Ascension Parish, LA Building Setbacks & Zoning: Structure Height Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Rural (R) max building height
- 35 feet
- Conservation / Conservation 5 max height
- 35 feet (same as Rural)
- Industrial districts (LI, MI, HI)
- no numeric height cap
- Tower/spire exception ceiling
- up to 250 feet (Sec. 17-2043)
- Tower footprint limit
- max 15% of lot area, 1,600 sf base
Summary
Table B of Ascension Parish's Unified Land Development Code caps building height at 35 feet in the Rural (R) district, the same limit used in the Conservation and Conservation 5 districts, while the code separately allows communication towers, spires and water tanks to exceed the district cap up to 250 feet under a dedicated tall-structures section.
DISTRICT ... MAXIMUM BLDG HEIGHT (FEET) ... R Rural ... 35 ft.
Full Breakdown
Table B, Site Requirements by District (Residential), sets the Rural (R) district's maximum building height at 35 feet, matching the cap used in the Conservation (C) and Conservation 5 (C5) districts and the parish's Mixed Use, Mixed Use 2 and Crossroad Commercial districts. Light Industrial, Medium Industrial and Heavy Industrial carry no numeric height cap ('NONE') under the same table. Section 17-2043, Tall Structures, layers an exception on top of the district caps: communication towers, spires and water tanks may be built higher than the district's Table B limit, up to a ceiling of 250 feet, provided the tower's footprint covers no more than 15 percent of the lot area at any level and the base does not exceed 1,600 square feet, and provided the exception is not itself used for residential or commercial activity.
The parish may also execute a development agreement increasing the height limit by up to 25 percent for accessory structures. Telecommunication towers specifically are further restricted under Section 17-2043(G) to a hard 250-foot ceiling measured to the highest point of the tower or antenna, and must set back from any residence or structure by a distance equal to the tower's height plus 30 feet. Any structure proposing to exceed the base district height cap for a reason other than these named exceptions needs a variance from the Zoning Board of Adjustment.
Violations & Fines
Constructing a building above the 35-foot Table B height limit without qualifying for the tall-structures exception in Section 17-2043 is a violation of the Unified Land Development Code under Section 17-2090(W)(1), carrying a fine of not less than $50.00 nor more than $500.00, up to 30 days in jail, or both, with each day of continued violation a separate offense; the Building Official may also revoke the building permit and order the excess height corrected.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall can a house be built in the Rural district in Ascension Parish?
Can a water tower or church spire be taller than the district limit?
Is there a height limit in the parish's industrial districts?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Ascension Parish
Compare Ascension Parish to another location·View the Louisiana building setbacks & zoning overview
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