C-O Crystal City: Mixed Use Crystal City Zoning District Guide
The C-O Crystal City district in Arlington County is designed to foster high-density mixed-use redevelopment, allowing for building heights up to 350 feet and specific densities governed by the Crystal City Sector Plan. This district requires a coordinated mix of residential, office, and retail uses while prioritizing a high-quality public realm, multimodal transportation, and structured parking typically located below grade.
Purpose of the C-O Crystal City District
The primary purpose of the C-O Crystal City district is to encourage mixed-use development including office, retail, service commercial, hotel, and multiple-family dwellings within the area designated as the Crystal City Coordinated Redevelopment District on the Arlington County General Land Use Plan [Section 7.16.1]. The district aims to:
- Advance the future vision of Crystal City as established in the Sector Plan [Section 7.16.1.A].
- Provide a mix of uses within several defined neighborhood centers [Section 7.16.1.B].
- Support long-term economic sustainability and facilitate gradual, coordinated redevelopment on each block [Section 7.16.1.C-D].
- Enhance multimodal transportation connectivity and create a high-quality public realm consisting of streets, squares, and public areas [Section 7.16.1.E-F].
General Character and Site Design
Arlington County requires that development in the C-O Crystal City district be managed through detailed site plans to ensure project features ameliorate the impacts of high density. Key character elements include:
- Use Mix: Site plan projects must include a mix of uses above the ground floor to achieve target mixes for specific blocks [Section 7.16.5.C].
- Building Form: Structures must adhere to recommended build-to lines, tower separation requirements, and bulk-plane angles to ensure adequate sunlight to public parks [Section 7.16.1].
- Public Realm: Streetscapes must include specific elements such as curb, gutter, sidewalks, streetlights, furniture, and tree plantings consistent with the Crystal City Sector Plan [Section 7.16.5.G].
- Underground Parking: Arlington County encourages placing all parking below grade. Above-grade parking, if allowed, must be lined with active programmed space along public arterial streets [Section 7.16.5.H.4].
Permitted Land Uses
Uses in the C-O Crystal City district are categorized by their permission level: P (By-Right), S (Site Plan Approval), or U (Use Permit).
| Use Category | Specific Use Types | Permission Level |
|---|---|---|
| Residential | One-family detached | P |
| Multiple-family | S | |
| Independent or Assisted living facilities | S | |
| Group homes | U | |
| Public/Civic | Colleges and universities | U |
| Hospitals | U | |
| Fire and police stations | P | |
| Libraries or Community centers | U | |
| Commercial | Artisan beverage and Restaurants | P |
| Movie or other theaters | P | |
| Offices (Business, Professional, Medical) | P | |
| Retail Sales (Bakeries, Drug stores, etc.) | P | |
| Hotels or motels | S | |
| Industrial | Small scale printing or Sign making | P |
| Utilities (Minor) | P |
[Section 7.1.2]
Technical Development Standards
The C-O Crystal City district has two sets of standards: one for "By-Right" development (which is limited in scale) and one for "Special Exception" development (conducted via the Site Plan process).
By-Right Development Standards
| Standard Type | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Minimum Lot Area | 20,000 sq. ft. |
| Minimum Lot Width | 100 feet |
| Maximum Building Height | 35 feet |
| Maximum Floor Area Ratio (FAR) | 0.60 |
[Section 7.16.3.A]
Site Plan (Special Exception) Standards
| Standard Type | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Maximum Building Height | As specified in the Building Heights Map, up to 350 feet [Sections 7.16.8, 9.6.4.D] |
| Maximum Floor Area Ratio (FAR) | As specified in the Base Density Map [Section 7.16.6] |
| Tower Separation | Minimum 60 feet horizontal separation between towers above the 5th floor [Section 7.16.5.F.1] |
| Multi-family Parking | 1.125 spaces for the first 200 units; 1 space per unit thereafter [Section 7.16.5.H.1] |
| Commercial/Office/Retail Parking | 1 space per 1,000 sq. ft. of gross floor area [Section 7.16.5.H.2] |
| Hotel Parking | 0.5 spaces per guest room [Section 7.16.5.H.3] |
[Section 7.16.5]
Sections Cited
- Section 7.1.2: Commercial/Mixed Use (C) Districts Principal Use Table
- Section 7.16.1: C-O Crystal City, Mixed Use Crystal City District - Purpose
- Section 7.16.2: Uses
- Section 7.16.3: Density and dimensional standards
- Section 7.16.5: Site plans
- Section 7.16.6: Base density map
- Section 7.16.8: Building heights map
- Section 7.16.11: Tower coverage map
- Section 9.6.4.D: Maximum Development Threshold (Pentagon City Coordinated Redevelopment District)