ADU rules in Orleans Parish, LA — also called accessory dwelling unit regulations or granny flat ordinances — cover setbacks, owner-occupancy, parking, and permit requirements.
New Orleans permits accessory dwelling units (ADUs) in most residential districts under the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance. A detached ADU is an accessory structure, so within a required yard it is capped at 14 feet tall and must sit at least 3 feet from any lot line.
The city IS the parish (consolidated city-parish), so land use is governed directly by the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance (CZO). ADUs are a listed use standard in CZO Article 20 and, as detached accessory structures, follow the Article 21.6 development standards. Detached accessory structures within a required yard are limited to 14 feet in height and must be set back at least 3 feet from any lot line; combined detached accessory structures in the required rear yard may cover no more than 40% of that yard. District use tables in Articles 11-17 and any VCC/HDLC historic-district overlay control whether and where an ADU is allowed. A building permit from Safety and Permits is required.
Zoning and building violations are handled by the Department of Safety and Permits; unpermitted structures can be red-tagged, fined, and ordered removed or brought into compliance.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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See how Orleans Parish's adu rules rules stack up against other locations.
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