Arlington County P-S: Public Service District Setback and Placement Standards
Structures in the P-S: Public Service district of Arlington County are governed by setbacks based on their use and proximity to residential zones. Non-residential buildings typically require a 40-foot setback from the street centerline, while one-family dwellings require a 25-foot setback from the street right-of-way line. Side and rear yards are generally not required for public service structures unless they abut a residential district or contain windows, in which case a height-based sliding scale applies.
Street Setbacks (Front Yards)
In the P-S: Public Service district of Arlington County, the distance a building must be set back from the street depends on whether the structure is a one-family dwelling or another type of public service use.
| Use Type | Setback Requirement |
|---|---|
| Non-Residential / All Other Uses | 40 feet from the centerline of any street [§3.2.6.A.1(a)] |
| One-Family Dwellings | 25 feet from any street right-of-way line [§3.2.6.A.1(e)] |
For one-family dwellings in the P-S: Public Service district, the front wall setback may be reduced to the average of the distances between the street right-of-way line and the edges of the front walls of existing structures on the same frontage, provided the distance is at least 15 feet [§3.2.6.A.1(e)(1)-(2)].
Side and Rear Yard Requirements
Arlington County regulations for the P-S: Public Service district do not establish a universal minimum side or rear yard for non-residential structures. However, specific protections are triggered when these developments are adjacent to residential neighborhoods.
Non-Residential and Public Service Uses
Generally, no side or rear yard is required for non-residential uses in the P-S: Public Service district. However, a setback is required if any wall on the side or rear of the lot contains windows (openable or not) or if the lot abuts an R (Residential) or RA (Residential Apartment) district [§3.2.6.A.2(a)].
In these instances, the building must be set back as follows:
- Initial Height: 8 feet for the first 10 feet of building height.
- Incremental Height: 2 additional feet of setback for every 10 additional feet of building height (or fraction thereof) [§3.2.6.A.2(a)].
One-Family Dwellings
One-family dwellings permitted in the P-S: Public Service district must follow standard residential yard requirements:
- Side Yard: 10 feet, though one side may be reduced to 8 feet. The aggregate width of both side yards must be at least 30 percent of the lot width [§3.2.6.A.2(b)].
- Rear Yard: 25 feet for interior lots [§3.2.6.A.2(b)].
Additional Placement Standards
Visual Clearance at Corners
For any corner lot located within the P-S: Public Service district in Arlington County, no building or obstruction is permitted between a height of one foot and 10 feet above the curb level within the sight triangle. This triangle is formed by the street right-of-way lines and a line connecting those points 10 feet from their intersection [§3.2.6.A.4(b)].
Encroachments
Certain structures and features are permitted to encroach into required yards within the P-S: Public Service district:
- Cornices and Eaves: May typically encroach into required yards.
- Fences and Walls: Fences up to 4 feet in height are permitted in any required street setback. On lots used for publicly owned or operated parks in the P-S: Public Service district, fences and walls up to 8 feet in height are permitted in any required setback [§3.2.6.A.3(e)].
- Air Conditioning Units: Permitted in required side and rear yards provided they are at least 8 feet from any side lot line and 10 feet from any rear lot line [§3.2.6.A.3(b)].
Sections Cited
- §3.2.6.A.1 (Setbacks from any street)
- §3.2.6.A.2 (Side and rear yards)
- §3.2.6.A.3 (Encroachments allowed into required yards and courts)
- §3.2.6.A.4 (Visual clearance)
- §4.4.3 (P-S: Public Service District Density and Dimensional Standards)