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Shreveport, LA Environmental Rules: Coastal Development (2026)

Few Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Coastal Use Permit
Not required: outside coastal zone
Governing chapter
Code Ch. 34, Flood Prevention
Flood maps
Caddo Parish FIS, May 19, 2014
Red River SFHA elevation
1.5 feet above high water mark
Permit before construction
Development permit, Sec. 34-46

Summary

Shreveport sits on the Red River in northwest Louisiana, far outside the state Coastal Zone, so no Coastal Use Permit is required. Development near water is instead controlled by the city's floodplain, drainage and erosion ordinances.

Encroachments, including fill, new construction, substantial improvements and other development shall be prohibited unless a technical evaluation demonstrates that encroachments shall not result in any increase in flood levels during the occurrence of the base flood discharge.

Source: Shreveport Code of Ordinances & Unified Development CodeView official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 85 Update 1 | Unified Development Code: Supplement 20).

Full Breakdown

Louisiana's Coastal Use Permit program under La. R.S. 49:214.21 et seq. reaches only the parishes inside the statutory coastal zone boundary (La. R.S. 49:214.24), which runs from Cameron and Calcasieu east to St. Tammany. Caddo Parish is not in it. What governs waterfront work in Shreveport is Chapter 34: a development permit before any construction in a special flood hazard area (Sec. 34-46), FEMA maps from the Caddo Parish Flood Insurance Study dated May 19, 2014, and the city's own Red River Special Flood Hazard Area map, which supersedes other maps. Corps of Engineers Section 404 authorization applies where wetlands or waters of the United States are disturbed.

Violations & Fines

Building in a flood hazard area without a development permit is a misdemeanor punished under Sec. 1-14, plus injunctive action by the city.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a Louisiana Coastal Use Permit in Shreveport?
No. The coastal zone boundary in La. R.S. 49:214.24 stops far south of Caddo Parish. Shreveport is on the Red River, not the coast.
What replaces coastal permitting here?
City floodplain development permits under Chapter 34, plus the drainage, detention and erosion-control permits in Articles III and IV, and federal Section 404 review for wetlands.
Is the Red River floodplain treated differently?
Yes. In the Red River Special Flood Hazard Area, encroachments are prohibited absent a technical no-rise evaluation, and lowest floors must sit 1.5 feet above the high water mark.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Shreveport

Parking Rules: Street Parking LimitsSome RestrictionsParking Rules: RV & Boat ParkingSome RestrictionsErosion ControlHeavy RestrictionsFlood Elevation RequirementsSome RestrictionsFlood ZonesSome RestrictionsBoat Dock PermitsSome RestrictionsStormwater ManagementHeavy RestrictionsParking Rules: Preferential Parking DistrictsSome RestrictionsParking Rules: Commercial & Oversized VehiclesSignificant RestrictionsParking Rules: Curb Color RulesSome RestrictionsParking Rules: Driveway RulesSome Restrictions

All Shreveport rules

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