There are many ordinances on the books which New Orleans fails to enforce. The Noise Ordinance, the Blighted Properties ordinances among them. Ordinances for maintaining vacant lots will soon come into play when the vast number of demolitions on the FEMA / City Lists are done this year. Chris Martel began realizing the impact of our dislocated property owners last year with this post: Welcome to the Jungle

When I come here to my vacation house in the States, I always manage to get a bad case of Poison Ivy just mowing the grass. This time, I just thought it was a rock that hit my leg until many days later, it turned into a festering hell of of rash.

Little do most people know, there is an ordinance prohibiting poison ivy on one’s property in Orleans Parish. I am pretty amazed that somehow we don’t have rampant Poison Ivy in our inner city. As our gen pop returns to the city, I am more afraid of crack dealers than I am of Poison Ivy in my work inspecting property.

You can look up our many meaningless ordinances online at Municode. They offer ordinances for many cities across the U.S.

The Poison Ivy law is under the Environment Chapter: Sec. 66-312. Poison oak and poison ivy prohibited.
It shall be unlawful for the owner, agent or occupant of any premises to permit poison oak or poison ivy to grow or be kept on his premises.
(Code 1956, § 28-1)

In our really wacky way, Karen and I think we might go around planting bamboo on empty lots and starting random Panda sanctuaries to at least make the best of the situation of the proliferating vacant lots.

If you do get pus leg, I can only really recommend Cala Gel.

Here are some up-and-coming ordinances that won’t likely be enforced either:

Sec. 66-313. Duty to mow grass and remove debris.
(a) It shall be the duty of every owner of real estate within the city to at all times cut and mow the grass and weeds on their respective lots and in the space between the property line and the curbline in front and in the rear and alongside thereof, so that neither grass nor weeds shall rise above the height of 18 inches, and every property owner shall remove cuttings or mowings and any trash, debris, refuse, or discarded matter from his property.
(b) The failure to comply with the provisions of this section shall be punished in accordance with the penalties established by section 66-256.
(Code 1956, § 28-30)

Sec. 66-314. Notice to cut or remove weeds, trash, etc.
(a) In the case of privately owned vacant property, the director of the department of parks and parkways may notify in writing the owner, or the agent of such owner, of any vacant lot, place or area within the city to cut, destroy and/or remove any such weeds, grass or deleterious or unhealthful growths or trash, debris, refuse, discarded or noxious matter found growing, lying or located on such owner’s property or upon the sidewalk abutting it. Such notice shall be by certified mail, addressed to the owner oragent of the owner at his last known address as shown on the assessor’s real estate online system or as shown on information received from the registrar of conveyances. In the case where some physical facility, building, house, shed, etc., or portion of the same is located upon the property or where the vacant property or lot is enclosed by fencing or for any other reason the grass cannot be cut by the department of parks and parkways, the director of the department of health may notify in writing the owneror the agent of such owner, of any lot, place or area within the city to cut, destroy and/or remove any such weeds, grass or deleterious or unhealthful growths or trash, debris, refuse, discarded or noxious matter found growing, lying or located on such owner’s property or upon the sidewalk abutting it. Such written notice shall be by certified mail addressed to the owner or agent of the owner at his last known address as shown on the assessor’s real estate online system or as shown on information receivedfrom the registrar of conveyances.
(b) Whenever the department of parks and parkways or the department of health has issued more than one written notice, as provided in subsection (a) above, within a six-month period, to a property owner or agent of such owner, and the owner has complied with the notices in a timely manner, the property owner or agent shall nonetheless be charged $100.00 per notice for administrative expenses incurred in sending the notices. The owner or agent shall be charged for the second and all subsequent notices to him orher, whether they pertain to the same parcel or more than one parcel of property. Interest on amounts charged to the property owner for administrative expenses shall accrue at the rate of 15 percent per annum from the date of mailing of the second or subsequent notice and shall be charged to the owner of the property on the next regular tax bill or a supplemental tax bill forwarded to such owner by the city if not paid by such owner prior thereto, which charge shall be due and payable by such owner at the time of the payment of such tax bill.
(Code 1956, § 28-31; M.C.S., Ord. No. 17,522, § 1, 5-2-96)

