New Orleans Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance

Printed: 10/3/2024 7:02:22 PM

18.2 Purpose Statements

18.2.A Purpose of the SC Suburban Corridor Use Restriction Overlay District   

The purpose of the SC Suburban Corridor Use Restriction Overlay District is to provide for a superior environment along major transportation corridors through the application of an overlay district that places restrictions on certain uses. This district is intended for application along transportation corridors in a suburban setting. The overlay district regulations are intended to supplement the regulations of the base zoning districts and to provide for harmony and compatibility of development over the length of the corridor.

18.2.B Purpose of the ENORC Eastern New Orleans Renaissance Corridor Use Restriction Overlay District   

The purpose the ENORC Eastern New Orleans Renaissance Corridor Use Restriction Overlay District is to provide for a superior environment along major urban transportation corridors in Eastern New Orleans through the application of an overlay zoning district that places restrictions on certain uses. The overlay district regulations are intended to supplement the regulations of the base zoning districts and to provide for the harmony and compatibility of development over designated corridors by special regulations.

18.2.C Purpose of the HUC Historic Urban Corridor Use Restriction Overlay District   

The purpose of the HUC Historic Urban Corridor Use Restriction Overlay District is to provide for a superior environment and a compatibility and continuity of development along major historic urban neighborhood street corridors. The district is intended for application in older developed areas of the City to promote a harmonious relationship between commercial uses and the surrounding residential neighborhoods. The overlay district regulations are intended to supplement those of the base zoning district to provide for the harmony and compatibility of development over designated areas by special regulations.

18.2.D Purpose of the St. Charles Avenue Use Restriction Overlay District   

The purpose of the St. Charles Avenue Use Restriction Overlay District is to provide for a superior environment and compatibility of development. Certain traffic-generating uses are prohibited. 

18.2.E Purpose of the RDO-1 Residential Diversity Overlay District (Marigny/Bywater)   

The purpose of the RDO-1 Residential Diversity Overlay District is to allow a limited number of commercial activities and higher density residential uses in existing buildings across multi-block areas of residentially zoned areas. The RDO-1 Overlay District is intended to sustain the historic character of residential neighborhoods that contained a few small commercial uses serving the immediate neighborhood and a few small multi-unit residential buildings situated among low density residential uses. The RDO-1 Overlay District encourages the compatible reuse of existing non-residential and mixed-use structures in residential areas, in order to reduce commercial and residential nonconformities and to prevent the use of spot zones to authorize commercial or higher density residential uses. 

18.2.F Purpose of the RDO-2 Residential Diversity Overlay District (Tremé/Sixth and Seventh Wards)   

The purpose of the RDO-2 Residential Diversity Overlay District is to allow a limited number of commercial activities and higher density residential uses in existing buildings across multi-block areas of residentially zoned areas. The RDO-2 Overlay District is intended to sustain the historic character of residential neighborhoods that contained a few small commercial uses serving the immediate neighborhood and a few small multi-unit residential buildings situated among low density residential uses. The RDO-2 Overlay District encourages the compatible reuse of existing non-residential and mixed-use structures in residential areas, in order to reduce commercial and residential nonconformities and to prevent the use of spot zones to authorize commercial or higher density residential uses. The RDO-2 Overlay District differs from the RDO-1 Overlay District by allowing for the establishment of standard restaurants without the sale or service of alcoholic beverages. 

18.2.G Purpose of the AC-1 Arts and Culture Diversity Overlay District (Frenchmen, St. Bernard, Broad)   

The AC-1 Arts and Culture Diversity Overlay District is intended to accommodate a limited number of live entertainment uses, but with additional permissions to sustain established and promote new arts and cultural uses, including a limited number of small-scale live entertainment venues in neighborhood business or mixed-use areas. The AC-1 Diversity Overlay District seeks to maintain and reinforce small-scale uses and a balance of daytime and night-time uses that are compatible with the character of surrounding residential neighborhoods.

18.2.H Purpose of the AC-2 Arts and Culture Diversity Overlay District (Freret, Newton, Teche)   

The AC-2 Arts and Culture Diversity Overlay District is intended to accommodate a limited number of live entertainment uses, but with additional permissions to sustain established and promote new arts and cultural uses, including a limited number of small-scale live entertainment venues in neighborhood business or mixed-use areas. The AC-2 Diversity Overlay District seeks to maintain and reinforce small-scale uses and a balance of daytime and night-time uses that are compatible with the character of surrounding residential neighborhoods.

