Calcasieu Parish Zoning and Development Ordinance

The Calcasieu Parish Zoning and Development Ordinance was adopted to promote the public health, safety, morals and general welfare of the community.

Comprehensive Zoning was established in the early 1980s as a means of providing some consistency for residential, commercial and industrial land uses and other attributes that would later define our community and its future.

 The established Calcasieu Parish Zoning Districts, along with permitted land uses and lot requirements, can be found by clicking HERE.

Two Overlay Districts, the Nelson Street Overlay District and the Lake Street Overlay District, were established to create a more balanced mix of commercial and residential development within the Nelson Street and Lake Street corridors.

The Corridor Overlay District was established to improve aesthetic and visual character and promote orderly development and redevelopment on gateway corridors.

The zoning application packet can be found here. 

Solar Energy Facility Ordinance 

Solar energy is a vast, renewable, and clean resource that can help reduce the cost of electricity, create jobs, and spur economic growth. On December 1^st, 2022, the Calcasieu Parish Police Jury adopted a Solar Energy Facilities ordinance. The ordinance was established provide standards and regulations for future development of solar energy facilities. 

Solar Energy Facility Ordinance

Borrow Pit/Dirt Pit and Ponds 

Permits are required to dig a pond or a borrow/dirt pit within Calcasieu Parish.  Ponds (excavated dirt remains on property) are allowed in all zoning classes. 

However, borrow/dirt pits (excavated dirt is removed from property) most often require a special zoning exception by the Planning and Zoning Board to allow this activity.  Special requirements and stipulations may apply when digging dirt pits.  See permit application/requirements below: 

Borrow Pit/Dirt Pit and Pond Application

Traffic Impact Analysis (TIA)

This worksheet will need to be filled out and submitted in advance of submitting any application for development per ordinance:

26.345 (b)(1)

-In advance of submitting any application for development, the applicant shall complete and submit a TIA worksheet, as specified by the parish, which shall be used to determine if a TIA is required. The threshold requirements for a TIA shall be a development or combination of developments that would result in trip generation of more than an average of one thousand (1,000) trips per day based upon the latest edition of the Institute of Transportation Engineers Trip Generation Manual.

 2022 TIA Worksheet_Initial Version 2

Recreational Park Standards Ordinance 

The Recreational Park Standards Ordinance can be viewed here.

The boundaries of the above listed Zoning Districts are shown on an interactive map known as the Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Map. Click on the image below to find specific zoning information for properties within the unincorporated areas of Calcasieu Parish.

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