Zoning › Louisiana › East Baton Rouge County › Baton Rouge

Baton Rouge, LA Zoning

Euclidean-zoning. 49 districts · 10 overlays · 4 applicable state preemptions.

Overview

Code type
euclidean
Naming convention
letter-code

Letter-code with embedded use/density semantics. RE/A3 and RE/A1 use acre-suffix (3 ac, 1 ac). A-family decimal suffixes (A1, A2, A2.7, A2.1, A2.6, A2.5, A2.9, A3.1, A3.2, A3.3, A4) gesture at density tier without strict formula — A1=4.1 du/ac, A2=5.8, A2.7=7.3, A2.1=7.9, A2.6/A2.5/A3.1=11.5, A3.2=17.4, A3.3=29.0, A4=43.6. Two-letter codes for office (NO, NC, GOL, GOH), three-letter for commercial intensity (LC1/2/3, HC1/2), M-series industrial, mnemonic codes for special purpose (C-AB-1, C-AB-2, CG, GA, X). PD family (ISPUD, SPUD, PUD, TND) is a discretionary alternative track, NOT default — code remains euclidean rather than hybrid-pd. Chapter 8 §8.1 enumerates 49 base/special/inactive districts; Chapter 11 carries dimensional regulations Tables 11.A–11.G keyed by district code; Chapter 9 carries use list per district. The City of Baton Rouge and unincorporated East Baton Rouge Parish are governed by a single consolidated UDC under the 1947 Plan of Government.

Worth knowing
  • Consolidated city-parish: The City of Baton Rouge and unincorporated East Baton Rouge Parish are governed by a single Unified Development Code (EBR-UDC) under the 1947 Plan of Government. Zoning is administered jointly by the City-Parish Planning Commission.
  • Pre-1974 home rule (art. VI §4) — strongest preemption resistance in Louisiana. Joins New Orleans and Jefferson Parish as the three §4 charter jurisdictions. State statutes lacking explicit §4 override language do not bind the City-Parish.
  • Density-encoded residential ladder via A-family decimal suffixes — A1=4.1 du/ac → A4=43.6 du/ac. Decimal does NOT mean lot-size-in-thousands and is NOT a sequential index; it is a hand-selected density tier label. The arithmetic min_lot_sf → du/ac matches each district's stated maximum.

