St. Martin Parish, LA Building Setbacks & Zoning: Setback Rules (2026)

The Schedule of Zoning District Regulations in Appendix C sets yards district by district. Front yards: 50 feet in A-1 and A-2; 30 feet in R-1, R-1R, I-1, I-2 and W-3; 25 feet in R-2; 20 feet in R-3, R-4, C-2, C-3 and W-2; 10 feet in C-1. Side yards in R-1, R-1R, R-2 and R-3 total 20% of lot width with a minimum of five feet; A-1 and A-2 use the same 20% total with one yard of 20 feet; R-4 requires a minimum of 10 feet and W-2 requires 10 feet. Residential and agricultural rear yards are 20% of lot depth, not required to exceed 25 feet, and W-2 sets 25 feet. The C-1, C-2, C-3, I-1 and I-2 districts print None for side and rear yards. R-1R also yields to the subdivision covenant or R-1 requirements, whichever is most restrictive. In I-3 and I-4 the department of planning and development sets yard or buffer requirements through the development permit process.

Art. V Supplementary Regulations [Sec. 4] adds placement rules. A commercial or industrial lot that abuts a residential lot must provide a yard along the abutting line equal to the residential district's. A corner lot needs a side yard on the side street equal to one-half the required front yard depth. If forty (40) percent or more of the frontage on the same side of the street between two intersecting streets is improved with buildings that have front yards less than required, no building need be set back more than their average front yard depth. Covered but unenclosed areas project into required yards not more than ten (10) feet and no closer than four (4) feet to any lot line. Accessory buildings stay at least three (3) feet from a lot line, sit in a required side yard only when at least sixty (60) feet from the front lot line, and cannot exceed forty (40) percent of the required rear yard area. Under art. VIII § 6(c), the Board of Adjustment, which is the Parish Council, can vary yard requirements for exceptionally irregular, narrow, shallow, or steep lots, with no petition fee under § 8.