| 1 | 1 | | BILL AS INTRODUCED H.94 |
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| 2 | 2 | | 2025 Page 1 of 3 |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | VT LEG #379497 v.1 |
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| 6 | 6 | | H.94 1 |
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| 7 | 7 | | Introduced by Representatives Harrison of Chittenden, Boyden of Cambridge, 2 |
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| 8 | 8 | | Casey of Montpelier, Logan of Burlington, McCann of 3 |
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| 9 | 9 | | Montpelier, O'Brien of Tunbridge, Sibilia of Dover, and 4 |
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| 10 | 10 | | Surprenant of Barnard 5 |
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| 11 | 11 | | Referred to Committee on 6 |
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| 12 | 12 | | Date: 7 |
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| 13 | 13 | | Subject: Conservation and development; land use; agriculture; Act 250; 8 |
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| 14 | 14 | | accessory on-farm business 9 |
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| 15 | 15 | | Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to include 10 |
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| 16 | 16 | | weddings and concerts as events that can be part of an accessory on-farm 11 |
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| 17 | 17 | | business. It would also exempt accessory on-farm business events from 12 |
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| 18 | 18 | | needing an Act 250 permit if the municipality has adopted performance 13 |
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| 19 | 19 | | standards and site plan review. 14 |
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| 20 | 20 | | An act relating to events at accessory on-farm businesses 15 |
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| 21 | 21 | | It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont: 16 |
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| 22 | 22 | | Sec. 1. 24 V.S.A. § 4412(11) is amended to read: 17 |
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| 23 | 23 | | (11) Accessory on-farm businesses. No bylaw shall have the effect of 18 |
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| 24 | 24 | | prohibiting an accessory on-farm business at the same location as a farm. 19 |
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| 25 | 25 | | (A) Definitions. As used in this subdivision (11): 20 BILL AS INTRODUCED H.94 |
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| 26 | 26 | | 2025 Page 2 of 3 |
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| 28 | 28 | | |
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| 29 | 29 | | VT LEG #379497 v.1 |
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| 30 | 30 | | (i) “Accessory on-farm business” means activity on a farm, the 1 |
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| 31 | 31 | | revenues of which may exceed the revenues of the farming operation, and 2 |
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| 32 | 32 | | comprises one or both of the following: 3 |
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| 33 | 33 | | (I) The storage, preparation, processing, and sale of qualifying 4 |
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| 34 | 34 | | products, provided that the qualifying products are produced on a farm; the 5 |
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| 35 | 35 | | sale of products that name, describe, or promote the farm or accessory on-farm 6 |
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| 36 | 36 | | business, including merchandise or apparel that features the farm or accessory 7 |
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| 37 | 37 | | on-farm business; or the sale of bread or baked goods. 8 |
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| 38 | 38 | | (II) Educational, recreational, or social events that feature 9 |
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| 39 | 39 | | agricultural practices or qualifying products, or both. Such events may include 10 |
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| 40 | 40 | | tours of the farm, farm stays, tastings and, meals, weddings, and concerts 11 |
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| 41 | 41 | | featuring qualifying products, and classes or exhibits in the preparation, 12 |
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| 42 | 42 | | processing, or harvesting of qualifying products. As used in this subdivision 13 |
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| 43 | 43 | | (II), “farm stay” means a paid, overnight guest accommodation on a farm for 14 |
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| 44 | 44 | | the purpose of participating in educational, recreational, or social activities on 15 |
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| 45 | 45 | | the farm that feature agricultural practices or qualifying products, or both. A 16 |
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| 46 | 46 | | farm stay includes the option for guests to participate in such activities. 17 |
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| 47 | 47 | | * * * 18 |
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| 48 | 48 | | Sec. 2. 10 V.S.A. § 6081(t) is amended to read: 19 |
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| 49 | 49 | | (t) No permit or permit amendment is required for the construction of 20 |
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| 50 | 50 | | improvements for an accessory on-farm business for the storage or sale of 21 BILL AS INTRODUCED H.94 |
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| 51 | 51 | | 2025 Page 3 of 3 |
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| 53 | 53 | | |
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| 54 | 54 | | VT LEG #379497 v.1 |
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| 55 | 55 | | qualifying products or the other eligible enumerated products as defined in 1 |
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| 56 | 56 | | 24 V.S.A. § 4412(11)(A)(i)(I). No permit or permit amendment is required for 2 |
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| 57 | 57 | | the construction of improvements for an accessory on-farm business for the 3 |
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| 58 | 58 | | preparation or processing of qualifying products as defined in 24 V.S.A. 4 |
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| 59 | 59 | | § 4412(11)(A)(i)(I), provided that more than 50 percent of the total annual 5 |
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| 60 | 60 | | sales of the prepared or processed qualifying products come from products 6 |
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| 61 | 61 | | produced on the farm where the business is located. This subsection shall not 7 |
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| 62 | 62 | | apply to No permit or permit amendment is required for the construction of 8 |
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| 63 | 63 | | improvements related to hosting events or farm stays as part of an accessory 9 |
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| 64 | 64 | | on-farm business as defined in 24 V.S.A. § 4412(11)(A)(i)(II) if the farm is 10 |
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| 65 | 65 | | located in a municipality that has adopted performance standards and site plan 11 |
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| 66 | 66 | | review. 12 |
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| 67 | 67 | | Sec. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE 13 |
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| 68 | 68 | | This act shall take effect on July 1, 2025. 14 |
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