18.2.I Purpose of the AC-3 Arts and Culture Diversity Overlay District (St. Claude)   

The purpose of the AC-3 Arts and Culture Diversity Overlay District is to establish and sustain new arts and cultural uses on lots generally facing St. Claude Avenue between Press Street and Poland Avenue. The St. Claude Arts and Culture Diversity Overlay District seeks to preserve the area's small to medium-scale commercial uses, encourage a balance of daytime and nighttime uses, and foster development of arts-related uses.

18.2.J Purpose of the AC-4 Arts and Culture Diversity Overlay District (Tremé)   

The AC-4 Arts and Culture Diversity Overlay District is intended to provide opportunities for a limited number of live entertainment uses both along corridors and interspersed within neighborhoods where residences, businesses, and arts and cultural uses have historically coexisted. The AC-4 Diversity Overlay District seeks to maintain and reinforce small-scale uses and a balance of daytime and night-time uses that are compatible with the character of surrounding residential neighborhoods.

18.2.K Purpose of the RIV Riverfront Design Overlay District   

The RIV Riverfront Design Overlay District is intended to preserve, create, and enhance public views of the Mississippi River and to promote the development of a riverfront promenade, including connections to nearby public rights-of-way, open space, and other public amenities. The RIV Overlay District crosses several zoning districts and is intended to unify the entire riverfront by promoting public access between neighborhoods. Site plan and design review is required for development and redevelopment.

18.2.L Purpose of the CPC Character Preservation Corridor Design Overlay District   

The purpose of the CPC Character Preservation Corridor Design Overlay District is to provide for design review of projects that have an established development pattern and urban character recognized as “iconic” of New Orleans’ unique historic development. Site plan and design review is required to ensure that these projects are compatible with the preservation of the overall urban fabric, design character, scale, and pedestrian-friendliness of these corridors and adjacent areas. 

18.2.M Purpose of the EC Enhancement Corridor Design Overlay District   

The purpose of the EC Enhancement Corridor Design Overlay District is to provide for design review for projects located predominantly in the older parts of the City. In these corridors, traditional character is intermittent, there may be segments with vacant or underutilized properties, and more recent development has tended to be suburban and auto-oriented in character. Site plan and design review is required to ensure coordinated infill development and redevelopment.

18.2.N Purpose of the CT Corridor Transformation Design Overlay District   

The purpose of the CT Corridor Transformation Design Overlay District is to provide for design review for projects in corridors that are located in Eastern New Orleans, on the West Bank, and in Lakeview and Gentilly. The corridors in Eastern New Orleans also include I-10 and its service roads. Existing development along these corridors is typically suburban in character and auto-dependent, and vacant and underutilized properties may be common.  Superblocks are common along the corridors in Eastern New Orleans and the West Bank. Site plan and design review is required to ensure coordinated infill development and redevelopment.

18.2.O Purpose of the GC Greenway Corridor Design Overlay District   

The purpose of the GC Greenway Corridor Design Overlay District is to provide for design review in order to promote pedestrian and bicycle usage and enhance the natural environment in corridors that surround designated public greenways. The GC Greenway Corridor Design Overlay District is intended for application on properties that are adjacent to or across a right-of-way from a greenway. The GC overlay district may also be applied to other properties in the vicinity of a greenway, particularly around intersections between greenways and major streets.

18.2.P Purpose of the HU-B1A Use Restriction Overlay District   

The purpose of the HU-B1A Use Restriction Overlay District is to provide for preservation of certain historic urban neighborhood business districts and adjacent historic urban residential neighborhoods. The overlay district is intended to supplement the base zoning district to ensure harmony and compatibility of development and re-development, by providing additional special regulations. 

18.2.Q Purpose of the LAS LaSalle Street Overlay District   

The purpose of the LAS LaSalle Street Overlay District is to create an environment with additional opportunities for live entertainment at commercially-zoned sites along commercial corridors, as well as at small sites with commercial zoning that are interspersed within neighborhoods where arts and cultural uses have historically existed.

18.2.R Purpose of the Magazine Street Use Restriction Overlay District   

The purpose of the Magazine Street Use Restriction Overlay District is to provide for compatibility and the preservation of certain historic urban neighborhood street corridors and adjacent historic urban residential neighborhoods. The overlay district is intended to supplement those of the base zoning district to provide for the harmony and compatibility of development and re-development over designated areas by special regulations.

18.2.S Purpose of the Jackson Avenue Use Restriction Overlay District   

The purpose of the Jackson Avenue Use Restriction Overlay District is to provide additional protections to a portion of Jackson Avenue in order to curb increased commercialization of the avenue without resident input. 