+ 13 more in Quirks & notes

Districts

spec 14com 9res_sf 8ind 6res_mf 5off 4res_th 2cbd 1
CodeNameCategory Min lotHeight CoverageFAR Du/acParking Setbacks F/S/R
RE/A3Residential Estate/Agriculture — 3 acresres_sf130,680 sf[4]35 ft[5]————100[1] / 25[2] / 25[3]
RE/A1Residential Estate/Agriculture — 1 acreres_sf43,560 sf[9]35 ft[10]————100[6] / 25[7] / 25[8]
A1Single Family Residential (A1)res_sf10,500 sf[14]35 ft[15]——4.1[16]—15[11] / 8[12] / 25[13]
RRural (R)res_sf[{'variant': 'Ag/Rural Future Land Use', 'value': 43560, 'citation': "§Table 11.A row 'With Ag/Rural Future Land Use'"}, {'variant': 'Other Future Land Use', 'value': 6000, 'citation': '§Table 11.A row outside Ag/Rural'}] sf[20]35 ft[21]——[{'variant': 'Ag/Rural Future Land Use', 'value': 1.0, 'citation': '§8.4.1.D — min 1 ac/du'}, {'variant': 'Other Future Land Use', 'value': 4.1, 'citation': '§8.4.1.D — max 4.1 du/ac'}][22]—15[17] / [{'variant': 'Ag/Rural Future Land Use', 'value': 25, 'citation': '§Table 11.A'}, {'variant': 'Other Future Land Use', 'value': 5, 'citation': '§Table 11.A'}][18] / 25[19]
A2Single Family Residential (A2)res_sf7,500 sf[26]35 ft[27]——5.8[28]—15[23] / 5[24] / 25[25]
A2.7Single Family Residential (A2.7)res_sf6,000 sf[32]35 ft[33]——7.3[34]—15[29] / 5[30] / 25[31]
A2.1Zero Lot Line Residential (A2.1)res_sf5,500 sf[38]35 ft[39]——7.9[40]—15[35] / 5[36] / 25[37]
A2.9Two-Family (A2.9)res_th7,500 sf[44]35 ft[45]————20[41] / 10[42] / 25[43]
A2.6Zero Lot Line Residential — medium density (A2.6)res_sf3,800 sf[49]35 ft[50]——11.5[51]—15[46] / 5[47] / 20[48]
A2.5Town House (A2.5)res_th2,000 sf[55]35 ft[56]——11.5[57]—10[52] / 5[53] / 20[54]
A3.1Limited Residential (A3.1)res_mf3,800 sf[61]35 ft[62]——11.5[63]—20[58] / [{'variant': 'default', 'value': 5, 'citation': '§Table 11.C'}, {'variant': 'abutting A1/A2.1/A2.5/A2.6/A2.7', 'value': 20, 'citation': '§11.2.4.B'}][59] / [{'variant': 'default', 'value': 25, 'citation': '§Table 11.C'}, {'variant': 'abutting A1/A2.1/A2.5/A2.6/A2.7', 'value': 20, 'citation': '§11.2.4.C'}][60]
A3.2Medium Density Multi-Family Residential (A3.2)res_mf6,000 sf[67]35 ft[68]——17.4[69]—20[64] / [{'variant': 'default', 'value': 10, 'citation': '§Table 11.C'}, {'variant': 'abutting A1/A2.1/A2.5/A2.6/A2.7', 'value': 20, 'citation': '§11.2.4.B'}][65] / 25[66]
A3.3High Density Multi-Family Residential (A3.3)res_mf6,000 sf[73]35 ft[74]——29[75]—20[70] / 10[71] / 20[72]
A4General Residential (A4)res_mf6,000 sf[79]45 ft[80]——43.6[81]—10[76] / 5[77] / 20[78]
NONeighborhood Office (NO)off6,000 sf[85]35 ft[86]————20[82] / 5[83] / 25[84]
NCNeighborhood Commercial (NC)com6,000 sf[90]35 ft[91]————20[87] / 5[88] / 25[89]
NC-ABNeighborhood Commercial Alcoholic Beverage (NC-AB)com—35 ft[95]————20[92] / 5[93] / 25[94]
GOLGeneral Office Low Rise (GOL)off7,500 sf[98]50 ft[99]————10[96] / — / 20[97]
GOHGeneral Office High Rise (GOH)off7,500 sf[102]75 ft[103]————10[100] / — / 20[101]
