Shreveport's Building Setbacks & Zoning: The Rules That Matter

Every city handles building setbacks & zoning a little differently. In Shreveport, Louisiana, there are 3 distinct rules that residents and property owners should be aware of. Some are stricter than what neighboring cities enforce, and others are more relaxed. Here is what you need to know.

Lot Coverage Limits

Shreveport's Unified Development Code sets two separate caps on every lot: maximum building coverage and maximum impervious surface. Table 4-1 fixes both by zoning district, so a large-lot R-A parcel is held far tighter than a small R-1-5 lot.

Key details: Governing table: UDC Table 4-1, residential districts. R-1-7 building coverage: 50 percent maximum. R-1-7 impervious surface: 60 percent maximum. R-A building coverage: 25 percent maximum. Pervious paving credit: Counts as 50 percent impervious.

Coverage over the district cap blocks the building permit. Building without one draws UDC enforcement, with each day counted as a separate offense.

Setback Rules

Required front, interior side, corner side and rear setbacks in Shreveport come from Unified Development Code Table 4-1 and change district by district. Article 7 then lists which accessory structures and architectural features may encroach into those required setbacks.

Key details: R-1-7 front setback: 20 feet minimum. R-1-7 interior side setback: 5 feet minimum. R-A front setback: 30 feet minimum. Rear setback, most residential: 15 feet minimum. Accessory structure lot-line distance: Three feet minimum.

A structure inside a required setback is a UDC violation. Correction means removal, relocation, or a variance from the Board of Zoning Adjustment.

Structure Height Limits

Every Shreveport residential zoning district caps building height at 35 feet, measured from grade to the highest point of the roof. Commercial and industrial districts run higher, and downtown sub-districts follow a separate figure rather than a single number.

Key details: Residential districts: 35 feet maximum. R-4 multi-family: No maximum height. C-3 and C-4 commercial: 50 feet maximum. Height measured from: Grade to highest roof point. Exempt features: Chimneys, steeples, water tanks, penthouses.

Exceeding the district height without the added yard depth voids the permit. Enforcement runs under UDC Article 19, with each day a separate offense.

The Bottom Line

Shreveport's building setbacks & zoning rules are a mixed bag. Some areas are strict, others are relaxed, and the details matter. The best approach is to check the specific rule that applies to your situation rather than assuming Shreveport is broadly strict or permissive.

These rules come from Shreveport's publicly available municipal code. For complete penalty schedules, exemption details, and answers to common questions, see the individual ordinance pages throughout this guide.