Allowed and Prohibited Uses in the Arlington County CP-FBC: Columbia Pike Form Based Code District
The CP-FBC: Columbia Pike Form Based Code District in Arlington County permits a diverse range of residential, commercial, and institutional uses to foster a transit-oriented, vibrant main street environment. While many uses are allowed by-right, such permissions typically require the redevelopment to increase total developed space by at least 50%, while any project on a site larger than 40,000 square feet or involving specific high-impact activities requires a special exception use permit [Section 11.1.4.A]. Any use not explicitly listed with a "P" (Permitted) or "U" (Use Permit Required) in the district's use tables is strictly prohibited [Section 11.1.4.A.3].
Permitted and Conditional Principal Uses
The Arlington County Zoning Ordinance categorizes uses in the CP-FBC District into those allowed by-right and those requiring a special exception use permit. By-right uses (P) may be approved administratively, provided they comply with the Form Based Code. Use permit (U) designations require approval from the County Board [Section 11.1.4.A].
Residential and Group Living Uses
The CP-FBC District encourages various housing types, though most high-occupancy or specialized living arrangements require additional oversight.
| Use Category | Specific Use Type | Permission Status |
|---|---|---|
| Household Living | One-family detached | P |
| Multiple-family | P | |
| Townhouses | P | |
| Group Living | Assisted living facilities | U |
| Boarding houses and rooming houses | U | |
| Continuing care retirement communities | U | |
| Group homes | U | |
| Dormitories | U | |
| Fraternity and sorority houses | U | |
| Independent living facilities | U | |
| Nursing homes | U |
Public, Civic, and Institutional Uses
Arlington County permits essential public services and religious institutions by-right, while educational and social service facilities generally require use permits.
| Use Category | Specific Use Type | Permission Status |
|---|---|---|
| Colleges | Colleges and universities | U |
| Community Service | Community centers | P / U |
| Libraries | U | |
| Museums and art galleries or studios | P | |
| Publicly operated recreation buildings / fields | U | |
| Recreation centers | U | |
| Day Care | Child care centers | U |
| All other day care uses | U | |
| Governmental | Detention and correctional facilities | U |
| Fire and police stations | P | |
| Hospital | Hospitals | P / U |
| Parks and Open Space | Cemeteries | U |
| Country clubs and golf courses | U | |
| Parks, playgrounds and playfields | U | |
| Terminals | Airports and aircraft landing fields | U |
| Bus, trolley, air, boat and rail passenger terminals | P | |
| Religious | Churches, mosques, synagogues, and temples | P |
| Schools | Schools, elementary, middle and high | U |
| Social Service | All social service institutions | U |
Retail, Service, and Commercial Uses
The CP-FBC District is designed to support a robust retail environment. Most standard retail and office uses are permitted by-right.
| Use Category | Specific Use Type | Permission Status |
|---|---|---|
| Food Establishments | Artisan beverage | P |
| Food catering establishment (small-scale) | P | |
| Restaurant | P | |
| Shared commercial kitchen | P | |
| Shared commercial kitchen (limited or open-air) | U | |
| Entertainment | Theater or auditorium | P |
| Membership clubs and lodges | U | |
| All other indoor entertainment | U | |
| Office | Audio-visual production and broadcast studio | P |
| Financial services | P | |
| Offices, business and professional | P | |
| Office, federal, state and local | P | |
| Offices or clinics, medical or dental | P | |
| Research and development, flex | P | |
| Urban agriculture | P | |
| Urban colleges and universities | P | |
| Accommodations | Bed and breakfasts | U |
| Hotel or motel | P | |
| Recreation | Swimming pool (commercial) | P |
| All other indoor recreation | P | |
| Miniature golf course | U | |
| Skating rink | P | |
| Swimming pool (commercial outdoor) | U |
Retail Sales and Service Uses
This subcategory within the Arlington County CP-FBC District covers the majority of "main street" businesses.
