Comprehensive Use Guide for the C-O-1.0: Mixed Use District in Arlington County

The C-O-1.0: Mixed Use District in Arlington County is designed to facilitate limited office building land use and the redevelopment of older commercial areas into mixed-use environments including residential, hotel, and institutional components. Development within this district generally allows for building heights up to 35 feet by-right, with special exceptions allowing up to six stories and densities of 60 units per acre for hotels or 40 units per acre for apartments [Section 7.10.1, Section 7.10.3].

Purpose and Intent

The primary objective of the Arlington County C-O-1.0 district is to encourage the rebuilding of older commercial centers. The County Board determines appropriate mixtures of uses and densities through the conditional use process, ensuring consistency with the General Land Use Plan (GLUP) and local neighborhood characteristics, including the provision of community facilities and landscaped areas [Section 7.10.1].

Density and Dimensional Standards

Development in the Arlington County C-O-1.0 district must adhere to specific lot and bulk requirements, which vary between by-right development and special exception approvals.

Type of Standard	One-Family Dwellings	All Other By-Right Uses	Special Exception (Institutional/Apartment/Hotel)
Minimum Lot Area	6,000 sq. ft.	20,000 sq. ft.	20,000 sq. ft.
Minimum Lot Width	60 feet	100 feet	100 feet
Maximum Height (Feet)	35 feet	35 feet	N/A (regulated by stories)
Maximum Height (Stories)	N/A	N/A	5 to 6 stories
Max FAR (Site < 10k sq. ft.)	N/A	0.40	1.0
Max FAR (Site 10k-20k sq. ft.)	N/A	0.50	1.0
Max FAR (Site > 20k sq. ft.)	N/A	0.60	1.0
Max Density (Apartments)	N/A	N/A	40 units/acre
Max Density (Hotels)	N/A	N/A	60 units/acre

Note: FAR refers to Floor Area Ratio. Special exceptions are subject to County Board approval [Section 7.10.3].

Allowed Uses in the C-O-1.0 District

Uses in the C-O-1.0 district are classified as permitted by-right (P), requiring site plan approval (S), requiring use permit approval (U), or requiring both (C).

Residential and Group Living

Permitted By-Right (P): One-family detached dwellings; Recovery residences (with eight or fewer residents) [Section 7.1.2, Section 12.3.9].
Site Plan Approval Required (S): Multiple-family dwellings; Independent living facilities; Assisted living facilities; Continuing care retirement communities [Section 7.1.2].
Use Permit Approval Required (U): Recovery residences (with more than eight residents) [Section 7.1.2].

Public, Civic, and Institutional

Permitted By-Right (P): Fire and police stations; Churches, mosques, synagogues, and temples [Section 7.1.2].
Site Plan Approval Required (S): Hospitals [Section 7.1.2].
Use Permit Approval Required (U): Colleges and universities; Community centers; Community swimming pools; Libraries; Museums and art galleries or studios; Recreation centers; Child care centers; All other day care uses; Cemeteries; Country clubs and golf courses; Parks, playgrounds, and playfields; Passenger terminals (bus, trolley, air, boat, rail); Schools (elementary, middle, and high); All social service institutions (except corrective nature) [Section 7.1.2].

Commercial, Retail, and Service

Permitted By-Right (P): Restaurants; Artisan beverages; Small-scale food catering; Shared commercial kitchens; Financial services; Audio-visual production and broadcast studios; Medical or dental offices/clinics; Business and professional offices; Trade or commercial schools; Urban agriculture; Bakeries; Drug stores; Florist/gift shops; Grocery stores (including convenience); Newsstands; Animal care facilities and veterinary clinics; Animal boarding; Artisan workshops; Barbershops/beauty parlors; Branch banks; Dance studios; Dry-cleaning/laundromats; Photocopying and blueprinted services; Private postal services [Section 7.1.2].
Site Plan Approval Required (S): Hotels or motels; Upholstery shops [Section 7.1.2].
Use Permit Approval Required (U): Shared commercial kitchens (limited and open-air); Membership clubs and lodges; Publicly-owned parking areas; Kiosks; Open-air markets; Athletic or health clubs [Section 7.1.2].
Site Plan and Use Permit Required (C): Mortuaries and funeral homes [Section 7.1.2, Section 8.1.2].

Prohibited Uses

Any use not explicitly marked with a P, S, U, or C in the Principal Use Table is prohibited in the C-O-1.0 district. Key prohibited uses include, but are not limited to:

Two-family dwellings (Duplexes and Semidetached) [Section 7.1.2].
Townhouses [Section 7.1.2].
Boarding houses and rooming houses [Section 7.1.2].
Detention or correctional facilities [Section 7.1.2].
Large-format retail establishments [Section 7.1.2].
Pawnshops [Section 7.1.2].
Car washes and vehicle body shops [Section 7.1.2].
Heavy industrial uses, manufacturing, and production [Section 7.1.2].
Warehouse and freight movement [Section 7.1.2].
Wholesale trade [Section 7.1.2].

Use Limitations and Standards

Enclosure: Most commercial and service activities must be conducted within a building [Section 7.1.2].
Shared Parking: For mixed-use developments, the County Board may approve a Shared Parking Management Plan (SPMP) to accommodate visitors and retail patrons [Section 7.8.5.A.4].
Landscaping: A minimum of 10 percent of the total site area must be landscaped open space [Section 7.3.4.D].
Mixed Use Density: By site plan approval, buildings may have a mix of uses, but no part of a site may be used more than once in calculating permitted density [Section 7.10.4.A].

Sections Cited

Article 7. Commercial/ Mixed Use (C) Districts
Section 7.1. Commercial/Mixed Use (C) Districts Use Tables
Section 7.1.2. Commercial/mixed use (C) districts principal use table
Section 7.3. R-C, Multiple-family Dwelling and Commercial District
Section 7.8. MU-VS, Mixed Use Virginia Square District
Section 7.10. C-O-1.0, Mixed Use District
Section 12.3. Residential Use Standards
Section 12.3.9. Recovery Residences
Section 14.3. Parking and Loading