Jefferson Parish, LA Building Setbacks & Zoning: Setback Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Front yard
- 20 ft, floor 10 ft on tight blocks
- Side yards
- 20% of lot width, 5 ft min each
- Rear yard
- 20% of lot depth, 15-25 ft range
- Minimum lot
- 5,000 sq ft, 50 ft x 100 ft
- Corner lot side street
- 10 ft (5 ft for accessory building)
- Variance appeal deadline
- 30 days from director's decision
Summary
Jefferson Parish's R-1A single-family district sets a 20-foot front yard, two side yards totaling at least 20 percent of lot width with a 5-foot floor on each, and a rear yard equal to 20 percent of lot depth, never less than 15 feet, under Code Sec. 40-94. Corner lots, through lots, and blocks with a shorter average front yard get their own adjustments, and only the board of zoning adjustments can waive them.
(a)Yard.(1)Front yard.a.There shall be a front yard having a depth of not less than twenty (20) feet. Where the average front yard of lots improved with buildings within one hundred (100) feet, measured from the outer corners of the front property line of the subject property on both sides of the property and of the street, within the same zoning district, is less than the minimum required front yard, the front yard on the subject property may be the average of the of the existing yards; however no front yard shall be less than ten (10) feet.(2)Side yard.a.There shall be two (2) side yards, one (1) on each side of the building, having a combined width of not less than twenty (20) percent of the width of the lot; provided that in no case shall either side yard be less than five (5) feet and provided further, that the combined width of the two (2) side yards need not exceed ten (10) feet.(3)Rear yard.a.There shall be a rear yard having a depth of not less than twenty (20) percent of the depth of the lot provided, however, that the depth of such rear yard shall be not less than fifteen (15) feet and need not exceed twenty-five (25) feet.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 20 Update 2).
Full Breakdown
Sec. 40-94 of the Jefferson Parish Code fixes the front, side and rear yards for every lot in the R-1A Single-Family Residential District. The front yard runs at least 20 feet deep, but the code lets that shrink to match the block: if the average front yard of the improved lots within 100 feet on both sides is shorter, a new house may match that average, though the front yard can never drop below 10 feet no matter how tight the neighboring setbacks are. Through lots, parcels fronting two streets, must provide the full front yard on both street frontages.
Side yards must total at least 20 percent of the lot's width, split between two yards, with neither side yard smaller than 5 feet and the combined width of the two never required to exceed 10 feet. On a corner lot, the side yard facing the side street must be at least 10 feet, though a detached accessory building may sit as close as 5 feet to that side street line if the lot behind the corner lot does not itself front that street. A nonresidential principal use, other than an accessory building under 500 square feet, must keep at least 10 feet from any residentially zoned lot line.
The rear yard must equal at least 20 percent of the lot's depth, but never less than 15 feet and never required to exceed 25 feet. A conforming R-1A lot needs a minimum area of 5,000 square feet, 50 feet of width and 100 feet of depth. A homeowner who cannot meet these numbers can ask the board of zoning adjustments for a variance under Sec. 40-792(3)a, but the board may only grant one after finding, per Sec. 40-793(2), that the lot carries a hardship or special condition the applicant did not create and that is not shared by other lots in the district.
Appeals and variance applications go to the board within 30 days of the building permits director's decision under Sec. 40-794(b), and an approved variance lapses if construction has not started within two years under Sec. 40-793(1)c.
Violations & Fines
Building or expanding a structure inside these setbacks without a variance is a zoning violation under Sec. 33-1.13: the parish can withhold or revoke permits, order a stop-work, and deny future permits on the property until the encroachment is fixed. The parish first mails a written notice giving 10 days to cure; if the encroachment isn't corrected, it can issue a citation, and each additional day counts as a separate violation. The parish attorney may also seek an injunction in district court to force compliance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I build closer than 20 feet from the street in Jefferson Parish's R-1A district?
How wide do side yards need to be on an R-1A lot?
What if my project needs a smaller setback than R-1A allows?
Do corner lots get different setback rules in Jefferson Parish?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Jefferson Parish
Compare Jefferson Parish to another location·View the Louisiana building setbacks & zoning overview
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