LC1Light Commercial One (LC1)com6,000 sf[106]45 ft[107]————10[104] / — / 20[105]
LC2Light Commercial Two (LC2)com7,500 sf[110]45 ft[111]————10[108] / — / 20[109]
LC3Light Commercial Three (LC3)com7,500 sf[114]45 ft[115]————10[112] / — / 20[113]
HC1Heavy Commercial One (HC1)com7,500 sf[118]75 ft[119]————10[116] / — / 20[117]
HC2Heavy Commercial Two (HC2)com7,500 sf[122]75 ft[123]————10[120] / — / 20[121]
C5Business (C5)cbd6,000 sf[127]180 ft[128]—————[124] / —[125] / —[126]
CW1Commercial Warehousing One (CW1)ind10,500 sf[131]45 ft[132]————25[129] / — / 20[130]
CW3Commercial Warehousing Three (CW3)ind10,500 sf[134]45 ft[135]————25[133] / — / —
M1Light Industrial (M1)ind15,000 sf[137]—[138]————25[136] / — / —
M2Heavy Industrial (M2)ind217,800 sf[142]—[143]————25[139] / 100[140] / 100[141]
C-AB-1Commercial Alcoholic Beverage (restaurant) (C-AB-1)spec——————10[144] / — / —[145]
C-AB-2Commercial Alcoholic Beverage (bar/lounge) (C-AB-2)spec——————10[146] / — / —[147]
CGCommercial Gaming (CG)spec7,500 sf[149]—[150]————10[148] / — / —
GAGeneral Airport (GA)spec4,000 sf[152]95 ft[153]————10[151] / — / —
XAdult Business (X)spec7,500 sf[155]—[156]————10[154] / — / —
ISPUDInfill Small Planned Unit Development (ISPUD)spec—[157]—[158]————— / — / —
SPUDSmall Planned Unit Development (SPUD)spec—[159]—[160]————— / — / —
PUDPlanned Unit Development (PUD)spec—[161]—[162]————— / — / —
TNDTraditional Neighborhood Development (TND)spec—[163]—[164]————— / — / —
BDDBluebonnet Design District (BDD)spec—[165]—[166]————— / — / —
HDDHighland Design District (HDD)spec[{'variant': 'Two-Family (Table 11.B)', 'value': 1000, 'citation': '§Table 11.B HDD row (40 ft width / 4,000 sf in alternate row)'}, {'variant': 'Two-Family (Table 11.B, large-lot variant)', 'value': 4000, 'citation': '§Table 11.B HDD second row'}, {'variant': 'Nonresidential (Table 11.G)', 'value': 7500, 'citation': '§Table 11.G HDD row'}] sf[170][{'variant': 'Two-Family (Table 11.B small)', 'value': 20, 'citation': '§Table 11.B HDD row 1'}, {'variant': 'Two-Family (Table 11.B large)', 'value': 25, 'citation': '§Table 11.B HDD row 2'}, {'variant': 'Nonresidential (Table 11.G)', 'value': 25, 'citation': '§Table 11.G HDD row'}] ft[171]————20[167] / 5[168] / —[169]
A5High-Rise Apartments (A5) [INACTIVE]res_mf12,000 sf[172]165 ft[173]——87.1[174]—— / — / —
BOff-Street Parking (B) [INACTIVE]spec6,000 sf[175]45 ft[176]————— / — / —
B1Transition (B1) [INACTIVE]off6,000 sf[177]45 ft[178]————— / — / —
C1Light Commercial (C1) [INACTIVE]com7,500 sf[179]45 ft[180]————— / — / —
C2Heavy Commercial (C2) [INACTIVE]com7,500 sf[181]45 ft[182]————— / — / —
CWCommercial Warehousing (CW) [INACTIVE]ind10,500 sf[183]45 ft[184]————— / — / —
CW2Commercial Warehousing Two (CW2) [INACTIVE]ind——[185]————— / — / —
GUGovernment Use (GU) [INACTIVE]spec6,000 sf[186]—[187]————— / — / —
JDDJefferson Highway Design District (JDD) [INACTIVE]spec—[188]—————— / — / —

