Using Power Tools in Lafayette? How Early is Too Early?

Weather experts in Lake Charles, Louisiana, Slidell, Louisiana, St. Landry Parish, Louisiana, and other places around the state will be spending time this weekend conducting investigations into Wednesday's severe storms. Authorities in those areas are in the process of confirming what damages during Wednesday's storm came from straight-line winds or whether the weather issues were caused by a tornado.

Regardless, there will be a lot of communities that have a lot of cleaning up they need to do this weekend. Elsewhere, the damage wasn't that bad but there will still be outside work to be done, even if it's just cutting the grass. Which brings us to an interesting question that many of you have probably wondered about as well.

How Early Can You Cut Grass with a Power Mower in Lafayette, Louisiana?

As you might imagine this concern is governed by statutes from Lafayette Consolidated Government. No, they don't have specific lawn and garden statutes but they do mention power equipment as it relates to the LCG enforcement of the sound ordinance. The "sound ordinance" is the reason why shows that take place in our downtown parks have to end by 10 p.m.

But what does the sound ordinance have to do with mowing my grass on a Saturday? According to LCG, you might technically be disturbing the peace with excessive noise if you fire up that power mower, the blower, the weed wacker, or any other motorized power tool before 7 a.m. The actual ordinance prohibits the use of such tools between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m.

That stipulation covers residential areas. The rules are a little different for commercial properties. But when those commercial properties share a boundary with a residential property the same time frame applies, 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. but that's only on weekdays. On weekends landscapers working on commercial property adjacent to residential property may not get started until 9 a.m. or later.

Guess how tall your grass can grow before the law says you have to cut it? If you guessed six inches you are too low. The actual answer is 12 inches or about two feet shorter than the length of the grass in the medians of some of the city and parish roadways and highways. But I am sure that falls under someone else's jurisdiction.

Now, the next question is, what Louisiana towns allow you to keep chickens in residential neighborhoods? Believe it or not, we have the answer to that for you. Oh, and be nice to your neighbors, don't mow or blow before 7 a.m. no mo' Thank you.