WELCOME TO CHESTER

Chester is a quaint New England town with a population of 3,144, centrally located, and in close proximity to several ski areas including Okemo, Stratton, and Killington. Chester offers a community of great restaurants, comfortable B & Bs, and interesting shops, including authentic antique stores and lovely art galleries. Whether you are looking for a quiet respite, or just adventuring off the beaten path.... Here, you can enjoy a tranquil and charming atmosphere. Chester is also a wonderful place to live!

Pay by Credit/Debit Card Now Available

The Town of Chester has added the option to pay by credit/debit card. This option can be accessed at the Town Office, by clicking on the flag icon below, or calling the Town Office at 875-2173. Also, the Mobile App can be downloaded to your phone or tablet as a convenient way to keep track of an account. If you choose to download the Mobile App, please use number 37105 in the field provided to access the Town of Chester's account. There will be a $1 convenience fee applied to all charges under $33, and a 3% fee for anything over that amount.

For payments, click the icon here:

Click here to download the App:

At their May 16, 2018 Selectboard meeting, the Selectboard approved changes to the Chester Development Fund Policy. The new Policy allows for assistance to property owners located in the Village Center Designated Area with improvements to the properties. Property owners who live in the Village Center Designated Area may apply for either a mini loan, grant or a combination thereof for assistance in conducting a variety of improvements to their property. These can include, but are not limited to, façade improvements, painting or tree planting and maintenance. Grants will be considered for up to $500.00 each and loans are available for up to $1,000 each. Total funds available are limited and applications will be reviewed upon receipt. More information and the application is available at Town Hall or by downloading it here- Mini Grant Loan Application

The Planning Commission has recently started the process of updating the Uniform Development Bylaws. The Bylaws are the Town’s zoning, subdivision and flood damage prevention regulations. The Planning Commission meets the first and third Monday of the month at 7pm and will hold other meetings on different days to discuss bylaw modifications. All meeting are open to the public and participation by the public is strongly encouraged. You can view the Zoning draft and proposed maps related to this project here-

(Change control shown) indicates that the text in red, often with a strike-through, represents original text that was deleted, and the text in blue, often underlined, indicates text that has been added to the original document.

Draft Zoning Regulations (change control shown)
Draft Zoning Regulations with changes through 4/22/19

The Chester Planning Commission held a public hearing Monday November 19, 2018 at 6:00 PM to discuss proposed amendments to four chapter of the Chester Town Plan. The chapters include Chapter 3, Utilities and Facilities, Chapter 5, Education, Chapter 6, Energy and Chapter 10, Economic Development. Chapter 6, with parts of the Future Land Use and Transportation chapters, will form the town's energy plan. It makes recommendations on how Chester will meet the state requirement of 90% renewable energy by 2050.

Links to the amended chapters can be found here:

The Chester Planning Commission will hold 2 meetings and an open house in June to discuss the new proposed zoning districts and uses with the citizens of Chester. The first meeting, on Monday, June 3rd at 6:30pm will address the Village districts. The second meeting on Monday June 17th at 6:30pm will address the Rural districts. Brandy Saxton will explain the purpose of the district, the dimensional standards and other information that citizens will need to fully understand the proposals. The third meeting, on Saturday, June 22nd from 10:30am to 1:30pm is an open house so people will be able to ask specific questions. Please view the draft regulations and proposed maps below:

Chester Draft Regulations Chapter 2

Draft Zoning Map (Village)

Draft Zoning Map (Town)

The Chester, Vermont Historical Society is announcing the publication of a new book. The Pictorial History of Chester, Andover, Weston, & Londonderry is a 6X9” softbound with 142 pages containing 280 high-quality vintage photographs. Drawing on the Society’s large original glass plate negative collection as well as those from other local archives and personal collections, Society President Ron Patch has compiled a selection that will please and educate all those who are interested in local history. Scanning, design and layout has been accomplished by Society member Tom Hildreth, who, along with Patch feels they have successfully captured the sights, activities, and spirit of this area as experienced a century ago.

Available at the following locations for $20/Ea.
Bellows Falls-Lisai’s Market; Chester- Chester Hardware; Erskine’s Feed Store; Framery of Vermont; Lisai’s Market; Stone House Antique Center; Londonderry- Mike and Tammy’s; and the Garden Market; Weston-Weston Market Place.
Available through USPS for $25 Ea. Mail check to:
Chester Historical Society
PO Box 118
Chester, Vermont 05143

Just visiting?
Take a look at Chester's pages for Dining, Lodging, and Shopping!

Here's the Latest News:

The Town of Chester has made an offer to purchase an 1800-acre property currently on the market. Over the next 18 months the Town and citizens will determine if this property would be a good fit as a community forest and how it could benefit everyone. The terms of the offer are currently confidential until it has been accepted; but be assured that any ultimate purchase is subject to voter approval. Other funding sources will be explored during this time as well to ensure the financial burden does not fall completely on the taxpayers. There will be future meetings on this topic. Please participate.
David Pisha
Town Manager

The Town of Chester Listers will hold Grievance hearings on Friday, May 31, 2019 from 9am-12pm and 1pm-3:45pm. Please call the Town Office at (802) 875-2173 to set up an appointment. Notice to Taxpayers

The Town of Chester is holding a Special Town Meeting on Monday, June 10, 2019 at 6pm to see if the town will vote to purchase a new loader for the Highway Department. Please see the Warning here- Special Town Meeting

