New Orleans Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance

Printed: 3/28/2024 5:48:41 PM

Article 6 Zoning Districts & Zoning Map

6.1 Purpose   

The purpose of this Article is to outline the different zoning districts within this Zoning Ordinance and to introduce the Official Zoning Map.

6.2 Introduction to Zoning Districts   

In order to carry out the purpose and intent of this Ordinance, the City of New Orleans is divided into the following zoning districts:

6.2.A Open Space Districts   

OS-N Neighborhood Open Space District
OS-G Greenway Open Space District
OS-R Regional Open Space District
NA Natural Areas District
GPD General Planned Development District

OS-CBD Central Business District Open Space District

 

Adopted by Ord.28275 MCS 12-19-19, ZD 81/19

6.2.B Rural Development Districts   

R-RE Rural Residential Estate District
M-MU Maritime Mixed-Use District

6.2.C Historic Core Neighborhoods Districts   

VCR-1 Vieux Carré Residential District
VCR-2 Vieux Carré Residential District
HMR-1 Historic Marigny/Tremé/Bywater Residential District
HMR-2 Historic Marigny/Tremé/Bywater Residential District
HMR-3 Historic Marigny/Tremé/Bywater Residential District
VCC-1 Vieux Carré Commercial District
VCC-2 Vieux Carré Commercial District
VCE Vieux Carré Entertainment District
VCE-1 Vieux Carré Entertainment District
VCS Vieux Carré Service District
VCS-1 Vieux Carré Service District
HMC-1 Historic Marigny/Tremé/Bywater Commercial District
HMC-2 Historic Marigny/Tremé/Bywater Commercial District
HM-MU Historic Marigny/Tremé/Bywater Mixed-Use District
VCP Vieux Carré Park District

6.2.C.1 Historic Core Neighborhoods Inclusionary Zoning Sub-Districts   

VCR-1-IZ Vieux Carré Residential Inclusionary Zoning Sub-District
VCR-2-IZ Vieux Carré Residential Inclusionary Zoning Sub-District
HMR-1-IZ Historic Marigny/Tremé/Bywater Residential Inclusionary Zoning Sub-District
HMR-2-IZ Historic Marigny/Tremé/Bywater Residential Inclusionary Zoning Sub-District
VCC-1-IZ Vieux Carré Commercial Inclusionary Zoning Sub-District
VCC-2-IZ Vieux Carré Commercial Inclusionary Zoning Sub-District
VCS-IZ Vieux Carré Service Inclusionary Zoning Sub-District
VCS-1-IZ Vieux Carré Service Inclusionary Zoning Sub-District
HMC-1-IZ Historic Marigny/Tremé/Bywater Commercial Inclusionary Zoning Sub-District
HMC-2-IZ Historic Marigny/Tremé/Bywater Commercial Inclusionary Zoning Sub-District
HM-MU-IZ Historic Marigny/Tremé/Bywater Mixed-Use Inclusionary Zoning Sub-District

Adopted by Ord. No. 28036 MCS, §1, March 28, 2019, Zoning Docket 112/18

6.2.D Historic Urban Neighborhoods Districts   

HU-RS Single-Family Residential District
HU-RD1 Two-Family Residential District
HU-RD2 Two-Family Residential District
HU-RM1 Multi-Family Residential District
HU-RM2 Multi-Family Residential District
HU-B1A Neighborhood Business District
HU-B1 Neighborhood Business District
HU-MU Neighborhood Mixed-Use District

6.2.D.1 HISTORIC URBAN NEIGHBORHOODS INCLUSIONARY ZONING SUB-DISTRICTS   

HU-RD1-IZ Two-Family Residential Inclusionary Zoning Sub-District

HU-RD2-IZ Two-Family Residential Inclusionary Zoning Sub-District

HU-RM1-IZ Multi-Family Residential Inclusionary Zoning Sub-District

HU-RM2-IZ Multi-Family Residential Inclusionary Zoning Sub-District

HU-B1A-IZ Neighborhood Business Inclusionary Zoning Sub-District

HU-B1-IZ Neighborhood Business Inclusionary Zoning Sub-District

HU-MU-IZ Neighborhood Mixed-Use Inclusionary Zoning Sub-District

Adopted by Ord. No. 28036 MCS, §1, March 28, 2019, Zoning Docket 112/18

6.2.E Suburban Neighborhoods   

S-RS Single-Family Residential District
S-RD Two-Family Residential District
S-RM1 Multi-Family Residential District
S-RM2 Multi-Family Residential District
S-LRS1 Lakeview Single-Family Residential District
S-LRS2 Lake Vista and Lake Shore Single-Family Residential District
S-LRS3 Lakewood and Country Club Gardens Single-Family Residential District
S-LRD1 Lake Vista Two-Family Residential District
S-LRD2 Lakewood/Parkview Two-Family Residential District
S-LRM1 Lake Area Low-Rise Multi-Family Residential District
S-LRM2 Lake Area High-Rise Multi-Family Residential District
S-B1 Suburban Business District
S-B2 Pedestrian-Oriented Corridor Business District
S-LB1 Lake Area Neighborhood Business District
S-LB2 Lake Area Neighborhood Business District
S-LC Lake Area General Commercial District
S-LP Lake Area Neighborhood Park District
S-LM Lake Area Marina District

6.2.F Commercial Center and Institutional Campus Districts   

C-1 General Commercial District
C-2 Auto-Oriented Commercial District
C-3 Heavy Commercial District
MU-1 Medium Intensity Mixed-Use District
MU-2 High Intensity Mixed-Use District
EC Educational Campus District
MC Medical Campus District
MS Medical Service District
LS Life Science Mixed-Use District