| Specific Use Type | Permission Status |
|---|---|
| Florist or gift shops | P |
| Grocery, fruit or vegetable stores | P |
| Micro-fulfillment centers | P |
| Nursery, flower or plant store | P |
| Open-air markets | U |
| Animal care / boarding | P |
| Artisan workshop | P |
| Dry-cleaning, laundry and laundromat | P |
| Mortuaries and funeral homes | U |
| Private postal service | P |
| Upholstery shops | P |
| Pawnshop | U |
| Vehicle sales, rental or leasing | P |
| Vehicle body shop | U |
| Vehicle service establishment | U |
Industrial Use Categories
The CP-FBC District strictly limits industrial activities to light service-oriented tasks that are compatible with a residential and commercial corridor.
| Specific Use Type | Permission Status |
|---|---|
| Carpet cleaning plants | U |
| Printing, lithographing or publishing | P |
| Sign making shops | P |
| Recycling centers | U |
| Repair shop (small appliance, TV, radio) | P |
| Plumbing or sheet metal shops | P |
| Heavy Industrial Uses | Prohibited (Blank Cell) |
Accessory Use Standards in the CP-FBC District
Arlington County permits several accessory uses within the CP-FBC District, provided they remain subordinate to the principal use.
| Accessory Use Type | Permission Status |
|---|---|
| Commercial vehicle parking | P |
| Crematoriums | U |
| Drive-through facilities | U |
| Family day care homes | P |
| Food delivery services | P |
| Home occupations | P |
| Mortuaries and funeral homes | U |
| Swimming pools (private) | P |
| Outdoor café (on private property) | P |
| Outdoor café (on public right-of-way/easement) | U |
| Recreational vehicle or trailer parking | P |
| Vehicle maintenance and minor repairs | P |
Prohibited Uses and Use Limitations
Explicitly Prohibited Uses
In the CP-FBC District, any use category or specific use type that contains a blank cell in the principal use table is prohibited. This includes, but is not limited to:
- Heavy Industrial: All heavy industrial uses [Section 11.1.5].
- Warehouse and Freight Movement: All warehouse and freight movement uses [Section 11.1.5].
- Resource Extraction: All resource extraction uses [Section 11.1.5].
- Specified Vehicle Uses: Vehicle sales, rental, or leasing facilities are specifically prohibited on sites designated as "Neighborhood" or "Local" within the CP-FBC District [Section 12.5.28.C.2].
Prohibited Signage in All Districts
Arlington County prohibits certain types of signage across all designations, including the CP-FBC District:
- Balloons or devices designed to attract attention to goods/services [Section 13.4.2.C].
- Signs attached to natural features like trees or rocks [Section 13.4.2.D].
- Searchlights or projections into the sky [Section 13.4.2.H].
- Signs producing sound or emitting smoke/vapor [Section 13.4.2.Q].
General Use Limitations
Arlington County imposes the following operational restrictions within the CP-FBC District:
- Manufacturing Restraint: Except for artisan beverage and artisan workshop manufacturing, no manufacturing, compounding, or processing of products is permitted unless it is clearly incidental and essential to a retail store or business [Section 11.1.7.A].
- Enclosure Requirements: All production activities must be conducted wholly within a completely enclosed building; outdoor storage of production materials is prohibited [Section 12.5.31.A].
- Steam Exhausts: For cleaning and laundering establishments, steam exhausts must be fully contained within the building structure [Section 11.1.7.B].
Sections Cited
- Section 11.1.1 Purpose
- Section 11.1.4 Uses
- Section 11.1.5 Columbia Pike Form Based Code district principal use table
- Section 11.1.6 Columbia Pike Form Based Code districts accessory use table
- Section 11.1.7 Use limitations
- Section 12.5.28.C Vehicle sales, rental and leasing facilities (CP-FBC standards)
- Section 12.5.31 Artisan beverage
- Section 13.4.2 Signs prohibited in all districts