Confidence: confirmed partial under review not found

Overlays

AOD
Airport Overlay District
AP
§10.2 (Sections 10.2.1 Purpose through 10.2.7 Permits)

Geographic — areas within the height-zone polygons surrounding Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport (Ryan Field, BTR/KBTR) as shown on the official zoning atlas. Approach, transition, horizontal, and conical zones per FAA Part 77 imaginary surfaces.

approach_zone_slope_precision1:50 (inner 10,000 ft) / 1:40 (outer)
approach_zone_slope_non_precision1:34
transition_zone_slope1:7
horizontal_zone_ft_above_airport_elevation150
conical_zone_outer_ft_above_airport_elevation420
faa_notice_formFAA Form 7460-1 — Notice of Proposed Construction or Alteration
non_conforming_use_regime§10.2.5 (existing non-conforming structures regulated; expansion restricted)
federal_overlay_refs14 CFR Part 77 — Safe, Efficient Use, and Preservation of the Navigable Airspace; FAA Form 7460-1
DREHR
Drehr Place Historic Overlay
HP
§10.4.2

Geographic — the Drehr Place neighborhood as shown on the official zoning atlas (NRHP-listed historic district).

review_authorityHistoric Preservation Commission
review_typeCertificate of Appropriateness for exterior alteration, demolition, new construction
national_register_statusNRHP-listed
SPANISH
Spanish Town Historic Overlay
HP
§10.4.3

Geographic — the Spanish Town neighborhood as shown on the official zoning atlas (NRHP-listed historic district; Baton Rouge's oldest residential neighborhood).

review_authorityHistoric Preservation Commission
review_typeCertificate of Appropriateness for exterior alteration, demolition, new construction
national_register_statusNRHP-listed
BBDO
Bluebonnet Boulevard Design Overlay
COR
§10.3.3

Geographic — properties fronting Bluebonnet Boulevard within the corridor boundary on the official zoning atlas.

design_standards_reference§10.3.2 General Design Standards + §10.3.3 corridor-specific provisions
paired_base_districtBDD (Bluebonnet Design District) for properties within the paired base zone
DDO
Downtown Design Overlay
DT
§10.3.4

Geographic — the Downtown Design Overlay boundary on the official zoning atlas, generally aligned with the Downtown Character Area and Central Business District.

use_table_referenceTable 10.3.4.A — Uses Permitted in the Downtown Design Overlay
paired_base_districtC5 (Business) and surrounding Downtown Character Area
design_standards_reference§10.3.2 General Design Standards + §10.3.4 downtown-specific provisions
DESIGN-SIBLINGS
Corridor Design Overlays (representative — Government Street + 8 siblings)
COR
§10.3.5–§10.3.12 (Drusilla Jefferson §10.3.5; Florida Boulevard §10.3.6; Government Street §10.3.7; Jefferson Highway §10.3.8; Nicholson Drive §10.3.9; North Gate §10.3.10; Oak Villa Boulevard §10.3.11; Old Hammond Highway §10.3.12)

Geographic — corridor boundaries on the official zoning atlas for each named arterial.

siblingsDrusilla Jefferson (§10.3.5); Florida Boulevard (§10.3.6); Government Street (§10.3.7); Jefferson Highway (§10.3.8); Nicholson Drive (§10.3.9); North Gate (§10.3.10); Oak Villa Boulevard (§10.3.11); Old Hammond Highway (§10.3.12)
design_standards_reference§10.3.2 General Design Standards + corridor-specific provisions per section
HOO
Hundred Oaks Overlay
CON
§10.5

Geographic — the Hundred Oaks neighborhood boundary on the official zoning atlas. Conservation-character overlay for established residential neighborhood.

review_focusneighborhood character preservation
design_standards_reference§10.5 — Hundred Oaks Overlay provisions
OTRD
Old Town Redevelopment Overlay District
CON
§10.6

Geographic — the Old Town redevelopment area boundary on the official zoning atlas. Redevelopment / context-sensitive infill overlay.

review_focuscontext-sensitive infill, adaptive reuse, neighborhood character preservation
design_standards_reference§10.6 — Old Town Redevelopment Overlay provisions
CHAR-AREA
Character Areas
CON
§8.2 (Downtown, Urban/Walkable, Suburban, Rural)

Geographic — established on the official zoning atlas; §8.2 declares character areas 'shall function similar to an overlay district'. Four areas: Downtown (CBD + immediately adjacent); Urban/Walkable (pre-1960s neighborhoods); Suburban (post-1960s urbanized area); Rural (outside Suburban).

downtown_effectsHigher-intensity mixed-use encouraged; auto-oriented and low-intensity uses discouraged; CBD height bonus per §11.1.3.B.3-4
urban_walkable_effectsCompact / walkable development; A4 General Residential eligible (§8.4.2.D restriction); MF building stepback ratio at 200% per §11.1.3.B
suburban_effectsAuto-oriented patterns; A4 NOT eligible; standard dimensional regulations; MF stepback at 150%
rural_effectsLow density; R district min lot area = 1 acre when paired with Agricultural/Rural Future Land Use; A4 NOT eligible
use_restriction_a4§8.4.2.D — A4 (General Residential, 43.6 du/ac) restricted to Urban/Walkable Character Area or Regional/Employment Centers
FEMA-SFHA
FEMA Special Flood Hazard Area
FP
EBR-UDC Chapter 15 (Floodways, Floodplains, Drainage and Water Quality) — section body deferred