6.2.F.1 COMMERCIAL CENTER AND INSTITUTIONAL CAMPUS INCLUSIONARY ZONING SUB-DISTRICTS   

C-1-IZ General Commercial Inclusionary Zoning Sub-District
C-2-IZ Auto-Oriented Commercial Inclusionary Zoning Sub-District

C-3-IZ Heavy Commercial Inclusionary Zoning Sub-District

MU-1-IZ Medium Intensity Mixed-Use Inclusionary Zoning Sub-District
MU-2-IZ High Intensity Mixed-Use Inclusionary Zoning Sub-District

Adopted by Ord. No. 28036 MCS, §1, March 28, 2019, Zoning Docket # 112/18

6.2.G Centers for Industry   

LI Light Industrial District
HI Heavy Industrial District
MI Maritime Industrial District
BIP Business-Industrial Park District

6.2.H Central Business District   

CBD-1 Core Central Business District
CBD-2 Historic Commercial and Mixed-Use District
CBD-3 Cultural Arts District
CBD-4 Exposition District
CBD-5 Urban Core Neighborhood Lower Intensity Mixed-Use District
CBD-6 Urban Core Neighborhood Mixed-Use District
CBD-7 Bio-Science District

6.2.H.1 CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICTS INCLUSIONARY ZONING SUB-DISTRICTS   

CBD-1-IZ Core Central Business Inclusionary Zoning Sub-District
CBD-2-IZ Historic Commercial and Mixed-Use Inclusionary Zoning Sub-District
CBD-3-IZ Cultural Arts Inclusionary Zoning Sub-District
CBD-4-IZ Exposition Inclusionary Zoning Sub-District
CBD-5IZ Urban Core Neighborhood Lower Intensity Mixed-Use Inclusionary Zoning Sub-District
CBD-6-IZUrban Core Neighborhood Mixed-Use Inclusionary Zoning Sub-District
CBD-7-IZ Bio-Science Inclusionary Zoning Sub-District

Adopted by Ord. No. 28036 MCS, §1, March 28, 2019, Zoning Docket 112/18

6.2.I Overlay Zoning Districts   

SC Suburban Corridor Use Restriction Overlay District
ENORC Eastern New Orleans Renaissance Corridor Use Restriction Overlay District
HUC Historic Urban Corridor Use Restriction Overlay District
Lower St. Charles Avenue Use Restriction Overlay District
RDO-1 Residential Diversity Overlay District (Marigny/Bywater)
RDO-2 Residential Diversity Overlay District (Tremé/Seventh Ward)
AC-1 Arts and Culture Diversity Overlay District (Frenchmen, St. Bernard, Broad)
AC-2 Arts and Culture Diversity Overlay District (Freret, Newton, Teche)
AC-3 Arts and Culture Diversity Overlay District (St. Claude)
AC-4 Arts and Culture Diversity Overlay District (Tremé)
RIV Riverfront Design Overlay District
CPC Character Preservation Corridor Design Overlay District
EC Enhancement Corridor Design Overlay District
CT Corridor Transformation Design Overlay District
GC Greenway Corridor Design Overlay District

6.3 Introduction to Official Zoning Map   

6.3.A Location and Boundaries of Zoning Districts   

1.  The locations and boundaries of the zoning districts established by this Ordinance are as set forth on the Official Zoning Map that is adopted by the City Council and that is prepared, maintained, and made available by the City Planning Commission. The Official Zoning Map is incorporated into, and made an integral part of, this Ordinance. It is the intent of this Ordinance that the entire area of the City, including all land and water areas, be included in the zoning districts established by this Ordinance.

2. A zoning district name or letter-number combination shown on the Official Zoning Map indicates that the regulations of the zoning district designated by that name or letter-number combination apply to all properties within the boundary lines around that name or letter-number combination.
 

6.3.B Interpretation of Zoning District Boundaries   

Where uncertainty exists with respect to the boundaries of the various zoning districts as shown on the Official Zoning Map, the following rules apply:

1.  Where zoning district boundary lines coincide or approximately coincide with streets, alleys, canals, rivers or streams, the boundary line is the centerline of the street, alley, canal, or stream. If the actual location of such street, alley, canal, or stream varies slightly from the location as shown on the Official Zoning Map, then the actual location controls.

2.  Where a zoning district boundary line coincides or approximately coincides with a property line, the property line is the boundary line of the zoning district.

3.  Where a zoning district boundary line does not coincide or approximately coincide with a street, alley, canal, river, stream, or lot line, the location of the zoning district boundary line is determined by reference to the scale of the Official Zoning Map. In such a case, if the location of the zoning district boundary line cannot be clearly determined by reference to the scale of the Official Zoning Map, the City Planning Commission has the power to determine the location of the zoning district boundary line.

Adopted by Ord. No. 29,126, §5, Aug. 12, 2022, Zoning Docket 16/22

6.3.C Ordinance Relationship to Structures Located within Public Right-of-Way   

This Ordinance does not apply to structures located within the public right-of-way, such as utilities.

6.4 Exemptions for Essential Services   

The following essential services may be permitted erected, constructed, altered, or maintained in any zoning district, unless otherwise indicated within this Ordinance. Development plan and design review (Section 4.5) by the Executive Director of the City Planning Commission may be required.

A.  Traffic signals, fire hydrants, and similar equipment and accessories.

B.  Gas, electric, communication, water supply, and transmission/distribution systems.

C.  Elevated or underground water storage tanks.

D.  Stormwater and sanitary sewer collection and disposal systems.

E.  Utility poles, wires, mains, drains, pipes, conduits and cables reasonably necessary for the furnishing of adequate service by public utilities, municipal or other governmental agencies for the public health, safety and welfare.

F.  Streets.