9 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 1 city in East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana.
Verified from official government sources
The City of Baton Rouge / Parish of East Baton Rouge caps grass and weeds at twelve inches. Vegetation that reaches or exceeds that height for more than two weeks is a code violation the owner must correct.
Baton Rouge Code of Ordinances Sec. 12:351
Property owners must maintain grass and weeds so they do not reach a height of more than twelve (12) inches and remain at that height (or higher) for more than two weeks.
On private land, Louisiana Civil Code Art. 688 lets you demand a neighbor trim branches or roots that cross your line, at their expense. Trees on public right-of-way need a City-Parish permit before pruning.
La. Civil Code Art. 688
A landowner has the right to demand that the branches or roots of a neighbor's trees, bushes, or plants, that extend over or into his property be trimmed at the expense of the neighbor.
There is no permit to cut trees in your own residential yard. Removing a tree in the public right-of-way needs a City-Parish permit, and land clearing on sites of 2.5 acres or more triggers UDC tree-preservation rules.
Baton Rouge UDC Sec. 18.5(A)
A permit from the Development Department is required to remove any tree or shrub growing within the public right-of-way or other public property.
Overgrown weeds and brush are a nuisance in East Baton Rouge Parish. Sec. 12:351 caps grass and weeds at twelve inches, and City-Parish material treats weeds and brush that reach eight inches as an actionable nuisance.
Baton Rouge Code of Ordinances Title 12, Ch. 5 (Weeds)
Weeds and brush that reach a height of eight inches are considered a nuisance and a violation of the City of Baton Rouge, Parish of East Baton Rouge Code of Ordinances.
East Baton Rouge Parish sets no routine odd/even lawn-watering restriction. Water comes from the deep Southern Hills Aquifer via the private Baton Rouge Water Company, so day-of-week irrigation limits like those common in surface-water systems do not apply here.
East Baton Rouge Parish has no ordinance regulating residential rain barrels or rainwater collection, and Louisiana places no statewide ban on harvesting rain. Homeowners may collect roof runoff for garden use; follow health and plumbing rules for potable connections.
There is no rule forcing homeowners to plant native species, but the UDC uses native trees in its standards: mitigation for removed significant trees on large sites must be native Class A trees, and development landscaping must meet Chapter 18 planting requirements.
Baton Rouge UDC Sec. 18.6.1(B)
For mitigation of removed significant trees, each tree removed beyond the 80% allowance, the owner or developer shall plant two replacement native Class A trees.
East Baton Rouge Parish has no ordinance banning or specifically regulating residential artificial turf. Synthetic grass is generally allowed on private property, though it does not satisfy any required-landscaping planting under the UDC for development projects.
East Baton Rouge Parish actively encourages backyard composting and offers discounted compost bins. Yard debris is also collected curbside: leaves and grass go in bags and brush in bundles under the City-Parish out-of-cart service.
1 cities in East Baton Rouge Parish have their own landscaping rules rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
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