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Jefferson Parish, LA Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: Obstruction Rules (2026)

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

Key Facts

General rule
No obstructions in right-of-way except listed exceptions
Mailbox setback
25 ft from intersection, 15 ft from driveway
Decorative piping
Max 4 ft tall, 3 in diameter, capped
Plant clear zone
Must clear view between 2.5 and 7 feet up
Removal
Parish removes at owner's expense, no compensation
Enforcement
General Code penalty under section 1-10

Summary

Jefferson Parish bars placing almost anything in its road rights-of-way, the strip between the paved street and the property line, unless it fits a narrow list of exceptions. Curbside mailboxes, decorative piping, plants and shrubs, permitted signs, and leased commercial parking are allowed only if they meet exact size, spacing, and clearance rules set by the department of public works.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of Jefferson Parish. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

(a)The right-of-way is held by the parish primarily for the purpose of pedestrian and vehicular passage and for the parish's provision of essential public safety services, including police, fire and emergency medical response services, and public health services, including sanitary sewer, water and storm drainage. The purpose of this section is to provide standards in order to maintain the safety and the visual character of the parish's right-of-way.(b)It shall be unlawful for any person to place or cause to be placed any type of obstruction on or within proximity of any parish right-of-way except for the following:... (f)Any person who violates any provision of this section shall be punished as set forth in section 1-10 of this Code.

View 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 20 Update 2).

Full Breakdown

Section 29-6 declares the parish's rights-of-way reserved for pedestrian and vehicular passage and for utilities like police, fire, EMS, sewer, water, and drainage, and makes it unlawful to place any obstruction in or near one without qualifying for a listed exception. A curbside mailbox must sit at least 25 feet from an intersection and 15 feet from a driveway, with its bottom 42 inches above the top of curb, mounted on a breakaway post no larger than a 4-inch-by-4-inch wood post. Decorative piping is capped at 4 feet tall and 3 inches in diameter, spaced at least 10 feet apart and never set in concrete, and is barred entirely along interstates, major and minor arterials, and collector streets absent a written exception from public works.

5 feet and 7 feet above the roadway surface so they do not block a driver's or pedestrian's view, and none may be planted along an interstate, arterial, or collector street without parish council approval. A non-residential property owner who wants extra right-of-way parking beyond the zoning code's requirement must lease the space from the parish through the parish attorney's office, screen it with a 2-foot landscape barrier, and get council approval by resolution. Anything placed in violation is deemed abandoned and can be removed by the department of public works at the owner's expense, without compensation, though the department gives at least 10 days' notice before removing an object placed under a permitted exception, except in an emergency.

Violations & Fines

Placing an unauthorized obstruction in the right-of-way is punished under the parish's general Code penalty in section 1-10. Beyond a fine, the object itself is treated as abandoned parish property: the department of public works can remove or destroy it at the owner's expense and owes no compensation for the loss, whether or not the object was ever permitted.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I plant a hedge along the street on the strip in front of my house?
Only if it does not block sightlines for drivers and pedestrians between 2.5 feet and 7 feet above the road surface, and only with parish approval if your street is an interstate, arterial, or collector. On an ordinary local street, plants and shrubs are allowed in the right-of-way as long as they meet that clear-vision window and do not interfere with utilities.
Where can I legally put my mailbox?
Your curbside mailbox must sit at least 25 feet from an intersection and 15 feet from a driveway entrance, mounted on a breakaway post such as a 4-by-4 wood post, with the bottom of the box 42 inches above the top of the curb. It also has to meet U.S. Postal Service specifications and cannot block a driver's view or resemble a traffic sign.
What happens if I put something in the right-of-way that doesn't meet the rules?
The department of public works can treat it as abandoned property and remove or destroy it at your expense, without paying you anything for the loss, and you can also be cited under the parish's general penalty section. The department gives 10 days' notice before removing a previously permitted item, except in an emergency, but nothing requires notice for something that was never authorized.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Jefferson Parish

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