NOLA Property Viewer explicitly separates current zoning from the record that predates the modern Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance. Anchor both periods to the same parcel, then keep conditional actions, interim districts, inclusionary zoning, and Future Land Use in their own time lanes. It is not an approval.
Last checked: August 7, 2026.
Begin the current-versus-pre-CZO timeline at NOLA Property Viewer, which supplies parcel and property lookup. Cross-check the selected geometry through NOLA Property Viewer map service, the route used for exact current and historical layer inventory. Before copying Conditional Use/Exceptional Use/Planned Development (layer 0), verify gis.nola.gov city GIS host and apps/property3 service; those markers keep the NOLA Property Viewer tied to the intended jurisdiction and record period.
Layer 8 is current zoning; layer 9 stops before August 12, 2015
NOLA Property Viewer encodes legal role and time directly in its layer names. Property Information or Parcels layer 15 fixes the geometry. Current Zoning layer 8 supplies the district used for the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance. Historic Zoning prior to August 12, 2015 layer 9 is reserved for historical reconstruction. Overlays and Interim Zoning Districts layer 1 and Mandatory Inclusionary Zoning layer 2 add supplemental controls. Conditional Use, Exceptional Use, or Planned Development layer 0 points to property-specific cases and conditions. Future Land Use layer 3 supplies Master Plan policy rather than present permissions. A complete New Orleans lookup starts with layer 15, records layer 8, screens layers 0 through 3, and uses layer 9 only when the research date precedes the stated cutoff. The map's structure itself prevents policy, history, and approvals from being collapsed.
New Orleans, Louisiana date check: The service itself separates current layer 8 from pre-August-12-2015 layer 9; retain that cutoff and the query date when reconstructing history.
NOLA Property Viewer supplies parcel and property lookup, its official map service defines the exact current and historical layer inventory, and the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance supplies controlling text. The service explicitly separates current layer 8 from historic layer 9 using the August 12, 2015 cutoff. Preserve that date, the query date, and the effective date of any overlay, IZD, mandatory inclusionary zoning rule, or property-specific case used. A layer refresh does not change the historical scope written into layer 9's name. Likewise, a recent Future Land Use plan remains policy rather than current zoning. New Orleans currency is established by matching the current district and supplemental records to effective CZO provisions, while historical research states its target date and keeps the pre-cutoff layer separate.
Property parcels anchor seven NOLA Property Viewer layers
The NOLA Property Viewer table keeps each returned label beside its displayed scope and the separate legal record still waiting to be opened. Its first checkpoint is Conditional Use/Exceptional Use/Planned Development (layer 0), which may appear as layer ID 0; from there, Retrieve the case and final conditions rather than inferring approval from the polygon. A blank in the current-versus-pre-CZO timeline stays visible so another reader can distinguish an empty official return from an unexamined field.
| Local field, layer, or record | What it does | Displayed value or scope | Next code or record check | Official page |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conditional Use/Exceptional Use/Planned Development (layer 0) layer | shows property-specific approval geography | layer ID 0 | Retrieve the case and final conditions rather than inferring approval from the polygon. | Open exact record |
| Overlays and Interim Zoning Districts (layer 1) layer | shows supplemental and interim controls | layer ID 1 | Read the named CZO overlay or IZD provisions with base zoning. | Open exact record |
| Mandatory Inclusionary Zoning (layer 2) layer | shows mandatory inclusionary-zoning coverage | layer ID 2 | Check applicability and effective dates for the mapped area. | Open exact record |
| Future Land Use (layer 3) layer | shows the Master Plan future-land-use designation | layer ID 3 | Do not substitute FLUM policy for present zoning. | Open exact record |
| Zoning (layer 8) layer | returns current mapped zoning | layer ID 8 | Use it for the current CZO district lookup. | Open exact record |
| Historic Zoning prior to August 12, 2015 (layer 9) layer | preserves pre-CZO zoning history | explicit date in the layer name | Use only for historical questions and compare with layer 8. | Open exact record |
| Property Information / Parcels (layer 15) layer | locks parcel identity | layer ID 15 | Match parcel geometry before attaching any case or overlay. | Open exact record |
Conditional actions, interim districts, and inclusionary rules have separate histories
| Returned local record | Record to compare | When to stop | Next decision |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conditional Use/Exceptional Use/Planned Development (layer 0) returns layer ID 0 | Compare with Overlays and Interim Zoning Districts (layer 1), which shows supplemental and interim controls | Stop the current-versus-pre-CZO timeline if Overlays and Interim Zoning Districts (layer 1) is missing, dated differently, or points to another record. | Continue through the NOLA Property Viewer: Retrieve the case and final conditions rather than inferring approval from the polygon. Then test whether Overlays and Interim Zoning Districts (layer 1) changes that route. |