Geographic — areas designated as Special Flood Hazard Areas (Zones A, AE, AH, AO, VE) on the current FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) for East Baton Rouge Parish. CRS Class 6 community as of 2024-10-01.

nfip_community_id220056 (East Baton Rouge Parish — community CID; verify against FEMA CRS schedule)
crs_class6
crs_premium_discount_pct20
regulation_source44 CFR §59.1 (definitions); 44 CFR §60.3 (development criteria); EBR-UDC Chapter 15 (local implementation)
freeboard_ftstatus: under_review
substantial_improvement_rule50% rule per 44 CFR §59.1 — improvements ≥50% of pre-improvement market value trigger full SFHA compliance
federal_overlay_refsFEMA NFIP Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) — East Baton Rouge Parish (community CID 220056); 44 CFR §59.1 (definitions); 44 CFR §60.3 (minimum development criteria); FEMA CRS Class 6 schedule

State preemptions

La. Const. art. VI §4 — Pre-1974 Home Rule (Baton Rouge / East Baton Rouge Parish)applies
Qualifying condition
Baton Rouge / East Baton Rouge Parish operates under the 1947 Plan of Government (consolidated city-parish), a charter in effect on the 1974 ratification of the Louisiana Constitution. La. Const. art. VI §4 grants these pre-1974 charter jurisdictions the power to exercise any power and perform any function necessary, requisite, or proper for management of their affairs, not denied by general law. This is the STRONGEST preemption resistance available under Louisiana law — three jurisdictions qualify: New Orleans (Orleans Parish), Baton Rouge / East Baton Rouge Parish, and Jefferson Parish. Statewide statutes lacking explicit §4 override language do not bind the City-Parish absent a matter of overriding state concern (City of New Orleans v. Board of Comm'rs of Orleans Levee Dist., 640 So.2d 237 (La. 1994)).
Effect
Establishes the §4 carveout that limits applicability of subordinate statewide zoning preemption statutes (e.g., La. R.S. 33:4721 SZEA, La. R.S. 33:101 planning enabling). State law applies only where it clearly and unambiguously overrides §4 home rule, or where the matter is one of overriding state concern (coastal zone, civil rights, taxation).
La. R.S. 38:84 + 44 CFR 60.3 — NFIP Floodplain Managementapplies
Qualifying condition
East Baton Rouge Parish participates in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and is a CRS-classified community (Class 6 as of 2024-10-01 effective date — 20% flood-insurance premium discount). FEMA-mapped Special Flood Hazard Areas exist across East Baton Rouge Parish, particularly along the Mississippi River, Comite River, Amite River, Jones Creek, Ward Creek, and Bayou Manchac corridors. The local floodplain ordinance (EBR-UDC Chapter 15 — Floodways, Floodplains, Drainage and Water Quality) implements the §60.3 minimum criteria. La. R.S. 38:84 designates DOTD as the state floodplain-management coordinator.
Effect
Floodplain Development Permit required for any development in an SFHA; lowest finished floor elevation must meet or exceed Base Flood Elevation (BFE) plus locally adopted freeboard (BFE+1 ft baseline under CRS Class 6 participation, subject to Chapter 15 specifics — retrieval deferred). Substantial-improvement and substantial-damage determinations (50% rule) apply.
Retrieval issue
EBR-UDC Chapter 15 (Floodways, Floodplains, Drainage and Water Quality) not retrieved in this pass; specific freeboard, V-Zone, A-Zone, and AE-Zone provisions deferred.
La. R.S. 2:135 — Airport Hazards (FAA Part 77 / AICUZ statutory authority)applies
Qualifying condition
Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport (Ryan Field, BTR) is located in East Baton Rouge Parish (3500 Veterans Memorial Blvd). EBR-UDC Chapter 10 §10.2 Airport Overlay District is the city's airport-hazards regulation adopted pursuant to the authority granted by La. R.S. 2:135. Federal FAA Part 77 (14 CFR Part 77) imaginary surfaces overlay all public-use airports including BTR; FAA Form 7460-1 'Notice of Proposed Construction or Alteration' filing is required for structures exceeding Part 77 thresholds. No major military installation in East Baton Rouge Parish (Barksdale AFB is in Bossier/Shreveport; Fort Polk in Vernon Parish; NAS JRB New Orleans in Belle Chasse, Plaquemines) — AICUZ does not apply.
Effect
Height of structures within the Airport Overlay District boundary cannot penetrate FAA Part 77 imaginary surfaces (precision approach 1:50 / 1:40, non-precision 1:34, transition 1:7; horizontal zone 150 ft above airport elevation; conical zone). Site plan review and FAA notice required. Federal overlay (FAA Part 77) and state authorization (R.S. 2:135) operate concurrently. The local implementation is §10.2 of the UDC.
La. Const. art. VII §21(F) / La. R.S. 47:4301 et seq. — Industrial Tax Exemption Program (ITEP)applies
Qualifying condition
ITEP is a constitutional ad-valorem property-tax abatement program available to qualifying manufacturing capital investments. East Baton Rouge Parish hosts the Mississippi River Industrial Corridor's northern segment (ExxonMobil Baton Rouge Refinery, ExxonMobil Chemical, and adjacent petrochemical/manufacturing operations). Post-2016 (EO JBE-16-26 and successors), ITEP contracts require local approval by the City-Parish Metro Council, school board, sheriff, and parish governing body for the local-share portion. The City-Parish thus has effective veto authority over the local-share abatement.
Effect
Not a zoning preemption per se — operates as a tax-policy overlay on industrial development. ITEP-receiving sites remain subject to UDC industrial zoning (M1, M2) and Chapter 9 use standards. ITEP siting affects industrial-corridor land-use pattern but does not preempt local zoning decisions.
Non-applicable laws (3)
La. R.S. 33:4721 et seq. — Municipal Zoning Enabling Act (SZEA derivative)does_not_apply
Qualifying condition
Baton Rouge operates under the §4 pre-1974 home-rule charter (1947 Plan of Government), which establishes plenary zoning authority independent of and prior to the §4721 enabling act. The City-Parish does not rely on §4721 for its zoning authority. §4721 functions as enabling baseline for Lawrason Act (non-charter) municipalities under La. Const. art. VI §6, not for §4 home-rule jurisdictions.
Effect
Procedural floor provisions of §4724 (notice, hearing) are paralleled in the Plan of Government but are not derived from §4721. The City-Parish uniform-regulation requirement and nonconforming-use protections operate under the local charter, not §4722.
La. R.S. 33:101 et seq. — Parish and Municipal Planning Commissionsdoes_not_apply
Qualifying condition
§4 home-rule charter (1947 Plan of Government) establishes the City-Parish Planning Commission and its powers directly under the local charter — not under the general parish/municipal planning enabling chapter at La. R.S. 33:101 et seq. The Planning Commission of the City of Baton Rouge and Parish of East Baton Rouge operates pursuant to the Plan of Government Chapters 5–6.
Effect
Subdivision-platting, comprehensive-planning, and official-map authority operate under the charter rather than under §§33:101–130.
La. R.S. 49:214.21 et seq. — State and Local Coastal Resources Management Act (SLCRMA)does_not_apply
Qualifying condition
East Baton Rouge Parish is inland of the Louisiana Coastal Zone boundary (LDENR Office of Coastal Management coastal-zone polygon does not include East Baton Rouge Parish — the coastal zone covers the southern gulf-coast parishes: Cameron, Vermilion, Iberia, St. Mary, Terrebonne, Lafourche, Jefferson, Orleans, St. Bernard, Plaquemines, Calcasieu, St. Charles, St. John the Baptist, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Livingston, Ascension, Iberville, Assumption, St. James, Pointe Coupee, and West Baton Rouge — but East Baton Rouge is north of the coastal-zone line). Coastal Use Permit (CUP) regime under §214.30 does not apply to development in East Baton Rouge Parish.
Effect
No SLCRMA gate. Federal Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA) consistency review likewise does not apply.

