9 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 1 city in Orleans Parish, Louisiana.
Verified from official government sources
In New Orleans, grass and weeds may not exceed 10 inches on your lot or in the strip between your property line and the curb. Owners must cut, mow, and remove cuttings. The city cuts uncut lots and bills the owner.
New Orleans City Code Sec. 66-312
It is the duty of every owner of real estate within the city to at all times cut and mow the grass and weeds on their respective property and in the space between the property line and the curbline in front, rear and alongside thereof.
You may prune trees on your own private property, but no one may cut, disturb, or work on a New Orleans city tree (on the neutral ground, right-of-way, or planting strip) without prior approval from the Department of Parks and Parkways.
New Orleans City Code Sec. 106-212(b)
No person is permitted to remove, cut, disturb, or interfere in any way with any city tree without prior approval by the department.
You cannot remove a tree on New Orleans city property, a neutral ground, or the right-of-way without prior approval from the Department of Parks and Parkways. Only approved licensed arborists may do the work. Trees fully on your private land are generally not permitted-controlled.
New Orleans City Code Sec. 106-212(a)-(b)
Only arborists with prior approval from the department may perform work on city trees. No person is permitted to remove, cut, disturb, or interfere in any way with any city tree without prior approval by the department.
New Orleans requires owners to keep weeds and grass under 10 inches on their lot and the adjoining curb strip. Overgrown, blighted lots are enforced through Code Enforcement's lot-abatement (grass-cutting) program under Chapter 66.
New Orleans City Code Sec. 66-312
Failure to comply with the requirements of this section within seven days after delivery of notice shall be deemed a violation of section 66-312, and the city may perform corrective abatement action with costs borne by the owner without further notification.
New Orleans does not impose routine day-of-week or odd/even lawn-watering restrictions. The Sewerage & Water Board supplies water and may issue temporary conservation or boil-water advisories, but there is no standing drought-irrigation ban like in arid Western cities.
Louisiana does not ban rainwater harvesting, so New Orleans residents may collect rain in barrels and cisterns. For larger projects, the CZO actually requires on-site stormwater retention — capturing runoff is encouraged as green infrastructure.
New Orleans does not require homeowners to use native plants, but CZO Article 23 governs required landscaping for development and favors trees and green infrastructure. Native and drought-tolerant species are encouraged, not mandated, for single-family yards.
New Orleans has no ordinance banning artificial turf in yards, but it counts as an impervious surface. Because CZO Article 23 protects permeable ground and requires stormwater retention on larger sites, replacing lawn with non-permeable turf can trigger stormwater review.
New Orleans has no ordinance banning home composting, so residents may compost yard and food scraps. Composting must not create odor, rodent, or nuisance conditions, and dumping grass clippings or trimmings on city property is prohibited.
New Orleans City Code Sec. 106-212(k)
Dumping of grass clippings, tree trimmings, rocks or refuse of any nature on city property is prohibited.
1 cities in Orleans Parish have their own landscaping rules rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
See every category we cover for Orleans Parish — parking, noise, fences, fires, animals, pools, and more.
Orleans Parish Ordinance Hub →