| Overlays and Interim Zoning Districts (layer 1) returns layer ID 1 | Compare with Mandatory Inclusionary Zoning (layer 2), which shows mandatory inclusionary-zoning coverage | Stop the current-versus-pre-CZO timeline if Mandatory Inclusionary Zoning (layer 2) is missing, dated differently, or points to another record. | Continue through the NOLA Property Viewer: Read the named CZO overlay or IZD provisions with base zoning. Then test whether Mandatory Inclusionary Zoning (layer 2) changes that route. |
| Mandatory Inclusionary Zoning (layer 2) returns layer ID 2 | Compare with Future Land Use (layer 3), which shows the Master Plan future-land-use designation | Stop the current-versus-pre-CZO timeline if Future Land Use (layer 3) is missing, dated differently, or points to another record. | Continue through the NOLA Property Viewer: Check applicability and effective dates for the mapped area. Then test whether Future Land Use (layer 3) changes that route. |
| Future Land Use (layer 3) returns layer ID 3 | Compare with Zoning (layer 8), which returns current mapped zoning | Stop the current-versus-pre-CZO timeline if Zoning (layer 8) is missing, dated differently, or points to another record. | Continue through the NOLA Property Viewer: Do not substitute FLUM policy for present zoning. Then test whether Zoning (layer 8) changes that route. |
| Zoning (layer 8) returns layer ID 8 | Compare with Historic Zoning prior to August 12, 2015 (layer 9), which preserves pre-CZO zoning history | Stop the current-versus-pre-CZO timeline if Historic Zoning prior to August 12, 2015 (layer 9) is missing, dated differently, or points to another record. | Continue through the NOLA Property Viewer: Use it for the current CZO district lookup. Then test whether Historic Zoning prior to August 12, 2015 (layer 9) changes that route. |
| Historic Zoning prior to August 12, 2015 (layer 9) returns explicit date in the layer name | Compare with Property Information / Parcels (layer 15), which locks parcel identity | Stop the current-versus-pre-CZO timeline if Property Information / Parcels (layer 15) is missing, dated differently, or points to another record. | Continue through the NOLA Property Viewer: Use only for historical questions and compare with layer 8. Then test whether Property Information / Parcels (layer 15) changes that route. |
| Property Information / Parcels (layer 15) returns layer ID 15 | Compare with Conditional Use/Exceptional Use/Planned Development (layer 0), which shows property-specific approval geography | Stop the current-versus-pre-CZO timeline if Conditional Use/Exceptional Use/Planned Development (layer 0) is missing, dated differently, or points to another record. | Continue through the NOLA Property Viewer: Match parcel geometry before attaching any case or overlay. Then test whether Conditional Use/Exceptional Use/Planned Development (layer 0) changes that route. |
Reconstruct a parcel across the 2015 cutoff without blending old and new
- Open the NOLA Property Viewer; fix the parcel, boundary, jurisdiction, and official key before reading thematic records.
- Start the current-versus-pre-CZO timeline by copying Conditional Use/Exceptional Use/Planned Development (layer 0) exactly as returned, including layer ID 0.
- Keep Overlays and Interim Zoning Districts (layer 1) in a second NOLA Property Viewer worksheet field because it shows supplemental and interim controls.
- Test Mandatory Inclusionary Zoning (layer 2) independently, then mark its value, service layer, or documented blank in the current-versus-pre-CZO timeline.
- Give Future Land Use (layer 3) and every later item a separate row; never compress history, plans, and overlays into the NOLA Property Viewer result.
- Attach the NOLA Property Viewer lookup time to Conditional Use/Exceptional Use/Planned Development (layer 0), while preserving this separate currency clue: The service itself separates current layer 8 from pre-August-12-2015 layer 9; retain that cutoff and the query date when reconstructing history.
- If Conditional Use/Exceptional Use/Planned Development (layer 0) and Overlays and Interim Zoning Districts (layer 1) conflict, send the current-versus-pre-CZO timeline to NOLA Property Viewer and ask whether the question belongs to current or historic zoning.
The NOLA Property Viewer worksheet is complete only when another reader can reproduce the current-versus-pre-CZO timeline from the same parcel key and official pages. Keep each source's legal role and effective date apart, then record whether the question belongs to current or historic zoning as unresolved instead of selecting the most convenient output. The local currency note remains part of that audit trail: The service itself separates current layer 8 from pre-August-12-2015 layer 9; retain that cutoff and the query date when reconstructing history.
Consider a hypothetical New Orleans parcel identified in layer 15. Current Zoning layer 8 returns a district, Historic Zoning layer 9 shows a different pre-August-12-2015 value, Future Land Use layer 3 supplies a policy designation, and layer 1 shows an Interim Zoning District. The researcher uses layer 8 for the current CZO lookup and preserves layer 9 only to explain the historical transition. The Future Land Use value remains in a Master Plan column and is not reported as a present permitted-use rule. The named IZD provision is opened and applied in addition to current zoning. If layer 0 also intersects, the underlying conditional-use, exceptional-use, or planned-development case and final conditions are retrieved. The hypothetical distinguishes five record roles without claiming that any polygon alone proves approval.