Adopted building codes

Statewide

IBC
2021
IRC
2021
NEC
2020
IECC (Residential)
2021
IECC (Commercial)
2021

Click a code label to open its state-by-state adoption atlas.

Amendment history

DateKindCitation
2026-05-20retrieved atWebFetch + pdftotext extraction
2026-04-01supplement effectiveChapter 8 PDF footer (April 2026)
2021-12-01supplement effectiveChapter 11 PDF footer (December 2021)
2020-02-01supplement effectiveChapter 10 PDF footer (February 2020)

Quirks & notes

  • Consolidated city-parish: The City of Baton Rouge and unincorporated East Baton Rouge Parish are governed by a single Unified Development Code (EBR-UDC) under the 1947 Plan of Government. Zoning is administered jointly by the City-Parish Planning Commission.
  • Pre-1974 home rule (art. VI §4) — strongest preemption resistance in Louisiana. Joins New Orleans and Jefferson Parish as the three §4 charter jurisdictions. State statutes lacking explicit §4 override language do not bind the City-Parish.
  • Density-encoded residential ladder via A-family decimal suffixes — A1=4.1 du/ac → A4=43.6 du/ac. Decimal does NOT mean lot-size-in-thousands and is NOT a sequential index; it is a hand-selected density tier label. The arithmetic min_lot_sf → du/ac matches each district's stated maximum.
  • A4 character-area gate (§8.4.2.D): A4 (General Residential, 43.6 du/ac) must be located within Urban/Walkable Character Area or in Regional/Employment Centers. Suburban and Rural Character Areas not eligible for A4 — prevents spot high-density zoning in auto-oriented suburban areas.
  • Commercial GFA caps as district-defining parameter (§§8.4.5.A–F): LC1 ≤15,000 sf, LC2 ≤75,000 sf, LC3 ≤150,000 sf, HC1 ≤250,000 sf, HC2 no cap, C5 Downtown-only. Building-size-as-district-definition is unusual — a scale increase requires rezoning, not just variance.
  • C5 zero-lot-line CBD district: NO setbacks (N/A in Table 11.G), NO parking requirement, 180 ft height. Downtown Character Area only. The de facto high-intensity mixed-use zone for the CBD.
  • Two zero-lot-line district tiers (A2.1 at 7.9 du/ac, A2.6 at 11.5 du/ac) both require 6 ft solid fence/wall where abutting A1 or A2 or recognized residential subdivisions (§§8.4.1.G, 8.4.1.I).
  • M2 height-by-setback ratio: When abutting residential, building height = 7 ft per 1 ft of setback beyond required 100 ft. Effectively unlimited height with sufficient setback distance (Table 11.G M2 note).
  • MF abutting-A1/A2 buffer (§11.2.4.B-C): Side and rear yards for multi-family in any district abutting A1, A2.1, A2.5, A2.6, or A2.7 must be ≥20 ft. Preserved as conditional array on A3.1/A3.2 side and rear setbacks.
  • PUD height bonus (Table 8.A): Height may be increased 1 ft for every 10 ft of building setback beyond required.
  • PUD open space by site size (Table 8.A, §8.4.9.C.2): 15% for sites ≤50 ac and 50–100 ac; 20% for sites >100 ac. Green open space must be ≥50% of required common open space.
  • Inactive districts list (§8.4.12, 9 districts): A5, B, B1, C1, C2, CW, CW2, GU, JDD — properties carrying these legacy designations are grandfathered; no new rezoning to these districts permitted. Rezoning cutoff dates vary 1999 (B/B1/C1/C2) → 2018 (JDD) → 2020 (A5/CW2/GU) → 2001 (CW).
  • Eleven Design Overlay corridors (§10.3.3–10.3.12): Bluebonnet, Downtown, Drusilla Jefferson, Florida Blvd, Government Street, Jefferson Hwy, Nicholson, North Gate, Oak Villa, Old Hammond Hwy — applies design review on arterials. BDD/HDD/JDD base districts pair with the Bluebonnet, Highland (no overlay section pair found), and Jefferson Highway design overlays respectively.
  • Airport Overlay (§10.2) is the city's local implementation of FAA Part 77 imaginary surfaces around Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport (Ryan Field, BTR). Federal Part 77 + state R.S. 2:135 + local §10.2 operate concurrently — federal_overlay_refs paired per FM-P.
  • FAR and lot_coverage are NOT regulated as base-district parameters in the EBR-UDC. Chapter 11 Tables 11.A–11.G do not include FAR or coverage columns. v1 record's uniform far=0.5 and lot_coverage=0.5 across all 49 districts were template-bleed fabrications — REMOVED in v2 per FM-6.
  • Parking ratios are structured by use type per Chapter 17 §17.4, NOT per district. v2 record omits district-level parking field rather than fabricate per-district parking minimums.

Formulas

Definitions

height
Grade to highest point of structure (UDC Chapter 11 §11.1.3 — measured per district table; CBD bonus per §11.1.3.B.3-4).
far
lot_coverage
du_ac
Dwelling units per gross acre (UDC §8.4 purpose statements; cross-checked against Chapter 11 minimum lot area where applicable: 43,560 / min_lot_sf ≈ stated max du/ac).
setback_front
Front property line to nearest building face (Chapter 11 Tables 11.A–11.G).
setback_side
Side property line to nearest building face (Chapter 11 Tables 11.A–11.G).
setback_rear
Rear property line to nearest building face (Chapter 11 Tables 11.A–11.G).
setback_corner_side
Corner-side property line to nearest building face (Chapter 11 Tables 11.A–11.G — corner-side column).
parking
Spaces per use type per UDC Chapter 17 §17.4 (not structured per district — parking ratios omitted from district records rather than fabricated).

Capacity calculations

max_footprint_sf
max_gfa_sf
buildable_width_ft
lot_width_ft - setback_side_ft * 2
buildable_depth_ft
lot_depth_ft - setback_front_ft - setback_rear_ft
max_stories_approx
max_height_ft / 10

Massing explorer

Interactive 3D comparison across every district. Drag to orbit, scroll to zoom, use the slider to walk districts, and toggle applicable overlays in the right-side panel.

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Setbacks (F / S / R)
— ft
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Parking
— /unit
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Max density
— du/ac
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Min lot size
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District Category Height FAR Coverage Setbacks Parking Density Min lot Overlays

