Chapter 40. COMPREHENSIVE ZONING ORDINANCE

Article XXXIX. EXCEPTIONS AND MODIFICATIONS

§ 40-747. Regulations for stadiums and athletic fields.

Latest version.

(a)

General.

(1)

For purposes of this section, residential zoning districts shall include the following: Suburban District (S1), Single-Family Residential District (R1A), Suburban Residential District (R1B), Rural Residential District (R1C), Rural Residential District (R1D), Manufactured Home District (R1MH), Two-Family Residential District (R2), Three- and Four-Family Residential District (RR3), Condominiums (R1CO), Townhouses (R1TH) or Multiple-Family Residential (R3).

(2)

Stadiums and athletic fields shall be permitted in a residential zoning district only as accessory to a school or park or playground as defined in this chapter.

A stadium accessory to a school shall be accessory only to a high school.

Elementary schools which have multipurpose fields with no seating and no permanent improvements on the field are exempt from these regulations.

(3)

Any facility in existence on the effective date that meets the definition of stadium shall not expand the seating capacity unless it meets all criteria established by this section regarding stadiums.

(4)

Any facility in existence on the effective date that meets the definition of athletic field shall not expand the facility into a stadium unless it meets all criteria established by this section regarding stadiums, and shall not expand its seating capacity as an athletic field unless it meets all criteria, except lighting, setbacks, signs, and site, established by this section regarding athletic fields.

(5)

For purposes of this section the term outermost boundary shall include any distances outside the marked field as required by the National Federation of State High School Associations, American Youth Football, Little League Baseball, Dixie Youth, Little League Softball, Babe Ruth League, U.S. Soccer Federation, FIFA or other regulatory authority determining field size.

(6)

For purposes of this section the term footprint of the seating structure shall mean the dimensions of the seating structure as if depicted in an aerial view.

(b)

Stadiums and athletic fields in residential zoning districts. Notwithstanding the definition of accessory building or use, or any other provisions related to accessory buildings or uses, the following regulations shall apply to any stadium or athletic field accessory to a school or located within a park or playground in a residential zoning district:

(1)

Site.

Stadiums and athletic fields shall be located on the same lot of record as and contiguous to the school, park or playground, and uninterrupted by public rights-of-way. In the case of a school, the lot of record upon which the stadium or athletic field is located also shall contain at least fifty (50) percent of the square footage of the school dedicated to core educational, academic activities, excluding space used for athletics such as gymnasiums and outdoor fields.

Stadiums shall meet minimum site acreage as follows:

Stadiums with less than three thousand (3,000) seats shall have no minimum required acreage except the acreage that is required to meet these regulations.

The minimum site acreage required for stadiums larger than three thousand (3,000) seats shall be as follows:

Size of Stadium	Minimum Acreage Required
3001—3500	11.75
3501—4000	13.00
4001—4500	14.25
4501—5000	15.50

Credit for existing, legal, required parking spaces for the school, park or playground shall be given according to the following formula: for each existing, legal, required parking space as determined by the department of inspection and code enforcement, the applicant may deduct three hundred (300) square feet from the required acreage for the stadium site.

(2)

Seating.

Athletic fields shall not exceed one thousand (1,000) seats including any portable bleachers regularly used.

Stadiums shall not exceed five thousand (5,000) seats including any portable bleachers regularly used.

(3)

Setbacks.

Stadiums. Stadiums shall maintain the following setbacks:

When abutting a right-of-way or a property zoned non-residentially. The required setback for a stadium shall be fifty (50) feet, measured in a straight line, without regard to intervening structures, from the outermost edge of the footprint of the seating structure or the outermost boundary of the field, whichever is closer, to the nearest lot line.

When abutting a property zoned residentially: The required setback for a stadium shall be one hundred (100) feet, measured in a straight line, without regard to intervening structures, from the outermost edge of the footprint of the seating structure or the outermost boundary of the field, whichever is closer, to the nearest lot line.

