The DRB meets on the second Wednesday of every month at 6:00 pm at the Town Clerk's Office on School Street in West Burke. The public is welcome and encouraged to attend.

Summary of Activities

The Development Review Board (DRB) meets the second Wednesday of each month at 6:00 P.M. at the Community Building, 212 School Street West Burke VT. Mike Harris serves as the Zoning Administrator and we currently have 7 members - Rodney Machell (chairman) Frank Cuccia, Nikki Peters, Scott Chappell, Eleanor Kenworthy, James Bentley, and Ed Guest.

In 2023, we had a total of 47 permits.  The Zoning Administrator approved numerous permits.  Mike has approved permits for single-family homes, garages, addition, barns, several decks, and two Pavilions. The Development Review Board approved permits for an 8-unit, multi-family house, multiple short & long-term rentals, signs, farm events, accessory uses, and 4 subdivisions. 

The Board welcomes and encourages residents to attend any meeting via Zoom at any time. Just call the office and we can email you the information. The email for the office is burke@burkevermont.org.  Phone (802) 467-3717.

DRB Clerk

Linda Hackett-Corey

Our Mission Statement: The Burke Conservation Commission will work to maintain the rural character of the Town of Burke by conserving and enhancing natural and cultural resources and open spaces within our community.

Commission members:

Elise Lawson

Kevin Mack

Chris Manges

Cathie Wheeler

Brandon Mapes

Dusty Labarr

The Conservation Commission has hosted several public forums:

Button Up Vermont - addressed energy conservation for homeowners

Efficiency Vermont -options for energy savings for new and older buildings

Land Conservation- representatives from 2 land trusts, an attorney and county forester addressed current use and conservation easements 

Natural Resource Mapping Project- focused on contiguous forests, wetlands and riparian areas 

The Conservation Commission has presented several educational programs

Elise Lawson- moose in Ontario and NH

Kurt Valenta- owls 

Kevin Mack- songbird walk

Bob Gondar- grafting workshop

Doug Morin- NEK endangered species

Steve Agius- Canada Lynx

The Conservation Commission has organized several community events:

"Trees for Streams"  plantings for riparian restoration along the Passumpsic River

River Clean Up 

Green Up  Day

Water monitoring at 14 sites in the Passumpsic River watershed (7 rounds during summer 2015)

Tree Plantings at the Community Building and in Darling Memorial Park  (30 maple trees)

Burke Conservation Commission - 2022 Annual Report                     

Burke Community Forests: The Town of Burke now has 2 Community Forests- the North Pasture Community Forest, 103 acres on Victory Road in East Burke and the Willey Woods Community Forest, 286 acres off of Sugarhouse Road in West Burke. Both Forests are open to the public and are permanently protected from future development by conservation easements. Thank you to everyone who donated and supported the acquisition of these two special properties!

Much of the Burke Conservation Commission's (BCC) work this year has focused on acquiring and planning for the management of these new resources. The voters in Burke overwhelmingly supported 2 non-binding questions at the Town Meeting in March to create community forests. The BCC secured funding from the Davis Foundation, the Fields Pond Foundation, Kingdom Trails, the Vermont Land Trust and more than 90 individual donors to purchase the North Pasture Community Forest property. The Trust for Public Lands led the efforts to raise funds for the Willey Woods Community Forest, getting the majority of the funding from the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board. The Town approved using $40,000 of ARPA funds toward the Community Forest projects.

The BCC has solicited public input to help decide what uses should be allowed on the forest properties. Both properties have interim management plans which will be updated during the next year. Matt Langlais, Caledonia County Forester, is working with the newly created Forest Stewardship Committee- made up of 2 BCC members and several community members- to describe in detail how the forests will be managed. Matt will be mentoring Sterling College student and Burke resident Mikail Tipton, who is working towards a degree in Forestry and Agriculture.

Green Up Day:  The Commission  reminded citizens to keep the land in Burke free of trash with their signs in West Burke, Burke Hollow and East Burke. Green Up Day is officially celebrated the first Saturday in May.

Volunteer Group Award: The BCC received the Vermont Tree Steward award from the Vermont Urban and Community Forest Program. Mike Harris nominated the commission for their work planting trees in town and their efforts to conserve land for a community forest.

Work with the Planning Commission: The BCC had several joint meetings with the Planning Commisssion and heard Jens Hilke's presentation on "Forest Blocks and Habitat Connectivity in Town Planning". Jens works for the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department as a Conservation Planner and will advise the 2 commissions on how to update their natural resource inventory and clarify the language in the Town Plan that is used to guide development in Burke.

The BCC meets the third Wednesday of each month at 6 pm. 

We are currently looking to add new members- Please join us anytime to see if you would like to be part of our exciting work in Town.

Conservation Commission Members:  Elise Lawson, Kevin Mack, Chris Manges, Cathie Wheeler, Brandon Mapes and Dusty Labarr. 

The Planning Commission meets every third Tuesday of the month at 6:00 PM at the Town Clerk Office at 212 School Street in West Burke.. The public is welcome and encouraged to attend.

Summary of Activities:

The Planning Commission is made up of five members.  We currently have James Sullivan (Chair), Jenny McKenna (Co-Chair), Carroll Bean (Secretary), Zoe Gascon, and Keith Clark as members.  Mike Harris, the Zoning Administrator is an adviser to the Planning Commission

In March of 2023 the Planning Commission drafted and presented the Accessory Campsite Bylaw to the Town.  It was voted on and accepted by the Town at that time.  This bylaw added some rules and regulations pertaining to 1 to 3 campsites operating on private land

The Planning Commission als drafted and presented a Short-Term/Long-Term rental registration ordinance to the Town and Selectboard.  It was accepted and we hope to have the registration begin in the Summer of 2024