Lafayette Parish, LA Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: Obstruction Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Citation
- LCG Code § 78-3
- Penalty
- Misdemeanor; arrest for noncompliance
- City enforcement
- Lafayette Police Department
- Parish enforcement
- Lafayette Parish Sheriff's Office
- Covers
- Sidewalks, rights-of-way, alleys, entrances
Summary
Lafayette City-Parish law bans obstructing sidewalks, rights-of-way, alleys, and building entrances, including unauthorized sports equipment and crowds blocking pedestrian passage: enforced by police in the city and the sheriff in unincorporated parish areas, as a misdemeanor.
It shall be unlawful for any person to obstruct or cause to be obstructed any public space parallel to any sidewalk including linear streets, public rights of way, public alleys or any entrance or window of any building so as to prevent the free and proper use thereof... Any violation of this section shall constitute a misdemeanor.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 65).
Full Breakdown
Lafayette City-Parish Code Sec. 78-3 makes it unlawful to obstruct any public space parallel to a sidewalk, linear streets, public rights-of-way, public alleys, or building entrances and windows. It specifically bars unauthorized installation of basketball goals, sports training equipment, or homemade athletic apparatus in the right-of-way, and lets the enforcement officer order a crowd blocking pedestrian passage to disperse. The Lafayette Police Department enforces the rule inside the City of Lafayette; the Lafayette Parish Sheriff's Office enforces it in the unincorporated parish. Refusing to obey a dispersal order or otherwise violating the section is a misdemeanor and grounds for arrest.
Violations & Fines
Obstructing a sidewalk or right-of-way, installing unauthorized sports equipment in it, or ignoring a police or sheriff's dispersal order is a misdemeanor and can lead to arrest.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this rule apply outside the City of Lafayette?
Can I put a basketball goal at the edge of my driveway?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lafayette Parish
Compare Lafayette Parish to another location·View the Louisiana sidewalk & pedestrian rules overview
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