St. Tammany Parish, LA Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: Encroachment Permits (2026)

Section 35-26 requires prior approval of the parish governing authority, or permission from the appropriate authorized department, before anyone uses a parish right-of-way for any purpose. The section lists specific examples split by reviewing department: the department of public works approves placement of landscaping, permanent or mobile recreational structures, signs, and use of roads or streets for parades or other organized activity; the department of engineering approves subsurface drainage installations exceeding 50 (feet), gaining access to property, and placement of utilities under section 35-13. For anyone seeking to open a right-of-way access point to reach their property, section 35-27 lays out the application and conditions in detail.

The written application must include the purpose of the request, ownership information, right-of-way dedication status, any wetland determination or Corps of Engineers permits, and a site plan showing the proposed structure's relationship to the property and to the right-of-way. The parish may condition approval on requiring additional right-of-way dedication where existing widths fall short of Chapter 900 standards, a hold-harmless agreement, a binding maintenance obligation on the applicant until the parish accepts the access into its road maintenance system, and reimbursement of all parish expenses for improvements, utility relocation, engineering review, permits and damage.

A parish engineer must review and approve the road design and drainage plan, prepared by a state-licensed engineer, and the applicant must carry a liability insurance policy naming the parish as an insured party. Where central water and sewerage lines run within 1,000 feet along the right-of-way, an application to open or extend an unopened right-of-way must include provisions for concurrently installing central water and community sewerage service to the property.