Athletic fields. Athletic fields shall maintain the following setbacks:

When abutting a right-of-way or a property zoned non-residentially: The required setback for an athletic field shall be twenty-five (25) feet, measured in a straight line, without regard to intervening structures, from the outermost edge of the footprint of the seating structure or the outermost boundary of the field, whichever is closer, to the nearest lot line.

When abutting a property zoned residentially: The required setback for an athletic field shall be fifty (50) feet, measured in a straight line, without regard to intervening structures, from the outermost edge of the footprint of the seating structure or the outermost boundary of the field, whichever is closer, to the nearest lot line.

(4)

Landscape and buffer.

Section 33-6.25, Landscaping, buffering, and screening, shall apply, except that the streetscape and property buffer areas shall only be required on the portion of the lot where the stadium is located.

Exceptions. Public parks or playgrounds are exempt from these landscape and buffering criteria.

(5)

Height.

The height regulations of the zoning district shall apply to the seating structures in stadiums and on athletic fields.

Notwithstanding the regulations of section 40-737 Exceptions to height requirements related to schools and public and semi-public buildings, seating structures may exceed the height limit of the zoning district up to ten (10) feet provided that on the side abutting property zoned residentially the entire structure shall be set back an additional foot for each additional foot of height.

(6)

Signs. Notwithstanding any other regulations of this chapter regarding signs, all stadiums and athletic fields that include scoreboards shall meet the following regulations:

Size of scoreboards shall meet the following regulations:

When a scoreboard is in a stadium, the height of the scoreboard shall be no higher than the highest part of the stadium. When located on an athletic field, the height of the scoreboard shall be no higher than twenty (20) feet.

The total area of the scoreboard, excluding poles, for stadiums shall not exceed hundred (400) square feet; for athletic fields, total area shall not exceed two hundred (200) square feet.

No more than twenty-five (25) percent of the total square footage of the scoreboard shall be used for sponsor identification.

Changeable copy on the scoreboard shall relate only to the statistics of the game being played.

All scoreboards shall be oriented toward the field to minimize sound or light intrusion onto abutting properties.

(7)

Lighting.

Lighting for stadiums and athletic fields.

Lighting for stadiums and athletic fields shall follow the standards established by the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA) guide Recommended Practice for Sports and Recreational Lighting, RP-6-01 or latest edition and any other IESNA guides referenced by the RP-6-01 or subsequent editions including, but not limited to, Lighting for Exterior Environments, RP-33-99 or latest edition.

Fixtures shall be fully shielded or designed with sharp cut-off capability, to minimize up-light, spill-light and glare into abutting properties. The level of acceptable spill-light shall be based upon the environmental zone (as defined in Lighting for Exterior Environments, RP-33-99 or latest edition and determined in consultation with the departments of planning and parks and recreation) where the stadium or athletic field is located.

The poles that fixtures are mounted upon shall not be located within the required setback; and when located abutting a property zoned residentially, the height of the poles shall not exceed the distance the poles are set back from the property line regardless of the setback requirements.

The required lighting plan shall be prepared and certified by a professional electrical engineer licensed in the State of Louisiana, and submitted with the special permitted use application. The lighting plan shall include, but not be limited to:

Location of field and poles including total height of poles.

ii.

Certification by the licensed professional engineer shall be affixed with the seal or license number, as applicable, of the professional engineer and attest to compliance with the IESNA standards and accuracy of the submitted information.

iii.

Other items as determined in consultation with the departments of planning and parks and recreation.

Lighting for parking lots and areas surrounding stadiums and athletic fields.

The maximum height limit for lighting fixtures shall be thirty (30) feet.

All light fixtures shall be shaded or hooded and oriented to prevent light spill or glare into abutting properties.

All light fixtures shall be shown on the required site plan.

(8)

Noise. All regulations of the Jefferson Parish Code of Ordinances regarding noise shall be met. In addition, any public address system located on site shall be oriented to minimize sound intrusion onto abutting properties.

(9)

Operation.

Hours of operation. Night games and events shall be scheduled to conclude by 10:00 p.m. with any post game or event activities finished and all lighting turned off by 11:00 p.m. The only exception to this regulation is for games or events delayed by rain or other unscheduled delay.

