"You don't build a barn in a bog." Old Farmer's Adage.
What does that have to do with your land purchase? A good example would be the lovely 3.88 acre parcel pictured above with a small stream, wonderful plants and grasses, which would make an ideal place to build your home. The problem is that the State has determined that 2.04 acres are hydric soils. Before you can build a technician from the state will visit the site and determine just where the hydric soils end and mark a distance of fifty feet from that point. All excavation and construction must be beyond that point. In this example it means that from the road right of way to a buildable area is a very limited distance that may not be large enough for your dream house.
The State of Vermont is very protective of its streams, wetlands and wet soils. If you've ever been serious about buying land, developed or otherwise, you may have heard mention of "hydric soil." This is soil which is permanently or seasonally saturated with water, and does not have enough oxygen. This anaerobic earth becomes heavy, with no open passageways for air to travel, affecting most forms of microorganisms that need oxygen to survive. Long term - and this is a good thing to look for on any property you're thinking about buying - this results in plants that include cattails, sedges and water lilies, although some hydric soils will support plants like hay and corn.
I have a lot of experience helping people identify this issue in advance and avoid potentially costly mistakes in buying a piece of land that you won't be able to use as you intended. Please feel free to contact me if you're looking to buy or sell land and you suspect there may be hydric soil on the property. Use caution when buying or selling land that you work with someone to help guide you along the way. Mistakes can be costly, but I can help!