Future Land Use cannot replace the current zoning polygon
| Local situation | What went wrong | What to retain | How to resolve it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scenario 1 | Historic layer 9 is reported as current zoning instead of current layer 8. | Preserve Mandatory Inclusionary Zoning (layer 2), the selected geometry, and both timestamps from the NOLA Property Viewer check. | Use NOLA Property Viewer to settle whether the question belongs to current or historic zoning; then Check applicability and effective dates for the mapped area. |
| Scenario 2 | Future Land Use is described as if it grants today's permitted uses. | Preserve Future Land Use (layer 3), the selected geometry, and both timestamps from the NOLA Property Viewer check. | Use NOLA Property Viewer to settle whether the question belongs to current or historic zoning; then Do not substitute FLUM policy for present zoning. |
If historic layer 9 was reported as current zoning, restore layer 8 as the current map source and relabel layer 9 with its pre-August-12-2015 scope. If Future Land Use layer 3 was described as granting today's uses, move it to a Master Plan policy column and open the current CZO district from layer 8. Screen layers 0, 1, and 2 separately and retrieve any case, IZD, overlay, or inclusionary record that intersects the layer 15 parcel. A focused City Planning question is: For this parcel, which layer 8 district and supplemental CZO controls are currently effective, and what historical question is answered by the layer 9 value? Include the cutoff, query date, and case or overlay dates. This correction preserves New Orleans' explicit time boundary and prevents plan policy or history from becoming a false current approval.
The Property Viewer service and CZO answer different parts of the timeline
| Official page | What to check there | Local coverage shown |
|---|---|---|
| NOLA Property Viewer | parcel and property lookup | Official city property application |
| NOLA Property Viewer map service | exact current and historical layer inventory | City-owned gis.nola.gov service |
| New Orleans Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance | controlling zoning text | Official CZO site |
How should Conditional Use/Exceptional Use/Planned Development (layer 0) be checked in New Orleans, Louisiana?
Open the official Conditional Use/Exceptional Use/Planned Development (layer 0) record and capture the value inside the NOLA Property Viewer. That record shows how Conditional Use/Exceptional Use/Planned Development (layer 0) shows property-specific approval geography; one displayed form is layer ID 0. Place the copied value in the current-versus-pre-CZO timeline, then follow its separate rule route: Retrieve the case and final conditions rather than inferring approval from the polygon.
How should Overlays and Interim Zoning Districts (layer 1) be checked in New Orleans, Louisiana?
Open the official Overlays and Interim Zoning Districts (layer 1) record and capture the value inside the NOLA Property Viewer. That record shows how Overlays and Interim Zoning Districts (layer 1) shows supplemental and interim controls; one displayed form is layer ID 1. Place the copied value in the current-versus-pre-CZO timeline, then follow its separate rule route: Read the named CZO overlay or IZD provisions with base zoning.
How should Mandatory Inclusionary Zoning (layer 2) be checked in New Orleans, Louisiana?
Open the official Mandatory Inclusionary Zoning (layer 2) record and capture the value inside the NOLA Property Viewer. That record shows how Mandatory Inclusionary Zoning (layer 2) shows mandatory inclusionary-zoning coverage; one displayed form is layer ID 2. Place the copied value in the current-versus-pre-CZO timeline, then follow its separate rule route: Check applicability and effective dates for the mapped area.
What to ask when a pre-2015 action still appears relevant
- Selected parcel key, geometry, and responsible jurisdiction
- Every returned value from the local field table
- Page titles, URLs, lookup times, and update clues
- Opened code, plan, case, ordinance, or metadata records
- Unresolved blanks, boundary splits, dates, and competing outputs
- Proposed activity stated in code-relevant facts
- Agency contact, narrow question, reply date, and limits
The NOLA Property Viewer does not decide title, survey boundaries, private restrictions, vested rights, building-code compliance, utilities, licensing, or permit issuance. Request a written response when the current-versus-pre-CZO timeline leaves competing official results or when substantial reliance is planned. A useful request to NOLA Property Viewer identifies the parcel, quotes Conditional Use/Exceptional Use/Planned Development (layer 0) and Overlays and Interim Zoning Districts (layer 1), gives their source dates, and asks whether the question belongs to current or historic zoning.
Use new orleans zoning map by address, zoning code vs zoning map, zoning overlays special districts only where those methods clarify the current-versus-pre-CZO timeline. The NOLA Property Viewer evidence linked for Conditional Use/Exceptional Use/Planned Development (layer 0) and Overlays and Interim Zoning Districts (layer 1) remains the local starting point.
Reviewed August 7, 2026. Recheck the NOLA Property Viewer, its cited ordinance, and the agency procedure before relying on the saved worksheet.