Days of week. Activities held Sunday through Wednesday in stadiums accessory to high schools shall be scheduled to conclude by 5:00 p.m.

Activities permitted. After 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, Friday, or Saturday, stadiums accessory to high schools shall be used only for athletic events.

(10)

Access and parking.

Access and parking requirements.

Parking requirements set forth in Article XXXV. Off-street Parking, Loading, and Clear Vision Area Regulations shall apply.

Parking for high schools or parks or playgrounds built after January 10, 2007, which include stadiums shall have primary access located on a major or minor arterial or a collector street.

Parking for schools or parks or playgrounds built after January 10, 2007, which include athletic fields may have primary access located on a local street.

Additional parking required to accommodate a stadium built after January 10, 2007, for existing high schools or parks or playgrounds shall have primary access located on a major or minor arterial or a collector street.

Additional parking required to accommodate an athletic field built after January 10, 2007, for existing schools or parks or playgrounds may have primary access located on a local street.

Secondary access may be located on a local street if the access is located within two hundred (200) feet of the street providing primary access to the site, measured in a straight line from the lot line at the primary street frontage, along the lot line where the secondary access is proposed.

Parking garages. When the school or park or playground is located in a zoning district that allows parking garages, the following regulations shall be met:

Parking garages, including any exterior lighting, shall not exceed the height of the zoning district.

Parking garages shall be designed to screen the front ends of cars from sight.

Parking garages shall use materials and an architectural style that complement the stadium, school and/or playground buildings to incorporate the structure into the site.

Parking garages shall only have vehicular access on a major or minor arterial or a collector street.

(11)

Traffic Impact Analysis (TIA). Notwithstanding the applicability requirements of this Code for traffic impact analysis, all special permitted use applications for stadiums shall include a TIA and the applicant shall provide to the parish any transportation improvements reasonably necessary to meet the needs of the stadium. The parish shall be the final arbiter of which improvements are reasonably necessary to meet the needs of the stadium. The stadium shall not be approved unless and until adequate transportation facilities exist or provision has been made for essential transportation facilities as determined by the parish.

(12)

Approval. Stadiums and athletic fields accessory to schools and private parks or playgrounds shall be subject to site plan review.

The applicant shall submit a site plan documenting compliance with all the criteria of this section to the planning department for administrative review by the land use review technical committee, in accordance with Level 1 site plan review procedures, including the fee, of section 40-449 Development review procedures in the Mixed Use Corridor District and applicable requirements of section 40-450 Site plan submittal.

If the planning department determines that all criteria are fully met, the site plan shall be submitted to the building permit process through the inspection and code enforcement department. Prior to the application for a building permit, the applicant shall submit at least four (4) final original site plans to the planning department. Final approval of the site plan, as indicated by the dated signature of the planning director, shall be withheld until the requested number of site plans has been received by the planning department. Within thirty (30) calendar days of final approval, the planning department shall submit an original site plan to the clerk of court for recreation. The recorded site plan shall thereafter be binding upon the applicants, their heirs, successors, and assigns; shall limit and control the issuance and validity of permits and certificates; and shall restrict and limit the use and operation of all land and structures within the area designated in the site plan and approval thereof. An original of the site plan stamped by the clerk of court indicating the recordation shall be retained by the planning department and by the department of inspection and code enforcement.

If the site plan does not fully meet the criteria then the stadium or athletic field shall be subject to the provisions of Article XL, Special Permitted Uses, including the additional fee and approval from the Jefferson Parish Council. However, neither the parish council nor any parish board, commission, department, or administrative agency shall grant a variance to any of the following regulations, and special permitted use applications for stadiums shall not include requests for variances to these regulations:

Stadiums and athletic fields shall be located on the same lot of record as and contiguous to the school or park or playground, and uninterrupted by public rights-of-way. In the case of a school, the lot of record upon which the stadium or athletic field is located also shall contain at least fifty (50) percent of the square footage of the school dedicated to core educational, academic activities, excluding space used for athletics such as gymnasiums and outdoor fields.

