Arlington County Zoning: Districts Permitting Banks and Financial Services
In Arlington County, Virginia, branch banks and financial services are primarily permitted by-right in nearly all Commercial/Mixed Use (C) and Industrial (M) districts. While most commercial districts allow these uses without a special permit, certain transitional or high-density residential districts, such as R-C and RA-H, require site plan approval from the Arlington County Board.
Permitted Zoning Districts for Financial Uses
Arlington County distinguishes between "Financial services" (categorized under Office uses) and "Branch banks" (categorized under Retail, Personal Service uses) [Section 12.2.5.C, Section 12.2.5.G.2(b)]. However, the two uses share identical permission levels across the primary commercial and industrial use tables.
Commercial and Mixed Use Districts
The following Commercial/Mixed Use districts in Arlington County allow banks and financial services:
| District Type | Permission Level |
|---|---|
| R-C (Multiple-family Dwelling and Commercial) | Requires Site Plan Approval (S) |
| RA-H (Hotel District) | Requires Site Plan Approval (S) |
| RA-H-3.2 (Multiple-Family Dwelling and Hotel) | Permitted By-Right (P) |
| C-1-R (Restricted Local Commercial) | Permitted By-Right (P) |
| C-1 (Local Commercial) | Permitted By-Right (P) |
| MU-VS (Mixed Use Virginia Square) | Permitted By-Right (P) |
| C-1-O (Limited Commercial Office Building) | Permitted By-Right (P) |
| C-O-1.0, C-O-1.5, C-O-2.5, C-O, C-O-A (Mixed Use) | Permitted By-Right (P) |
| C-O Rosslyn (Mixed Use Rosslyn) | Permitted By-Right (P) |
| C-O Crystal City (Mixed Use Crystal City) | Permitted By-Right (P) |
| C-2 (Service Commercial-Community Business) | Permitted By-Right (P) |
| C-TH (Commercial Townhouse) | Permitted By-Right (P) |
| C-3 (General Commercial) | Permitted By-Right (P) |
| C-R (Commercial Redevelopment) | Permitted By-Right (P) |
| CP-FBC (Columbia Pike Form Based Code) | Permitted By-Right (P) |
[Section 7.1.2, Section 11.1.5]
Industrial Districts
In Arlington County's Industrial districts, "Financial services" are explicitly listed as a permitted office use, while "Branch banks" fall under the "All other retail personal service uses" category [Section 12.2.6]:
| District Type | Permission Level |
|---|---|
| CM (Limited Industrial) | Permitted By-Right (P) |
| M-1 (Light Industrial) | Permitted By-Right (P) |
| M-2 (Service Industrial) | Permitted By-Right (P) |
[Section 8.1.2]
Parking and Development Standards
Arlington County mandates specific off-street parking requirements for banks and financial services based on their floor area and location within the building.
| Use Classification | Minimum Parking Requirement |
|---|---|
| Retail/Service (Branch Banks) | 1 space per 250 sq. ft. (1st floor); 1 space per 300 sq. ft. (above 1st floor) |
| Office (Financial Services) | 1 space per 250 sq. ft. (1st floor); 1 space per 300 sq. ft. (2nd–5th floors); 1 space per 400 sq. ft. (above 5th floor) |
| MU-VS District | 1 space per 580 sq. ft. (as approved via site plan) |
[Section 14.3.7.A, Section 7.8.5.A.4(b)]
Parking Exemptions in Metro Station Areas
To encourage pedestrian activity, Arlington County provides a parking exemption for retail and service-commercial uses (including branch banks) that meet the following criteria:
- The major portion of the use is located within 1,000 feet of a Metrorail station entrance.
- The exemption applies only to the first 5,000 square feet of floor area per main building.
[Section 14.3.6.A.2]
Definitions and Use Characteristics
Arlington County defines these activities as follows:
- Financial Services: Activities conducted in an office setting focusing on lenders, investment or brokerage houses, or collection agencies [Section 12.2.5.C].
- Branch Banks: Specifically categorized under "Retail, Personal Service" rather than "Office" because they provide direct services to the general public [Section 12.2.5.G.2(b), Section 18.2].
Sections Cited
- Section 7.1.2 Commercial/Mixed Use (C) Districts Principal Use Table
- Section 7.8.5 MU-VS Site Development Standards
- Section 8.1.2 Industrial (M) Districts Principal Use Table
- Section 11.1.5 Columbia Pike Form Based Code District Principal Use Table
- Section 12.2.5 Retail, Service and Commercial Use Categories
- Section 14.3.6 Parking in Metro Station Areas
- Section 14.3.7 Required Parking and Standing Space
- Section 18.2 General Terms Defined