Baton Rouge, LA Holiday Decorations: Lawn Ornament Rules (2026)

The East Baton Rouge Code of Ordinances does not regulate the number, size, or style of decorative lawn ornaments, statuary, fountains, or religious yard displays at single-family or duplex properties through City-Parish ordinance. Political signs are protected as First Amendment speech under the Reed v. Town of Gilbert content-neutrality framework and are governed by City-Parish sign provisions only for size — not content; signs in residential zones are generally permitted up to specified square footage. The City-Parish general property maintenance and nuisance provisions can address damaged or deteriorated ornaments only when they have become a blight condition under Code Enforcement standards. Historic districts (Beauregard Town, Spanish Town, Roseland Terrace-Drehr Place, Garden District) are governed by the Historic Preservation Commission. Temporary seasonal ornaments are typically exempt; permanent visible installations (statuary, masonry fountains, large-scale permanent decorative features) may require a Certificate of Appropriateness. HOA and subdivision associations retain authority under La. Civ. Code arts. 775-783 (building restrictions) to regulate exterior decorations through their declarations; the Louisiana Homeowners Association Act (La. R.S. 9:1141.1 et seq.) governs association procedure. The federal Freedom to Display the American Flag Act of 2005 prevents HOAs from banning reasonable U.S. flag displays. The Spanish Town Mardi Gras flamingos — a beloved local tradition of pink-flamingo lawn ornaments leading up to the Mardi Gras parade — illustrate that Baton Rouge lawn ornament culture is widely tolerated and even celebrated.