18.2.T Purpose of the Annunciation Street Overlay District   

The purpose of the Annunciation Street Overlay District is to encourage a mixed-use, walkable environment and a productive use of available space.  The Annunciation Street Overlay District protects the interest of the neighbors while also allowing for increased height and floors that will encourage development of the area.  

18.2.U Purpose of the CSH Canal Street Height Overlay District   

The purpose of the CSH Canal Street Height Overlay District is to encourage complimentary development, such as hotels, that will support the hospitals within the Life Sciences Mixed Use District.

18.2.V Purpose of the CCN (Convention Center Neighborhood) Overlay District   

The purpose of the CCN (Convention Center Neighborhood) Overlay District is to promote the development of the land adjacent to the Convention Center and overlooking the Mississippi River to create an inclusive, walkable, mixed-use, and mixed-income neighborhood that provides public benefits such as open spaces; district-based stormwater management systems; the incorporation of traffic analysis and planning for multi-modal transportation opportunities; affordable and workforce housing; and building design standards tailored for the development. This is to be principally accomplished through allowances for height, bulk, yard, area, parking, and uses similar to those found in Article 17. Central Business Districts.

Adopted by Ord. 27,261 MCS, §1, Jan. 20, 2017, Zoning Docket 102-16; Ord. 29285, 1-5-23, ZD 64/22

18.2.W Purpose of the SBA St. Bernard Avenue Overlay District   

The purpose of the SBA St. Bernard Avenue Overlay District is to promote affordable housing, particularly for senior citizens, by allowing density and height bonuses for the provision of affordable housing.

Adopted by Ord. No. 27,459, §1, July 20, 2017, Zoning Docket 35/17

18.2.X PURPOSE OF THE MIDDLE HARRISON USE RESTRICTION OVERLAY DISTRICT   

The purpose of the Middle Harrison Use District is to provide for a superior environment and a compatibility and continuity of development. The overlay district regulations are intended to supplement the regulations of the base zoning district and to limit commercial uses in order to sustain surrounding residential uses.

 

Adopted by Ord. No. 27,665, §2, February 8, 2018, Zoning Docket 097/17;

18.2.Y Purpose of the Coronet Court Multi-Family Housing Overlay District   

The purpose of the Coronet Court Multi-Family Housing Overlay District is to promote redevelopment of existing, non-conforming multi-family structures and townhouses and promote affordable housing in the area generally bounded by Lake Forest Boulevard, Mayo Road, the Interstate 10 Service Road and the Lawrence Canal.

Adopted by Ord. 28479 MCS, 9-3-20, ZD 42/20

18.2.Z Purpose of the University Area Off-Street Parking Overlay District   

The purpose of the University Area Off-Street Parking Overlay District is to preserve the neighborhoods' residential character, existing housing types, and levels of affordability, and limiting the conversion of existing affordable, market-rate, long-term housing units for full-time residents into high market-rate housing units for exclusive short-term use, by requiring off-street vehicular parking for any increase in the number of bedrooms, for all properties located in the area generally bounded by: Cecil Street to Monticello Avenue, Monticello Avenue, to Leake Avenue, to River Drive, to Riverview Drive, to East Drive, to Tchoupitoulas Street, turning south on State Street, turning east on Front Street, turning north on Nashville Avenue, turning east on Tchoupitoulas Street, turning north on Jefferson Avenue, turning east on South Claiborne Avenue, turning north on Toledano Street, connecting to Washington Avenue, turning west on Earhart Boulevard, turning north on South Carrollton Avenue, turning west on Tulane Avenue/Airline Highway connecting to Palmetto Street, to Northline Street, to Monticello, to Cecil Street. Within this are, only properties zoned HU-RS Historic Urban Single-Family Residential, HU-RD1 Historic Urban Two-Family Residential, HU-RD2 Historic Urban Two-Family Residential, HU-RM1 Historic Urban Multi-Family Residential and HU-RM2 Historic Urban Multi-Family Residential Districts are subject to the University Area Off-Street Parking Overlay District's requirements.

Adopted by Ord. 28848 MCS, 11-18-21, ZD 44/21; Ord. 29761 MCS, 12-14-23, ZD 45/23

18.2.AA Purpose of the Brown's Dairy Neighborhood Overlay District   

The purpose of the Brown's Dairy Neighborhood Overlay District is to provide for compatibility and the preservation of certain historic urban neighborhood street corridors and adjacent historic urban residential neighborhoods. The overlay district is intended to supplement those of the base zoning district to provide for the harmony and compatibility of development and re-development over designated areas by special regulations.

Adopted by Ord. 29577, 8-16-23, Zoning Docket 41/23