RS 5625 - Violation of zoning restriction, building restriction, or subdivision regulation
A.(1) All actions civil or criminal, created by statute, ordinance, or otherwise, except those actions created for the purpose of amortization of nonconforming signs and billboards enacted in conformity with the provisions of R.S. 33:4722, which may be brought by parishes, municipalities, or their instrumentalities or by any person, firm, or corporation to require enforcement of and compliance with any zoning restriction, building restriction, or subdivision regulation, imposed by any parish, municipality, or an instrumentality thereof, and based upon the violation by any person, firm, or corporation of such restriction or regulation, must be brought within five years from the first act constituting the commission of the violation.
(2) Where a violation has existed for a period of two years prior to August 1, 1956, except those actions created for the purpose of amortization of nonconforming signs and billboards enacted in conformity with the provisions of R.S. 33:4722, the action must be brought within one year from and after August 1, 1956.
(3) With reference to violations of use regulations all such actions, civil or criminal, except those actions created for the purpose of amortization of nonconforming signs and billboards in conformity with the provisions of R.S. 33:4722, must be brought within five years from the date the parish, municipality, and the properly authorized instrumentality or agency thereof if such agency has been designated, first had been actually notified in writing of such violation.
(4) Except as relates to nonconforming signs and billboards, any prescription heretofore accrued by the passage of two years shall not be interrupted, disturbed, or lost by operation of the provisions of this Section.
B. In all cases where the prescription provided for herein has accrued, the particular property involved in the violation of the zoning restriction, building restriction or subdivision regulation shall enjoy the same legal status as land uses, construction features of buildings or subdivisions made nonconforming by the adoption of any zoning restriction, building restriction or subdivision regulation. However, the governing authority may provide for the removal of nonconforming signs and billboards in accord with the provisions of R.S. 33:4722.
C. Notwithstanding the provisions of Subsection A of this Section, the following provisions shall be applicable only to the parishes of East Baton Rouge and Jefferson or their instrumentalities. All actions, civil or criminal, created by statute, ordinance, or otherwise, except those actions created for the purpose of amortization of nonconforming signs and billboards enacted in conformity with the provisions of R.S. 33:4722, which may be brought by such parishes or their instrumentalities or by any person, firm, or corporation to require enforcement of and compliance with any zoning restriction, building restriction, or subdivision regulation, imposed by any such parish or their instrumentalities, and based upon the violation by any person, firm, or corporation of such restriction or regulation, must be brought within three years from the date such parish or its properly authorized instrumentality or agency, if such agency has been designated, received actual notice in writing of such violation, and except for violations of use regulations, all such actions, civil or criminal, must be brought within five years from the date of the first act constituting the commission of the violation. However, in the parish of East Baton Rouge, and municipalities included within such parish, all actions, civil or criminal, for violations of use regulations must be brought within five years from the date of the first act constituting the commission of the violation.
D. In the parishes of East Baton Rouge and Jefferson, in cases where the parish or its instrumentality, after receiving notification of violation, institutes an investigation or other administrative or judicial proceeding in order to seek a cessation of the violation and during the course of such investigation or proceeding makes the determination that the violation has in fact ceased, prescription shall be interrupted and if any recurrence or new violation commences thereafter, prescription will begin to accrue anew upon the date the parish or its properly authorized instrumentality or agency, if such agency has been designated, receives actual notice in writing of such recurrence or new violation. Except for violations of use regulations, all such actions, civil or criminal, must be brought within five years from the date of the recurrence or new act constituting the commission of the violation. However, in the parish of East Baton Rouge, and municipalities included within such parish, all actions, civil or criminal, for violations of use regulations must be brought within five years from the date of the first act constituting the commission of the violation.
E. The provisions of this Section shall supersede any other provisions of law inconsistent herewith.
F. The provisions of Subsections C and D of this Section shall not apply in the parish of Orleans or the city of New Orleans.
G.(1) The provisions of this Section shall not apply to property or areas which have been identified as historic districts, historical preservations or landmarks by any historic preservation district commission, landmarks commission, or the planning or zoning commission of a governing authority; however, the prescriptive period within which to bring an action to enforce a zoning restriction or regulation or a violation thereof shall be ten years from the first act constituting the commission of the violation.
(2) The provisions of this Subsection shall apply only to zoning or planning restrictions made by a municipality or parish, or other municipal or parish entity responsible for zoning, planning, or building restrictions.
(3)(a) Notwithstanding the provisions of Paragraph (1) of this Subsection, the prescriptive period set forth therein regarding any action to enforce a zoning restriction or regulation or a violation thereof in the Vieux Carre section of the city of New Orleans shall begin to run on the date the properly authorized agency of the city actually receives written notice of the violation.
(b) The provisions of Subparagraph (a) of this Paragraph shall not divest a person of any right obtained as a result of prescription that accrued prior to August 15, 2007.
Acts 1956, No. 455, §§1, 2. Amended by Acts 1962, No. 415, §1; Acts 1972, No. 54, §1; Acts 1993, No. 1025, §1, eff. June 27, 1993; Acts 1997, No. 491, §1, eff. July 3, 1997; Acts 1997, No. 1146, §1; Acts 2001, No. 871, §1; Acts 2007, No. 263, §1; Acts 2011, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 30, §1.