4.5.B Applicability

Development plan and design review is required as follows and summarized in Table 4-2: Development Plan and Design Review Thresholds:

1.   New construction of multi-family dwellings, townhouse developments, non-residential, or mixed-use development that is forty-thousand (40,000) square feet or more in gross floor area.  In local historic districts, the design guidelines of the applicable Commission, the New Orleans Historic District Landmarks Commission, Central Business District Historic District Landmarks Commission, or Vieux Carre Commission, shall prevail over building design standards of the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance. Unless otherwise required by this section or this Ordinance, these applications are reviewed by the Executive Director of the City Planning Commission and the Design Advisory Committee.

2.   Additions or Enlargements Unless otherwise required by this section or this Ordinance, applications for additions or enlargements as follows are reviewed by the Executive Director of the City Planning Commission and the Design Advisory Committee. Developments or portions of a development that are located in an industrial or institutional zoning district and that are not visible from the public right-of-way shall be exempt.

a. Additions or enlargements to multi-family developments, or townhouse developments, or a non-residential or mixed-use developments that bring the total gross floor area to forty-thousand (40,000) square feet or more. If the total square footage of the development is already over forty-thousand (40,000) square feet, then review is only required if there is a total increase of ten percent (10%) or more.

b. Substantial improvements to any non-residential or mixed-use structure, or group of structures on the same lot, where the total gross floor area is forty-thousand (40,000) square feet or more. Substantial improvements are defined as demolition and reconstruction of existing buildings valued at fifty percent (50%) or more of the initial value of the existing building.

c.   Additions of new structures to a non-residential or mixed-use development on a lot that bring the total gross floor area of all structures on the lot to forty-thousand (40,000) square feet or more.

d.   Substantial improvements to any non-residential or mixed-use structure, or group of structures on the same lot, where the total gross floor area is forty-thousand (40,000) square feet or more. Substantial improvements are defined as demolition and reconstruction of existing buildings valued at fifty percent (50%) or more of the initial value of the existing building.

3.   Unless otherwise required by this section or this Ordinance, applications for any size development within the areas described as follows are reviewed by the Executive Director of the City Planning Commission and the Design Advisory Committee. Except in the UAD Overlay District, single and two-family dwellings and any development or portion of a development that is located in an industrial or institutional zoning district that is not visible from the public right-of-way are exempt.

a.    CPC Character Preservation Corridor Design Overlay District

b.    Development with one-hundred (100) feet or more of lot frontage in an identified design overlay districts of Article 18

c.     UAD University Area Design Overlay District

4. In the RIV Riverfront District, EC Enhancement Corridor, CT Corridor Transformation, GC Greenway, and UAD University Area Design Overlay Districts, applications are reviewed solely by the Executive Director. Review is limited to applications for new construction, substantial improvement, and exterior re-design that substantially alters the architecture of a principal structure. Anything that is not visible from the public right-of-way is exempt from design review. Except in the UAD University Area Design Overlay District, single- and two-family residences are exempt from design review. The City Planning Commission may determine that no review is necessary based on the nature and scope of a proposal.

a.  RIV Riverfront Design Overlay District

b.  EC Enhancement Corridor Design Overlay District

c.  CT Corridor Transformation Design Overlay District

d. GC Greenway Corridor Design Overlay District

e. UAD University Area Design Overlay District

5.   Electric Utility Substations, Transmission Lines, and District Energy Systems (except District Energy Systems located in HI Heavy Industrial, LI Light Industrial and MI Maritime Industrial Districts)

6.   All applications for a conditional use and planned developments. Unless otherwise required by this section or this Ordinance, these applications are reviewed by the City Planning Commission and the City Council.

7.   Where the City Planning Commission or the City Council is authorized to impose conditions, the Commission or Council may require submission of a development plan as a requirement of such application.

8.   When the public benefit floor area ratio bonus provisions of Section 17.5 within the Central Business Districts are used, the Commission or Council may require submission of a development plan as a requirement of such application. Unless otherwise required by this section or this Ordinance, these applications are reviewed by the Executive Director of the City Planning Commission and the Design Advisory Committee.

9.   Where this Ordinance specifically requires site plan and design review as a condition of approval, including when required by the use standards of Article 20 or the site development standards of Article 21. The specific standards will indicate whether site plan and design review is required by the Executive Director of the City Planning Commission and the Design Advisory Committee or solely by the Executive Director of the City Planning Commission.

10. When a property is located within the Vieux Carré Historic District, developments upon the property are exempt from site plan and design review by the City Planning Commission.  However, such developments are subject to the site plan and design review procedures of the Vieux Carré Commission. 

11. When a property is located within the Historic Districts Landmark Commission’s full control Historic Districts, development is exempt from site plan and design review by the City Planning Commission. However, such developments are subject to the site plan and the design review procedures of the Historic Districts Landmark Commission. When a property is located within the Historic Districts Landmark Commission’s partial control local Historic Districts, developments upon the property are subject to site plan and design review procedures established by the City Planning Commission. When a property is located within the RIV Riverfront Design Overlay District, developments upon the property are subject to site plan and design review procedures established by the City Planning Commission. 

 

¹ Excluding single- and two-family dwellings and any development or portion of a development that is located in an industrial or institutional zoning district and that is not visible from the public right of way.

² The specific standards will indicate whether site plan and design review is required by the Design Advisory Committee or the Executive Director of the CPC.  

³Except District Energy Systems located in HI Heavy Industrial, LI Light Industrial and MI Maritime Industrial Districts.

Ord. 27,674 MCS, §1, March 6, 2018, Zoning Docket 085-17, Ord. 28,322 MCS, §1, February 28, 2020, Zoning Docket 117-19; Ord 28800 MCS, 10-21-21, ZD 56/21; Ord. No. 29,126, §4, Aug. 12, 2022, Zoning Docket 16/22; Ord. 29882, April 5, 2024, Zoning Docket 089/23; Ordinance No. 30567, March 20, 2026, Zoning Docket 049-25