# Non-Negotiable Code & Compliance — Kitchen + Lot Z Area

**Status:** OWNER LOCK · May 28, 2026  
**Purpose:** Every **required** rule that cannot be waived, marketed around, or “fixed later” without stop-work.  
**Authority:** [09](./09-CODE-COMPLIANCE-MATRIX.md) · [60](./60-LOT-Z-AREA-COMPLIANCE-AND-PRE-APP-SCRIPT.md) · [61](./61-RECEPTION-FACILITY-NO-CUDO-LOCK.md) · [68](./68-MAISON-MIRAGE-LIFE-SAFETY-PLAN.md) · [12](./12-CONTAINER-OPEN-KIOSK-FIRE-STRATEGY.md) · [11](./11-PERMIT-SUBMITTAL-CHECKLIST.md) · [08](./08-COMMISSARY-KITCHEN-PLAN-REV7.md) · [COMPLIANCE-FIRST-SEQUENCE](./COMPLIANCE-FIRST-SEQUENCE.md)

> Licensed architect, PE, LDH, OSFM, and City Planning must verify. This is the **owner non-negotiable list** — not legal advice.

---

## I. Governing law (what applies)

| Layer | Edition / source |
|-------|------------------|
| **IBC** | **2021** — Louisiana State Uniform Construction Code |
| **NFPA 101** | **2015** — OSFM life safety review |
| **NFPA 13** | **2019** — sprinklers |
| **NFPA 96** | Hood, grease duct, suppression |
| **NFPA 72** | Fire alarm |
| **IPC / IMC / NEC** | 2021 / 2020 |
| **CZO** | City of New Orleans — **LI Light Industrial**, Lot Z |
| **Stormwater** | City Ch. **121** |
| **Food** | **Louisiana Dept. of Health** (commissary + each food seller) |
| **Liquor** | State/city ABC — **Mirage Pour only**; no BYOB |

**Act 534 (July 1, 2026):** IBC Ch. 11 accessibility in state code — plan for ADA on drawings.

---

## II. Site & area — non-negotiable (Lot Z)

### Zoning identity — **by-right only**

| **MUST operate as (P)** | **MUST NOT file / claim** |
|-------------------------|---------------------------|
| **Reception Facility** | **Outdoor Live Entertainment — Secondary (C)** = **CUDO** |
| Restaurant (Standard / Specialty) | Live Performance Venue (principal) |
| Retail Goods | Outdoor Amphitheater (principal) |
| Catering Kitchen / commissary | “999-cap concert hall” on **permit drawings** |
| **Amusement Facility** indoor/outdoor (20.3.E) | Standing public outdoor concert series |
| Bar — **accessory** (Mirage Pour) | General admission “Mirage presents” without host |

**Written confirmation required Week 1** — City Planning: no CUDO for listed P uses ([Doc 61](./61-RECEPTION-FACILITY-NO-CUDO-LOCK.md)).

### Setbacks (CZO Table 16-2) — corrected, not optional

| Edge | Minimum |
|------|---------|
| **Front** (Old Gentilly build-to) | **20′** max front yard |
| **West** (interior side) | **15′** |
| **East** (abuts Poche / residential) | **20′** |
| **Corner** (if applicable) | **10′** |
| **Rear** | None unless residential abut — **east = 20′** |

**Buildable width:** 200′ − 15′ − 20′ = **165′** (not 180′).

### Parking — plan **300** stalls (CZO cumulative)

| Driver | Spaces (strict math) |
|--------|----------------------|
| Restaurants, retail, bar, reception, **outdoor amusement area** | **~250–290** cumulative |
| **Operational target** | **300** designed |

Under-parking = zoning fight. Overflow only per **approved event plan**.

### Stormwater — **permit denied without it**

| Rule | Value |
|------|-------|
| Trigger | ≥1 acre / ≥5,000 SF impervious — **TRIGGERED** |
| Retain first **1.25″** on site | **~22,688 CF** on 5 AC Phase 1 pad |
| Post-dev peak | ≤ pre-development |
| Design | Detention + PICP/bioswale **east buffer (Poche)** — **stamped civil PE** |

### Flood & utilities — must prove before build

- **FEMA FIRM + BFE** for Lot Z — elevate MEP/commissary if **AE**
- **S&WB** sewer capacity letter + **grease interceptor** sized for peak (8 windows + digital + catering — not “8 users only”)
- **Entergy 400A+** service letter
- **Geotech** — slab, detention, container pads
- **ALTA/NSPS** + **300′ sensitive-use walk** (schools/churches/residential — **alcohol**)

### Fire access (site)

| Item | Spec |
|------|------|
| Lane width | **20′** min; **26′** at hydrants, hammerhead, portal |
| Vertical clearance | **13′-6″** |
| Hose lay | **≤150′** to exterior walls |
| Dead end | **North hammerhead 60′** radius |
| Guest egress traffic | **South Old Gentilly only** — no NASA/Entergy/west neighbor cut-through |

