New Orleans Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance

Printed: 3/28/2024 4:03:11 AM

Article 8 Rural Development Districts

PURPOSE OF THE RURAL DEVELOPMENT DISTRICTS

The Rural Development Districts address areas of semi-rural development in the city where both residential uses and non-residential uses related to the natural resources of the area, like agriculture and fishing camps, are found. The character of these areas varies from large estate-type developments to mixed-use developments along the waterfront. Rural Development Districts maintain a relatively low density and are found in areas like lower coast Algiers and Lake Catherine.

The Rural Development District regulations create and maintain bucolic environments organized and designed to provide a sense of an open countryside or waterfront living.

CHARACTER OF THE RURAL DEVELOPMENT DISTRICTS

The character of the Rural Development Districts is defined by:

»         Large lot residential development that relates to the natural environment

»         Sustainable development that is sensitive to the natural environment

»         Non-residential uses related to the natural resources of the area, such as horse stables or fishing camps

»         Unique residential development types in waterfront areas, which are typically raised structures

8.1 Purpose Statements   

8.1.A Purpose of the R-RE Rural Residential Estate District   

The purpose of the R-RE Rural Residential Estate District is to provide for large-lot, estate-type residential areas that create a low density environment that relates to the natural environment. Certain non-residential uses such as places of worship and recreational uses are also allowed, when compatible with rural residential surroundings. 

8.1.B Purpose of the M-MU Maritime Mixed-Use District   

The purpose of the M-MU Maritime Mixed-Use District is to address environmentally-compatible residential and non-residential development in areas adjacent to wetlands and waterbodies, generally located in areas of the city with higher elevation and near existing access roads. The M-MU District is mixed-use in nature, where residential uses are found close to water-related non-residential uses such as fishing camps, seafood processing facilities, and marinas.

8.2 Uses   

Only those uses of land listed under Table 8-1: Permitted and Conditional as permitted uses or conditional uses are allowed within the Rural Development Districts. A “P” indicates that a use is permitted within that zoning district. A “C” indicates that a use is a conditional use in that zoning district and  would require a conditional use approval as required in Section 4.3 (Conditional Use). No letter (i.e., a blank space) or the absence of the use from the table indicates that use is not permitted within that zoning district.

Table 8-1: Permitted and Conditional Uses
Table 8-1: Permitted and Conditional Uses

USE1

R-RE

M-MU

USE STANDARDS

RESIDENTIAL USE

Artist Community

P

P

Section 20.3.F

Bed and Breakfast – Accessory

C

C

Section 20.3.I

Bed and Breakfast – Principal

 

C

Section 20.3.I

Boathouse

 

P

 

Day Care Home, Adult - Small

C

C

Section 20.3.T

Dwelling, Single-Family

P

P

 

Group Home, Small

P

P

Section 20.3.GG

Home Based Child Care, Small P P Section 20.3.T
Home Based Child Care, Large P P Section 20.3.T

COMMERCIAL USE

Bar   P Section 20.3.G
Boat Dock   C  

Catering Kitchen

 

P

Section 20.3.S

Child Care Center, Small P P Section 20.3.S

Day Care Center, Adult - Small

C

 

Section 20.3.S

Greenhouse/Nursery

P

P

 

Kennel

P

 

Section 20.3.II

Personal Service Establishment

 

P

 

Restaurant, Specialty

 

P

Section 20.3.ZZ

Restaurant, Standard

 

P

Section 20.3.ZZ

Retail Goods Establishment

 

P

 

Retail Sales of Packaged Alcoholic Beverages

 

C

 

Short Term Rental, Commercial   P Section 20.3.LLL

INDUSTRIAL USE

Dry Dock and Launching Operations

 

C

 

Food Processing

C

C

 

Seaplane Base

C

C

Section 20.3.D

Solar Energy System

P

P

Section 20.3.DDD

Wind Farm

C

C

Section 20.3.III

INSTITUTIONAL USE

City Hall C C  

Community Center

C

C

 

Convent and Monastery

P

P

 

Cultural Facility

C

C

Section 20.3.R

Educational Facilities

P

P

 

Government Offices

P

P

 

Place of Worship

P

P

 

Public Works and Safety Facility

C

C

 

Social Club or Lodge

C

C

Section 20.3.CCC

OPEN SPACE USE

Agriculture – No Livestock

P

P

Section 20.3.C

Agriculture – With Livestock

P

C

Section 20.3.C

Boat Launch

P

P

 

Campground P P Section 20.3.K

Fishing Camp

P

P

 

Horse Stables (Commercial)

P

 

Section 20.3.HH

Marina, Commercial

 

P

 

Marina, Recreational

 

P

 

Parks and Playgrounds

P

P

 

Piers (Public or Private)

P

P

Section 20.3.QQ

Stormwater Management (Principal Use)

P

P

 

OTHER

Parking Lot (Accessory Use) C4 P4  

Planned Development

 

C

Article 5

Pumping Station

C

C

Section 20.3.UU

Utilities

P2

P2

Section 20.3.GGG

Wireless Telecommunications Antenna & Facility

C, P3

C, P3

Section 20.3.JJJ

Wireless Telecommunications Tower & Facility

C

C

Section 20.3.JJJ

TABLE 8-1 FOOTNOTES

1 The terms in this column (“Use”) are defined in Article 26.

Electrical Utility Substations and Transmission Lines shall be subject to design review as per Article 4, Section 4.5B.5 and Table 4-2

3 Only wireless telecommunications antennas that comply with the stealth design standards of Section 20.3.JJJ are considered permitted uses.

As authorized in Article 22, Section 22.8.B.2.a.