Sources & references

Citations
  1. [1] §Table 11.A
  2. [2] §Table 11.A
  3. [3] §Table 11.A
  4. [4] §8.4.1.A, Table 11.A
  5. [5] §Table 11.A
  6. [6] §Table 11.A
  7. [7] §Table 11.A
  8. [8] §Table 11.A
  9. [9] §8.4.1.B, Table 11.A
  10. [10] §Table 11.A
  11. [11] §Table 11.A
  12. [12] §Table 11.A
  13. [13] §Table 11.A
  14. [14] §Table 11.A
  15. [15] §Table 11.A
  16. [16] §8.4.1.C
  17. [17] §Table 11.A
  18. [18] §Table 11.A
  19. [19] §Table 11.A
  20. [20] §8.4.1.D, Table 11.A
  21. [21] §Table 11.A
  22. [22] §8.4.1.D
  23. [23] §Table 11.A
  24. [24] §Table 11.A
  25. [25] §Table 11.A
  26. [26] §Table 11.A
  27. [27] §Table 11.A
  28. [28] §8.4.1.E
  29. [29] §Table 11.A
  30. [30] §Table 11.A
  31. [31] §Table 11.A
  32. [32] §Table 11.A
  33. [33] §Table 11.A
  34. [34] §8.4.1.F
  35. [35] §Table 11.F
  36. [36] §Table 11.F
  37. [37] §Table 11.F
  38. [38] §Table 11.F
  39. [39] §Table 11.F
  40. [40] §8.4.1.G
  41. [41] §Table 11.B
  42. [42] §Table 11.B
  43. [43] §Table 11.B
  44. [44] §Table 11.B
  45. [45] §Table 11.B
  46. [46] §Table 11.F
  47. [47] §Table 11.F
  48. [48] §Table 11.F
  49. [49] §Table 11.F
  50. [50] §Table 11.F
  51. [51] §8.4.1.I
  52. [52] §Table 11.E
  53. [53] §Table 11.E
  54. [54] §Table 11.E
  55. [55] §Table 11.E
  56. [56] §Table 11.E
  57. [57] §8.4.1.J
  58. [58] §Table 11.C
  59. [59] §Table 11.C + §11.2.4.B
  60. [60] §Table 11.C + §11.2.4.C
  61. [61] §Table 11.C
  62. [62] §Table 11.C
  63. [63] §8.4.2.A, Table 11.C
  64. [64] §Table 11.C
  65. [65] §Table 11.C + §11.2.4.B
  66. [66] §Table 11.C
  67. [67] §Table 11.C
  68. [68] §Table 11.C
  69. [69] §8.4.2.B, Table 11.C
  70. [70] §Table 11.C
  71. [71] §Table 11.C
  72. [72] §Table 11.C
  73. [73] §Table 11.C
  74. [74] §Table 11.C
  75. [75] §8.4.2.C, Table 11.C
  76. [76] §Table 11.C
  77. [77] §Table 11.C
  78. [78] §Table 11.C
  79. [79] §Table 11.C
  80. [80] §Table 11.C
  81. [81] §8.4.2.D, Table 11.C
  82. [82] §Table 11.G
  83. [83] §Table 11.G
  84. [84] §Table 11.G
  85. [85] §Table 11.G
  86. [86] §Table 11.G
  87. [87] §Table 11.G
  88. [88] §Table 11.G
  89. [89] §Table 11.G
  90. [90] §Table 11.G
  91. [91] §Table 11.G
  92. [92] §Table 11.G
  93. [93] §Table 11.G
  94. [94] §Table 11.G
  95. [95] §Table 11.G
  96. [96] §Table 11.G
  97. [97] §Table 11.G
  98. [98] §Table 11.G
  99. [99] §Table 11.G
  100. [100] §Table 11.G
  101. [101] §Table 11.G
  102. [102] §Table 11.G
  103. [103] §Table 11.G
  104. [104] §Table 11.G
  105. [105] §Table 11.G
  106. [106] §Table 11.G
  107. [107] §Table 11.G
  108. [108] §Table 11.G
  109. [109] §Table 11.G
  110. [110] §Table 11.G
  111. [111] §Table 11.G
  112. [112] §Table 11.G
  113. [113] §Table 11.G
  114. [114] §Table 11.G
  115. [115] §Table 11.G
  116. [116] §Table 11.G
  117. [117] §Table 11.G
  118. [118] §Table 11.G
  119. [119] §Table 11.G
  120. [120] §Table 11.G
  121. [121] §Table 11.G
  122. [122] §Table 11.G
  123. [123] §Table 11.G
  124. [124] §Table 11.G
  125. [125] §Table 11.G
  126. [126] §Table 11.G
  127. [127] §Table 11.G
  128. [128] §Table 11.G
  129. [129] §Table 11.G
  130. [130] §Table 11.G
  131. [131] §Table 11.G
  132. [132] §Table 11.G
  133. [133] §Table 11.G
  134. [134] §Table 11.G
  135. [135] §Table 11.G
  136. [136] §Table 11.G
  137. [137] §Table 11.G
  138. [138] §Table 11.G
  139. [139] §Table 11.G
  140. [140] §Table 11.G
  141. [141] §Table 11.G
  142. [142] §Table 11.G
  143. [143] §Table 11.G + height-by-setback rule
  144. [144] §Table 11.G
  145. [145] §Table 11.G + §11.2.8.B
  146. [146] §Table 11.G
  147. [147] §Table 11.G + §11.2.8.B
  148. [148] §Table 11.G
  149. [149] §Table 11.G
  150. [150] §Table 11.G
  151. [151] §Table 11.G
  152. [152] §Table 11.G
  153. [153] §Table 11.G
  154. [154] §Table 11.G
  155. [155] §Table 11.G
  156. [156] §Table 11.G
  157. [157] §8.4.9
  158. [158] §8.4.9, Table 8.A
  159. [159] §8.4.9
  160. [160] §8.4.9, Table 8.A
  161. [161] §8.4.9
  162. [162] §8.4.9, Table 8.A
  163. [163] §8.4.10
  164. [164] §8.4.10
  165. [165] §Table 11.G ref to §8.4.11
  166. [166] §8.4.11
  167. [167] §Table 11.B/G HDD
  168. [168] §Table 11.G HDD
  169. [169] §Table 11.G HDD
  170. [170] §Table 11.B, Table 11.G
  171. [171] §Table 11.B, Table 11.G
  172. [172] §Table 11.A, Table 11.C
  173. [173] §Table 11.C
  174. [174] §8.4.12.A
  175. [175] §Table 11.G
  176. [176] §Table 11.G
  177. [177] §Table 11.A, 11.G
  178. [178] §Table 11.G
  179. [179] §Table 11.C
  180. [180] §Table 11.C
  181. [181] §Table 11.C
  182. [182] §Table 11.C
  183. [183] §Table 11.G
  184. [184] §Table 11.G
  185. [185] §8.4.12.G
  186. [186] §Table 11.G
  187. [187] §Table 11.G
  188. [188] §8.4.12.I