### Noise & events (area)

| Rule | Limit |
|------|-------|
| Outdoor amplified live (SEP) | **Max 6 nights / calendar year** — each date **filed SEP** |
| Routine Fri/Sat outdoor amplified shows | **Prohibited** without SEP that date |
| Outdoor amplified hours | **End 10 PM Sun–Thu, 11 PM Fri–Sat** (stricter than max zoning) |
| Reception / ticketed | **Named host + signed agreement** before ticket sales |
| Door marketing | **No GA “Mirage presents”** concert product |
| Poche Court (east) | **20′ yard + noise plan** at property line |

### 20.3.E Amusement — **required plans** (not optional waiver)

- Noise abatement plan (east line, Gentilly front, NASA corridor)
- Security & operations plan
- Exterior cameras per plan
- **Does not** authorize standing outdoor concert use

---

## III. Commissary kitchen — non-negotiable

### Location & size — **locked program**

| **MUST** | **MUST NOT** |
|----------|--------------|
| **50′ × 50′** (~2,500 SF) **conventional steel** kitchen wing | Cooking in **courtyard containers** |
| **Rear (north)** of Maison Mirage envelope | Cooking in **side bar container** |
| **Type I hood** line — production only | 60′ container commissary |
| **12′–14′** eave (hood/duct clearance) | PEMB “kit default” without stamped MEP |

### Fire & MEP (kitchen)

| Item | Requirement |
|------|-------------|
| **NFPA 96** | Type I exhaust to exterior; welded grease duct; cleanouts |
| **Hood suppression** | **UL 300** (Ansul or equal) — interlocked |
| **Sprinklers** | **Wet NFPA 13** in commissary (same fire area path as Doc 68) |
| **Separation** | **1-hour minimum** assembly ↔ kitchen (Table 508.4 — AOR/PE) |
| **Grease interceptor** | Civil-sized for **peak GPM** — LDH + IPC |
| **Make-up air** | Balanced to hood — PE sign-off |

### Health (LDH) — **no food until approved**

| Gate | Non-negotiable |
|------|----------------|
| Commissary **plan review approved** | Before any production for public |
| **Certificate of Sanitation** (or equivalent) at **that address** | Before sales |
| **Certified food safety manager** on duty per rules | Operations |
| **Written commissary agreement** | **Each** window vendor (separate LLC) |
| **Separate food establishment permit** | **Each** vendor entity |
| **Mirage Digital** | Only after commissary approved; LDH written rule on multi-menu count |

### Courtyard windows (food)

| Rule | Detail |
|------|--------|
| **8 chef windows** | Pass-up / pickup — **no cooking in box** |
| Max inside food kiosk | **2 staff, 0 guests** inside (rollup up still) |
| Heat lamps | **Electric, exterior counter only** |
| All flame/grease | **Commissary only** |

---

## IV. Maison Mirage (hall) — non-negotiable

### Sprinklers — **no argument**

**IBC 903.2.1.2:** Group **A-2** fire area **>5,000 SF** → **full NFPA 13 wet** under entire **120′ × 80′** pad including **8 integrated side containers** — **not** open-air unsprinklered pavilion.

| Area | Sprinklers |
|------|------------|
| 6,000 SF assembly hall | **YES** |
| Side container rooms (bar, VIP, etc.) | **YES** — same fire area |
| Rear commissary | **YES** + hood suppression |
| Courtyard vendor boxes | **NO** — separate structures (Doc 12) |

### Certificate of Occupancy — **permit baseline**

| **MUST show on drawings / CO** | **MUST NOT** |
|--------------------------------|--------------|
| **Assembly A-2 — MAX ~250–280 occupants** | **“999” as single-room CO** |
| Calculated OL @ 15 SF = ~400 — CO **below** calc for margin | Marketing “999 guests” as permitted capacity |

Higher counts = **SEP per date** (max **6/year**) + crowd managers + **Life Safety Evaluation** if **>1,000 standing**.

