Guide to Allowed and Prohibited Uses in the Arlington County C-TH District
In Arlington County, the C-TH Commercial Townhouse District is designed to encourage the development of structures with the physical characteristics of townhouses while providing a height transition between high-density commercial areas and low-density residential zones. Dwellings in the Arlington County C-TH District are generally limited to a height of 35 feet, while hotels and professional offices may reach up to 55 feet [Section 7.18.1, Section 7.18.3].
Permitted Uses in the Arlington County C-TH District
The Arlington County Zoning Ordinance classifies allowed uses into three main approval types: Permitted by-right (P), requiring a Use Permit (U), or requiring Site Plan approval (S). A blank cell in the official use table indicates the use is not allowed [Section 7.1.2].
Residential and Group Living Uses
The C-TH Commercial Townhouse District permits a variety of residential formats to ensure a mix of housing types.
- Permitted By-Right (P): One-family detached dwellings, duplexes, semidetached dwellings, townhouses, and recovery residences with eight or fewer residents [Section 7.1.2, Section 12.3.9].
- Requires Use Permit (U): Group homes, dormitories, fraternity and sorority houses, and recovery residences with more than eight residents [Section 7.1.2].
- Requires Site Plan Approval (S): Assisted living facilities, continuing care retirement communities, nursing homes, and hotels/motels [Section 7.1.2].
Public, Civic, and Institutional Uses
- Permitted By-Right (P): Churches, mosques, synagogues, and temples [Section 7.1.2].
- Requires Use Permit (U): Colleges and universities, community centers, community swimming pools, libraries, museums, art galleries, recreation centers, child care centers, hospitals, cemeteries, parks, playgrounds, and elementary/middle/high schools [Section 7.1.2].
Commercial and Retail Uses
The Arlington County C-TH District supports a broad array of neighborhood-serving commercial activities.
- Permitted By-Right (P): Artisan beverage production, small-scale food catering, restaurants, shared commercial kitchens, movie theaters, audio-visual production studios, financial services, medical or dental offices, trade schools, and urban agriculture [Section 7.1.2].
- Retail Sales (P): Bakeries, drug stores, florists, newsstands, grocery stores, and secondhand stores [Section 7.1.2].
- Personal Services (P): Animal care facilities, athletic clubs, animal boarding, artisan workshops, barbershops, beauty parlors, and dry-cleaning establishments [Section 7.1.2].
- Requires Use Permit (U): Open-air markets, bed and breakfasts, commercial parking, mortuaries, funeral homes, vehicle sales/rental/leasing, and vehicle service establishments [Section 7.1.2].
Industrial and Other Uses
- Permitted By-Right (P): Building/heating/plumbing contractors, small-scale printing and publishing, sign-making shops, plumbing or sheet metal shops, and all wholesale trade uses (provided they are conducted wholly within an enclosed building) [Section 7.1.2, Section 12.6.13].
- Telecommunications (P/U): Small-cell or micro-wireless facilities are permitted by-right, while standard telecommunications facilities require a Use Permit [Section 7.1.2].
Prohibited Uses in the Arlington County C-TH District
Uses not explicitly marked as P, U, or S in the Arlington County Zoning Ordinance use table are prohibited. These include:
- Retail: Large-format retail establishments (50,000+ sq. ft.) [Section 7.1.2, Section 18.2].
- Service: Car washes, vehicle body shops, and animal shelters [Section 7.1.2].
- Industrial: Heavy industrial uses, asphalt processing, concrete batching, wrecking/salvage yards, recycling centers, and solid waste transfer stations [Section 7.1.2].
- Public/Other: Passenger terminals for railroads or buses (unless specifically approved as a government facility) [Section 7.1.2].
Technical Standards for the C-TH District
The Arlington County C-TH District enforces specific density and dimensional standards to maintain its transitional character.
| Type of Standard | One-family Dwelling | Two-family (Semi-detached) | Two-family (Duplex) | Hotel / Office / Multi-family |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Min. Lot Area | 5,000 sq. ft. | 4,350 sq. ft. | 8,700 sq. ft. | N/A |
| Min. Lot Width | 50 ft. | 35 ft. | 70 ft. | N/A |
| Max. Height | 35 ft. | 35 ft. | 35 ft. | 55 ft. |
| Max. Density | N/A | N/A | N/A | 110 units/acre (Hotel) |
| Floor Area Ratio (FAR) | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Note: For properties abutting certain R districts, building heights may be further restricted to 45 feet for the first 50 feet of property depth [Section 7.18.3.C].
Specific Use Limitations
Self-Service Storage
In the Arlington County C-TH District, self-service storage is allowed only by Use Permit and must meet the following criteria:
- The facility must be located within a multi-story structure.
- At least 60% of the ground floor gross floor area must be dedicated to retail or service commercial uses.
- One parking space must be provided for every 8,000 square feet of storage area [Section 12.5.25.B].
Parking and Loading
The Arlington County C-TH District requires specific parking ratios for commercial and residential uses.
| Use Type | Minimum Parking Requirement |
|---|---|
| One- and Two-family Dwellings | 1 space per dwelling unit [Section 14.3.7] |
| Townhouses | 2 spaces per unit + 1/5 space per unit for visitors [Section 14.3.7] |
| Medical/Dental Offices | 1 per 150 sq. ft. for first 5,000 sq. ft. [Section 14.3.7] |
| General Office/Retail | 1 per 580 sq. ft. of gross floor area [Section 14.3.7] |
Sections Cited
- Section 7.1.2: Commercial/Mixed Use (C) Districts Principal Use Table
- Section 7.18: C-TH, Commercial Townhouse District (Purpose, Uses, Standards)
- Section 12.3.9: Recovery Residences
- Section 12.5.25.B: Self-service storage standards for C-TH
- Section 12.6.13: Wholesale trade standards
- Section 14.3.7: Required parking and standing space
- Section 18.2: General Terms Defined