Research status

Publication gates

primary url presentpassedcode_source = https://www.brla.gov/706/Unified-Development-Code (city-hosted official portal, HTTPS, not an aggregator). Primary Chapter PDFs at brla.gov/DocumentCenter/View/2270 (Ch.8), 2272 (Ch.10), 2273 (Ch.11). v1 had no code_source URL — only code_name string.
no aggregator citedpassedScan clean — no Zoneomics / Steadily / SitePlanGuide / SitePlanCreator / Propwire / Zonara / Unzoned references. All citations are to brla.gov-hosted PDFs (Chapters 8, 10, 11, 15), zoning/us/louisiana/overlays.json, zoning/us/louisiana/preemptions.md, federal regulations (14 CFR Part 77, 44 CFR §§59.1/60.3), Census Place 2205000, FEMA NFIP, and La. Const./R.S. citations.
confidence tags full formpassed44 confirmed dimensional values across 49 districts carry c§-citation pointing to specific Table (11.A–11.G) or §8.4.x section. All under_review/not_captured/not_applicable statuses carry paired companion fields (qualifying_condition_checked / not_captured_reason / reason). du/ac confirmations cross-checked arithmetically against min_lot_sf (43,560/min_lot_sf ≈ stated du/ac, all within 0.05 du/ac).
overlays have parameters trigger confidencepassed10/10 overlays carry non-empty params + geographic_trigger + status + § citation: Airport Overlay (§10.2 + 14 CFR Part 77), Drehr Place Historic (§10.4.2), Spanish Town Historic (§10.4.3), Bluebonnet Boulevard Design (§10.3.3), Downtown Design (§10.3.4 + Table 10.3.4.A), Corridor Design Siblings (§10.3.5-10.3.12 family of 8), Hundred Oaks Overlay (§10.5), Old Town Redevelopment Overlay (§10.6), Character Areas (§8.2 — four named areas with A4 gate effect), FEMA SFHA (44 CFR §§59.1/60.3 + EBR-UDC Ch.15 + CRS Class 6 status). Federal overlays paired via federal_overlay_refs per FM-P.
preempt section city specificpassed7 state_preemptions_applicable entries with city-specific qualifying_condition_checked including: La. Const. art. VI §4 (1947 Plan of Government / pre-1974 charter); La. R.S. 33:4721 SZEA (§4 carveout — does_not_apply); La. R.S. 33:101 planning enabling (§4 carveout — does_not_apply); La. R.S. 49:214.21 SLCRMA (East Baton Rouge inland of coastal-zone polygon — does_not_apply); La. R.S. 38:84 + 44 CFR 60.3 NFIP floodplain (CRS Class 6, parish-wide SFHA mapping); La. R.S. 2:135 + 14 CFR Part 77 (Baton Rouge Metro Airport / Ryan Field — federal overlay paired); La. Const. art. VII §21(F) ITEP (per_parcel_conditional, Mississippi River Industrial Corridor northern segment). LA is not in the validator's active-preemption state list (CA/TX/FL/OR/WA/CO/MN/MT/UT/AZ/NJ/CT), but per-law entries are populated with arithmetic + geographic + charter reasoning regardless.

Data quality

70%completeness145 confirmed8 partial
Documented gaps
  • Chapter 15 (Floodways, Floodplains, Drainage and Water Quality) — local freeboard, V-Zone, A-Zone, AE-Zone provisions deferred. FEMA-SFHA freeboard parameter marked under_review.
  • Chapter 17 (Parking) §17.4 parking ratios — UDC structures parking by use type, not by district. District-level parking field omitted rather than fabricated.
  • Design Overlays §10.3.3–10.3.12 specific dimensional parameters — section bodies referenced at TOC/citation level; per-corridor parameters partial. Government Street Design + 7 siblings collapsed into single record with sibling list to keep record machine-tractable.
  • Historic Overlays §10.4.2 (Drehr Place) and §10.4.3 (Spanish Town) — specific design guidelines body partial; overlay existence + scope + NRHP status confirmed.
  • Hundred Oaks §10.5 and Old Town Redevelopment §10.6 — section bodies partial; TOC-confirmed only.
  • Table 10.3.4.A use list for Downtown Design Overlay — TOC and table reference confirmed; full use-by-district matrix partial.
  • JDD and BDD dimensional standards — §8.4.11 BDD-specific provisions and §8.4.12.I JDD inactive-district provisions not in Chapter 11 tables; not_captured per source structure.
  • PD-family (ISPUD/SPUD/PUD/TND) dimensional standards 'Determined by Development Plan' per §8.4.9-8.4.10 — not_captured per source structure.
  • FUTUREBR Comprehensive Plan (adopted March 20, 2024) — interaction with UDC remapping initiatives deferred.

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