### Egress & alarm

| Item | Minimum |
|------|---------|
| Exits | **2 remote** — south glass main + east/west/north rated doors |
| Exit width | Sprinklered **0.15″ × OL** — dimension on FS1.1 |
| Travel distance | **250′** max sprinklered A-2 |
| Fire alarm | **Required** A-2 — NFPA 72, central station |
| Emergency lighting | **90 min** on egress paths |
| Crowd managers | **1 per 250** — **2 min** at 280 CO |

### Liquor

- **Owner-operated Mirage Pour only**
- **No outside liquor / no BYOB**
- **No liquor at vendor windows**

---

## V. Courtyard containers — non-negotiable (Doc 12)

| **MUST** | **MUST NOT** |
|----------|--------------|
| **≥10′ clear gap** between units (separate fire areas) | Weld containers into one building |
| Rollup **UP** on guest face during hours | Cooking appliances in any container |
| Posted **MAX OCCUPANCY** per unit | Open flame, propane, fryers in boxes |
| **2A-10BC** extinguisher at each exterior | Public seating **inside** food kiosks |
| Group **M / S** occupancy label — not A-2 inside boxes | Sprinklers claimed omitted for courtyard without Doc 12 narrative |

**Campus indoor cap (all kiosks combined): ~60 persons.**

---

## VI. Containers & zoning — permanent, not temp

- CZO **§21.8.C.12:** Courtyard vendors = **permanent permitted buildings** — **not** “temporary storage containers”
- AOR letter required for permanent vendor classification ([Doc 11](./11-PERMIT-SUBMITTAL-CHECKLIST.md))

---

## VII. Permits you must hold (minimum path)

| # | Permit / approval | Blocks |
|---|-------------------|--------|
| 1 | Written zoning path (no CUDO) | Entire project |
| 2 | Site + **stamped stormwater** Ch. 121 | Grading |
| 3 | Building — **120′×80′ Maison + 50′×50′ commissary** | CO |
| 4 | OSFM plan review — Doc 12/68/FP-1 | Assembly + kitchen |
| 5 | NOFD fire access | TCO |
| 6 | LDH commissary approval | **Any food** |
| 7 | Each vendor food permit + commissary agreement | **Each window** |
| 8 | ATC liquor (Mirage Pour) | Bar service |
| 9 | SEP (per date, max 6/yr) | Outdoor amplified above routine |

**Do not submit:** CUDO · outdoor stage · north pavilion · L-core-only PEMB without Maison sprinklers.

---

## VIII. Marketing vs permit — never cross these lines

| Say (city-safe) | Never say on permits / to planners |
|-----------------|-------------------------------------|
| Reception Facility · hosted private events | 999-cap concert hall |
| ~280 CO baseline · SEP for larger nights | Unlimited assembly |
| Courtyard restaurant + amusement (P) | Outdoor live entertainment secondary |
| Commissary backbone · 8 chef windows | 18 cloud kitchens with no LDH capacity |
| Special Event Permit **that date** | Standing festival calendar |

---

## IX. One-page checklist (print for Week 1)

- [ ] City Planning **written** — P uses only, no CUDO  
- [ ] ALTA + 300′ walk + FEMA  
- [ ] Setbacks **15′ W / 20′ E / 20′ front** on site plan  
- [ ] Stormwater **~22,688 CF** — PE stamped  
- [ ] Parking **300** on drawings  
- [ ] Fire lanes **20′ / 26′** — hammerhead north  
- [ ] Drawings: **full NFPA 13 Maison** + **Type I commissary** + Doc **12** courtyard narrative  
- [ ] CO label: **~280** — not 999  
- [ ] LDH commissary + **8** vendor agreements path  
- [ ] **No cooking in courtyard** — contract + ops enforce  
- [ ] SEP cap **6/year** — staff trained (Doc 61 table)  

---

## X. Source map (full docs)

| Topic | Document |
|-------|----------|
| Full code matrix | [09-CODE-COMPLIANCE-MATRIX.md](./09-CODE-COMPLIANCE-MATRIX.md) |
| Area + pre-app script | [60-LOT-Z-AREA-COMPLIANCE-AND-PRE-APP-SCRIPT.md](./60-LOT-Z-AREA-COMPLIANCE-AND-PRE-APP-SCRIPT.md) |
| No CUDO + event caps | [61-RECEPTION-FACILITY-NO-CUDO-LOCK.md](./61-RECEPTION-FACILITY-NO-CUDO-LOCK.md) |
| Maison sprinklers + CO | [68-MAISON-MIRAGE-LIFE-SAFETY-PLAN.md](./68-MAISON-MIRAGE-LIFE-SAFETY-PLAN.md) |
| Courtyard fire | [12-CONTAINER-OPEN-KIOSK-FIRE-STRATEGY.md](./12-CONTAINER-OPEN-KIOSK-FIRE-STRATEGY.md) |
| Commissary footprint | [08-COMMISSARY-KITCHEN-PLAN-REV7.md](./08-COMMISSARY-KITCHEN-PLAN-REV7.md) |
| Permit submittal list | [11-PERMIT-SUBMITTAL-CHECKLIST.md](./11-PERMIT-SUBMITTAL-CHECKLIST.md) |
| Gate order | [COMPLIANCE-FIRST-SEQUENCE.md](./COMPLIANCE-FIRST-SEQUENCE.md) |

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*If a contractor, vendor, or marketer proposes something not on the **MUST** side of this list, default answer is **no** until AOR + counsel + AHJ confirm in writing.*