East Baton Rouge Parish, LA Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: Obstruction Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing sections
- §§ 2:50, 2:51, 2:52, 2:60
- Enforcing agency
- Director of Public Works
- Maximum fine
- $200 per Sec. 2:60
- Maximum jail term
- 60 days
- Continuing violation
- Each day is a separate offense
- Applies to
- City of Baton Rouge and unincorporated parish
Summary
Baton Rouge City-Parish Code § 2:50 bars any structure, wall, fence, steps, posts or other obstruction on a street, alley, sidewalk or public place without council permission. The Director of Public Works orders removal, and ignoring that order is a separate misdemeanor carrying up to a $200 fine or 60 days in jail.
No temporary or permanent structure or building or part thereof, or wall, fence, steps, posts or other obstruction shall be erected or permitted to remain after being erected, on any street, alley, sidewalk or other public place, except by permission of the council, and except as is provided in section 2:152 (b). Nothing in this section shall be construed as prohibiting the display of wares as is provided for in section 2:152 (a). ... It shall be the duty of the director of public works to notify the owner of any structure or encroachment prohibited in section 2:50, ... to remove same within a reasonable time specified by the director. It shall be unlawful to fail to comply with such removal order. ... Any person violating any of the provisions of this part shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof shall be subject to a fine not to exceed two hundred dollars ($200.00) or imprisoned not more than sixty (60) days, or both, at the discretion of the court, and each day such violation is committed or permitted to continue shall constitute a separate offense and shall be punishable as such hereunder.
Full Breakdown
Section 2:50(a) prohibits erecting or leaving standing any temporary or permanent structure, building, wall, fence, steps, posts, or other obstruction on a street, alley, sidewalk, or other public place anywhere in the city or parish, unless the Metropolitan Council grants permission. The code carves out one exception: the display of wares under section 2:152(a) is not treated as a prohibited obstruction. A related provision, section 2:51, separately treats rubbish and excess dirt left on a street, alley, sidewalk, or public place after erecting or repairing a building, or after a street cut, as an obstruction once a reasonable removal period has passed.
Excavations, defacements, or construction on any street, alley, sidewalk, or public place also require either council permission or, for street cuts, a permit from the Department of Public Works under sections 2:130 through 2:134 (section 2:53). Enforcement runs through section 2:52: the Director of Public Works must notify the owner of any structure or encroachment barred by section 2:50, or the owner or contractor responsible for a section 2:51 obstruction, to remove it within a reasonable time set by the Director. Failing to comply with that removal order is itself unlawful.
Section 2:50 traces to both City Code 1951, Title 2, § 50 and Parish Code 1962, Title 2, § 60, so it binds property owners inside Baton Rouge city limits and in unincorporated East Baton Rouge Parish alike.
Violations & Fines
Violating any provision of Part II (sections 2:50 through 2:60), including ignoring a Director of Public Works removal order under section 2:52, is a misdemeanor under section 2:60. Conviction carries a fine of up to $200, up to 60 days imprisonment, or both, at the court's discretion, and each day the obstruction continues is a separate, independently punishable offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I put up a fence or storage shed on the sidewalk or street right-of-way in Baton Rouge?
What happens if I don't remove an obstruction after the city tells me to?
Does this obstruction rule apply outside Baton Rouge city limits, in the rest of East Baton Rouge Parish?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in East Baton Rouge Parish
Compare East Baton Rouge Parish to another location·View the Louisiana sidewalk & pedestrian rules overview
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