 

Adopted by Ord. No. 27,209, §1, Dec. 7, 2016, Zoning Docket 61/16; Ord. No. 27,707, §1, April 2, 2018, Zoning Docket 001/18; Ord. 28176, Sept. 5, 2019, ZD 59/19; Ord. No. 28,156 MCS, §2, August 8, 2019, Zoning Docket 026/19 & 027/19; Ord. 28503 MCS, 10-1-20, ZD 56/20; Ord. 28432 MCS, 8-6-20, ZD 38/20; Ord. 28573 MCS, 1-14-21; Ord 28989 MCS 4-7-22, ZD 104/21; Ord. No. 29,126, §7, Aug. 12, 2022, Zoning Docket 16/22; Ord. No. 29382, March 23, 2023, Zoning Docket 02/23; Ord. No 29744, 12-8-23, Zoning Docket 055/23

8.3 Site Design Standards   

Table 8-2: Bulk and Yard Regulations establishes bulk and yard regulations for the Rural Development Districts. (Highlighted letters in Table 8-2 indicate where those bulk and yard regulations are illustrated on the accompanying site diagram.

Table 8-2: Bulk and Yard Regulations
Table 8-2: Bulk and Yard Regulations

BULK & YARD REGULATIONS

DISTRICT

R-RE

M-MU

BULK REGULATIONS

 

MINIMUM LOT AREA

Residential: 2 acres

Non-Residential: 20,000sf

40’ or more of lot depth: 2,500sf

Less than 40’ of lot depth: 1,000sf

A

MINIMUM LOT WIDTH

100’

20’

B

MAXIMUM BUILDING HEIGHT

35’

35’ above base flood elevation

  MINIMUM PERMEABLE OPEN SPACE 25% of the lot area 25% of the lot area

 

MAXIMUM IMPERVIOUS SURFACE IN FRONT YARD

30%

None

 

MAXIMUM IMPERVIOUS SURFACE IN CORNER SIDE YARD

30%

None

MINIMUM YARD REQUIREMENTS

C

FRONT YARD

20’

None

D

INTERIOR SIDE YARD

10% of lot width or 10’, whichever is less

None, but where provided a minimum of 3’

E

CORNER SIDE YARD

20’

None

F

REAR YARD

40’

None

 

TREE PROTECTION BUFFER YARD

 

See Section 8.4

Click for larger imageClick for larger image

Adopted by Ord. No. 26,726, §1, December 7, 2015, Zoning Docket 081/15; Ord. No. 27,722, §1, April 11, 2018, Zoning Docket 113/17;

8.4 M-MU District Design Standards   

Because of the traditional orientation between land uses and adjacent water bodies, developments in the M-MU District shall meet the following design standards in order to maintain this character and address issues of development in flood zones.

A.  Public entrances to commercial developments shall be oriented to the public street and the waterfront.

B.  Ground floor retail and restaurant uses shall maintain a transparency of fifty percent (50%), and windows shall be clear and non-tinted.  Restaurants are encouraged to provide outdoor dining areas with views of the waterfront where outdoor dining is permitted.

C.  The projection of boat docks, piers, and wharves into waterways beyond the waterway line or lot line is limited in accordance with the applicable ordinances of the City.

D.  ADA ramps to elevated non-residential structures shall limit their encroachment into required yards. If ramps change direction or have a landing, they shall hug the front façade and the last run of the stairs shall face the public right-of-way.

E.  Driveways and parking areas shall be constructed of pervious or semi-pervious materials. When siting the driveway, disturbance to natural drainage ways shall be minimized.  

F.  The following tree protection buffer yard requirements apply in the M-MU District in order to maintain existing woodland areas to provide protection from hurricanes and storm surges. M-MU District lots that front on the Chef Menteur Highway are required to maintain a tree protection buffer yard of twenty (20) feet along the Chef Menteur Highway frontage as measured from the lot line that fronts along the Chef Menteur Highway toward the interior of the lot.

1.  The cutting of mature, healthy trees over six (6) inches DBH is prohibited within the buffer yard. Clear cutting is prohibited in the tree protection buffer yard and maintenance of existing tree stands is required. Weak and diseased trees within the buffer area may be removed. A landscape plan is required to verify which trees shall be removed, and the plan is subject to the procedures and standards of Section 23.10 (Tree Preservation.)

2.  Vegetative restoration is required of any disturbed areas. Non-native over-story vegetation may be removed. Landscape materials shall be species native to New Orleans. Replanting of saline tolerant trees is required.

3.  No structures are permitted within the tree protection buffer yard, however driveways may be located within the buffer yard. When siting the driveway, disturbance to natural drainage ways shall be minimized.

4.  New utilities shall be located underground. This does not include aboveground structures for wind, solar, or water alternative energy systems. New wireless telecommunication towers are prohibited in the tree protection buffer yard.

5.  Weak and diseased trees within fifty (50) feet of a principal structure may be removed. A landscape plan is required to verify which trees shall be removed, and are subject to the procedures and standards of Section 23.10 (Tree Preservation.)
 

8.5 General Standards of Applicability   

All Rural Development Districts are subject to the following standards:

8.5.A Accessory Structures and Uses   

See Section 21.6 for standards governing accessory structures and uses. 

8.5.B Temporary Uses   

See Section 21.8 for standards governing temporary uses.

8.5.C Site Development Standards   

See Article 21 for additional site development standards such as exterior lighting, environmental performance standards, and permitted encroachments. 

8.5.D Off-Street Parking and Loading   

See Article 22 for standards governing off-street parking and loading.

8.5.E Landscape, Stormwater Management, and Screening   

See Article 23 for standards governing landscape, stormwater management, and screening.

8.5.F Signs   

See Article 24 for standards governing signs.

8.5.G Overlay Districts   

See Article 18 for additional overlay district regulations, when applicable.

8.5.H Nonconformities   

See Article 25 for regulations governing nonconformities.