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 protects 'city trees' — any tree on city property, neutral ground, right-of-way, or planting strip. Only Louisiana-licensed arborists with department approval may work on them, and no person may remove, cut, disturb, or interfere with a city tree without prior approval. The department will investigate a written owner request to prune or remove a public tree adjoining their property and act if the tree substantially interferes with lawful use. Trees on your own land are generally yours to prune, subject to the civil-code neighbor rules for encroaching branches.
Working on a city tree without approval, or injuring one, violates Ch. 106; the responsible person must repair or replace the tree to the department's satisfaction, plus applicable penalties.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
orleans-parish-la
It is unlawful to be in a public park or playground supervised by the parkway and park commission between 10:30 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. New Orleans also enforces ...
orleans-parish-la
The CZO caps spillover light at your property line: no more than 0.5 foot-candle at a residential property line and 1.0 foot-candle at a non-residential or p...
orleans-parish-la
The CZO requires exterior lighting to be fully shielded and directed downward. Light poles and building-mounted fixtures must use fully shielded luminaires, ...
orleans-parish-la
Temporary garage/yard sale signs are allowed without a permit but may not exceed 9 square feet each. They may go up no more than 24 hours before the sale and...
orleans-parish-la
Political and non-commercial message signs are allowed in every zoning district without a permit. They are capped at 6 square feet in residential districts a...
orleans-parish-la
New Orleans has no special tiny-home category. A permanent tiny house on a foundation is regulated as a dwelling or accessory dwelling unit under the CZO and...
See how Orleans Parish's tree trimming rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.