Sec. 66-316. Cutting or removing by city when owner fails to do so.
Upon the failure, neglect or refusal of any owner, or the agent of such owner, to cut, destroy and/or remove such weeds, grass or deleterious or unhealthful growths or such trash, debris, refuse, discarded or noxious matter growing, lying or located upon such owner’s property or upon the sidewalk abutting it, within ten days after receipt of the written notice provided for in section 66-314, or within ten days after the date of such notice, if it is returned to the city by the postal service because of itsinability to make delivery thereof and if it was properly addressed to the last-known address of such owner or agent, as shown on the assessor’s real estate online system or as shown on information received from the registrar of conveyances, the superintendent of the parkway and park commission may order the same cut, destroyed or removed, whichever method is appropriate, by city forces, specifically the parkway and park commission or by contract issued by the parkway and park commission, and pay for cutting, destroying, and/or removal of such weeds, grass or deleterious or unhealthful growths, trash, debris, refuse or discarded or noxious matter.
(Code 1956, § 28-32)
State law references: Maintenance of property, R.S. 33:4752 et seq.

Sec. 66-317. Owners to be billed for work done by city.
Whenever the parkway and parks commission has paid for or performed the cutting, destroying and/or removal of the weeds, grass or deleterious or unhealthful growths as set forth in section 66-316, a fee of $0.02 per square foot shall be charged the owner with a minimum charge of $50.00 per lot; provided that if the cost of the removal of weeds, grass or deleterious or unhealthful growths exceeds $0.02 per square foot, then the owner shall be charged for the actual cost of the work. A fee of $0.04 per squarefoot shall be charged for the removal of trash, debris, refuse, discarded or noxious matter with a minimum charge of $100.00 per lot; provided that if the actual cost of the removal of trash, debris, refuse, or discarded or noxious matter exceeds $0.04 per square foot, then the owner shall be charged for the actual cost of the work. In addition to the fees hereinabove established, a charge of $300.00 per lot shall be charged for administrative expenses incurred by the parkway and parks commission. Intereston amounts charged to the property owner for reimbursement for work performed and his administrative expenses shall accrue at the rate of 15 percent per annum from the date of completion of such work and shall be charged to the owner of the property on the next regular tax bill or a supplemental tax bill forwarded to such owner by the city if not paid by such owner prior thereto, which charge shall be due and payable by such owner at the time of the payment of such tax bill.
(Code 1956, § 28-33)
State law references: Maintenance of property, R.S. 33:4752 et seq.

Sec. 66-318. Sworn statement of costs to be filed in mortgage office; effect thereof.
If the full amount due the city under this article is not paid by the owner within ten days after the cutting, destroying and/or removal of the weeds, grass or deleterious or unhealthful growth or trash, debris, refuse, discarded or noxious matter, as set forth in sections 66-316 and 66-317, the director of the department of sanitation, or his duly authorized representative, shall cause to be recorded in the mortgage office of the parish a sworn statement showing the cost and expense incurred for the work and the date, place or property on which such work was done and the recordation of such sworn statement shall constitute a lien and privilege on the property and shall remain in full force and effect for the amount due in principal and interest, plus costs of court, if any, for collection, until final payment has been made. Such costs and expenses shall be collected in the manner fixed by law for the collection of taxes; and, further, shall be subject to a delinquent penalty of ten percent if they are not paid in full on or before the date the tax bill upon which the charge appears becomes delinquent. Sworn statements recorded in accordance with the provisions of this section shall be prima facie evidence that all legal formalities have been complied with and that the work has been properly and satisfactorily done and shall be full notice to every person concerned that the amount of the statement, plus interest, constitutes a charge against the property designated or described in the statement and that such charge is due and collectible as provided by law.
(Code 1956, § 28-34)
State law references: Maintenance of property, R.S. 33:4752.