Shreveport, LA Special Events & Permits: Parklets (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- § 78-139(b), Code of Ordinances
- Where allowed
- D-1 Downtown districts, except D-1 CMU
- First-year fee
- $200.00
- Renewal fee
- $100.00 per year
- Expires
- December 31 every year
- Pedestrian clearance
- 6 feet of sidewalk kept clear
- Issuing body
- Sidewalk permit committee (DDA, MPC, police, PW)
Summary
Shreveport has no ordinance for parklets built in parking spaces, but downtown restaurants can occupy adjoining sidewalk space under the sidewalk cafe and bistro permit in section 78-139(b). Permits run through a joint committee of the downtown development authority, MPC, police and public works, cost $200.00 the first year and $100.00 to renew, and expire every December 31.
A property owner or tenant selling food or beverages, including alcohol, for consumption on the premises in all city D-1 Downtown zoning districts, except for the D-1 CMU (Downtown Commercial Mixed-Use Zoning Sub-District), as defined in the City of Shreveport, Louisiana, Unified Development Code ("Shreveport UDC"), may occupy a portion of the sidewalk adjacent to the premises as further defined in subsection (f), when it has obtained a sidewalk permit pursuant to this section. ... Fee. The fee for the first permit granted for the use of an area of the public sidewalk shall be two hundred dollars ($200.00). The fee for the renewal of a permit shall be one hundred dollars ($100.00).
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 85 Update 1 | Unified Development Code: Supplement 20).
Full Breakdown
Section 78-139(b) is Shreveport's version of a parklet ordinance, and it only reaches downtown: a property owner or tenant selling food or beverages, including alcohol, for consumption on premises in a D-1 Downtown zoning district, other than the D-1 CMU sub-district, may occupy a portion of the adjoining sidewalk once a sidewalk permit is issued. The application goes to the sidewalk permit committee, made up of the executive director of the downtown development authority, the executive director of the metropolitan planning commission, the chief of police and the director of public works (or their designees), and it's filed through the MPC office.
The committee's own rules cover drawings of the requested area, furniture arrangement, age restrictions where alcohol service requires it, cleanup, and what containers can hold outdoor alcoholic drinks. The occupied footprint has to leave at least six feet of clear sidewalk for pedestrians, though on a D-1 block closed to vehicle traffic a permittee can use the sidewalk's full width. Applicants sign a hold harmless agreement and carry insurance approved by the risk manager before the committee will act. 00 a year, and every permit expires December 31 regardless of when it was issued.
The committee can revoke a permit for violating the section or its own rules, but only after a hearing with at least ten days' notice, and either side of that decision, denial or revocation, can be appealed to the city council.
Violations & Fines
A sidewalk permit is a revocable privilege, not a property right. The sidewalk permit committee can pull it for violating section 78-139, its own rules, or the specific conditions attached to the permit, but only after a hearing with ten days' written notice to the holder. The permit holder has ten days from that decision to appeal to the city council, whose ruling is final either way.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Shreveport allow parklets in parking spaces?
How much sidewalk can a restaurant use?
How long does a sidewalk permit last?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Shreveport
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