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

Chris Manges

Cathie Wheeler

Brandon Mapes

Dusty Labarr

Diane Wells

Lindley van der Linde

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 - 2023 Annual Report                     

Much of the Burke Conservation Commission’s (BCC) work this year has focused on planning for the management of the 2 new town forests that were purchased in 2022. 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.

The Forest Subcommittee began functioning in January of 2023 with a specific initial focus of developing management plans for each forest. This group was created with the purpose of managing the new town forest and reports directly to the BCC. Matt Langlais, Caledonia County Forester, has been working with this group throughout 2023 as it developed a forest management plan for Willey Woods. The group is made up of 2 BCC members and several community members. The Forest Subcommittee and the BCCorganized a public walk at

Willey Woods in mid-October. The event aimed to engage community members, share

insights about the forest management plan, and gather valuable feedback. There was a

great turnout for this event, with approximately 40 individuals from the community actively participating in the walk. During the event, participants had the opportunity to explore Willey Woods firsthand. Led by knowledgeable members of the Forest

Subcommittee, the BCC, and Matt Langlais, discussions centered around the

significance of sustainable forest management, conservation goals, and the potential benefits for the community. The open forum allowed residents to express their opinions, ask questions, and contribute ideas.

In December of 2023, the Forest Subcommittee successfully finalized a comprehensive management plan specifically tailored for Willey Woods. This plan prioritizes sustainable forestry practices, habitat conservation, and recreational opportunities. The efforts of the Forest Subcommittee, the BCC and county forester Matt Langais, resulted in a plan that gained unanimous approval from both the Forest Subcommittee and the BCC. 

The BCC and the Forest Subcommittee successfully navigated the task of developing a forest management plan for Willey Woods, with similar efforts underway for North Pasture for the Spring of 2024. The community's active involvement and positive

response during the public walk reinforce the importance of collaborative initiatives in

preserving and managing these town resources.

The BCC is also interested in taking steps to enhance town planning through the

creation of Natural Resources Inventory (NRI) maps. NRI mapping could be useful in

helping manage and preserve local natural resources. The commission recognizes that

developing comprehensive NRI maps may provide valuable insights into the town's

ecological assets. This initiative would align with the commission's commitment to

sustainable development and environmental conservation.

The commission also has the goal of collaborating with the Development Review Board (DRB) in the future. By partnering with the DRB more often, the commission seeks to

balance growth and development with the preservation of Burke's unique natural

environment. A collaborative effort between the BCC and DRB would show a

commitment to responsible and informed decision-making for the benefit of both

residents and the environment.

In the spring, the BCC reminded citizens to keep the land in Burke free of trash with their Green Up Day signs in West Burke, Burke Hollow and East Burke. The official Green Up Day celebration is the first Saturday in May.

The BCC would like to thank Kevin Mack for his many years of service on the commission.

Kevin stepped down from the commission in October of 2023. Diane Wells and Lindly van der Linde joined the BCC this past year, their time and contributions have been extremely valuable. 

The BCC meets the third Wednesday of each month at 6 pm. The Forest Subcommittee meets on the second Tuesday of the month at 6pm.

The BCC is 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.

 BCC members: Elise Lawson, Diane Wells, Chris Manges, Brandon Mapes, Dusty Labarr,

Cathie Wheeler, and Lindley van der Linde

Forest Subcommittee members: Brandon Mapes, Dusty Labarr, Hank Butler, Don Hale, Cliff Pierce, Sara Bresnick.

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