Stadiums shall meet minimum site acreage as follows:

Stadiums with less than three thousand (3,000) seats shall have no minimum required acreage except the acreage that is required to meet these regulations.

ii.

The minimum site acreage required for stadiums larger than three thousand (3,000) seats shall be as follows:

Size of Stadium	Minimum Acreage Required
3001—3500	11.75
3501—4000	13.00
4001—4500	14.25
4501—5000	15.50

iii.

One parking (1) space for each three (3) seats or twenty (20) spaces per athletic field without seating. Multipurpose athletic fields without parking shall provide parking for all possible field arrangements; e.g., one (1) football-sized field that will also be used for two (2) baseball diamonds shall provide parking for two (2) athletic fields.

When parking spaces are computed on the number of seats, and the structure, building or use utilizes bench, bleacher, or similar seating rather than individual seats, then each eighteen (18) inches of bench, bleacher, or similar seating shall constitute a seat.

Schools having auditoriums, gymnasiums, or sports arenas shall have parking that accommodates the highest number of parking spaces required when the required parking spaces for the school and each such facility are calculated; i.e., the use requiring the highest number of parking spaces shall be the parking requirement that applies.

Stadiums shall not exceed five thousand (5,000) seats including any portable bleachers regularly used.

If the special permitted use is approved by the parish council, then the applicant shall submit to the planning department at least five (5) final original site plans of the project as approved by the council. After certification by the planning director that the submitted plans conform to the approval of the council, as indicated by the dated signature of the planning director, the planning department shall submit four (4) of the certified site plans to the clerk of council who shall submit the site plans to the clerk of court for recordation with the council ordinance which approved the project, within sixty (60) calendar days of the effective date of the ordinance or certification by the planning director that the site plans conform to the approval of the council, whichever is later. The recorded site plan shall thereafter be binding upon the applicants, their heirs, successors, and assigns; shall limit and control the issuance and validity of permits and certificates; and shall restrict and limit the use and operation of all land and structures within the area designated in the site plan and approval thereof. An original of the recorded site plan stamped by the clerk of court indicating the recordation shall be retained by the clerk of council, the Planning department, and the department of inspection and code enforcement.

(c)

Stadiums and athletic fields in non-residential zoning districts. When a stadium or athletic field is a stand-alone recreational use or accessory to a high school in the case of a stadium, any school in the case of an athletic field, or to a park or playground, in a non-residential zoning district (where such uses are permitted) that abuts or is located across the right-of-way of a local, neighborhood collector, or collector street from a residential zoning district, the following criteria shall apply:

(1)

Site. When a stadium or athletic field is accessory to a school, park, or playground, the stadium or athletic field shall be located on the same lot of record as and contiguous to the school, park or playground, and uninterrupted by public rights-of-way. In the case of a school, the lot of record upon which the stadium or athletic field is located also shall contain at least fifty (50) percent of the square footage of the school dedicated to core educational, academic activities, excluding space used for athletics such as gymnasiums and outdoor fields.

(2)

Setbacks.

A stadium shall set back in its entirety a minimum distance of one hundred (100) feet, measured in a straight line, without regard to intervening structures, from the outermost edge of the footprint of the seating structure or the outermost boundary of the field, whichever is closer, to the nearest lot line of an abutting residential zoning district.

An athletic field shall set back in its entirety a minimum distance of fifty (50) feet, measured in a straight line, without regard to intervening structures, from the outermost edge of the footprint of the seating structure or the outermost boundary of the field, whichever is closer, to the nearest lot line of an abutting residential zoning district.

(3)

Landscape and buffer.

Exceptions. Public parks or playgrounds are exempt from these buffering criteria.

(4)

Height.

The height regulations of the zoning district shall apply to the seating structures in stadiums and on athletic fields.

Notwithstanding the regulations of section 40-737 Exceptions to height requirements related to schools and public and semi-public buildings, seating structures may exceed the height limit of the zoning district up to one hundred (100) feet without requiring the entire seating structure to set back an additional one (1) foot for each one (1) foot over one hundred (100) feet of height on the side abutting a property zoned residentially.