-of-cycle inspections cost $125 per unit. Short-term rental licenses run $250 per unit per year if owner-occupied and $1,400 if not.

State permits for public buildings are coordinated through the Division of Fire Safety’s Williston office at (802) 879-2300. Those buildings fall under the 2025 Vermont Fire & Building Safety Code. Efficiency Vermont (888-921-5990) can answer energy-code questions.

Contact

City Hall is at 27 West Allen Street, Winooski, VT 05404. Call (802) 655-6410. Planning is reached at ext. 25. City Hall is open Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–4 p.m.