BILLBOARDS AND OTHER ADVERTISING STRUCTURES

New Orleans City Code ch. 134, art. IV

in effect

New Orleans City Code § 134-166 Billboards on fences, houses or awning-posts prohibited.

Sec. 134-166. - Billboards on fences, houses or awning-posts prohibited. Boards for advertising purposes shall not be permitted to stand against or be attached to fences or houses or be attached to awning-posts on the banquettes so as to obstruct or disfigure the sidewalks after the person in charge of any such board has been notified by the director of the department of streets or any police officer of the city to remove such obstruction within the period designated in such notification. (Code 1956, § 3-2)

New Orleans City Code § 134-167 Billboards—Prohibited near grade separations.

Sec. 134-167. - Billboards—Prohibited near grade separations. Except as permitted by this section and sections 134-168 through 134-171, no firm, person, corporation, association or individual may construct, cause to be constructed, use or maintain any billboard, signboard, or any other advertising structure, advertising display or advertising medium of any nature whatsoever, or any part thereof, within 200 feet from any portion of any grade separation, including the approaches thereto, constructed or to be constructed in conjunction with the grade separation plan of the Union Passenger Terminal Program of the city, it being understood that by approaches to grade separations is meant the entire area between the end of such grade separation structure and the place where the street approach rises from or descends from the normal street grade adjacent to the separation. It is the intent of this section that no sign, billboard, or display sign shall be constructed, maintained or used within 200 feet from any grade separation, including its approaches, unless otherwise specified in this chapter. (Code 1956, § 3-8)

New Orleans City Code § 134-168 Same—Along certain expressways.

Sec. 134-168. - Same—Along certain expressways. No person may construct, use or maintain any billboard, signboard, or any other advertising structure, advertising display, or advertising medium of any nature whatsoever, or any part thereof, within 200 feet from any and all portions of the following avenues and expressways now in existence or under construction: Basin Street from the Municipal Auditorium to Iberville Street; Loyola Avenue from Tulane Avenue to Earhart Boulevard; Earhart Boulevard from the Union Passenger Terminal Station to Carrollton Avenue; Simon Bolivar Avenue from Earhart Boulevard to Louisiana Avenue; and Pontchartrain Expressway from the Union Passenger Terminal Station to the Airline Highway, unless otherwise specified in this chapter. (Code 1956, § 3-9)

New Orleans City Code § 134-169 Exceptions, ten year's exception for existing structures.

Sec. 134-169. - Exceptions, ten year's exception for existing structures. It shall be lawful for any person to construct, use or maintain any billboard, signboard, display sign or any other advertising display of any nature whatsoever within the areas described in sections 134-167 and 134-168 when such billboard, signboard, display sign or other advertising display falls within one of the following specified categories. (1) One sign not exceeding 15 square feet in overall measurements shall be permitted on any lot offering such lot for lease or sale; (2) Wherever any advertising structure had actually been constructed and was in existence prior to October 16, 1953, such billboards, signboards, display signs or any other advertising structure may be used and maintained only for a period of ten years from October 16, 1953 and at the expiration of this ten-year period all such billboards, signboards, display signs or any other advertising display must be completely removed from their locations; it being understood, however, that the owner or operator of any such billboards, signboards, display signs or any other advertising displays that were in existence prior to October 16, 1953, may continue to repair or remodel, illuminate, redesign and relocate such billboards, signboards, display signs or any other advertising displays provided that such changes shall not enlarge the overall square foot area of the advertising copy and shall in no wise be deemed to affect the ten-year amortization period set out herein. (3) One or more signs may be constructed and maintained solely for the purpose of setting forth the name and/or ownership of the establishment and/or identifying the nature of the business or businesses actually conducted on such parcel of ground, and the products sold thereon provided that not more than 50 percent of each sign is used for the purposes of advertising the products sold and provided such sign or signs comply with the following requirements: a. The total area of all signs, measured in square feet, shall not be greater than an area computed by multiplying four feet by the linear frontage of the lot along the street on which the sign or signs are to be erected. b. The maximum height of any sign shall be as follows: In all cases involving proximity to grade separations, expressways, and the avenues as specified in sections 134-167 and 134-168, the height of any allowable sign shall not exceed eight feet above the height of the building proper, excluding water towers, stage towers, cooling towers, radio or television antennas, chimneys, smoke stacks, elevator bulkheads, and oil derricks; however, in no case shall this regulation be so interpreted as to reduce the maximum allowable height of a sign to less than 25 feet above the curb grade. (4) Wherever advertising copy on billboards, signboards, display signs, or any other advertising structure does not substantially show to the overpasses, underpasses, avenues, and expressways above described. (Code 1956, § 3-10)

New Orleans City Code § 134-170 Appeals to board of standards and appeals.

Sec. 134-170. - Appeals to board of standards and appeals. Any person aggrieved by any decision of the director of the division of regulatory inspections in the enforcement of this article shall be entitled within 30 days from the date of such decision to appeal to the board of standards and appeals under the same procedure described for appeals in the city building code, Ordinance No. 11,625 M.C.S., and if aggrieved by the decision of the board of standards and appeals above provided shall be entitled within 30 days from the date of such decision of the board of standards and appeals to appeal to the council for a hearing on such decision to determine if such decision appealed from is justified in the exercise of reasonable and sound discretion. (Code 1956, § 3-11)

New Orleans City Code § 134-171 Permitted signs to comply with other applicable laws.

Sec. 134-171. - Permitted signs to comply with other applicable laws. When this article conflicts with either the provisions of the city building code, Ordinance No. 11,625 M.C.S., as amended, or with the provision of the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance, Ordinance No. 4,264 M.C.S., as amended, the more restrictive provisions in any case shall control. (Code 1956, § 3-12)

New Orleans City Code § 134-172 Penalty.

Sec. 134-172. - Penalty. Any person found guilty of violating the provisions of this article shall be fined in a sum not less than $50.00 or more than $100.00, or shall be imprisoned for a term not to exceed 90 days, or both, at the discretion of the court. Each day a violation continues shall be considered a separate violation. (Code 1956, § 3-13)

Source: City of New Orleans, Code of Ordinances and Home Rule Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/la/new_orleans/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIICO_CH134SI_ARTIVBIOTADSTFetched: 10/28/2026