The Southern Windsor/Windham Counties and Greater Upper Valley solid waste management districts will sponsor backyard composting workshops. Please call 674-9235 or email mobrien@swcrpc.org to register. Attendees can purchase a Soil Saver composter for $30 and/or a Sure-Close kitchen food scraps pail for $5. Please bring cash and/or a check as we cannot process credit cards. See the schedule for times and places here- Composting Workshop

Town Meeting was held March 4, 2019 at 6pm and the Election was held Match 5, 2019. Please see here for the election results and minutes from the meeting- Town Meeting Results and Minutes

On July 3, 2018, the Selectboard for the Town of Chester adopted an Ordinance for Regulating Outdoor Storage of Junk and Junk Vehicles. To view a complete copy of the adopted Ordinance for Regulating Outdoor Storage of June and Junk Vehicles please see here- Salvage Yard Ordinance

Claudio Veliz Architect, PLLC was commissioned in 2017 by the Town of Chester, Vermont to conduct a Feasibility Study to assist the Town in addressing the issues impacting possible new facility designs for the four Town services: EMS, Fire, Police and Public Works.

Feasibility 1
Feasibility 2
Feasibility 3
Feasibility 4

Feasibility 5
Feasibility 6
Feasibility 7

The Zoning Audit for the Town of Chester has been completed. A specialist will be hired soon to review the study and assist in the redevelopment of the Zoning Bylaws. To view the Zoning Audit, please see here- 2018 Zoning Audit

The Town of Chester would like to extend an invitation to get involved in your community. The following volunteer positions are open for reappointment:

Agent to Defend Suits
Town Grand Juror

All interested parties should send a letter of interest to Town of Chester, P.O. Box 370, Chester, Vermont 05143, or contact the Chester Town Office at 875-2173.

On Saturday October 28 at 3 PM the Hearse House Museum in Chester, VT, opened to the public. The Hearse House Museum will be open on a seasonal basis from this point on.

On March 21, 2017, the Vermont State Board of Education accepted the report and Articles of Agreement to form a Unified School District, which is to be called the Green Mountain Unified District. The Town of Chester held a vote on May 2, 2017 on the Articles that were presented. At the same time, the board members for the new board were also elected. The Town of Chester voted YES on this article. See here for the full results of this election: GMUD Results

The Town of Chester's latest efforts in building the Master Plan for the Village Center has been updated. Please explore the plan and everyone's efforts by clicking here:
Rediscovering Chester

Election Day voter registration law went into effect January 1, 2017. You may register to vote on Election Day at the polls and vote on that day. You may also register to vote at the Town Clerk's Office or online at mvp.sec.state.vt.us.

AARP has rated Chester as one of the top ten places in the world for a fabulous fall vacation. View the full article here: Fabulous Fall Vacations for 2016

The town of Chester was featured in an article in the Boston Globe on April 17, 2019. The article highlights the many reasons why people should visit Chester, like places to stay, places to eat, and things to do. Please see here to view the article- The word is out: Tiny Chester is worth a visit

2018 Town Reports are available and can be found at various places around town. If you would like one mailed to you please call the Town Office at 875-2173 or see here- 2018 Town Report

Please see here for the results of the 2018 November General Election-

Official Results

Official Results Justice of the Peace

The Town of Chester's Lister information and tax maps are now available online. Please use this link to access this tool- Lister Information

The State of Vermont Treasurer's Office Unclaimed Property Division holds unclaimed property from forgotten bank accounts, mutual funds, uncashed checks, contents of safe deposit boxes, and more. This property is waiting to be claimed by its rightful owners. The list of unclaimed property for Chester can be found here- Unclaimed Property. The Unclaimed Property Division can be contacted by calling (800) 642-6200, or by visiting www.vermonttreasurer.gov.

The Chester Village Canopy Management Plan takes a close look at Chester's streets and the trees that line them. The Canopy Management Plan has identified trees along the streets that need to be removed or pruned, and has selected specific trees for planting in certain areas. Please click here for the full report of this plan: Chester Village Management Plan

Executive Assistant and Grants Administrator, Julie Hance, from the Town of Chester announced that the town has received a grant totaling $800,000. The project will be the first major project stemming from the Town's new Master Plan. This grant will be used to upgrade the sidewalk along Depot Street, beginning at Town Hall and ending at Bargefrede Road. The work will include widening the existing sidewalk and replacing it with concrete, installation of granite curbing and adding a grass strip with pedestrian scale lighting. This project will eliminate gaps in the sidewalk system, provide a pedestrian crossing at the railroad and re configure the intersection at Coach Road as well as the infamous "triangle". This project is expected to take a minimum of 2 years to complete and is not anticipated to start until summer, 2019. For additional information please contact Julie Hance at 875-2173 or julie.hance@chestervt.gov

In May 2017, the Vermont Legislature passed a bill that will change the laws pertaining to how people can obtain vital records, which include death and birth certificates. Act 46 was passed to help ensure the safety of Vermonter's information, and to help protect against identity theft. These changes will go into effect July 1, 2019. To see how these changes will affect you, please see here: New Vital Records Law

The 2019 Spring edition of the Town Newsletter has been released. Copies of the Newsletter can be found at various places around town. If you would like to receive the Newsletter by mail or have it emailed to you, please call the office at 875-2173, or send an email to amie.obrien@chestervt.gov. Please see here to view this edition: Newsletter

Alarm System Reviews has declared Chester, VT as number 4 on a list of the 15 safest places to live in Vermont. See the list here: 15 Safest Places to Live in Vermont-2016

The Chester Economic Development Committee has started a brochure website as a new way to promote Chester. Please view the site by clicking here: Meet Chester Vermont